Fiat Spa 4X4

[Mike K]

Wandering around the local old machinery expo yesterday, I spotted a WW2 era ex Italian army Fiat 4X4 .. and it goes . Two of them were brought home after capture in the Middle East.. It sat in the Narre Warren museum for years. The present owner/restorer had photos on hand taken during its post war life on A Gippsland farm .. He claims that both of them were shipped to New Guinea during WW2 for use there.. then shipped back here.. sounds unlikely to me .. Does anyone know more ? He also tracked down the histroy of the second one... he had a large board there with pics of them.

Its presently in chassis /cab form .. what a mechanical oddity it is .Very large wheels.

Mike

[zemsi]

Hi Mike

Do you think of the Model Fiat SPA TL37. 2 Years ago, a German found a Chassis: look here

Here are some pics of a preserved one in the USA.

Greetings
Chris

PS I haven't seen this model so far "live" in Europe. So it's pretty rare...

[Dinty]

G'day All, Gee it sure is a mechanical nightmare with 4 wheel steer to boot, and I would agree I doubt very much that it would have been taken to the New Guinea area and bought back, still an oddity and a rare one at that cheers Dennis

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Interesting drive system, drive shaft to each hub from a central gearbox, independant coil front end and single leaf rear (forget what you call that set up, but I have only seen it used on the front before).
I believe Sir Humphrey woild have called theis design "very brave"
How many reverse gears??
Rich

[lynx42]

Mike, that was the one which I asked you if you knew of it, about 18 months ago.
Owned by Alan Blackwell of Drouin.
Rick

[Mike K]

Yes Chris , that's the same vehicle .. I recall the funny narrow chassis and the 4 wheel steer setup. It is RHD as well.

I should have taken some pics .. oh well. The earlier pics of it taken around 1950, on the farm , show that it was virtually intact then, with its original body.

From memory, there was a good article on them in Wheels and Tracks ... I wonder if the present owner knows of the w&t article.

Yes Rick, thats the guy from Drouin . Reverse gears ..Hmm won't get into that one.

Mike

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Wonderfully overengineered piece of equipment - could have been German!

Originally Posted by zemsi

PS I haven't seen this model so far "live" in Europe. So it's pretty rare...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke3MCxdTIeQ

[zemsi]

... thanx for the link Hanno. Oops, not so rare anymore ;-)

I've seen this one "live" in Beltring 2006. Hmm, but it looks smaller in the video than on the pics. Do you think it's the same just with smaller tractor tires?

[Stefano Ruggeri]

Hmm, but it looks smaller in the video than on the pics. Do you think it's the same just with smaller tractor tires?[/QUOTE]

Hiya,
The TL 37 in the pictures is shod with the wrong tyres, the originals had a taller section - they last forever, but not so easy to find. TL 37's were also delivered with solid tyres and with smaller wheels shod with "Libia" sand tyres. The tyres are the least of that particular vehicles problems though - it's missing the rear body, the roof, and all it's lamps it would seem
It must be said that they're very reliable and an absolute hoot to drive, whilst the four wheel steering gives it an unbelievably small turning circle! It doesn't have a self starter, but once you've got the settings right it's generally starts on the first pull.

[lynx42]

Thought I would reactivate this thread again.

Just had a call from Alan B. the owner of the TL37 already mentioned and he now has the second vehicle and photos of it or them being used in New Guinea. The second TL37 has been recovered from Braidwood NSW. but I believe it is a bit of a mess.

I have asked him to forward copies of the photos and other information for me to upload.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!.

Regards Rick

[Stuart McDonald]

Rick, Was this in the Maffra Museum a few years ago?

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Stuart McDonald

Rick, Was this in the Maffra Museum a few years ago?

Yes Stuart, I'll dig up some photos of it there.

Regards Rick.

[lynx42]

Found them,















Regards Rick

[Mike Cecil]

When the remains of the vehicle arrived at Narre Warren on loan many years ago, I remember John Belfield telling me about the two vehicles being taken to NG, and I was as skeptical as he had been.

Then he showed me the photos! Don't remember if he had copied them, or if they were in the owner's album, but there was no room for doubt.

Quite a story, and I wonder how the Unit QM was ever able to 'account' for them in the movements inventory between ME and Aust, then Aust to NG, then back to Aust. The man must have been a miracle worker.

Mike C

[Lang]

Well, quite a few years since the last post.

The owner has it a Corowa as we speak. Looks like nothing has progressed since the above discussion 4 years ago. he says he is working on front guards but no discussion of the seemingly complicated pressed steel body.

Sale has been offered but I suspect it might take a serious investment.

It is nice to see such an unusual bit of history preserved and brought out for display.

Lang

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Very cool vehicle, I love the X-distribution
We have a 6*4 SPA 35 Dovunque and then some home-made tractor made of smalles SPA, if you wanted I can send you few pics - maybe some spare parts are same and you could use them then.
Regards,
Frankie

[Lang]

Frankie

I just talked to the SpA owner and he is very interested in spares as he has a second one he is rebuilding. Only two came to Australia. Any pics would be welcome.

Lang

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Here are few pics. Located in Czech Rep. Not a artillery tractor, seems to be the small lorry.

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

few more pics. If interested PM me.

[Lang]

Frankie

Your vehicle is totally different to the one in Australia. I can not see anything the same either in the chassis or any of the mechanicals.

They must have produced different machines from the ground up.

Lang

[Ian McColl]

It is interesting to note that in the last pictures there appear to be two halves of a CMP "Universal Coupler" that would have been used on CMP Artillery Tractors between the PTO and Winch.

[Lang]

Ian

This is a very common design of low speed coupler. It is seen very often (in smaller sizes) on steering column joints and boat prop shafts.


Lang

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ian McColl

It is interesting to note that in the last pictures there appear to be two halves of a CMP "Universal Coupler" that would have been used on CMP Artillery Tractors between the PTO and Winch.

That is often referred to as a 'Layrub' coupling, made by Laycock if I recall correctly. Many vehicles used these in their drive lines.

[Grant Bowker]

An earlier discussion of the Layrub joint (and difficulty finding them) took place at http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ghlight=layrub

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

I think those parts are from SPA light truck - we have the 6x4 SPA 35 SDovunwue and the gear box has very similat design... thank you for the informations.

[lynx42]

Checking out Milweb and saw this in the background behind the Fiat 18BL.





It is in Italy but who knows as the vendor has other interesting vehicles for sale.

Email :- gianluca.pedrazzoli@libero.it for more information.

Regards Rick.

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Mr. Perazzoli is a great guy. I think he allready sold the SPA - was on MW too...

[Blackpowder44 (RIP)]

Pictures of the Fiat SPA that I found in rural West Dorset. John.

[Blackpowder44 (RIP)]

I will talk about the SPA once I have watched the Formula 1 race, John.

[Paul Brown]

Mechanical oddity is an understatement! That's the strangest drive train configuration I've ever seen. I think there was a little outside the box thinking here.