Don’t look at me like that with those puppy dog headlamps!

She came hissing and banging into the shop. Only three out of four cylinders firing off and not very well at that. Oil was dripping onto the floor with the nauseating smell of gasoline and coolant filling the air. I didn’t even have to pop the hood to get that fume-induced headache. I was surprised the car had made it under its own power.
The little Autobianchi A112 Junior was given to me after nearly ten years without any maintenance let alone a washing. It was in rough shape and I figured maybe I could salvage some parts off her. It got parked it in the lot behind the garage and that was that.

After a few months of staring out the office window something began to happen. The little A112 started taking on a friendly look. Sort of like a stray puppy that shows up at your door in the middle of the night. With the crew all at home and the spring rain drizzling down and starting to wash off the months of dust that had collected I decided to go out and finish the job. Out came the power washer and the body was cleaned up in no time followed by the engine bay. A quick look at the mechanicals tucked up neatly under the bonnet got me to thinking that maybe this car could be revived. I like challenges and I had some spare time.

I was getting involved and didn’t want to do this, but what the heck. I pushed it inside and pulled out the spark plugs. Yuk! Cleaned them up. Swapped out the weeping old gas line, adjusted the valves, charged the battery and topped up the coolant. With a quick shot of either and a couple turns of the starter, the engine caught, sputtered a few times, and then went into a choke induced high idle.
Once the engine started to warm up I dropped it back to idle and she purred like a kitten. I couldn’t believe how well it was running after so little attention. It didn’t take long to figure out that the oil pan gasket was leaking, the valve stems were hammered to a mushroom shape, the distributor shaft seal was leaking through and a number of other odds and ends needed to be taken care of. I ordered up a whole new engine seal set, rings, bearings, belts, hoses etc.. for the little A112 and yanked the engine out.

The engine pull on the Fiat 127 platforms is dead easy and fast. Ripping the engine down and going through it could be done blindfolded if you’ve done it at least once. The whole procedure went very quickly and with a little TLC and some old fashioned machine work (*1) the engine went back together better than new. Other than adding fresh fluids and some quality CV boots, the driveline was perfect and required nothing. The electrics and under hood area were all in tact and had been kept preserved by ten years worth of motor oil and dust.

With the Junior put back together and tuned I took it out and buzzed it up and down the Autopistas and over all the whop-de-do back roads I could find. I ran it hard and ran it often. I actually became obsessed with trying to find its limits, but it would pass every test I gave it. The more I drove it, the more I would tinker on it trying to make it just a little bit smoother, a little bit faster and a little bit cleaner. Inside of six months that car went from junkyard bound to showroom new. Funny thing is, aside from the engine rebuild “which was overkill” the only effort that went into it was cleaning, polishing and adjusting.

The Junior although having seen ten years of city driving and lack of care only had a little over 40 thousand kilometers on the odometer, or 25 thousand miles. It still had the factory tires mounted, which I replaced not because of tread wear, but because of dry rot. All the little dings and dents were easily popped and the scratches were buffed out. The original paint was so good that even though it had never been washed and had become sun faded, was brought to a deep shinny hue with some buffing compound and quality wax. The color, a light blue, is actually emulated by old school rockabilly car guys now. They call it the patina. I called it faded but looking good.

Coming into her prime like a flash in automotive history.

Autobianchi started building cars back at the turn of the last century. They had some early racing victories and could probably have gone it alone, but eventually sold out to Fiat. Under Fiats wing they built a limited quantity of sporty type cars on Fiat platforms. The most popular of these was the 850 inspired Bianchina. By the late 60’s Fiat was ready to market a front drive automobile again so the A112 was developed as a replacement for the aging Bianchina. By the summer of 1969 the Bianchina was gone and the A112 was born. This was Autobianchi’s only product and as it would turn out, the most popular model they ever produced.

This particular car had a great run for Autobianchi and her twin Lancia with almost 1.3 million examples rolling out of Milano between 1969 and the end of 1985. The two basic models were the Junior with a 903cc engine and the Elite (*2) with a 965cc engine and five speed gearbox. My Junior was a 1983 model and also came with a five speed, although having the smaller engine.

