Javi Martin
Cupra is the word that designated the sportiest SEAT models, the nickname worn by the most high-performance models of the brand and which means "Cup Racing". However, CUPRA is currently a brand, the sports division of SEAT that travels alone and is also more successful than SEAT itself thanks to cars like the CUPRA Formentor, an SUV with an attractive design that has versions with up to 390 CV.
This split, this separation of CUPRA and SEAT is the work of Mr. Luca de Meo, who did the same at FIAT with Abarth and who has done the same with Alpine within Renault, a label that will now be in charge of all the sporting activities of the French firm, as well as its more performance versions. The funny thing is that CUPRA represents what SEAT should have been within the Volkswagen Group, as it is known that the Germans wanted to give the Martorell brand a sporting character to, among other things, fight in the market with Alfa Romeo. Obviously, this is saying a lot, but the idea was a good one and they even started working on it, signing no less than the Alfa Romeo designer, Walter de Silva.
Certainly, de Silva's hand did not do all the good that was expected at SEAT, rather it was the opposite, with somewhat debatable designs depending on the model (followers of León and Toledo still remember him... although the Toledo It wasn't his thing.) But the versions CUPRA already existed before the arrival of the Italian designer, laying the first stone for that sports path that never materialized and that has ended with CUPRA giving shape to that original idea, where SEAT could stand up to Alfa Romeo.
THE SEAT 1430, A NATIONAL PRODUCT
However SEAT's sports aspirations are not new, nor are they Volkswagen's idea, the Spanish firm was already making its first steps in its time of total domination in our country, taking as a starting point some of its popular models of those years. It was then that the desire to do something special and reach the hearts of the fans began to take shape. Obviously, in those years things were not so simple and the national market was not prepared for very special cars, but even so, the circumstances gave rise to creations that today are the desire of many fans. cars like the SEAT 1430 "FU".
That said, we are going to travel in our time machine to 1969. And do not think that we have confused the date, I know that the "FU" began to be seen there in 1973, but in order to know the history of these, you have to start at the beginning, with the SEAT 1430 "normal". A car that arrived when the autochthonous industry was experiencing a particularly golden age in which SEAT had a feverish activity with the launch of various models. The SEAT 1430 appeared just when the country's economy, thanks to the open economic policy, was in the process of growth with an incipient middle class that already knew what it was like to have their own car with the immortal SEAT 600.
It cost 155.000 pesetas at the time, about 930 euros (without adding inflation) for those who have not known the peseta, and it was above the SEAT 124 despite being based on the same platform. The dashboard came from the Italian Fiat 125 and the body design was 100% SEAT, with no Italian counterpart. Well, the entire car was 100% SEAT and Fiat never had a version of the 1430, was a totally national model.
Again making use of the Fiat organ bank, it had under the hood the 1.438 cc four-cylinder fed by a double-barrel Bressel-Weber 32 DHS carburettor, which produced 70 CV and it was capable of launching it up to 157 km/h. As an innovation and also as standard, it incorporated a servo brake, double circuit and discs on all four wheels.
I still remember seeing one on the street and that characteristic sound. And what about the very personal gear lever and its more than characteristic knob? Personally, I was lucky enough to have one in the garage, my late grandfather's SEAT 1430, a dark green second series (photo above). This second series was presented in 1973, with some improvements that made it better and a little faster. For a start, the cylinder head was new and guaranteed a gain of 5 hp, so 75 hp was available. There was a choice between two types of carburettor, a Bressel-Weber and a Solex, and cooling was optimized by making new air vents directly in the bodywork, under the grille.
With the arrival of this second series, modifications of all kinds also arrived, such as the one made by taxi drivers, which they installed Sava or Perkins diesel engines, with 44 and 46 CV respectively. As a curiosity, these engines vibrated so much that reinforcements had to be made.
THE SPORTING SPIRIT COMES FROM A FAR AWAY
Precisely, in 1973, together with the second series, the first of our protagonists is presented. I am referring to the more powerful versions of the 1430 which became known internally as "FU". These, the most valued of the 1430, presented serious modifications. As serious as abandoning the Italian four-cylinder with lateral camshaft, to couple in its place a new 1.592 cc "bialbero" with no less than 95 hp at 6.000 rpm. It was the SEAT 1430 Special 1.600 and it cost 177.000 pesetas without taxes. The story of the «FU» began.
Those 95 hp were already considered sporty and, furthermore, SEAT launched various versions of the 1430 Special 1.600. There were the "FU-00" and the "FU-02", which both had a four-speed gearbox, and they were also the "FU-01", with a five-speed transmission. For many of you who are reading, a five-speed gearbox may not mean anything to you, but keep in mind that we are talking about 1973, where only cars like the Porsche 911 RS 2.7 Carrera had five speeds. Remember the Renault Superfive that gave so much hype to the five-speed gearbox with the corresponding plate on the trunk lid in the 80s...
It had more things that help differentiate it from the rest of the SEAT 1430. The radiator grille was painted matt black and the rear part received a black plastic piece. It had lighter rims without hubcaps and the license plate became elongated and not square like on the “normal” SEAT 1430s. Of course, sported the word "Special" next to the number 1.600 next to the license plate.
The speedometer of the new SEAT 1430 Special 1.600 marked no less than 200 km/h, crazy in those years, being able to get to 176 km/h. It was, with just 95 hp, a true sports car whose performance was imposing. And to think that now that power is offered by a utility… how things change.
