FIAT 124 SPORT COUPERosso Monza coupe series 2 1608 twin carb with beige interior 52000 miles (85000kms)
As has happened before I stumbled on this car whilst on my way to look at another. The description 'beautiful original car' has been touted so many times that I wasn't expecting much, but this one was a nice surprise, there really was or should I say is virtually no rust, any where, the interior looked almost new apart from a bit of colour fading to the carpet. The wool and vinyl seats are almost perfect and everything worked even the clock and the radio. Well this continued with the engine, gearbox and diff they all turned out to be faultless too. The gear change is one of the slick precision one of the best I've experienced in any car. The Fiat 124 coupe and spider where introduced in 1967 with a 90hp 1.4 litre twin cam engine, the first car in fact to receive the now legendary Aurelio Lampredi Twin Cam motor that went on to power the Lancia Delta Intergrale and 600bhp S4 among others. It had disc brakes all round, a 5 speed gearbox and double wishbone front suspension. The two cars received universal praise as a nimble fun to drive sports cars, the only real criticism being that they were slightly under powered. In answer to this the ‘B’ or second series car was introduced with a 110 bhp high compression twin dual carburettored 1608cc engine as well as the original, albeit updated 1.4. It also received a face lift so that it greatly resembled the front of the Fiat Dino coupe and is widely regarded as the prettiest of the three series. The 1608 engine was dropped in favour of a 1592 cc unit from the 125 for the 3rd series and the twin dual carburettors replaced by a single twin choke down draught losing some of the urgency of the 1608 not to mention personality. These are greatly underrated cars that are fantastic to drive, very much like a more resolved Alfa 105 coupe at half the price. Light precise steering, sublime gear change crisp engine note, powerful brakes a car that can be steered with your right foot. The car has had a full service, engine gearbox and diff oil changed, air and oil filters, new cam belt and tension bearing, four new Pirelli CN 36's, new coolant hoses and thermostat, new brake master cylinder, over hauled calipers, four wheel alignment, steering box oil, new fuel pump, filter and hoses. compresions all 180 plus.
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