There was also an Abarth model that came out in 1971. This car was specially built by Fiat Motors racing division and is the most sought after of the A112 series. The original racing version put out 100 Hp but subsequent production models were detuned to 70 HP. The first production Abarth came with the 965 cc engine (58 HP) fitted with an OHC head and dual carburetors. By 1975 the engine was jumped up to 1049 cc (70 HP).
Weighing just under fifteen hundred pounds this car had some decent power to go with the good handling. The Abarth became so popular that a model specific event was created for it. It was a run away success story for Lancia and Autobianchi and every single model was pre sold before hitting the showrooms. Club racers along with well-heeled European teens couldn’t get enough of these. There are still dedicated Abarth A112 clubs across the EU today.

By 1985 the A112 body style was looking outdated and Fiat dropped the 127 line up. Lancia continued selling A112’s through 1986 though. Autobianchi started building Panda based Y10 models as of 1986, which would prove to be the beginning of the end for Autobianchi. As nothing more than a re-badged Lancia after the move to the Arese plant it didn’t make a lot of sense to keep them going. During the last years of sales Autobianchi could only be found in Italy and parts of France. By 1996 Autobianchi was gone.

Having fun with super mini’s.

Autobianchi under the skin was ninety five percent Fiat 127 and this worked to the Advantage of Autobianchi and Lancia A112 owners. Fiat liked to build up their primary line first then follow up with the specialty shops. Although you could get the more powerful engined Abarth cars as they came out, the poor guy on the street found the bigger 1049cc Fiat engine was a one for one drop in. You could have a homebrew Abarth, even before the factory model came out.

I was living in Spain during the 1980’s building Simca 1100 club racers on the side, mainly for friends. Of course we managed to slide bigger 1.3 Talbot engines under the hoods of the 1100 models with limited success. What we didn’t realize at the time was that the Auto-B and Lancia guys were pulling SEAT 1010cc OHC engines and dropping them into their rides. The smaller, lighter cars with this “Spanish market only” hot rod motor were running away from our tank like Simca’s and even hurting the reputations of the few Mini Cooper guys that would show up. When I think back on really competitive Auto-B’s, the ones I admired the most were those home brewed SEAT mongrels.

The A112 build quality.

The Fiat and SEAT 127’s, the Lancia A112 and the Autobianchi A112 as stated above were all pretty much the same car under the skin but there were some differences. The Fiat and SEAT 127’s were being built in entirely different plants, and countries. The quality control of those models just wasn’t up to par to what the old guard Lancia workers were doing. The SEAT was also built under license in Spain with modifications to suite the Spanish market. Lancia and Autobianci rolled off a completely different line in Milano but with different badging and trim packages.

The 127’s were also a physically larger car. The A112’s only had an eighty-inch wheelbase and the 127 were 7.5 inches longer. The 127 also had an overall larger body and greater curb weight. The A112 with smaller dimensions and less weight to carry were a faster and sportier car to drive. Even with the smaller 903cc engine the A112 Junior was a better performing car than the 127.

Aside from the performance advantage, the A112 felt more solid than the 127. With short radius low crown panels in the fender, roof and hatch areas, the car had a very rigid body structure. The high crown, squared section panels of the 127, although strong would become flapping winglets with the slightest bit of rust to weaken them or any small dent. The Auto-B felt like it would flow through the air, while the 127 simply pushed it. This made the A112 the obvious choice for club racing.

For what was considered a mini-car, the A112 was really well built. By today’s standards there were no amenities. No air conditioning, no power seats or big boom stereo system, not even UV glass. But in its day the Auto-B did offer nice features. It had rotatable defrost and heat vents in the dash panel that worked. You could aim them separately at the driver and passenger or toward the windshield. There were lit toggle switches to control the basic functions of four way flashers, wipers, and heater. And there was a big old speedometer to tell you how fast you were going.

The interior was very basic but advertised as upscale in its day. The seats and door panels came in tuck and roll vinyl or cloth. The seats themselves were very basic steel tube frames that were built more like hammocks that you hung your butt in. Surprisingly for the simplicity they were pretty comfortable. The rear seat could very easily be folded down and removed leaving the flat floor pan open for loading. With the seat out of the way, it was amazing how much stuff could be packed into the A112.

Behind that short hood.

The standard descriptions of oversteer and understeer, drift, sluggishness, mind warping acceleration, etc.. do not apply to the Autobianchi. They don’t apply to most of the real mini cars of this genre. A better description might be, go-cart like, immediate turn in, washboard ride. These cars were so light, short and with small diameter 135X13 inch tires that handling and ride characteristics might be described as twitchy.

