RE: Fiat 124 Coupe: Spotted

[eliotc]

Been on the hunt for one of these for a while - love their styling, handling and that motor is a peach and even fitted with Weber IDFs as standard.

I've avoided the MK3 CC and have been slowly looking into the MK2 BC - much better looking IMO and lighter than the CC. I'm also led to believe that the 1600 motor is the best of the bunch - being perfectly square (80mm x 80mm) you can rev it's tits off. But now warming to the MK1 AC, lighter still but less aggressive looks than the BC. In Spain we also have the Seat equivalent, so if you're searching for a 124 coupe, search for Seat too - they're the same and it may open up more options for you. Fantastic, little known car. Hope to be reporting back with details of one soon - prices are rising so no time like the present :-)

[mac96]

I had a 1600 for a year or so around 1980; it was great fun and seated 4. But- at less than 10 years old it was made of red dust. Even the roof perforated.

I find it astonishing that any UK spec cars ever got old enough for restoration before being scrapped as junk, which as great shame as if there were plenty of survivors it would make a vastly superior alternative to an MGBGT now. And I am not a hater of MGBs.

[J4CKO]

Pereldh said:

Sorry *il mostro' of course it is.

Seen the new version ?

[BFleming]

I had to check my '124 Spider & Coupe' book by John Tipler, and unbeknownst to me the early 'CC' Series 3 cars started off with the 1608cc engine from the 125, but quickly changed to the 1592cc engine from the 132, then the 1756cc engine also from the 132. That's me 'educated', and good research by PH.
In my humble opinion the BC (Series 2) cars were the best looking of the bunch; the CC looked like a purposeful brute. I remember a guy in my hometown had a CC. I remember the lairy colour (one of those flat yellow's typical of the mid 1970's) & I don't recall any rust.
South Africa seems to be where to target good rust-free examples.

[Mr Tidy]

Pereldh said:

Aaah I'd like a 125 Special once more!
Talk about wolf in sheeps clothes...

|https://thumbsnap.com/b8N0ZkQA[/url]

Edited by Pereldh on Friday 22 September 08:19

Edited by Pereldh on Friday 22 September 08:22

You b*gger - that is the colour my 125 was! Olive Green IIRC.

It replaced a MKII Cortina, and just felt like I had entered a different world in terms of performance, sophistication - in every sense really!

When I was thinking of replacing it I looked at a 124 Spyder, but it was pretty tatty and being sold by a dodgy trader in a run-down yard in Streatham.

Then I looked at a 130 Saloon, but that was tired and unloved as well as being in a dodgy part of London.

So I went to see a 124 Coupe in 1800 flavour in a mint green colour in Surbiton, but that was also a tired, unloved example and priced high for what it was.

After that I gave up Fiats for a bit as I just couldn't seem to find a good one.

But a couple of years later I got a 132 1800ES which was even better than the 125.

I know the 1,600cc engines were "square" but the 1,800cc version in my 132 revved just as happily as my 125 did!

They were great cars - it's just a shame so few have survived.

[iSore]

Mr Tidy said:

But a couple of years later I got a 132 1800ES

I was given one of those for free by a pub landlord in 1984, an R reg 132 - I guess it was the 1800. Seven years old and it was knackered bodily, Orange with brown velour.

[Mr Tidy]

iSore said:

I was given one of those for free by a pub landlord in 1984, an R reg 132 - I guess it was the 1800. Seven years old and it was knackered bodily, Orange with brown velour.

Bargain, or lucky b*gger!

I bought mine (also an R-reg but a 1977 car IIRC) from Exchange & Mart (blast from the past)! It was "champagne" with brown velour seats and a Webasto sieve in the roof!

But it was a pretty quick car in the early 80s when I had it.

I just got lucky at the time - Godfreys in Cheam were a Fiat and Kawasaki agent so I chopped my 132 in against a Z650!

The Z650 was much quicker!

[Rob205]

Okay, I must admit that I don't normally post here, but I just couldn't resist.

Guess which one's mine, the photo taken this summer at Bibury Coffee and Classics at the Motor Hub.

A rose between two thorns (ahem).



I've always wanted a Fiat Coupe, especially the 1800CC Coupe for their more aggressive look. I just couldn't resist this when I saw it for sale at the NEC Practical Classics show in April, never thought I'd own one because they're just so rare now.

Amazing car, amazing colour, just so '70s.

[Mr Tidy]

Rob205 said:

Amazing car, amazing colour, just so '70s.

Fantastic car OP.

When I was looking at them in the early 80s they were around Shed money (before the recent budget increase) - wish I had found a good one then.

Enjoy!

[Mr Tidy]

eliotc said:

Been on the hunt for one of these for a while - love their styling, handling and that motor is a peach and even fitted with Weber IDFs as standard.

I've avoided the MK3 CC and have been slowly looking into the MK2 BC - much better looking IMO and lighter than the CC. I'm also led to believe that the 1600 motor is the best of the bunch - being perfectly square (80mm x 80mm) you can rev it's tits off. But now warming to the MK1 AC, lighter still but less aggressive looks than the BC. In Spain we also have the Seat equivalent, so if you're searching for a 124 coupe, search for Seat too - they're the same and it may open up more options for you. Fantastic, little known car. Hope to be reporting back with details of one soon - prices are rising so no time like the present :-)

I have to agree with you on the looks front OP - the BC looks much better than the CC IMO.

And IIRC the 1600 BC was rated at 110bhp, whereas the 1600 CC had a mere 108bhp. I may be wrong but I think the BC had twin Webers whereas the CC had one twin-choke Weber.

Good luck with your search - and FWIW you could rev the tits off the 1800 engines too! As I regularly did with my 132 1800ES.

I think the 2 litre with an even longer stroke than the 1.8 was where it all went wrong, but that came along after the 124 Coupe. anyway!

PH is such a bad influence - off to the classifieds and auctions now.

[edinph]

rallycross said:

the early cars looked nicer, my dad had one in this orangey yellow colour when I was a nipper'

That "orangey yellow" is Positano Yellow and THE best colour of its time. I remember a neighbour getting one and we all went to drool over it. Gorgeous!

[Mr Tidy]

edinph said:

That "orangey yellow" is Positano Yellow and THE best colour of its time. I remember a neighbour getting one and we all went to drool over it. Gorgeous!

Yes, that colour is rather stunning! As is the car.

[eliotc]

The problem with these cars wasn't the rust, the problem was the English weather :-D Where I live, it doesn't rain that much and I'm yet to see a rusted example. Same goes with MK1 Fiestas, Golfs etc...happily trundling along 40 years later with their perfect, but sun-bleached bodies. Don't blame the car, blame the British weather :-)

[BFleming]

eliotc said:

The problem with these cars wasn't the rust, the problem was the English weather :-D Where I live, it doesn't rain that much and I'm yet to see a rusted example. Same goes with MK1 Fiestas, Golfs etc...happily trundling along 40 years later with their perfect, but sun-bleached bodies. Don't blame the car, blame the British weather :-)

British road salt was to blame rather that the rain. Combine that with poor quality steel (which got worse in the late 1970's & early 1980's) from Poland/Russia which was part of the trade deal which gave end-of-life Fiats to the Poles & Russians.
Fiats & Lancias fared better in Ireland where roads weren't salted. Well, they didn't fare as badly!

Edited by BFleming on Monday 2nd October 12:40