# Fiat started for the first time in a Century **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101 "2014-12-02T04:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/41 "2015-04-01T14:38:56Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It. Is. [Alive](http://www.classicandsportscar.com/video/the-285-litre-beast-of-turin-is-driven-for-the-first-time-in-100-years). So Freaking Awesome!!! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/42 "2015-04-04T04:24:18Z")
The video looked like the car was going to flip over from the torque. Trying to guess the size of the pistons using the people standing next to the car it would have to be something like an 8" bore and an 8.5" stroke. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/43 "2015-04-04T04:38:29Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > So is it fair to say that the gas mileage on this thing would be about 0.01 miles per gallon or so? Probably better expressed in gallons per mile 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/44 "2015-04-04T10:33:42Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The video looked like the car was going to flip over from the torque. Trying to guess the size of the pistons using the people standing next to the car it would have to be something like an 8" bore and an 8.5" stroke. … > [@gotpasswords](#): > > Those [pistons](http://theoldmotor.com/?p=122246)are enormous! The caption says 7.5" diameter. I think a lawnmower engine might almost fit inside one of those. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/45 "2015-04-05T03:57:27Z")
A very impressive restoration job. But I wonder if they got the engine adjusted correctly. Wouldn’t the smoke and flames coming out of the exhaust pipes mean that the fuel is not being burned completely in the cylinder? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/46 "2015-04-05T17:43:19Z")
There are exhaust pipes? I thought it had the world’s least-restrictive exhaust system, though the holes in the bonnet could be larger. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/47 "2015-04-05T22:48:00Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > A very impressive restoration job. But I wonder if they got the engine adjusted > correctly. Wouldn’t the smoke and flames coming out of the exhaust pipes mean > that the fuel is not being burned completely in the cylinder? Looks like it has a manual spark advance, which means the driver has to adjust that on the fly, as it were. He’s probably not getting it exactly right. > [@dropzone](#): > > There are exhaust pipes? I thought it had the world’s least-restrictive exhaust system, though the holes in the bonnet could be larger. While the low-restriction exhaust is a benefit, it is somewhat offset by the thrust coming out of the exhaust ports; probably makes the whole car pull a little to the right. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/48 "2015-04-06T21:18:15Z")
Well that is truly insane, and of course I had a grin a mile wide all the way through that video. It’s real life wacky races isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/49 "2015-04-06T22:29:12Z")
Wow! With those wheels and that chain drive, better make sure you aren’t wearing a [pretty flowing scarf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isadora_Duncan#Death). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101/50 "2015-04-06T23:42:40Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > A very impressive restoration job. But I wonder if they got the engine adjusted > correctly. Wouldn’t the smoke and flames coming out of the exhaust pipes mean > that the fuel is not being burned completely in the cylinder? all gas engines will spit flame out of the exhaust if the ports/pipes are short enough: it's why there is such a thing as too \*little\* exhaust backpressure. some degree of backpressure staves this off and helps prevent burned exhaust valves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiat-started-for-the-first-time-in-a-century/706101.md?page=2)