The 903cc Junior engine only produced 42 HP and that was good enough for most driving. Larger engine models produced greater amounts of power all the way up to 70 HP for the 1049cc Abarth. This may not sound like a lot of power, but the power to weight ratio was actually pretty good. For economy the engine was very good. I could average 40 MPG day in and day out. With considerate driving and good tuning you could expect even better numbers. With almost an eight-gallon tank, you could drive just over 300 miles between fill ups.

In city driving situations, the A112 could be parked anywhere, out accelerate most anything in town and weave through traffic almost as easily as a motorcycle. On secondary roads the car could be wrapped around switchbacks with the best of them, motor down the narrowest of lanes and run across grass without fear of sinking up to its belly pan. On the highway it could hold its own but the Junior would top out at around 80 MPH. The Abarth was good for just over 100 MPH.

Those speed numbers don’t sound like much, and you might be thinking how this car could turn into a racer. Well the car had a decent acceleration and good road holding ability. Most of the junior and club rally tracks have so many corners and turns that the main idea in racing is to carry as much speed through these corners as possible. Some of the cornering speeds for a normal car may only be in the 15 to 35 MPH range. If you could add 10 to 15 MPH onto any of those corners you’d have a potential racecar. The A112 with such a low curb weight, tight suspension and good handling could do this.

For day-to-day driving the Auto-B was enjoyable. With a high windshield and windows, the cockpit feels very open and airy, even for such a small car. You can sit up and enjoy the country rolling by like a nature show. Inputs to the steering are natural and although the rack and pinion is not power assisted, the steering is very smooth and easy. I enjoy this car at moderate speed without the engine screaming at you through the cowl. And yes, it does get noisy if you take it out and start getting onto it. Cruising at 50 MPH and wanting to pass is not a problem. The engine will pull willingly from a roll on and take you right up to maximum speed where it just tells you no more. The engine just won’t go any faster at that point. The single carburetor air flow max’s out and that’s it.

From behind the wheel you can tell the car is small. Although the hood stretches out further than Mini Cooper, its just not that big. The steering wheel is a typical firm 1970’s style plastic item that gives good grip and feels solid. The same can’t be said for the stick shift. The lever with its black ball knob on top rises up from between the seats and feels just a bit too flimsy. The entire shift linkage is very light and the system feels lose and vague. It will surprise you though. Once under way, all shifts can be made in the typical four or five speed pattern. I never ever missed a shift with this car, and though I sometimes wondered if I was actually in a gear before letting my clutch foot up, it never failed to be where it should.

The floor pan of the A112 is fairly flat, and except for a slight rise by the fender wells into the compartment by the drivers left foot and passengers right, there is plenty of leg room. The width of the car is only fifty-eight inches, but it’s interesting that there is more legroom to be had in these cars than in most modern compact cars. Granted these cars aren’t blown full of sound deadening foam and beefed up with roll and impact protection. There are no airbags, electronics consoles or air conditioners. The car is very simple.

The A112 can carry four passengers without a problem, but it can get tight. The front bucket seats are almost touching and leave just about enough room for the seat belt latches. You’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a large person no doubt. The rear bench seat isn’t much better. Two can sit in the back but they better be friends. Rear legroom is non-existent. Expect the knees of the rear passengers to be pushing through the front seat backs. Headroom is good though so at least they won’t be straining their necks to see out.

Older small four cylinder Euro engines had a very distinctive sound. Once it’s in your brain you never forget it. It almost sounds Tin-ee or cheap. The little OHV engines were by no means poorly made though. These engines could endure incredible abuse and keep on going. They would start in the worst cold and pull up mountain passes all day to the point of overheating and still ask for more. If they sounded anemic it was due more to the conservative cam grinds, restrictive carburetors and small diameter exhaust systems. A little attention to detail with one of these engines when rebuilding them can release considerable lost HP.

Some Auto-B FYI.

The Autobianchi and Lancia A112’s were built in significant enough quantities that there are still plenty to be found. Obviously the Abarth, and Elite models would be the first choice for most prospective buyers. The Junior should not be discounted though. This model was the most abused and finding one in good condition could be tough, making it that much more rare.
There were six series of A112 (*3) depending on year of manufacture with very little change between them. The biggest changes really were moving the front turn signals from the body below the headlamps to the front fender. There were also some slight changes in the grill and badging along with color schemes. Other than the previously mentioned engine displacement and addition of a fifth speed in the transmission, there just wasn’t a whole lot of difference.

