Ive still have my 2nd owner 1974CC, I bought snd restored in 1984, with a 2L twin 40 IDF, not many cars leave you shaking with passion every time its driven , and hearing those IDF'S gurgle, bark and growl, with the torque of the 2L. I hope it gets to the UK, and my son can keep caring for it.
Greetings Duggy. Wonderful to know you have a restored one. Enjoy it immensely AND keep it away from salted winter roads! (Here in New England authorities spread rock salt on snowy roads to melt the ice and snow; I have no doubt that contributed to my premature frame rust.) Thanks for sharing. John Daly
I am currently working on chassis no 900 that I recently imported from Italy into the UK. (It was probably built in the first week or so of production beginning in the spring of 1967.) It was taken off the road in the early 80s and stored away in a dry barn. The underside was at some point heavily waxoyled. So far I have found no corrosion other than light surface rust on areas where the waxoyl has fallen off. It has never had any welding work.
This is wonderful news. You have a classic for the ages. Enjoy and care. I should have had mine waxoyled... and stayed off salt slush Boston roads. Good for you. - John
@@JJD3 Thank you and by the way I love the video. The production is fitting for a car that derives such passion in their owners. I had my first 124 sport in 1981 as an 18 year old. It too dissolved wth rust driving it through harsh British winters. But here I am enjoying these cars more than 40 years latter. They are a joy to drive with real involvement unlike modern machinery,
I totally understand you John, albeit in my case my ‘69 AC 124 sport was my second car and at the time back in 1980 it cost me around $900. Mind you, it was in pretty poor condition and wasn’t going. Being a uni student at the time, and so with virtually no money, it took me a few years to restore it. I loved that car, i took it on track days, drove it as my daily driver and after graduating to work etc. I later took it on my honeymoon with my first wife. Other cars came and went including a AR 1750 GTV, which i loved and had for 12 years. To this very day I still have my AC 124 sport, some 43 years after I bought it. Alas it remains sitting under covers following its last restoration. One day I will finish putting it back together and get to enjoy it again. It’s a special car in my life.
Wonderful story David and I do understand you.... and I envy your ability to get it rolling again at will. As with you I loved that car. Many others delighted in the 124 Sport Coupe! A special something about it Thanks for sharing. John
Nice. My 124 Sport Coupe was bought new, 1969. Never had a rust problem. And yeah, one of the best cars I've ever owned. A true classic! (Yet, the '73 X1/9 did have a rust problem)
Lovely story, thanks! My first car was a Fiat 132GL 1.6L and my second was a Fiat 131R 2.0L. I miss them, a lot, but my soft spot has always been the 124 Sport AC model, like yours.
Cool. A Richard Ridge wrote me saying that, "Elaine Bond, wife of the original publisher of Road & Track and the real force behind the success of that magazine had an AC coupe, which demonstrated her good automotive taste. She used it as a daily driver to the magazine's office in Newport Beach. " You and she know cars. John
I owned a 1968 124 Sport Coupe bought in 1973 for $400. It did not run well, the former owner had no luck with the dealer's many attempts to fix the car. They then went to an independent who sold them a tune up and carb over haul which did not work. I bought it and I replaced the timing belt. Perfect. Wonderful car, I miss it.
Great story. You need just one skilled mechanic. Glad you got the timing belt right and it ran like a charm. I felt lucky to have Tony, the Fiat Dealership mechanic who moonlighted. He was Italian, exceptionally well organized and knew the car perfectly. - John
Thankyou for this beautifully put together film. I bought a 1969 124AC in 1987, and it was my daily driver for 14 years. A simply wonderful car for driving on a winding mountain road. The handling was sublime, the noise was almost as good, and I learnt a lot working on it over the years. So many adventures were had in that car. I’m glad it brought you to your wife. Great story.
Thank you Darren. Your 1969 124 AC seemed to bring you joy the same way mine did me,,,. just a joy to drive. I am so glad you enjoyed the story and that it might have brought back a few nice memories.... for both of us.
I bought a 124 sport from a car lot on New Circle Drive in Lexington, KY while attending college at University of KY. The car had the head removed and a large hole in the top of one of the pistons. $175 out the door, and I was glad to get it at that price. I think it was a '72 model. I was driving a '75 131 at the time, it had the 1800 cc engine and I really liked that car but the rust was getting unmanageable. First I had to do a repair on the metal under a motor attachment point, then the metal under the driver's seat supports began giving away. I actually drove the car with a 2x6 bolted under the car to hold the driver's seat in. The engine and transmission were great, but the body was just getting too dangerous. So, I pulled the 1800 engine from the 131 and transplanted it into the 124 body, hooked everything up, and was back on the road again. Having owned 3 124 spiders, a 128 sedan, an X-1/9, and an 850 spider, I was more than just a little familiar with the Fiat cars. I drove that car thru the rest of college and even after that for a while, and can't remember really why it was parked. Might have had something to do with a new baby girl and the need for a 4 door. It was replaced with a retired K-car from the company I was working for at the time. Really enjoyed driving the 124, and wish I still had it. Watching this video has stirred my interest again in the classic, timeless, Fiat 124 sport coupe, and I may be looking for another one to restore and enjoy. Thanks!
