1973 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe 1800
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
The seller told me that he had replaced the fuel tank, and the fuel filter looks new and clean.
The car came with almost a full tank of petrol that was maybe nine or ten months old. I do not know if it it was 95, 97 or 99. I have been topping it off with V-Power plus Valvemaster as and when I can.
Given that my next wild stabb in the dark would be timing, is it clockwork ignition or electronic? The car came with almost a full tank of petrol that was maybe nine or ten months old. I do not know if it it was 95, 97 or 99. I have been topping it off with V-Power plus Valvemaster as and when I can.
The Fiat is off here in early August -
https://www.middlebartongarage.com/
https://www.middlebartongarage.com/
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 11th July 08:21
Breadvan72 said:
Not far from me, although they have moved a little further now. Motivated by your purchase, I dragged my 75 over the pit this morning to see how much work was required. I was attacked by three bees who seemed keen to discuss the laws of ownership and a field mouse who dropped into the pit.
It doesn't look pretty
Breadvan72 said:
1970s anti-smog regulations meant that the US version of the CC 1800 only had 92.5 BHP (the UK version claimed 118 BHP), but Car and Driver still liked it -
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15142114/fia...
The surging in slow urban traffic, and the backfire when lifting off (or changing down from fifth to fourth to overtake an uphill lorry on the M40) are definitely things. I thought that I had been shot.
Thanks, I enjoyed that piece. A general lack of florid Muttering Rotter hyperbole and a few surprises for someone who doesn't know these cars at all well.https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15142114/fia...
The surging in slow urban traffic, and the backfire when lifting off (or changing down from fifth to fourth to overtake an uphill lorry on the M40) are definitely things. I thought that I had been shot.
Edited by Breadvan72 on Tuesday 7th July 08:12
Proper snap crackle and pop from a fizzy engine is to be appreciated.
Yeehaw... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UanCWNWSiTc
C Lee Farquar said:
Not far from me, although they have moved a little further now.
Motivated by your purchase, I dragged my 75 over the pit this morning to see how much work was required. I was attacked by three bees who seemed keen to discuss the laws of ownership and a field mouse who dropped into the pit.
It doesn't look pretty
Cieli! Buon corragio!Motivated by your purchase, I dragged my 75 over the pit this morning to see how much work was required. I was attacked by three bees who seemed keen to discuss the laws of ownership and a field mouse who dropped into the pit.
It doesn't look pretty
Articles dating from circa 2004 on the 124 Coupe and the Fiat twin cam in general.
http://www.sfconline.org.uk/models/124/124coupe.as...
http://www.sfconline.org.uk/models/twink/history.a...
The author prefers the AC Coupe for handling and thinks that Fiat ruined the handling in the later versions. He claims that an AC handles as well as a Lotus Elan, which might be pushing it a bit, but I have only driven an Elan and not an C 124 Coupe. He also makes the obvious comparison between the MGB (a car that I am always happy to be horrible about) and a sporty Fiat (the comparison being, of course, that there is no comparison.
I was out in the rain last night to collect a take away from a town five miles away and have a renewed urge to get those Hellish tyres off the car, which felt positively dangerous on the wet road. They are very odd looking tyres - bulbous and with the brand lettering almost invisible. Something like "Hero". They do not seem very old but I cannot see the date codes.
http://www.sfconline.org.uk/models/124/124coupe.as...
http://www.sfconline.org.uk/models/twink/history.a...
The author prefers the AC Coupe for handling and thinks that Fiat ruined the handling in the later versions. He claims that an AC handles as well as a Lotus Elan, which might be pushing it a bit, but I have only driven an Elan and not an C 124 Coupe. He also makes the obvious comparison between the MGB (a car that I am always happy to be horrible about) and a sporty Fiat (the comparison being, of course, that there is no comparison.
I was out in the rain last night to collect a take away from a town five miles away and have a renewed urge to get those Hellish tyres off the car, which felt positively dangerous on the wet road. They are very odd looking tyres - bulbous and with the brand lettering almost invisible. Something like "Hero". They do not seem very old but I cannot see the date codes.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 8th July 05:53
On the tyre front
Various oldies I have had such as Daimler dart, mk one open manta, various alfas I would put proper tyres on the front and cheapo carp rear tyres. Results in much hilarity on roundabouts but still the ability to stop when needed
All sorts of opposite lockery at very pedestrian speeds
Various oldies I have had such as Daimler dart, mk one open manta, various alfas I would put proper tyres on the front and cheapo carp rear tyres. Results in much hilarity on roundabouts but still the ability to stop when needed
All sorts of opposite lockery at very pedestrian speeds
Niggles: The telltale light for the rear demister was working. Now it is not. Whether the demister itself works I do not know.
