RE: Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC: You Know You Want To
Discussion
One of those cars I always fancied but never got around to buying. A 131 with the 2.0 twin cam engine was the closest I came and I have to say, that engine was fabulous. The car got written off at MOT time due to chassis rot though. Then there was my Fiat Uno Turbo. To say that car was troublesome would be understating things somewhat. 
slippery said:
GC8 said:
Latter seats in mine, unfortunately... 
You learn something new every day. I never realised that the Recaro style seats weren't standard in the 130. My first car was a series two Lancia Beta HPE and I bought it for £500 when it was under ten years old!
The Strada was supposed to have a Guy Croft head too, but I suspect that if GC had ever seen it, it was through his office window...
I love Pistonheads but I'm disappointed with this article. Firstly it came out in 1984 and secondly the Golf GTi was not quicker until the 16v came out 2 years later.
Aside from these comments, it's lovely to see something so unusual and on my lottery win list for sure, just try and get someone who knows what they're talking about to have input in the article maybe?
Aside from these comments, it's lovely to see something so unusual and on my lottery win list for sure, just try and get someone who knows what they're talking about to have input in the article maybe?
The Don of Croy said:
£3.5k...tempting.
Somewhere in the loft I think there is a 'pull out special' from CAR or somesuch, and in there is a road test of the 130TC against the Delta turbo.
That pullout was from What Car magazine.Somewhere in the loft I think there is a 'pull out special' from CAR or somesuch, and in there is a road test of the 130TC against the Delta turbo.
In the mid/late 80s a friend had the 105tc, then onto a 130 tc, then onto a couple of Delta HF Turbos and after that an Integrale. The second HF turbo was a really nice car - I do remember the seats in the 130 were lovely, liked them as much as the Scheels in another friend's RS1600i.
We had many great drives to the Welsh beaches in the summer, leaving at dawn to avoid the traffic and enjoy the roads. Would have been nice to have had a GoPro or similar for looking back at the pics now. Just the odd snap on a 110 isn't the same
Edited by s m on Friday 22 March 21:46
number1nesta said:
It's bizarre that I have a vivid childhood memory of sitting in the back of my Dad's car and watching one of these take off from some lights side by side with a MkII Golf GTI. It was down a straight stretch of urban dual carriageway probably somewhere in Birmingham.
It was the classic old days when you saw a puff of smoke on the gear change, letting you know they were going for it flat out. Sadly, I don't recall the outcome, either that or my Dad's Cavalier didn't cover ground quick enough to keep up and see the ending!
In 1989 I lived in Birmingham and had a metallic grey 130TC - E862TOV. Loved traffic light grand prix with Golfs. However Mrs T was the real hooligan in it and got quite carried away at times, particularly with XR3s! Sadly, after having several radios and speakers stolen, the day came when the car itself was stolen (and I was left with just the pull out radio). Bizarrely about a year later when living in Sussex I had a call from West Midlands Police asking if I had recovered the car. Apparently it was driving around about 5 miles from where it was stolen from. I would happily have another (or even E862TOV) but sadly I suspect my arse would no longer fit into the Recaros!It was the classic old days when you saw a puff of smoke on the gear change, letting you know they were going for it flat out. Sadly, I don't recall the outcome, either that or my Dad's Cavalier didn't cover ground quick enough to keep up and see the ending!
GC8 said:
GTRene said:
here some optional Recaro seats for the 130TC they came in to choose from looks
and here the original standard 130TC seats
Latter seats in mine, unfortunately... and here the original standard 130TC seats
slippery said:
GC8 said:
Latter seats in mine, unfortunately...
You learn something new every day. I never realised that the Recaro style seats weren't standard in the 130. The 1984-1985 Mk2 seats are those all-grey ones on top; the 1986-1988 Mk3 'five bar cloth' black seats are pictured elsewhere on this thread. I personally think the leather seats were never a factory option, i.e. reupholstered at some stage. They could have been a Mk3 option I suppose.
The bottom seats were only seen in the 105TC in the UK & Ireland - and that car was offered in Mk2 form from 1983 to 1985, when it died & became the 100S (not offered in the UK) in Mk3 form.
Worth mentioning that in twin cam form, the Mk1 Ritmo came as a 105TC & 125TC, the Mk2 also came in 105TC and very briefly 125TC guises, but the 125TC (in either Mk1 or Mk2) was LHD only, so not sold in the UK or Ireland. The 130TC took over from the 125TC. Mk3's came as a 100S (5 door, lots of chrome) or 130TC.
As awful as I think they look, the featured car is missing its wind deflectors from the front doors! Standard 130TC addition, back in the days of such things being considered cool. Also, the 130TC wore only the lower hatchback spoiler as standard; the 105TC only ever had an upper one. There was lot of mixing & matching went on though! I still have a lower spoiler here somewhere, must dig it out...
Edited by P2BS on Saturday 23 March 08:51
Edited by P2BS on Saturday 23 March 08:54
UK 130TC only had the full recaro's those black half leather non recaor's were only in the late model 105 tc in the UK.
I remember trying to buy a 2 yr old 130TC in 1988 that had done 90k miles, it drove fantastic but even at 2 yrs old it already had rust, window frames were all bubbling with rust and had it rust on the body. Shame they have all rusted away but not surpring.
The Integra Type R is a bit like a 90's version of the 130TC was the 80's version of a track ready hot hatch with a monster engine (for its day).
Some great 80's film here of 130tc racing in the saloon series. Check out the understeer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkvQFdEfuoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4bd4hNY8h0
I remember trying to buy a 2 yr old 130TC in 1988 that had done 90k miles, it drove fantastic but even at 2 yrs old it already had rust, window frames were all bubbling with rust and had it rust on the body. Shame they have all rusted away but not surpring.
The Integra Type R is a bit like a 90's version of the 130TC was the 80's version of a track ready hot hatch with a monster engine (for its day).
Some great 80's film here of 130tc racing in the saloon series. Check out the understeer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkvQFdEfuoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4bd4hNY8h0
I've had four Strada's.
First one was my dads which he bought new in '82. It was a burgundy five door MK 1 65CL which was a blast to drive and reliable despite being driven by a 17 year old hooligan such as myself.
The second was a black MK 1 105TC which you can see below. I sold it to a mate who dropped the 2 litre block from a 131 Sport into it.
My third was the same as the second albeit in red.
The fourth was a C reg MK 3 Abarth in black with half leather and just had a K&N panel filter, Tarox discs and Leda adjustable fronts. It sounded great, went well and cornered well. I really do miss it.
A mate is currently restoring one. Below are a couple of resto pics.
First one was my dads which he bought new in '82. It was a burgundy five door MK 1 65CL which was a blast to drive and reliable despite being driven by a 17 year old hooligan such as myself.
The second was a black MK 1 105TC which you can see below. I sold it to a mate who dropped the 2 litre block from a 131 Sport into it.
My third was the same as the second albeit in red.
The fourth was a C reg MK 3 Abarth in black with half leather and just had a K&N panel filter, Tarox discs and Leda adjustable fronts. It sounded great, went well and cornered well. I really do miss it.
A mate is currently restoring one. Below are a couple of resto pics.
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