Another epic win from Retrorides: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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May 6, 2011 10:51 a.m. Adrian_Thompson HalfDork

For you fans of rusty Euro non exotica, more win from Retro rides http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&am... A FIAT Mirafiori 131 sport. I think the last one left British shores about 3 years after they stopped selling them there.

Note, in the UK they have the MOT test every year once a car is 3 years old to check for safety and emissions. Fiat's were known to fail their first one due to structural rust. I don't remember seeing one in England for several years before I moved here and that was in 1994.
May 6, 2011 10:55 a.m. Jerry From LA HalfDork

Here in the US, FIATs of a certain era would start rusting in the showroom. The automaker was forced to rebate part of the purchase price as compensation due to premature rusting.

Going through the repair receipts of my last FIAT, I found the PO received a $1300 rebate from FIAT for his '73 124 Spider.
May 6, 2011 10:58 a.m. Rusted_Busted_Spit Dork

That car is very cool.
May 6, 2011 12:01 p.m. clutchsmoke New Reader

I have one in Forza. It's such a cool car.
May 6, 2011 12:23 p.m. dculberson Reader

My family went through a Fiat stage when I was very young, and they have a lot of stories and regrets from that time period.
May 6, 2011 12:43 p.m. Jerry From LA HalfDork

Don't get me wrong. I loved my Spiders. Two drivers and a parts car. The parts car ran but only had about one degree of left-turning ability (the chassis rail flexed when the steering box turned left, thereby taking up all the input with lost motion). I got the car home by driving it in clockwise concentric circles.
May 6, 2011 12:43 p.m. Capt Slow Dork

Forza is the reason I lust after a 131 ABARTH
May 6, 2011 12:50 p.m. Strike_Zero HalfDork
May 6, 2011 2:51 p.m. turboHLS30 Reader

Looks like a Datsun 510 on crack and steroids LOL