The (incorrect for the car) handbook has the fuse chart for a BC car. I do not know if the fuse set up changed for a CC car. I wonder if the horn and the demister might be on the same circuit, but probably not - all of the fuses appear OK. Maybe this car is like a Jag XJS which has 1 million HIDDEN FUSES (it really does - they are located in secret and tricky to access places all over the car, and a modern Jag XK is much the same). Compare a Triumph Dolomite Sprint - three fuses on the bulkhead.
The car does not like cold and wet. It has survived two nights being rained on. It gets to go indoors for the weekend. I am off to London in my modern Jaaaaaaaaaaag. Many people live mainly in London and feck off to the country at weekends. I do the opposite. Mrs BV lives in London.
The (incorrect for the car) handbook has the fuse chart for a BC car. I do not know if the fuse set up changed for a CC car. I wonder if the horn and the demister might be on the same circuit, but probably not - all of the fuses appear OK. Maybe this car is like a Jag XJS which has 1 million HIDDEN FUSES (it really does - they are located in secret and tricky to access places all over the car, and a modern Jag XK is much the same). Compare a Triumph Dolomite Sprint - three fuses on the bulkhead.
The car does not like cold and wet. It has survived two nights being rained on. It gets to go indoors for the weekend. I am off to London in my modern Jaaaaaaaaaaag. Many people live mainly in London and feck off to the country at weekends. I do the opposite. Mrs BV lives in London.
A 1971 review of a 1608 cc BC (second series) car.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...
Breadvan72 said:
A 1971 review of a 1608 cc BC (second series) car.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...
The second paragraph is a bit Estate Agent. It's like the Frank Bough, Sir Jackie Stewart, Alan Partridge Scorpio promo film.https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article...
The dude's London geography is also weird. He says that Fiat's London base was on the Great West Road, the A4, and it seems that he drove to the M4 and went off to Wales, but he also mentions Madame Tussauds, which is on the A40 in Marylebone (and looks to have been there for many years), some way off his route. Maybe Tussauds used to be located on or near the A4.
EDIT: Nope, it has been where it is for over a century. So, the bloke either made up the story about the overheating E-type, got hopelessly lost, or thought that the Westway and the Great West Road were the same thing. Note also the BS comment about ease of access to the M4. The M4 has always been and remains a right pain in the arse to get onto from central London. Maybe the bloke made up the whole review and in fact spent his day getting ratted in some West End boozer before filing his fictitious copy. NB: 1970s motoring journalist.
I have tried but failed to find a 1970s photo of the Fiat building.
Here is what an early 1970s driver saw as he or she headed west toward the M4 - not very different from the view today, but there are now more tall buildings and the cars would now all be hideous blobby SUVs and hatches..
Here is a bit of Brentford near the elevated bit of the A4/M4 in 1973.
[
EDIT: Nope, it has been where it is for over a century. So, the bloke either made up the story about the overheating E-type, got hopelessly lost, or thought that the Westway and the Great West Road were the same thing. Note also the BS comment about ease of access to the M4. The M4 has always been and remains a right pain in the arse to get onto from central London. Maybe the bloke made up the whole review and in fact spent his day getting ratted in some West End boozer before filing his fictitious copy. NB: 1970s motoring journalist.
I have tried but failed to find a 1970s photo of the Fiat building.
Here is what an early 1970s driver saw as he or she headed west toward the M4 - not very different from the view today, but there are now more tall buildings and the cars would now all be hideous blobby SUVs and hatches..
Here is a bit of Brentford near the elevated bit of the A4/M4 in 1973.
[
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 9th July 05:37
Here is a random picture of Michael Caine and Britt Eckland to remind us of just how super cool the late 60s/early 70s were. Until last Sunday I had a lockdown hairdo that was pretty much as Mr Caine's in the pic. Yesterday i drove the Fiat while dressed in a vintage 1970s brown Leather car coat (remember those?) not dissimilar to the one that Caine is wearing in the pic, plus a long collared and lairy floral patterned shirt. Slim jeans and Italian brown suede driving shoes*. I looked like a tool, but I felt great.
*Good idea, the Fiat has small pedals placed close together. Not a car to drive wearing clumpy boots.
*Good idea, the Fiat has small pedals placed close together. Not a car to drive wearing clumpy boots.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff