RE: SEAT 124 DLS: PH Carpool
Discussion
I have heard that the Fiat version was better to drive than the Lada, having driven a Riva, I can only hope it is a lot better !
Didnt the Lada have some kind of steering box instead of rack and pinion, or did they all have that ?
Can only agree on the Escort, most werent restored and modified AVO versions with a Cosworth engine, four linked suspension and god knows what else, a 1.1 Popular was more typical, but to be fair it was a comparative joy compared to a Lada Riva.
Didnt the Lada have some kind of steering box instead of rack and pinion, or did they all have that ?
Can only agree on the Escort, most werent restored and modified AVO versions with a Cosworth engine, four linked suspension and god knows what else, a 1.1 Popular was more typical, but to be fair it was a comparative joy compared to a Lada Riva.
.cianha said:
Great work , muy bien hecho, Dani!
Lots of rust repair required, I had wondered if the Iberian climate would help preserve these shells better, but it looks like they will rust no matter what?
depends where it's from, if it's north coastal then they can get harsh winters up there with salt used however where I live and on downwards to the bottom of Spain when you do see these and many old old cars there is no rust at all on them at all.Lots of rust repair required, I had wondered if the Iberian climate would help preserve these shells better, but it looks like they will rust no matter what?
Used to run a used car lot next to a Lada/Polski Fiat dealer in Ospringe in Kent. He said he used to make nothing on selling the new car but recoup thousands on the warranty work they inevitably came back for. Ahhh happy days... hang on, that's what happens with dealerships now isn't it?
In spite of being the classic three-box on wheels design, the Fiat 124 was a well-engineered and spec'd car when it came out in 1966. Very few mass-market saloons of that era had disc brakes all round as standard plus such a well-located rear axle and that included all the base models not just the twin-cam variants.
Yes, it did have a steering box but it was a good set-up judging by my 1976 late model 124 Sports Coupe which had exactly the same and was a sharp steer - more so when I simply plonked original 60-series Pirelli P6-shod 131 Sport wheels on it. That in itself liberated a whole lot of untapped 'life' from the 124 chassis (well, back in 1989, it did!).
When the Russians took it on, the 124 lost its rear disc brakes (plus other economies were inflicted) to make it cheaper to produce and to sell. Wasn't quite the same car from then on.
As I remember, all the Seat versions produced under licence were literally Fiat 124's with Seat badges.
A guy called Tom Foster (who originally founded the Fiat Twin Cam Register in the early 1980's) heard that Seat were to discontinue its 124 'production under licence' and that there were thousands of brand new 124 saloon and coupe body panels (including complete bodyshells, no less) sitting in warehouses over in Spain.
Tom approached Fiat UK, asking for help in having these panels saved and shipped over to Blighty in order to help British enthusiasts preserve and restore their UK 124's ravaged by British weather, poor factory under-sealing and, of course, the notoriously poor quality 1970's Russian steel they were originally built from.
Fiat UK were totally disinterested (corporate policy) and so these thousands of body panels were crushed and melted down - lost forever! That's partly why you'll virtually never see a 124 Coupe these days although the 124 Spider enjoyed a different survival story thanks to its US popularity.
As can be seen by the so-called Top Gear machine, a Lada can be made into a highly-capable twin-cam performance machine simply by using all the old twin cam Fiat 'stuff' from the '60's/70's, including factory Abarth tuning parts if you can find them.
Yes, it did have a steering box but it was a good set-up judging by my 1976 late model 124 Sports Coupe which had exactly the same and was a sharp steer - more so when I simply plonked original 60-series Pirelli P6-shod 131 Sport wheels on it. That in itself liberated a whole lot of untapped 'life' from the 124 chassis (well, back in 1989, it did!).
When the Russians took it on, the 124 lost its rear disc brakes (plus other economies were inflicted) to make it cheaper to produce and to sell. Wasn't quite the same car from then on.
As I remember, all the Seat versions produced under licence were literally Fiat 124's with Seat badges.
A guy called Tom Foster (who originally founded the Fiat Twin Cam Register in the early 1980's) heard that Seat were to discontinue its 124 'production under licence' and that there were thousands of brand new 124 saloon and coupe body panels (including complete bodyshells, no less) sitting in warehouses over in Spain.
Tom approached Fiat UK, asking for help in having these panels saved and shipped over to Blighty in order to help British enthusiasts preserve and restore their UK 124's ravaged by British weather, poor factory under-sealing and, of course, the notoriously poor quality 1970's Russian steel they were originally built from.
Fiat UK were totally disinterested (corporate policy) and so these thousands of body panels were crushed and melted down - lost forever! That's partly why you'll virtually never see a 124 Coupe these days although the 124 Spider enjoyed a different survival story thanks to its US popularity.
As can be seen by the so-called Top Gear machine, a Lada can be made into a highly-capable twin-cam performance machine simply by using all the old twin cam Fiat 'stuff' from the '60's/70's, including factory Abarth tuning parts if you can find them.
soad said:
RobinBanks said:
I suppose then the demise of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s?
Officially, Christmas 1991 (Baltic states and Poland were independent by then). But the old Soviet Block started to crumble much earlier - in '88-89.
A lot of people still refer to the KGB although it was dissolved in November 1991.
jamespink said:
Used to run a used car lot next to a Lada/Polski Fiat dealer in Ospringe in Kent. He said he used to make nothing on selling the new car but recoup thousands on the warranty work they inevitably came back for. Ahhh happy days... hang on, that's what happens with dealerships now isn't it?
A few years ago I spoke to a guy who worked for a company that imported Lada over here (Finland). The guy said they every once in a while had cars coming in with parts missing - alternators, starters etc.. He said that the issue was that the same parts that came in the new models (this was in the beginning of 90s or so) also fitted older ones the factory workers used. They would simply take out the starter or something out of the brand new car, and push the car into the transporter, and no-one would notice until it was already too late. So yes, quality control was not their strong point.My uncle used to rally a Lada 1500, and even participated to the Thousand Lakes Rally (nowadays Neste Rally Finland) with it. They can be quite fast when tuned well!
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