Be sure to fill the crank case full each time before you do "spirited driving". These cars corner well enough to starve the oil pump.
Make sure battery terminals are clean and tight.

Scorpion maintenance and modification tips courtesy of David Shindle
Konis ? Were totally unavailable but recently got word that the Front Koni Adj. Struts (KON 87-2121) are available at Pro Am Auto Parts 6125 Richmond Houston, Texas 77057 (713)781-7755 for $214.00/ pr
Coil overs might be at Monte Hospital in the UK. They advertise in Hemming's.

We'll here are some ideas on modifications from an article I wrote for the American Lancia Club newsletter several years ago. The following are my top dozen Scorpion modifications which may interest X-19 and 124 owners as well.

1. Reduce the weight. Weight is the biggest enemy of performance as it effects acceleration, braking and lateral movement. At 2490 lbs the stock Scorpion is a lead sled. Weight can be reduced by up to 400 lbs without much problem, especially if you can get around emissions and live in a climate bearable to not having A.C. or as in many cases, the A.C. doesn't work anyway. My car weighs under 2100 lbs and includes some extra items like an oil cooler, twin carbs, and fire suppression equipment. Use Montecarlo bumpers, either Montecarlo euro-headlights or Beta dual headlight conversions, replace the very heavy stock seats with racing seats, replace troublesome power windows with manual window regulators, and so on. If the A.C. is removed, use an aluminum oil filter housing which is 13 lbs lighter than the cast iron original and remove or rewire the A.C. fan on the radiator to run with the cooling fan. Weight removed from the engine itself will put less strain on the rear cross member, probably the most integral part of the car with such a vital role I will include as my next modification.

2. Reinforce the rear cross member. These commonly rust from the inside and crack causing a drifting sensation at speed, uneven tire wear and the transmission popping out of gear. Begin by treating the inside with a rust inhibitor, then fill the inside with household foam insulation which when dry will add strength and prevent water from getting inside. Lastly, weld 1 ½ inch metal strips to the front and back.

3. Relocate the fuel tank to the luggage compartment. This mod is a little extreme but provides a better front to rear weight ratio, easier engine access and room in the engine compartment for *go fast goodies.* I mounted a 15 gallon fuel cell, the fuel pump and a variable fuel pressure regulator up front and still have room for a small weekend bag and my tools. I mounted the fuel pump to the front bulkhead near where the brake and clutch lines come into the luggage compartment. I added a toggle switch to the fuel pump sticking back through the bulkhead so the switch is above the pedals. Thus I now have an anti-theft/ fire protection kill switch I can reach from inside the passenger compartment but hidden from would-be car thieves. The variable fuel pressure regulator is a great modification as allows adjustment at the turn of a knob which can help when tuning the engine or to better your gas mileage while driving around town but allow you turn it up for days at the track. Be sure to vent the fumes to outside the luggage area. There is a convenient hole in the bottom of the trunk for the outlet hose to get into the lower tunnel for the hose. Before the hose comes into the engine compartment, install a fuel filter and then use steel braided fuel line the rest of the way to the carb. I located an oil cooler where the fuel tank originally was located. Don't be surprised when the gas station attendant runs over to see why you're pouring fuel in your trunk. If you prefer not to make this modification you may still wish to increase the weight over the front wheels as Scorpions are notorious for front brake lock up partially due to the poor front/rear weight ratio. Other ideas are carrying your spare up front or filling the luggage compartment with extensive stereo equipment. I also bolted a plastic battery box like those RV trailers use to the luggage compartment floor. I no longer have to worry about battery acid eating my battery storage area but also lowered and centered the weight of the battery

4. Upgrade the brakes. Remove and bypass the brake booster by installing a bypass line between the master cylinder and front brake lines in the luggage compartment. Then install metallic brake pads, cross drilled rotors and steel braided brake lines. This setup provides adequate braking efficiency while eliminating front brake lockup. You'll notice the brake system is much easier to bleed without the extra 15 feet of brake line. A further option is to opt for 14 inch or larger wheels to use larger rotors and dual caliper brake setup as Series II Montecarlos. Some aftermarket wheels are best fitted without the wheel spacers on the hub. If you use spacers, mount them with two of the long alignment studs instead of one alignment stud and one regular bolt.

