1973 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe 1800
Discussion
P5BNij said:
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Regarding new tyres - have you thought about splashing out on another set of wheels, ie: deeper dished Cromos with more rubber...? Just a thought as I'm sure you already love the wheels it came with. (For me they'd need to fill the arches a bit more, that's all
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I would rather have thinner tyres than fatter, and I think the current size looks OK. I would buy Pirellis in 175/70 13 (these are available), but that would impact on the gearing by a factor of almost 5%, I am told, so I am not crazy about that. Regarding new tyres - have you thought about splashing out on another set of wheels, ie: deeper dished Cromos with more rubber...? Just a thought as I'm sure you already love the wheels it came with. (For me they'd need to fill the arches a bit more, that's all
)....
Breadvan72 said:
Buy an Italian car while you are there, and drive it home?
I note that you occasionally see cars that were first sold into the Italian market but which were specified from new to be RHD. I wonder why people did that. I know that, pre WW2, high end coachbuilt cats were sometimes specified RHD even when for use in LHD countries, including the US, but why would someone in Italy order, say, a 124 Saloon in RHD? A green 124 Special Saloon was recently for sale - described as an Italian market RHD car.
If I was rich, I would have one classic Gran Turismo car with LHD that I would use specifically for long range glammed up European motoring.
RHD makes drive by shootings easier!I note that you occasionally see cars that were first sold into the Italian market but which were specified from new to be RHD. I wonder why people did that. I know that, pre WW2, high end coachbuilt cats were sometimes specified RHD even when for use in LHD countries, including the US, but why would someone in Italy order, say, a 124 Saloon in RHD? A green 124 Special Saloon was recently for sale - described as an Italian market RHD car.
If I was rich, I would have one classic Gran Turismo car with LHD that I would use specifically for long range glammed up European motoring.
More on L'Avvocato.
https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/agnelli/filmmake...
https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/agnelli/filmmake...
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 13th July 21:01
finlo said:
Breadvan72 said:
Buy an Italian car while you are there, and drive it home?
I note that you occasionally see cars that were first sold into the Italian market but which were specified from new to be RHD. I wonder why people did that. I know that, pre WW2, high end coachbuilt cats were sometimes specified RHD even when for use in LHD countries, including the US, but why would someone in Italy order, say, a 124 Saloon in RHD? A green 124 Special Saloon was recently for sale - described as an Italian market RHD car.
If I was rich, I would have one classic Gran Turismo car with LHD that I would use specifically for long range glammed up European motoring.
RHD makes drive by shootings easier!I note that you occasionally see cars that were first sold into the Italian market but which were specified from new to be RHD. I wonder why people did that. I know that, pre WW2, high end coachbuilt cats were sometimes specified RHD even when for use in LHD countries, including the US, but why would someone in Italy order, say, a 124 Saloon in RHD? A green 124 Special Saloon was recently for sale - described as an Italian market RHD car.
If I was rich, I would have one classic Gran Turismo car with LHD that I would use specifically for long range glammed up European motoring.
Thought I recognised this 124 Spider, it was for sale on carandclassic last year, it was on at £16k if memory serves, photos in the ad could be better so I've added a couple from last year....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1976-Fiat-124-Spider-18...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1976-Fiat-124-Spider-18...
Re my possible TVR spottage, the car that I saw but could not positively ID had a 1970-71 numberplate, was a deep maroony colour, and might have been one of the ones shown below, but I think that it had more gills and was maybe even smaller. Maybe some other whacky Britcar of 1970-71? It looked too good to be some obscure kit car.
It was going the other way and turning out of a junction (so my viewing angle was a bit like that in the pic below). If we had been going the same way on a twisty road, would we have been able to keep up with one another? I assume that it's very grunty, but does it go around corners? Having said that, I still have comedy tyres, and am old and cautious.
It was going the other way and turning out of a junction (so my viewing angle was a bit like that in the pic below). If we had been going the same way on a twisty road, would we have been able to keep up with one another? I assume that it's very grunty, but does it go around corners? Having said that, I still have comedy tyres, and am old and cautious.
P5BNij said:
Thought I recognised this 124 Spider, it was for sale on carandclassic last year, it was on at £16k if memory serves, photos in the ad could be better so I've added a couple from last year....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1976-Fiat-124-Spider-18...
I really cannot understand why 124 Spiders have never appealed to me, even back in the now distant days when they were bangers which I could afford. Everything about them means that they should push my buttons, but for some weird reason they just don't.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1976-Fiat-124-Spider-18...
Maybe it's the LHD only thing, but I have owned a Matra Murena, which is LHD only, and would have another like a shot if I could, so it can't be that.
I spent 2018 and 2019 living on an island where the rule of the road is drive on the left, but almost everyone, including the cops, drives an American market LHD car. I declined to do that and bought a Japanese domestic market import with RHD.
Talking of bangerFiats, I recall about five years ago seeing a purple 124 Spider parked near Hampstead Heath that had been stickered by Camden Council for destruction, because it appeared to have been abandoned. Attempts via here and other fora to save it were, I think, unavailing, and I assume that it was scrapped. It looked pretty solid.