I really enjoyed my 903cc Junior model and can still say its one of the funnest cars Iv owned. There are things to look out for with the A112 models though. The first being rust. If the car has been kept near the ocean or high precipitation/snow fall areas, you can almost bet it’s rotting from the inside out. Although the exterior coating on the A112 was very nice, undercoating and close attention to the coating of inner panels had a lot to be desired.
Start your inspection by looking from the hatchback forward. The hatchback would collect water and start rusting around the handle and lower hatch edges. Also in the quarter panels below the rear bumper were great collection points for road salt and grime. With a flashlight look underneath and behind these panels. If you see rust or corrosion take a screwdriver and work forward and in toward the center of the floor pan. If you find spots that give easily under pressure then it’s rotting.

If you still think it’s repairable keep moving forward. The panel edges just behind the drivers door, the bottom edge of the drivers door, the lower portion of the A pillars where they meet the cowl and the inner fender wells were all rust hot spots. Do yourself a favor and take a good look at the battery box and any area just below the battery box. Even after the big three had gone to sealed batteries, Fiat was still dropping corrosive, vented lead acid batteries into their cars. It’s not uncommon to find the areas around the battery boxes patched up with mastic and painted over. Take a real close look.

Mechanically anything that’s wrong should jump right out at you. The A112 had a much nicer engine bay than the Mini so it is easy to access and inspect. The most common problems were usually related to the ignition system. Lack of upkeep would could kill it, so check for a fresh distributor cap, wires plugs etc.. There have been aftermarket electronic ignitions that have sprung up over the years for this car, and they are well worth it. The engine will start better, perform better, idle nicer and the plugs will last longer too. If you find one of these already installed, then the previous owner probably took good care of the car.

I mentioned my car was weeping gasoline. The old rubber fuel lines used by Fiat were notoriously bad and of low quality. Even if you find a car with tight, clean lines, Id spend a few bucks and just replace them with some modern neoprene fuel lines and pressure lock clamps. While at it install a modern in-line fuel filter for the engines health.

If you notice the engine tapping a lot then it’s more than likely the valves in need of adjustment. This service is easy and straightforward but gets overlooked a lot. Look for ripped out CV boots, odd tire pattern wear and any coolant leaks. It can all be fixed pretty quickly, but could tell a story of other abuse. If the tappets haven’t been adjusted then the valves could be burnt. Ripped CV boots and odd tire wear could be just a lack of maintenance or it could mean the car was hammered over curbs or maybe has had an accident. Leaking coolant could indicate that its been overheating or has a possible head gasket leak.

Buying an A112.

If you find your Auto-B outside the U.S. be smart and buy it in a stable country like Italy, France, or Spain. A lot of these cars migrated to old east block countries, particularly Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, and Poland. Unfortunately these countries do have sort of a wild west mentality, and there are countless undocumented and stolen cars floating around there. Pay a few Euro extra and get one where you know that the paperwork will clear customs without problem. The U.S. has EPA and DOT regulations but they are null after 22 years for the EPA and 25 for DOT. Now in 2008 I could send my 1983 A112 Junior back and drive right in and register it at my local town office. WOW, I’m feeling old now!

Be advised that the A112’s were built while leaded gasoline was still being pumped. The head used softer valves and valve seats. If they are run on unleaded gasoline expect those parts to give out in time. See note (*1) for my solution. If you are buying an A112 whether in the EU or U.S, you will need to modify the heads to accept unleaded gasoline.

*1. The A112’s engines were designed for leaded gasoline. Machine work to the heads included installation of hardened valve seats, adaptation of hard Inox valves and grinding inlet and exhaust ports for improved flow. Gaskets and manifolds were also aligned and ground for improved flow and mating.

*2. The Elite was also tagged the Elegant and took on different trim packages. The primary difference was that the Junior was a very basic model with no extras and the 903cc engine. The fancy trim models used a 965cc engine, came with a nicer interior and usually had plastic door guards and other trim pieces. The Elite models also gained an additional 50 plus pounds of weight.

*3.
·Series 1:1969 - 1972
·Series 2:1972 - 1975
·Series 3:1975 - 1977
·Series 4:1978 - 1979
·Series 5:1979 - 1982
·Series 6:1982 – 1985
·Seires 6 1986 (Lancia only A112)

If you enjoy classic European Automobiles check out these:
http://www.epinions.com/content_405926743684 BMW Z-1
http://www.epinions.com/content_402844716676 Renault Turbo II
http://www.epinions.com/content_419075034756 Smart For Two
Amount Paid (US$): 0,00
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1983
Model and Options: Autobianchi A112 Junior, 903cc