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Author Archives: DanBook
Italian Car Fest 2021
Hosted by the Italian Car Club of North Texas, Italian Car Fest is one of the best car shows around. There’s always plenty of both classic and modern cars. Everything from humble FIATs to exotic supercars. There’s always a rare oddball or two as well. This was the 17th Italian Car Fest, with the first […]
FIAT 124 Crosspipe Comparison
My buddy’s stuffed turbo 124 had an issue with the exhaust rubbing due to the EC cross pipe not being compatible with the GWR system. We swap in the GWR cross pipe, but not everything goes as planned…
A Stuffed Turbo Journey
My buddy Gabriel wanted to step up the performance on his 124 Abarth. He ordered a long list of performance parts to be installed by the experts at NGEN. Things didn’t go as planned…
Turbo Stud say BYE
Well this was an odd one! A friend of mine recently had a lot of work done on his 124 Abarth, to include a new stuffed turbo. Everything seemed fine for a couple days, but then the car started to, in his words, “sound like an old airplane” and wasn’t making any boost…
Pedal Go VROOM
Ever since I got the ChipBox, Bob from Driving Impressions has been trying to talk me into the PedalBooster as well. I was very skeptical about it because I have a similar device on my 500 Abarth and I don’t like it. He sent me one to evaluate… Spoiler alert, Bob was right. I do […]
ChipBox Install & Test
The Chipbox by Seletron is a simple power adder. On the 124, it connects to the Boost Absolute Pressure Sensor (Bosch 281002996, PREX1), Intake Manifold Pressure Sensor (Bosch 281006028, PREX2), and the wastegate solenoid (Pierburg valve). The box intercepts data from these sensors and manipulates it to produce more power. I emailed Seletron asking them for […]
A Wheel Improvement
Wheels and tires can make a significant improvement if done correctly, and can be detrimental if done incorrectly. The 124 came with 16×6.5 wheels wearing 195/50 Yokohama Advan Sports. First of all, that’s a bit too skinny. Secondly, those wheels weigh 18lbs each despite being so narrow. I bought a set of 16×7 O.Z. Alleggeritas, […]
An Easy Exhuast Upgrade
The 124 was just too muted for my tastes, so I slapped on the open axle back from Auto Ricambi. One of the easiest exhaust mods I’ve ever done. Sounds great, and shed a few pounds! DanBookfounder Dan is a DIY zealot and autodidact. Real science, pseudoprofessional.
2019 FIAT 124 Re-Review
It’s been over three years since I first test drove the new 124 Spider, and I finally purchased one for myself. I’ve had the new 124 for about two weeks now. I thought it would be a good idea to spend some time with the car before providing an updated review. I’m still impressed! So […]