RE: Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC: You Know You Want To

[Rob 131 Sport]

I always fancied one of these after my 131 Sport. However I was at college, working part time and like most 18 year olds absolutely skint. I ended up with a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6L that after the 131 and a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GLS, I hated for being a lowly spec model.

I can still think back to the awful pale blue colour tweed seats and no rev counter.

80’s hot hatches are just so cool and nearly every manufacturer had one. What happened. Looks like they have all been replaced by SUV’s.

[viggyp]

Rob 131 Sport said:

I always fancied one of these after my 131 Sport. However I was at college, working part time and like most 18 year olds absolutely skint. I ended up with a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6L that after the 131 and a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GLS, I hated for being a lowly spec model.

I can still think back to the awful pale blue colour tweed seats and no rev counter.

80’s hot hatches are just so cool and nearly every manufacturer had one. What happened. Looks like they have all been replaced by SUV’s.

I agree, the 80's and 90's hot hatches are superb. Newer hot hatches are a tad extreme I find.

[greenarrow]

Love this thread. Have such a soft spot for the Abarth 130TC. I remember going to look at its baby brother 105TC in 1989. I quite fancied it but the owner couldnt get it to start so I walked away!!

Believe me, these 80s hot hatches are going to take over from the likes of the MGB/Triumph TRs as the classic cars to buy, in the years to come. I honestly don't see many people born after 1970 wanting those old Leyland sports cars, whereas the nostalgia that you get with a Fiat Strada Abarth, Peugeot 205GTI, Golf GTI MK2 etc is so strong! They're the perfect mix of old school classic nostalgia with decent enough performance and handling to be totally usable in 2023 and beyond. My wife and I have owned a 205 GTI, but I would put the Abarth in my top 3 of 80s classic hot hatches I wish I had bought and are now too expensive!

[OPC100]

greenarrow said:

Love this thread. Have such a soft spot for the Abarth 130TC. I remember going to look at its baby brother 105TC in 1989. I quite fancied it but the owner couldnt get it to start so I walked away!!

Believe me, these 80s hot hatches are going to take over from the likes of the MGB/Triumph TRs as the classic cars to buy, in the years to come. I honestly don't see many people born after 1970 wanting those old Leyland sports cars, whereas the nostalgia that you get with a Fiat Strada Abarth, Peugeot 205GTI, Golf GTI MK2 etc is so strong! They're the perfect mix of old school classic nostalgia with decent enough performance and handling to be totally usable in 2023 and beyond. My wife and I have owned a 205 GTI, but I would put the Abarth in my top 3 of 80s classic hot hatches I wish I had bought and are now too expensive!

I'd agree with you apart from the fact that there are hardly any left. I had 3 and ended up stripping 2 of them for spares / selling bits off and then scrapping the shells. And my last and best ended up being scrapped about 10 years after I sold it. Also wrote off a nice laser green 1.9 gti, but that was an Isuzu Trooper to blame.

[BFleming]

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

[s m]

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

[heisthegaffer]

s m said:

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

Fantastic cars. Loved the Deltas as well. Always a big shame they weren't more successful over here.

[viggyp]

heisthegaffer said:

s m said:

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

Fantastic cars. Loved the Deltas as well. Always a big shame they weren't more successful over here.

I had a H plate HF Turbo. Worst car I owned and couldn't wait to get rid of it. I was so gutted as always wanted one. Bought a 130TC and other than an alternator and perished carb mounting brackets, I didn't have one issue with it.

[heisthegaffer]

viggyp said:

heisthegaffer said:

s m said:

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

Fantastic cars. Loved the Deltas as well. Always a big shame they weren't more successful over here.

I had a H plate HF Turbo. Worst car I owned and couldn't wait to get rid of it. I was so gutted as always wanted one. Bought a 130TC and other than an alternator and perished carb mounting brackets, I didn't have one issue with it.

A shame mate. Hard to Believe how bad the build. Could be back then

[The Don of Croy]

Rob 131 Sport said:

... I ended up with a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6L that after the 131 and a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GLS, I hated for being a lowly spec model.

