Long time forum lurker, first time forum poster as (after much deliberation) i've entered the world of classic car motoring.
I've got to the age of 31 with plenty of general car knowledge but very little hands on mechanical experience. My father and uncle however know their stuff, so I have been perusing the auction sites and magazines for a while, finger hovering over the trigger multiple times.
What has finally pushed me over the metaphorical cliff, is this lovely 1983 Fiat 127 Super.
Good points:
- This 39 year old car has done just under 27k miles. Naturally one might be sceptical given the car has a 5 figure speedo (so could conceivably be 127k, 227k, etc) but we have full MOT history to back it up.
- She appears to be in good general condition and runs well. The paintwork is good, in this lovely shade of blue, and the interior is also generally in excellent condition.
- What a looker! The car's squat stance, boxy proportions and black trim really catch the eye. Plus, someone decided to drop some Lancia Beta Montecarlo wheels on it that match the car perfectly IMO. We happened to have a family gathering this weekend and so many people remarked on the Fiat, it was a real head-turner.
- I find the bonnet scoop very pleasing.
- Finally, this is now a very rare car on UK roads. There appears to be something like 46 of these 127s left on the road (not including the unrelated Fiat 127 Deluxe motorhomes). Of this variant, the mark III 127 1050 Super, there are only 2 licensed and 5 SORN. Hopefully then, once I get the car up to scratch, it will drive some interesting conversations at shows etc.
Bad points:
- That rarity means parts might inevitably be tricky. I suspect we'll be importing a fair bit from Italy.
- The gear linkage is currently kaput. There was a huge amount of play in the gear lever when we got her, and very difficult to find the right gear. After a bit of fiddling from inside the car at home, i've rendered it completely knackered now. We suspect it's bushes or some other kind of very worn / broken linkage. I saw an episode of wheeler dealers with an old Fiat Panda 4x4, which had an almost identical issue, which I think came down to bushes, so hopefully it will be a relatively easy fix when we get her jacked up.
- She has front seats & steering wheel from a 127 Sport, and the Lancia Beta wheels that I mentioned before. I'm not particularly bothered personally, but if I get the opportunity to source originals, then I probably will.
- There's surface rust in a few spots and I suspect maybe some more troublesome areas hidden. The paintwork is also bubbling in a few places, and I can see some rough body work where there was once a spoiler fitted which appears to have been painted over. All things to be addressed at some point.
We'll get her up on axle stands on Sunday, for a more thorough look around, so I will share more pics then. It's a voyage of discovery for me, so i'll be very much learning as I go, so any help is greatly appreciated. Anyone else on the forum a 127 owner?
I've got to the age of 31 with plenty of general car knowledge but very little hands on mechanical experience. My father and uncle however know their stuff, so I have been perusing the auction sites and magazines for a while, finger hovering over the trigger multiple times.
What has finally pushed me over the metaphorical cliff, is this lovely 1983 Fiat 127 Super.
Good points:
- This 39 year old car has done just under 27k miles. Naturally one might be sceptical given the car has a 5 figure speedo (so could conceivably be 127k, 227k, etc) but we have full MOT history to back it up.
- She appears to be in good general condition and runs well. The paintwork is good, in this lovely shade of blue, and the interior is also generally in excellent condition.
- What a looker! The car's squat stance, boxy proportions and black trim really catch the eye. Plus, someone decided to drop some Lancia Beta Montecarlo wheels on it that match the car perfectly IMO. We happened to have a family gathering this weekend and so many people remarked on the Fiat, it was a real head-turner.
- I find the bonnet scoop very pleasing.
- Finally, this is now a very rare car on UK roads. There appears to be something like 46 of these 127s left on the road (not including the unrelated Fiat 127 Deluxe motorhomes). Of this variant, the mark III 127 1050 Super, there are only 2 licensed and 5 SORN. Hopefully then, once I get the car up to scratch, it will drive some interesting conversations at shows etc.
Bad points:
- That rarity means parts might inevitably be tricky. I suspect we'll be importing a fair bit from Italy.
- The gear linkage is currently kaput. There was a huge amount of play in the gear lever when we got her, and very difficult to find the right gear. After a bit of fiddling from inside the car at home, i've rendered it completely knackered now. We suspect it's bushes or some other kind of very worn / broken linkage. I saw an episode of wheeler dealers with an old Fiat Panda 4x4, which had an almost identical issue, which I think came down to bushes, so hopefully it will be a relatively easy fix when we get her jacked up.
- She has front seats & steering wheel from a 127 Sport, and the Lancia Beta wheels that I mentioned before. I'm not particularly bothered personally, but if I get the opportunity to source originals, then I probably will.
- There's surface rust in a few spots and I suspect maybe some more troublesome areas hidden. The paintwork is also bubbling in a few places, and I can see some rough body work where there was once a spoiler fitted which appears to have been painted over. All things to be addressed at some point.
We'll get her up on axle stands on Sunday, for a more thorough look around, so I will share more pics then. It's a voyage of discovery for me, so i'll be very much learning as I go, so any help is greatly appreciated. Anyone else on the forum a 127 owner?
