Good read history of the 128

Grassroots motorsports article

This was an Article Chris wrote, and took photos of a number of our cars. I have the original of this as well.
 
Nice!

Some of the references are a bit dated, & it needs a few minor corrections here & there, but otherwise it's a very good summary of 128 history! :)
 
Jeff Stich said:
Some of the references are a bit dated, & it needs a few minor corrections here & there, but otherwise it's a very good summary of 128 history! :)
Click to expand...

+1!

I think it's hard to convey, but considering the automotive landscape of 1969, the 128 was truly a pioneer in what has become the backbone of traditional front wheel drive compact car construction. Saab, BMC, and Renault were the only small front drivers at the time, and none of those entirely followed suit with what is now common fare:
transverse engine & transaxle / CV joint half shafts / Mac Pherson struts / overhead cam engines.

In the USA, Honda did not have the Civic until 1972, VW didn't have their Rabbit/Golf until 1974. Ford (Fiesta) and Chrysler (Omni/Horizon) did not have a car like this until 1977, and GM (X Car) in 1978.

The 128 was truly ahead of it's time.
 
I have some articles on the 128 Fiat. When ever anyone says Fix It Again Tony I come back with First In Automotive Technology or Fine Italian Automotive Technology.
 
Published in GRM about 13 years ago!

Sadly, pictures that accompanied the article are missing.
Three 128s were featured, two have since met unhappy fate.
The 3rd 128 featured has been my daily driver since 2007.
Pic of that car as it appeared in GRM...

1281_zpsee501d35.jpg


And as it appears now...
_RJT1140v1_zpsdf40f49e.jpg



My BlackX1/9 was also profiled as a companion piece to the 128 article in GRM.
OR02-4.jpg


13 seconds of fame...13 years ago.
The older I get, the faster I was.
 
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