In addition, the feeling of a fast and sporty car was increased because the vast majority of owners came from a SEAT 600 or bought it as their first car. This is something made clear in the publications of the time. It was said that arrived endorsed by the title of Spanish Rally Champion. It combined luxury and comfort with a totally sporty performance mechanics, with an excellent appearance, extremely correct finishes and a more than acceptable quality of materials.
The media of the time, in their tests, also commented that their anatomical seats lined in velvet stood out, upholstery that was considered authentic luxury. I have come to find statements that assured that it was the interior that they liked the most of all the country's production and that it was partly because of the seats. The tests were accompanied by commenting that the accelerations were excellent, the ride comfort was very high, it was very pleasant to use and they classified it as an ideal car to take the family on a trip or to win a rally. For those who came from a 600 for example, the acceleration could surprise them, the ability to take curves and in general, the "performing" ability (as is). As a curious fact, a consumption of 12 liters on average was considered compensated with benefits.
THE FU-10 AND FU-11, THE UNICORNS
The following year, 1974, the "FU-10" appeared, the SEAT 1430 Special 1.800 what do I bring beyond the sportiness of the model. With a four-cylinder engine and 1.756 cubic centimeters, it went from the 95 hp of the 1.600 to offer 105 or 118 hp, depending on whether one or two double-body Bressel-Weber 34 DMS carburettors were mounted.
And we go back to before… 118 hp for a sports version? With 970 kg empty, a power-to-weight ratio of 8,48 kg/CV and its propulsion system (no front-wheel drive) it was a shot. So yes, 118 hp for a sports version are more than respectable for the time and the car they animate. It's more, It was one of the sportiest that could be found in a sedan format..
It was initially offered with a four-speed gearbox, mounting the five-speed one at the end of production, although there were very few units and it only differed from the SEAT 1430 Special 1.600 by the anagram “1.800” on the rear. At the same time as the "FU-10", it appeared in SEAT's own dealerships la ddauto preparation, of which only 700 units were manufactured.
From the National Club SEAT 1430, 124 and 124 Sport they told me a few years ago, by statistics and with the data they have (and speculating a bit), that of the 32.000 «FU» that were made, one in four are «FU-10», as much. This gives an estimated quantity of between 6.000 and 7.000 units.
The evolution of the 1430 "FU" continued hand in hand with SEAT itself and the "summit" was developed, the definitive 1430, the most powerful of all the SEAT 1430, the sportiest, the most radical and of course, the currently most sought after. Many of you know what I mean SEAT 1430 «FU-11» or «Replica». It also meant the end of the business cycle of the model, and he did it big.
The surname "Special" was abandoned, although this was really special. He had a completely racing approach, positioning himself as what we would today call "racing-customer" that was sold directly at any brand dealership. It weighed 925 kg empty and its engine produced 135 hp.. This was a very serious number in the 70s, and deserved a lot of respect.
In front of an «FU-10» it is very possible that you would not be able to differentiate it if it were not for the roll cage that it equips as standard, because the rest is the same. And yes, it equipped a roll cage as standard, along with a helmet. The hint is more than clear, right? The key parts of the car were evolved, in order to offer a base on which to work with guarantees for any competition, which finished off the whole set.
It also included other hints like a crankcase fully protected by a metal sheet to avoid possible blows that takes you directly to the world of rallying. The windshield was made of "Triplex" laminated safety glass and it was approved for five people... curious if we take into account the bars of the cage, which leave almost no room and it is clear that it would not be a very comfortable place. It could be disassembled, but it already lost the essence of a racing car.
To achieve those 135 hp, they resorted to a rise in displacement to the 1.840 cubic centimeters and two new Bressel-Weber carburettors vertical 44 mm and double body. Mechanical upgrades could be requested when buying the car, with fans rumored that it could go as high as 170bhp no less. Another level, of course.
Among other improvements and that we should comment, is the assembly of a new, larger radiator, a new five-speed close-ratio gearbox and a "real" limited-slip differential, not like the electronic "bullshit" they use now.
Come the year 1.977, the production of the SEAT 124 «Pamplona» began, so named because it was manufactured in Pamplona, putting an end to the history of the SEAT 1430 and its “FU” versions.
We cannot ignore what the publications of the time of the SEAT 1430 «FU-11» said, the report would not be finished. It was said that the engine was a shot, with an impressive pull, a beautiful sound and a quick response thanks to the vertical carburettors. Among the striking phrases that they dedicated to him, highlight the one that commented that if you were not careful, you would skip the traffic lights two by two.
It is striking that these things were said about a car with 135 hp, but if we look at the automobile fleet at the time, we could be talking about a current SEAT CUPRA without going any further. A powerful and fast car, although in the case of the «FU-11», much, much more radical.
I want to finish talking about units, those manufactured from the «FU-11». Again, as they told me from the Club SEAT 1430, 124 and 124 Sport, Exactly 15 units were manufactured, of which, one of the partners at that time (I don't know if he is still a member, it was many years ago) has the names of the owners, although it is better not to interfere in those things. The club, when I spoke with them, knew of seven units, of which only two are in perfect condition. Another two were modified and changed to «FL» due to homologation issues of the time and the rest are transformed, in very poor condition or destroyed.
