Rare and Roaring

1975 FIAT 124 SPORT COUPE

Affectionately named “Tartufo. Italian for truffle. this rare 1975 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe (CC body style) is among just a handle of streetable and well-running examples in the US. The car features a carbureted 1. 8 liter. four-cylinder engine pushing 100 horsepower through a manual 5 speed gearbox. It is rear wheel drive and has great dynamics as a result. Compact with light. agile steering. it is a classic high-revving Italian sports car. On this particular car. the combination of the whooshing carburetor and loud sports exhaust can make the car feel akin to a Le Mans monster when running through the gears. This is the consummate car for experiencing the joy of driving a slow car fast.

The car is for sale after less than 2 years of ownership (believed to be third owner) during which the car was driven just 1000 miles.

E xtensive work has been done to improve performance and reliability by an experienced and high quality Fiat mechanic. The car is being sold as the current owner prepares to move overseas.

Discovered by the previous owner about 6 years ago. the Sport Coupe had been resting in a lot in sunny and dry Santa Monica. CA for some time. The interior and paint were baked by the sun. but the mechanicals were strong with only 87 k miles on the odometer. The process of restoring the car was begun. with the bulk of the work being done in sunny and dry. Austin. TX (an important detail for a rust prone car). The following work was done by the previous owner:

Exterior

Custom fiberglass fenders. front spoiler. side skirts Deleted side markers 3-Stage gunmetal gray paint job (based on original PPG gray color) All chrome and stainless trim was cleaned and polished Hood opens and stabilized with a lifter support

Wheels

New Bearings and Seals 15" Panasport style XXR wheels with 3” lip. sourced from Vick's Billet lug pattern adapters

Brakes

"Whoa" Wildwood front calipers.

FIAT rebuilt rear calipers.

Slotted and drilled zinc-plated rotors. Steel braided cables

Suspension

New KYB sport shocks Springs painted Sway bar bushings replaced.

Engine

Rebuilt Single Weber Carb 32/36. All new hoses all around New engine and transmission mounts New plugs and wires. thermostat. New aluminum coolant overflow. Boiled upgraded radiator Cleaned and painted oil pan Gas tank cleaned out and painted. hoses and fuel pump replaced Aftermarket sports exhaust

Interior

Fiberglass dash and console painted to match exterior Micro-suede Recaro racing seats Re-upholstered rear seat.

Carpet was steam cleaned and shampooed and dyed.

Original Veglia Borletti. gauges cleaned and polished. wiring was updated and cleaned Sony 6 x 9 speakers and Infinity 3" Speakers installed with Alpine head unit

Following this work. the car was then brought to Virginia where it was put for sale and purchased by the current owner in August of 2012. Care of the car was then transferred to a Sport Coupe aficionado and Fiat master mechanic at London Auto Services in Falls Church. VA. Over the subsequent year a series of improvements were made to the performance. reliability. and aesthetics of the car. Work done includes:

Steering/Suspension

Installed new idler Installed new heavy duty rear trailing arms Reinstalled and replaced worn front ball joints Worked on front and rear suspension geometry

Engine

Installed new distributor Improved timing and tuned the carburetor New fuel filter and immediate fuel lines Worked on radiator and cooling set-up

Transmission

New clutch plate and pilot bearing Resurfacing of flywheel

Lighting and Electrical

Installed new period correct Hella lenses. including yellow-tint high beams Replaced with full wiring kit with relays Installed Fiat new old stock turn signals in bumper (fit is 90% because lights are actually off a sedan. but works well) Upgraded battery to better hold charge

Aesthetics/Interior

New custom rear license plate bracket

New window regulator New chrome cap on armrest New shifter knob

New shifter boot New lighter element New clock glass

All the records for the last year of work have been kept.

The engine performance is much stronger. the handling has been improved. and the car is more reliable with improvements to the electricals and cooling. It is surprisingly reliable and durable for an old Fiat thanks to the work that has been done.

The car has been garaged for the last year. and 1000 miles have been driven bringing the total mileage to 89 k.

This is not a concours car. There is a small ding in the passenger's side door. peeling/bubbling in the paint in some places. and the very aggressive front valence has been scraped. The arches. skirts. and front valence had been built out with Bondo by the previous owner--easily removed but a job for an body shop. The interior dash has also been roughly resurfaced and repainted in the gray body color and the rear seat and upholstery/roof lining could benefit from a different color. The rubber/plastic moldings around the windows and some of the chrome trim also show age. The windscreen has small imperfections and some discoloration. but no cracks.

Importantly. a large number of the parts including the guages. taillights. grill. bumper. glass etc. are original and in good condition. These body parts are relatively rare and are quite valuable. Fortunately. mechanical parts are much easier to come by and at reasonable prices through a few respected US suppliers.

The car is perfect for someone who wants to have the visceral experience of driving a loud. light handling. and rare Italian coupe without worrying about tiny details. It is an excellent driving experience. and 60 miles per hour feels and sounds like 200 miles per hour on the back straight at Le Mans. The car has a great mix of an aggressive. almost muscle car look. in a small Italian package with a clownish Italian horn to offset the burble of the exhaust. With a little bit of elbow grease and a minimal investment it could also be brought to show car quality. or turned into a lightened track machine.

A t the moment it is a crowd favorite at Cars and Coffee events and wins a lot of approving smiles from car lovers and just regular onlookers.

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