Rare Bitter SC for sale
Discussion
Nothing to do with me, but this is a very rare car in the UK - looks very much like a Ferrari 412 to me.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C884398
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C884398
Great cars these. Almost completely unknown here, and underrated even by those who have heard of them. I had one about ten years ago, was my main daily driver for a couple of years and I put almost 30k miles on it. That one's an auto, but get a manual if you can. Mine was the only factory RHD manual 3.9, though a couple of others have been converted from autos.
They are big, comfy, fine handling cars, with a decent turn of speed. The 3.9 is much quicker than the 3-litre (a lot torquier, as it was stroked to 3.9 not bored) and the manual is much more relaxed on the motorway.
This was mine:
Bitter SC by tog, on Flickr
Really miss it, I'd have it back in a heartbeat if I had more space and money : )
They are big, comfy, fine handling cars, with a decent turn of speed. The 3.9 is much quicker than the 3-litre (a lot torquier, as it was stroked to 3.9 not bored) and the manual is much more relaxed on the motorway.
This was mine:
Bitter SC by tog, on Flickr
Really miss it, I'd have it back in a heartbeat if I had more space and money : )
It was based on the Senator, like the Monza, and the interior was a leather-clad version of that. SC stood for Senator Coupe.
I am happy to be corrected, but I always understood the wheels to be Bitter's own design. Opel then also used them on the Monza. The Bitter's are wider on the rear than the front, the Monza has Bitter front wheels all round.
I am pretty sure Bitter never did tuning parts, but I have heard of at a Monza running a 3.9 Bitter engine so it's not impossible to imagine one wearing the badge.
Parts for mine were no real problem. There are a couple of specialists in these cars here, surprisingly given how few there are here, but all mechanical parts are Opel. Only some of the 3.9 internals are bespoke. Rear lights are Lancia Monte Carlo, front sidelights early Mondial, and I discovered this morning that the headlight motors appear to be shared with a Ferrari 512BB (I was photographing a 512 today and recognised the motors!). The bodywork is obviously also bespoke. Apparently the dies for pressing the panels have been impounded in Italy pending payment of some bills ever since the company folded. It was cash flow that did for them - they apparently had over 1,000 cars on order when they went under.
I still think it is a great car. It was a genuine daily driver for me - tip runs, shopping, freelance photography work, several long European trips, and I even got a 8' Christmas tree in. Not a track car however - I boiled the brakes on an action day at Castle Combe. I maxed it at indicated 140-odd on a quiet European motorway.
I am happy to be corrected, but I always understood the wheels to be Bitter's own design. Opel then also used them on the Monza. The Bitter's are wider on the rear than the front, the Monza has Bitter front wheels all round.
I am pretty sure Bitter never did tuning parts, but I have heard of at a Monza running a 3.9 Bitter engine so it's not impossible to imagine one wearing the badge.
Parts for mine were no real problem. There are a couple of specialists in these cars here, surprisingly given how few there are here, but all mechanical parts are Opel. Only some of the 3.9 internals are bespoke. Rear lights are Lancia Monte Carlo, front sidelights early Mondial, and I discovered this morning that the headlight motors appear to be shared with a Ferrari 512BB (I was photographing a 512 today and recognised the motors!). The bodywork is obviously also bespoke. Apparently the dies for pressing the panels have been impounded in Italy pending payment of some bills ever since the company folded. It was cash flow that did for them - they apparently had over 1,000 cars on order when they went under.
I still think it is a great car. It was a genuine daily driver for me - tip runs, shopping, freelance photography work, several long European trips, and I even got a 8' Christmas tree in. Not a track car however - I boiled the brakes on an action day at Castle Combe. I maxed it at indicated 140-odd on a quiet European motorway.
Strela said:
Oh dear, this is awfully tempting. A RHD 3.9 with low mileage
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C963252
or this delicious LHD one with a superb interior, but a 3.0 and 300k on the clock! Must have been looked after to get to that mileage? Been up for sale for a while this one.
The UK car is not that much pricier. And how easy to get a Swiss car insured for the drive back the UK and registered here?
http://www.oldtimergalerie.ch/en/73/23/?oid=65&...
Both look nice. The 3.9 would be my choice - performance to keep up with the looks. I didn't realise they were still offering the 3-litre in 1985. But that brown interior is very nice... Interesting that they both have sunroofs, which may be an issue if you are tall - I am 6'3" and my head just brushed the headlining already. I took it on a track once (exciting but not recommended - too soft, no brakes after a couple of laps of Castle Combe) and driving with a helmet was tricky.https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C963252
or this delicious LHD one with a superb interior, but a 3.0 and 300k on the clock! Must have been looked after to get to that mileage? Been up for sale for a while this one.
The UK car is not that much pricier. And how easy to get a Swiss car insured for the drive back the UK and registered here?
http://www.oldtimergalerie.ch/en/73/23/?oid=65&...
The British car appears to be being sold by Terry Smith, the specialist near Reading who did most of the servicing on mine. He's been involved with Bitters (and Jags) for years. Price seems strong to me, but maybe that's what they go for now. Tiny market for them over here of course. Mine went for £6k I think, but needing a few k spending.
Strela said:
Well, I gone done bought a Bitter. Will probably start a Readers Cars thread when I get back to the UK in the spring and see and drive the rare thing.
What larks, Master Pip!
Will it impress Estella though? - Miss Havisham would much rather she snare the owner of a Ferrari 400/412 don't you know! What larks, Master Pip!
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