I can still think back to the awful pale blue colour tweed seats and no rev counter.....

- a thing of dreams to my young eyes in 1982, although as a company car it had zero tax implications and was better than a Cortina.

Back to thread, I had a What Car special which pitted the 130TC against the Delta turbo and concluded the Delta needed the Fiat engine. Could have been a winner but Lancia were into turbocharging.

[Rob 131 Sport]

The Don of Croy said:

Rob 131 Sport said:

... I ended up with a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6L that after the 131 and a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GLS, I hated for being a lowly spec model.

I can still think back to the awful pale blue colour tweed seats and no rev counter.....

- a thing of dreams to my young eyes in 1982, although as a company car it had zero tax implications and was better than a Cortina.

Back to thread, I had a What Car special which pitted the 130TC against the Delta turbo and concluded the Delta needed the Fiat engine. Could have been a winner but Lancia were into turbocharging.

It was back in the day when a GLS with Vauxhall or a Ghia with Ford really meant something. I had the same car in GLS specification and it was so much better than the ‘L’.

[rallycross]

Does anyone know where this Strada is now apparently was still around in the 2000’s I’d like to buy it if I can find it - ex Jesse Cross production saloon car as featured in performance car mag for one year also raced in the willhire 24 hr event at least once.

Message me if you know who’s got it.

[heisthegaffer]

The Don of Croy said:

Rob 131 Sport said:

... I ended up with a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6L that after the 131 and a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6GLS, I hated for being a lowly spec model.

I can still think back to the awful pale blue colour tweed seats and no rev counter.....

- a thing of dreams to my young eyes in 1982, although as a company car it had zero tax implications and was better than a Cortina.

Back to thread, I had a What Car special which pitted the 130TC against the Delta turbo and concluded the Delta needed the Fiat engine. Could have been a winner but Lancia were into turbocharging.

Interesting as they were pretty much the same car underneath.

[viggyp]

heisthegaffer said:

viggyp said:

heisthegaffer said:

s m said:

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

Fantastic cars. Loved the Deltas as well. Always a big shame they weren't more successful over here.

I had a H plate HF Turbo. Worst car I owned and couldn't wait to get rid of it. I was so gutted as always wanted one. Bought a 130TC and other than an alternator and perished carb mounting brackets, I didn't have one issue with it.

A shame mate. Hard to Believe how bad the build. Could be back then

Yeah mate. Always hankered for a HF Turbo and the disappointment was bitter. I miss the Abarth big time and no doubt my favourite of the cars I've owned...next being the Thema Turbo 16V.

[heisthegaffer]

viggyp said:

heisthegaffer said:

viggyp said:

heisthegaffer said:

s m said:

BFleming said:

My Dad scrapped a 105TC (for those that remember them). A 1982 Mk1. Not that there was much wrong with it, but they bought a 1985 Regata 100S, and the Ritmo 105TC got parked up. Ok it was 12 years old, more than the average age for a Ritmo (Strada). It got scrapped intact, and I still regret the fact that it went at all, never mind with the intact instruments, wheels, engine...

I do indeed remember the 105TC. Friend who was always into Italian cars owned one after his Alfa 105 Junior.



He went from that to the 130 which was a much ‘rawer’ ( and faster! ) car, almost like it wasn’t factory modded but an aftermarket effort
He had a few issues with it and then went onto the excellent Delta HF Turbos, 130bhp one then the faster ie with the 140bhp injection engine

Fantastic cars. Loved the Deltas as well. Always a big shame they weren't more successful over here.

I had a H plate HF Turbo. Worst car I owned and couldn't wait to get rid of it. I was so gutted as always wanted one. Bought a 130TC and other than an alternator and perished carb mounting brackets, I didn't have one issue with it.

A shame mate. Hard to Believe how bad the build. Could be back then

Yeah mate. Always hankered for a HF Turbo and the disappointment was bitter. I miss the Abarth big time and no doubt my favourite of the cars I've owned...next being the Thema Turbo 16V.

Themas are lovely too mate. Fantastic.