1972 Fiat 124 Coupe

D

driedle

Low Mileage
Hi everybody!

Long time lurker, just signed up.

I am wondering about my '72 124 Coupe.

Kind of a sad story...

I looked for a particular SAAB for 10 plus year and could never find one. I drove SAAB rally cars for years, and when I finally decided I would never find one, I bought the Coupe.

It was a rust free car, in an unusual color, light tan. When the car was delivered, I talked to a friend who restores high-dollar cars, and he had an opening to restore it. I took it, rather than wait. We decided to do a bare-shell paint job. I also decided to pick up tons of NOS stuff for the outside of the car, NOS european tail lights, NOS emblems, NOS license plate light, NOS grill surround trim, NOS door handles, NOS stainless trim for the back of the car, lots of stuff. I picked up perfect chrome steering wheel from Germany, and NOS hub caps.

About 8 months after we started, and all of the paint was off of the car, of course I found the SAAB I was looking for...

I went on ahead and traumatized the bank account, and bought that one too. He was supposed to deliver it sometime in August.

Now, it looks like the car will be delivered in the next few weeks!

I was planning on finishing the Coupe, selling it, and taking delivery on the SAAB. That plan has officially gone out the window. The car has been painted, as is partially back together. Window channels and trunk weatherstripping will have to come from Italy, which should take about a month. The doors can't go back together until then.

Here are a few dusty photos:













My question is should I find a shop to park the car until the parts come in and have them screw it back together, or should I bite the bullet and just sell it as is on the 'Bay?

It will be a very nice car when it is done.

If I sell it, there should be lost of money left in it for sweat equity.

I'm quite conflicted...


David Riedle
Perry, MI
 
I will take it as is...

Looks great. To put it mildly.

I doubt you will need to worry too much about selling on Ebay or much of anywhere else.

Getting the rest of the parts would certainly be worthwhile but I doubt it is necessary.

All the best

Karl

By the by, do you also own the Pumas and some of the other toys in your image line?
 
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Fiat 124 Coupe

Karl:

Thanks for the thumbs up!

You are correct...I did have a 1981 Puma, one of the first prototypes of the new '81 body style. Sold it to a collector out east a few years ago.

I also have an '87 Volvo 760 Turbo Intercooler with 40,000 miles on it. May be the lowest milage 760 in the world, the US Volvo club says it is the lowest mileage Turbo they have ever heard of. The car is a North Carolina car that was trucked to Michigan, and then stored in a multi-car garage for 17 years! You can't tell it from new from a foot away. My bride likes riding in this one...it's been breathed on to about 220hp, and is REALLY fast. :)

The SAAB is coming soon...

I tried to contact the head of the local Fiat club in West Michigan to find someone to screw her back together, but never got a reply. I'm sure I did something wrong...

If you are up this way, you are welcome to swing by. I'm interested in learning more about these cars, even if this one will be going away. Still undecided if I should finish it or not.

When I picked up the SAAB, and decided this one had to go away, I even had the outside mirror holes leaded in. I'm partial to Talbot mirrors, but I figured someone might want to do the original mirror, or something else. This makes it easy. Even though I will be booming the coupe, you still have to do it right. Too cool a car!

Many thanks!


Dave Riedle
 
I am the secretary for that local Fiat Club, Pete doesn't follow that email too closely, I need to log into to check it.

The level of work you have there can be somewhat hard to come by.

Mark Battaglia is a local member here in GR who maintains a few doctors fleets and could finish it up for you if he has time. alfamark*aol.com

There is a gent in Kalamazoo who does good work but like many the cars tend to sit for extended periods, I can get his info for you. There is also a guy up in Grand Haven who is juggling a lot right now..

If Mark can't do it, and given the level of your car, European Restoration in Fennville would be the place to take it.
http://www.europeanauto.biz/index.html

Mark is selling his 1969 A Coupe (which needs much, floors etc) as he is retiring.

You should definitely finish it and of course keep it.

I have a hard time deciding which of my three Fiats are my favorite, as an all arounder, the 124 Coupe is really hard to beat. I brought mine from California in 1993. I do know a fair bit about them so I an try to answer as best I can.

I would love to see it. I am a touch busy at the moment as I work for Steelcase and it is our big show, Neocon, this weekend. I am also in the midst of rehabbing a new house we are about to move into. If you still have it in a few weeks I would love to come by.

So this SAAB, a Sonnett III, a freewheeling 93, a V4 95 or an early 99 Turbo? Must be quite something to want to move off of a 124 SC so easily :)
 
Fiat 124 Coupe

The SAAB is a GT 750 two-stroke.

I talked with David in Fenville. Great guy! Talked about taking the car down there.

I'm leaning towards selling her unfinished...

Does your chapter take advertising?

I love small cars, so I would be drawn to the 850...

Dave Riedle
 
If you want to sell the coupe, please contact me! I had one of those back in the early 80s and have been looking for another one in decent shape for years...