5. Lower the suspension. The Scorpion's suspension springs raised the car about an inch higher than the Montecarlo to meet a U. S. federal headlight requirement; the raisable headlights added the other necessary inch. The taller ride height should be maintained if you plan to rally or 4X4 (just kidding) your Scorpion; but for performance, adding Montecarlo springs and Konis help enormously. Cutting the stock springs is the cheap alternative but since the spring rate remains the same, bottoming out is likely. I've been told that removing 270 degrees of coil effectively lowers the suspension. I haven't had any problem with tire clearance with the Montecarlo springs and tires as large as 205x55VR14. Air dams and any speed bumps in your neighborhood should be considered before performing this modification.

6. Rust protection. Regularly check the seals to all windows as they tend to leak allowing water in to rust out the floorboards. The glued in glass is also meant as part of the structure of the car. Undercoat the entire bottom and inside the wheel wells by removing the front wheel well's plastic liner, apply the undercoat and then reinstall the liner. If your Scorpion does not have the plastic liners, find a pair to install. I believe the liners are the reason the front wheel arches don't rust as terrible as the rear which came from the factory without liners. Make certain the drain hoses from the area where the wiper motor and brake/clutch reservoir bottles are located do not get clogged. If your catalytic converter has been removed, I recommend removing the aluminum board from above the exhaust area as they tend to hold gobs of water. Lastly, get a quality paint job as paint technology is better than that original paint and will offer better protection. I've been told gas tank sealer is an excellent sealant when used between the 2 layers on the front hood, definitely the most rust prone bodywork. I sprayed my Scorpion with zinc chromate prior to paint.

7. Ingenuity. My term for referring to ingenuity and engines. The stock Scorpion came with a meager 81 horsepower which leaves lots of room to improve. Common modifications include a 2000 cc block conversion, fuel injection or twin carbs, turbo charging, Volumex superchargers, high compression pistons, performance cams and cylinder heads, Ansa or Primaflow exhaust systems, electronic ignition, adjustable cam wheels, lightened flywheels, removing the extensive emission control devices, adding oil coolers and so on. Guy Croft and Phil Ward each have written detailed books on Fiat and Lancia twin cams and are highly recommended. My engine features twin 45 DCOE Webers with velocity stacks mounted to a Guy Croft intake manifold.

8. Internal 74 degree Centigrade coolant thermostat. Early twin cams had them installed but were changed to the external version after installation of emission controls. This was to help prevent thermal shock which can cause blown head gaskets but with the emission control devices removed or copper head gaskets installed, this modification eliminates extra hoses and clamps. I cut the *T* off the original thermostat housing and welded on a 90 degree pipe fitting pointing towards the front of the car. By using steel braided hoses, a screw on type hose fitting and not bothering to install the timing belt cover, I can easily inspect or change the belts or the water pump. I tapped a small pipe fitting into the thermostat housing right above the thermostat for the hose to the overflow tank. By using steel braided hose, I was able to route the hose to the water pump behind the strut tower for easier engine access.

9. Aluminum oil filter housing. The original cast iron oil filter housing includes the mount for the A.C. compressor. With the A.C. removed, a much lighter (13 lbs difference) and smaller aluminum oil filter housing may be used. It allows the alternator to be mounted in a lower position to allow room for bulky intake devices such as twin carbs. The smaller housing allows better access to the engine, particularly the timing belt and starter. Note that the fan belt will now be very close to the timing belt tensioning bolt and a small part of the timing belt cover may need to be filed so take adequate precautions. One of the large coolant pipes that come from the radiator will have to be cut closer to the firewall and a longer coolant hose installed to clear the alternator. The oil filter will point in a different direction but there was enough room in my installation between the housing and oil filter for a sandwich plate for my oil cooler.