PS: to answer my own question, if the maroon Britcar I saw was, as I think it probably was, a TVR Vixen with some sort of small block Ford engine, then I suppose that, driver ability being roughly equal, the 124 would probably leave The Trevor for dead on a B road: but maybe less so if the TVR was a Tuscan. I recall being out in an Alfa GT Junior 1300 many years ago, In which car, even with my modest abilities, I arrived at the pub many minutes before the bloke in a TR6. It would have required an early 70s Lotus, or another early 70s Italian car, to make it a fair contest.
This is not to knock TVRs, or indeed Triumphs (I am a Triumph person), but merely to comment on what Italian alloy-headed twincam engines and Italian underpinnings may do against boat anchor pushrodders and ye trusty if not rusty Britchassis.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 14th July 07:43
I didn't pay that much attention to 124 Spiders until fairly recently myself, probably because the boat tail Alfa Duetto hits the right spot much more, but I bought a book on them last year and am now smitten. The more I look at the shape and proportions the more I'd like one, preferably an earlyish one with chrome bumpers, deep dish Cromodoras with a factory hardtop. Trouble is, as far as I'm aware only two have ever been converted to RHD, in this country anyway and really good ones are hard to find. A lot have been modified and they do rust.
I've always been more of a tin top / coupe man really but I'm coming round to the older Italian rag tops much more now, the Fiat 1200 / 1500 / 1600 range are really nice cars with a nice dose of continental chic compared to MGBs etc, and even the slammer Fiat 850 and Innocenti 950 Spiders have their charms....
I've always been more of a tin top / coupe man really but I'm coming round to the older Italian rag tops much more now, the Fiat 1200 / 1500 / 1600 range are really nice cars with a nice dose of continental chic compared to MGBs etc, and even the slammer Fiat 850 and Innocenti 950 Spiders have their charms....
I think the issue with the Spider is that so many we see here are the imported dry climate US spec cars. Our transatlantic friends managed to ruin the lines with stupid bumpers and silly side lights, making an early euro model look like a different car. The black one above really doesn’t work for me, luggage rack, no bumpers, ride height it’s all bit of a mess.
There’s also too many wannabe 124 Abarth lookalikees, which dilutes the impact of seeing a real one.
DTR in London converted many to rhd in the 80s and 90s using bits from the coupes. DTR remain at the very top end of the market and have some stunners occasionally in stock.
Mine however I adore, other than the silly US sidelights and a need for a bit more power
There’s also too many wannabe 124 Abarth lookalikees, which dilutes the impact of seeing a real one.
DTR in London converted many to rhd in the 80s and 90s using bits from the coupes. DTR remain at the very top end of the market and have some stunners occasionally in stock.
Mine however I adore, other than the silly US sidelights and a need for a bit more power
Edited by Dunk130TC on Tuesday 14th July 14:37
I am in a minority and prefer Kamm tailed Alfa Spiders to boat tailed ones. I also prefer them to have two litre twin cams rather than 1750s. I do not care about scuttle shake - they are great to drive. The 80s one are apparently yuck to drive because they are heavier, have messed up LSDS and fat tyres (or something along those lines), and have bodykits and silly bumpers. My 77 Spider Veloce 2000 (Kamm tail) had lightness, chrome, thin wheels and so on. Putting the hood up and down takes one hand and can be done on the move - compare and contrast the advanced engineering degree and specialist tools needed for a British sports car hood of the 1970s.
Breadvan72 said:
Re my possible TVR spottage, the car that I saw but could not positively ID had a 1970-71 numberplate, was a deep maroony colour, and might have been one of the ones shown below, but I think that it had more gills and was maybe even smaller. Maybe some other whacky Britcar of 1970-71? It looked too good to be some obscure kit car.
It was going the other way and turning out of a junction (so my viewing angle was a bit like that in the pic below). If we had been going the same way on a twisty road, would we have been able to keep up with one another? I assume that it's very grunty, but does it go around corners? Having said that, I still have comedy tyres, and am old and cautious.
On a J plate? I suspect it was me you saw, en route to Brill in my late uncle’s TVR Vixen. A shakedown before my aunt decides to stick or twist. It was going the other way and turning out of a junction (so my viewing angle was a bit like that in the pic below). If we had been going the same way on a twisty road, would we have been able to keep up with one another? I assume that it's very grunty, but does it go around corners? Having said that, I still have comedy tyres, and am old and cautious.
It’s only a Kent XFlow, so the Fiat will probably outgun if not out handle it. It’s a horrible drum of a thing after an hour or two, but great fun to thrash about with loads of grip.
I’ve got a 2000GTV Bertone, so do drop me a line if you fancy comparing cars of the era.
Yes, maroon or plum colour, black and silver J plate, I saw you turning left at the point where the A40 intersects with a bridge crossing the M40 just outside Stokenchurch. I was turning right into the road that you were exiting, with the twin cam making too much noise as the idling is still not right. I waved and you waved back, I have been reading about Vixens and they look like great fun cars.
I am sorry for your loss. If your aunt decides to sell the Vixen, I might know one or two possible buyers, but given its rarity I suppose that it will sell rapidly anyway.
V jealous re the GTV, will ping you an email.
I am sorry for your loss. If your aunt decides to sell the Vixen, I might know one or two possible buyers, but given its rarity I suppose that it will sell rapidly anyway.
V jealous re the GTV, will ping you an email.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 15th July 07:02
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