Thanks,
Ed
 
Okay, I had to go look what a Saab GT 750 was, LOVE IT.
Find me one.
1357913760714067.jpg

Ditto on the Puma
So many cool cars, so little time....

I've visited European Restoration in Fennville for an open house a couple years ago. First rate place there.
 
SAAB 750 GT

These are VERY cool cars!

I used to rally a SAAB 96, and have had several Sonnets. The GT 750 has a three-cylinder two-stroke engine, and came standard with a Hala Speed Pilot rally clock!

These were really race cars for the street, but with 750cc...slow compared to cars of today, and John Deere lawn tractors... :)

Mine is black...


Dave Riedle
 
Some things to keep in mind:

The likely buyer will be from away so transporting a car without windows will be an issue for most buyers and could cause the rear window to blow out.

Fiat Freak Out will occur in Detroit at the end of July which would be a great venue to show it and likely sell it.

We do accept ads on the Facebook pages (just not incessant ads which we had trouble with in the past with one guy) you might also consider the Facebook page FIAT Auto trader - cars & parts . There is also a 124 Sport Coupe group on Facebook.

The 750 is a rare bird indeed. Likely faster than my 850 Sport Coupe I would bet, likely just as engaging to drive however.
 
SAAB 750 GT

The SAAB strokers are very fun, but are very hard to drive fast.

Because it is a two-stroke from before they really understood exhaust extraction, the power band is about 400 rpm...

They are an acquired taste...


Dave Riedle
 
SAAB 750 GT

I like that analogy!

It's even more twisted with the SAAB.

Because two-strokes can seize on a downshift, or if you are using engine braking (no oil because the throttle plates are closed) these cars are set up to freewheel...no engine braking at all.

This requires a change in the way you think and drive.

I spent a few hours in a racing Sonnet II two stroke.

There, with really bit triple carburetors, your power band is less than 1000 rpm.

On the flip side, however, when you are on the pipe in the power band, it's thrilling! :)


Dave Riedle
 
I shouldn't even ask this, but is there a ballpark price in mind? I love 124 Coupes...B Coupes in particular...but I probably do not need another one on in my life, even one this nice. That said, since I have one, I end up meeting a lot of folks who want one.
 
Hey! I asked first :) and this one is just an hour and 1 minutes from my house...


Chris you are not allowed anymore 124 Sport Coupes of any kind, you have had more than your fair share! :wink2:

I still kick myself for not acquiring your dark blue one when you had it up for sale some years ago.

You don't happen to have a drivers door and drivers side front fender do you?

Karl
 
I need glasses???

This 124 Coupe thread has been here since June 9th. I just noticed it. That's a nice restoration you have going. Another contact for you, if you need parts or in depth 124 Coupe-specific information is from Rob Catana (http://fiat124sportcoupe.com). Rob is likely more informed on 124 Coupes than myself. So much so, that I handed over the 124 Coupe Owners Regsitry to him in 2007...he has much more spare time to run it. He also also an extensive parts cache in EBay. By the way, I still have a '73 Coupe in my stable.

Cesare
 
Karl, you are right on both counts! I have & have had a wonderful share of B Coupes AND you should have bought the dark blue one!

That said, I was only asking academically, so no worry!

Up until several months ago, i did have a NOS fender, but no more. Turns out my old green Coupe is coming back to me, so it could end up me looking for stuff soon...speaking of that, any of you happen to be familiar with the (sorta) track set up Coupes that were at the Dunkirk Freak Out? I thought they were from MI. Kinda stripped, racing seats, mean engines, all business if I recall correctly.

Someone needs to finish the subject Coupe!


Chris G

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Chris

Clearly just kidding.

I don't know of the coupes you mention. With any luck they will show up at the Detroit FFO.

I never see any and know of only two besides mine locally, both are for sale, this one and one held by a club member which needs restoration and rust remediation.

I will ask around, they could be part of the Detriot chapter.
 
David, the car is looking spectacular!!! Nice to see all the NOS parts you bought from me sparkle on the car. A couple of things.

First I noticed the front outer inner trim pieces between headlight & fenders not mounted? Sorry you will need to remove all again ( headlight covers, head lights, grill and the wide cnter horizontal trim) to mount those trims on now!

Second a nice duel tip exhaust would more desired and the original Cromodora CD 3 wheels with the small hubcaps would bring her to the top! ( naturally I have all these parts!)

I have all those other parts you were asking for including the 4 window scaper trims.

I have told you in the past you should easily get over 15k for this coupe.
I suggest that you complete the car as much as you can. People will pay top dollar but they want to drive it now, not later.
 
Rob 124 AC said:
David, the car is looking spectacular!!!
Snip
I suggest that you complete the car as much as you can. People will pay top dollar but they want to drive it now, not later.
Click to expand...

I would tend to agree that the more complete and properly done the car is the more likely you are to get that top dollar for the car.

You are so close now...
 
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