10. Electrics. Scorpions came with Magneti Marelli 40-45 amp alternators with separate voltage regulators. By updating to the Bosch 55 amp alternator favored by later Fiats, you*ll get more juice so additional electrical gizmos like fog/axillary lights and deafening stereo systems can all run on a rainy night along with your wipers without your headlights going dim. These alternators have built in voltage regulators that eliminate the old voltage regulator and it*s wiring. I was able to remove what seemed like five miles of wire from my Scorpion. I found that there were many electrical do-dads I could do without and by only leaving the essentials, I greatly simplified the electrical system. One recommendation is to ditch the fuel pump relays. They are wired to the oil pressure sensor and won*t allow the car to start without proper oil pressure. It is a nifty safety feature for your engine, but they commonly go bad and won*t allow your car to start period. I wired my fuel pump directly, keep an eagle eye on the oil pressure and no longer worry about being stranded or spending hours trying to determine why the car won*t start. Document any changes on a copy of the original wiring diagram.

11. Interior. Remove the ashtray/lighter/hazard & defrost switches from the center console and add decent gauges there. Those original gauges are just too strange and sometimes unreliable. Relocate the switches to the trim around the emergency brake if you have manual window regulators. Relocate the lighter somewhere else if you intend to use it to plug in a radar detector or emergency/map light. Definitely, replace the original steering wheel and shift knob with nice aftermarket ones. Also, by adding safety harnesses, the Scorpion gains a race car appearance. I used TRW Sabelt harnesses and found the hardware has the same thread as the bolt holes in the body the original seatbelts used. Easy installation. If you opt for aftermarket seats, be very careful drilling the mounting holes. The coolant pipes under the car are offset towards the passenger*s side and repairing one under the car takes a dictionary of four-letter words, some knuckle-skin and at least a couple days. I also added a floor pedal set for that race car appearance.

12. Miscellaneous rambling not covered elsewhere. 76 & 77 differ in several different ways which may lead to problems when obtaining parts. Most noticeable of course is the glass rear buttresses but also 77's have a carpeted lining on the inside of the luggage compartment lid, have different roof latches and amber rear turn signals. All Montecarlos had the amber lenses. If you order parts from a European source as there are a couple good sources there, specify by left or right sides as opposed to driver*s and passenger*s sides or you will not get the part you need. I recommend the use of hoodpins over the stock hood and engine compartment latches. I*ve seen a couple Scorpions that were damaged by owners trying to release a stuck hood or engine compartment latch. Begin by removing stock latches. The release handles may be retained in the interior by removing the cable attached to them. For the installation of pins for the hood, use a pair of long pins. There are two round holes on the bottom side of the hood that are perfect. Drill this hole completely though the hood. Mark the location for the mounts on the bottom of the *well area* where the wiper motor and hydraulic bottles are. Drill holes for the mount. The driver*s side conveniently has a hole for wires that can be used to get under the *well area* to install the lower nut for the pin. A hole must be cut in similar fashion for the passenger*s side which will be hidden by the luggage compartment carpet. Use body filler to fill the area between the hood and frame and apply a silicone sealant to the bottom of the scratch guards that are mounted to the top of the hood to keep water out. Only one pin is necessary for the rear. Install by removing the rubber stop over the coolant bottle. Install the pin through this hole. Mark engine compartment lid to correspond to pin. Drill lid. Use body filler to fill the area between the lid and frame and apply a silicone sealant to the bottom of the scratch guards that are mounted to the top of the lid to keep water out. I installed a reflective heat shield made by Cool-It or Thermotech to the passenger*s side rear CV boot. These boots commonly fry due to the close proximity of the exhaust header. This heat shield is made for starters on muscle cars, is the perfect size and can be strapped on using Cool-it*s metal zip ties. I hope owners find these helpful, interesting or amusing. Questions and comments welcome. Dave Shindle 100 Oakmont Ct Vienna, VA 22180. Dshindle@wmata.com (703) 938-6808.