Fiat 126- why am I drawn to this car?

[busta]

I drove past a Fiat 126 BIS today and it really caught my eye. Its been parked up for over a year now, getting a bit green and I found myself thinking it would be a good idea to approach the owner and make them an offer for it.

There doesn't seem to be much written about these cars in english on the web and I can't read Italian. Does anybody have any info on them or know of any good sites? The rear engined layout seems prime for a bit of bike engined tomfoolery and its diminutive stance should make it very entertaining on tight tracks.

Any info and ideas gratefully recieved!

Busta

[rmhodv]

I don't know much either, but maybe the fiat 126 club can help.

Edited by rmhodv on Friday 1st December 08:08

[sb-1]

I have a Fiat 500 with a 126 Engine/box(not bis)It is great fun, as would be a 126.

126's are much cheaper to buy than a 500,so would be a lot easier to run on a shoestring.

If you want to know any more info regarding a 126 speak to Jimmy at Ital Corsa in Fleet,Hampshire.

what he doesn't know about 500's/126's is not worth knowing!

Cheers

Steve

[jonnylayze]

I had a 126 as my first car - it was fantastic - brilliant steering. Sadly it wasn't up to the punishment I dealt it and I replaced it with another rear engined car - a Skod Rapid Coupe. Sadly, these were the last 2 rear engined cars produced by mainstream manufacturers. Everyone (Fiat and Skoda included) have abandoned it as a concept in the name of packaging.

[negative creep]

If I can ever find a cheap one then I'll have one as a second car without a second's thought

even better if it was that brillinatly named special edition - the 126 Brown

[busta]

When I get a chance I'll go and investigate this one Ive found then. Sounds like a good bit of cheap fun, and maybe even a little bit of history (although i guess there are millions of them in italy but come to think of it they will all be dented and battered).

BTW 126 owners club website is a bit rubbish, I fell asleep trying to find any decent info on there.

[sb-1]

busta said:

When I get a chance I'll go and investigate this one Ive found then. Sounds like a good bit of cheap fun, and maybe even a little bit of history (although i guess there are millions of them in italy but come to think of it they will all be dented and battered).

BTW 126 owners club website is a bit rubbish, I fell asleep trying to find any decent info on there.

Busta,

see my post above....do speak Jimmy at Ital Corsa.

Edited by sb-1 on Friday 15th December 09:00

[KUB3]

Check out the Prancing Mouse; a Fiat 500 with a Ducati engine...

www.italiaspeed.com/2005/cars/fiat/08/prancing_mouse/1108.html

[isuk]

Just stumbled on this thread and saw the mention of the special edition "Brown" model. I had the special edition "Black" model as my first car. It was fun to drive and the rear engine configuration made it pretty entertaining in the snow if I managed to get traction. It had seats that were covered in a Burberry style cloth long before Chavs had been born. It was somewhat odd having a little pull up starter lever and choke between the seats and it always felt like the lever was going to snap off every time I started the car. It had that full length fabric sunroof which made sunny days enjoyable. It was good for nearly 90 mph which felt like light speed in such a small car. I went to trade it in at a small family run Fiat dealership and the chap who owned the garage came back amazed after his test drive and said he'd never been in one that was that quick. I ended up selling it and getting a 127 1300GT 5 speed as it's replacement. Happy days.

[gumballer]

BIS is the cheaper 126, but it was water cooled and as such was far less reliable than the earlier air cooled ones.earlier ones dont have the nasty plastic bodywork either.

[madmog]

Huge amount of information on Fiat 126's here:

http://tinyurl.com/2mrnjj
If this link dies, it's the Fiat 126 forum on www.preloved.co.uk

Also here:
www.fiat126.co.uk

And (in Polish since the Poles made the Bis's)
www.126fan.pl/

The water-cooled bis engine isn't as reliable as the air cooled one (which continued to be made until about 2000 for the Polish market) but is otherwise a more practical car with a rear hatch and fold down rear seats. Plastic can be removed and bumpers replaced with chrome. Fiat fire engines are becoming a popular modification with someone on the fiat126 site potentially putting a engine to gearbox convertor plate into production.

[busta]

Thanks Madmog, there's some great rescources there.

This bike engined 126 thread is quite interesting.