[Abort! Abort!]

Ok so very new here. I have searched around to try and get some answers on this, but the common response is 'sell the 500 and buy an Abarth', which is completely valid. However, I'm trying to get some info anyway.

The story is this, I have a damaged Abarth 118kw. It runs and drives perfectly fine with about 50k miles on it. I also have a pretty tired 500 Sport 1.4 NA with 100k miles on it.

So I'm not trying to cobble together all the bits and end up costing me way too much to be worthwhile etc. I have absolutely everything already. I'm not just working out what needs to be done to make it functional.

The idea is to eventually swap absolutely everything I can over from the Abarth, so that effectively I'm just using the main body of the Sport. But there are a few things I'd like to avoid if at all possible, especially if it gets things up and running sooner.

1. Swapping the ECU along with engine I am assuming I need to swap the BCM at the same time. It also looks like I would need to swap the door lock actuators and ignition barrel as well.

2. Do I need to swap the complete wiring harness? Or can I just swap all the things that connect to it? Connectors seem the same, but is there additional wiring that might be in the plugs, or does all the networking mean that the harness is the same?

3. I don't hate the idea of going with the 6 speed. Every post seems to suggest it's not possible, but very little in the way of actual information on it. I'm happy to go with the 5 speed if it's really not an option.

4. How much of the suspension is actually different? We talking shocks and springs here or much more?

5. Is there a difference in the brake booster used?

6. Is there a difference in the power steering used?

7. Are there any other differences that I may not be aware of that might throw a spanner in the works? Things like air conditioning lines etc? Or things like holes in the body for mounting stuff etc?

Sorry to have so many questions in my first post.

 

[smark]

Welcome to the forum here. No one here, has ever done a swap. They just up grade their car to the Abarth Model. Not worth doing any type of conversion.

 

[Abort! Abort!]

Exactly the response I expected.

 

[J.B.]

Exactly the response I expected.

I'm assuming both cars are the euro spec model. I'm basing the following on the North American spec model (which is substantially more different from the Euro spec than one would think), but the general idea should hold. Also, some info came from a friend in euro market.
1 - yes
2 - you need to move the wiring harness. The wiring harness is different, that should migrate with the engine/ECU/BCM.
3 - you know, I think you can physically fit the 6spd from the non-turbo, though you may have to mod a bit for the bigger input shaft. More importantly, the na trans is not rated for abarth power, that's why they use different transmission. Also, you'll lose abarth's true party piece - equal length drive shafts.
4 - all the same, actually, just shocks and springs.
5 - no, that bit is should be the same.
6 - no, but the rack is different, and the calibration of electronic power steering is different, so that should migrate as well.
7 - not much. The front bumper from the sport won't fit with abarth engine. There should be a couple of things like intercooler mounting brackets and stuff like that, but you have all that with you already. A friend on mine, he runs Fiat/Alfa specialty shop in another country, he says, whatever the damage that the abarth has, it's way easier to fix it than swap the drivetrain from one to the other.

 

[EvilEvoIX]

Sell both, Buy your Abarth.

 

[DeadEye]

It sounds perfectly Logical to me !
Take all the running gear, drive train , engine wiring harness, etc.. off the 500 and move the parts over from the Abarth !

You can spend a whole bunch of time trying to figure out what’s the same/not
OR
as “They” say Just do it !

 

[Abort! Abort!]

They are Australian, but I think they're the same as euro spec.

Thank you, that's really helpful!

Interesting about the wiring loom, but yes kind of assumed so. That's certainly going to add to the workload for a swap and the complexity!

I forgot about the steering rack, but remembered it afterwards. The Abarth definitely weights up a lot more in sport mode than the Sport. Though I wonder if that is merely through programming, so apart from the change in gearing it may be roughly the same.

Good to know about suspension. I thought they would be the same TBH, but you never know.

It may well be easier to just repair, certainly in just handing it over to be done by someone. There are some additional factors at play that make a swap more appealing and less and really just weighing up between the two.

I figured that it was more due to power handling than packaging for the 6 speed.

Yes have everything else for the front end swap which would include all the mounting and bumper etc.

Really valued info. I will have a closer look at the wiring loom because I think that may be the thing that tips it one way or the other.

Much appreciated!

 

[Abort! Abort!]

Sell both, Buy your Abarth.

Geez, I'm struggling with these quotes!

Anyway, yeah probably not. They are pretty thin on the ground where I am and would rather see it kept than scrapped. Also either way (repairing or swapping) will end up cheaper than buying a similar Abarth by a fair margin to make it worthwhile.

 

[Abort! Abort!]

It sounds perfectly Logical to me !
Take all the running gear, drive train , engine wiring harness, etc.. off the 500 and move the parts over from the Abarth !

You can spend a whole bunch of time trying to figure out what’s the same/not
OR
as “They” say Just do it !

I mean at the end of the day I'm essentially talking about doing a shell swap. But it's all going to take time. Especially all the little bits and pieces. Once I start neither are going to be a complete anything until it's essentially all done, so I want to try and confirm the likelihood of success before I start ripping things apart.

 

[J.B.]

They are Australian, but I think they're the same as euro spec.

Thank you, that's really helpful!

Interesting about the wiring loom, but yes kind of assumed so. That's certainly going to add to the workload for a swap and the complexity!

I forgot about the steering rack, but remembered it afterwards. The Abarth definitely weights up a lot more in sport mode than the Sport. Though I wonder if that is merely through programming, so apart from the change in gearing it may be roughly the same.

Good to know about suspension. I thought they would be the same TBH, but you never know.

It may well be easier to just repair, certainly in just handing it over to be done by someone. There are some additional factors at play that make a swap more appealing and less and really just weighing up between the two.

I figured that it was more due to power handling than packaging for the 6 speed.

Yes have everything else for the front end swap which would include all the mounting and bumper etc.

Really valued info. I will have a closer look at the wiring loom because I think that may be the thing that tips it one way or the other.

Much appreciated!

I think I mistook what you meant by wiring harness. You are talking about the main wiring harness throughout the body, not the engine wiring harness, is that correct? If that's the case, I think they are the same. I'll ask my friend about this to confirm. The engine wiring harness is different, of course, so that needs to migrate.

 

[Abort! Abort!]

I think I mistook what you meant by wiring harness. You are talking about the main wiring harness throughout the body, not the engine wiring harness, is that correct? If that's the case, I think they are the same. I'll ask my friend about this to confirm. The engine wiring harness is different, of course, so that needs to migrate.

Ah ok. If it's just the engine bay one that would be fine I would think. If you could check that would be great!

 

[J.B.]

Ah ok. If it's just the engine bay one that would be fine I would think. If you could check that would be great!

He says, "I've never swapped them, but they do look exactly the same from where I'm sitting," in regards to the wiring harness.

 

[Abort! Abort!]

He says, "I've never swapped them, but they do look exactly the same from where I'm sitting," in regards to the wiring harness.

That's very helpful, thanks so much!