Great video, thanks for making it. My first car was a 68 124 coupe, an AC. I'd buy another - restored and sorted of course - in a heartbeat. Just a great driving car. Might prefer a 69 though for the 5-speed tranny.
I had a 1978 AlfaSud Ti !.3 which had only done 33,000 miles and it had rust issues in 1995, even so it had been rust protected in all the box sections by a company called Ziebart which I do declare slowed down any major rust issues, Mechanically it was a very sound and needed nothing doing to it apart from tackling the rust issues. It was a great drivers car with it's low centre of gravity short stroke boxer engine. I sold it to a Alfa nut with the original 33, 000 on the clock in 2015
THanks. Interesting. I had to look up the AlfaSud. And you had a great experience with it compared to what Wik says, "The Alfasud became notorious for its propensity to rust, notably because of an assembly process that combined inferior recycled steel, and the factory's Pomigliano d'Arco location just 15 kilometers from the Bay of Naples. In one instance, early Bodies in White, ready for painting, were left outside the assembly building, in the naturally salty air.[15] To inhibit rust, engineers called for filling all bodywork box-sections with synthetic foam, which was later discovered to hold moisture." You did it right with Ziebart.
A nicely put together video, John, without being saccharine or sentimental. I’m sorry for your loss. However, I also think that you owe it to yourself and your clearly wonderful wife to invest in another 128 AC. A restored version would be a wonderful purchase and likely to be mechanically, and, more importantly, structurally sound. I derive great joy from my modest collection of two 1970s Fiats and one 1970s Japanese hardtop.
Thank you Alastair. And "yes" I had thought about that as i found some of the very nicely maintained or restored ones on line. Great idea. But I also agree with Heraclitus who said, "You can never step into the same river twice." Thanks again.
Like so many, I lusted after the glorious AC & finally secured a 2nd hand1967 model with the intention of bringing it back to its glory...plus some, including.....more power with upgrades to the fabulous handling. Fortunately, a mate was working in the engine re-conditioning business & knew of a dismantled 1.8 litre FIAT 132 engine awaiting a "good home"; e.g. my AC :) BUT, as good as Signor Lampredi's 1438cc engine was, I wanted more torque. "No problem" said my magician. The long/short of its storey was thus:- * every reciprocating engine part was balanced; * the 1438 cams were replaced with the 132's; &, many other tweaks were incorporated producing super smooth torque pulling like a mad bull! To avoid the wrath of any observant plod, take-offs on level ground had to be carefully managed to avoid rampant wheel spin. Could go on & on BUT, this too short a period with my Italian love affair had to come to an end with the arrival of a mortgage then children.
Wow! You advanced the art beyond imagining. Hats off to a wonderful mechanic. For me the stock beauty was enough. Perhaps when the children are grown, you will return to it! 🙂
Wow. I owned a much later 124 coupe with a 5-speed trans that was an "experienced" car to say the least. Mostly, the paint was faded and ugly, but the mechanics of the vehicle were excellent and the car was a hoot to drive. Dark Blue, BTW..... This was late 70s, and I had it for about a year with access to great driving roads in my area. Think of it often, I do. Dan in Bangor
I bought a new 124 coupe and loved it but finally traded it in after 3 years because of poor material, it was a socal car so no rust but all the plastic and vinyl was falling apart the ignition switch just fell apart,the seats were splitting and outgassing a scum that coated the windshield that I had to use vinegar to get off the head gasket started leaking oil out the side at 29k miles but to be fair it was probably because the new car dealer I bought it from didn't torque the head on it 500 mile service It's too bad that such a beautiful fun car suffered from bad materials
Ive still have my 2nd owner 1974CC, I bought snd restored in 1984, with a 2L twin 40 IDF, not many cars leave you shaking with passion every time its driven , and hearing those IDF'S gurgle, bark and growl, with the torque of the 2L. I hope it gets to the UK, and my son can keep caring for it.
Lovely story!
Thank you, DK.
greetings from ireland, what a lovely story, i have a 1969, 124 ac model 5speed ,which i restored many years ago 🙂.
Greetings Duggy. Wonderful to know you have a restored one. Enjoy it immensely AND keep it away from salted winter roads! (Here in New England authorities spread rock salt on snowy roads to melt the ice and snow; I have no doubt that contributed to my premature frame rust.) Thanks for sharing. John Daly
I am currently working on chassis no 900 that I recently imported from Italy into the UK. (It was probably built in the first week or so of production beginning in the spring of 1967.) It was taken off the road in the early 80s and stored away in a dry barn. The underside was at some point heavily waxoyled. So far I have found no corrosion other than light surface rust on areas where the waxoyl has fallen off. It has never had any welding work.
This is wonderful news. You have a classic for the ages. Enjoy and care.
I should have had mine waxoyled... and stayed off salt slush Boston roads.
Good for you. - John
@@JJD3 Thank you and by the way I love the video. The production is fitting for a car that derives such passion in their owners. I had my first 124 sport in 1981 as an 18 year old. It too dissolved wth rust driving it through harsh British winters. But here I am enjoying these cars more than 40 years latter. They are a joy to drive with real involvement unlike modern machinery,
I totally understand you John, albeit in my case my ‘69 AC 124 sport was my second car and at the time back in 1980 it cost me around $900. Mind you, it was in pretty poor condition and wasn’t going. Being a uni student at the time, and so with virtually no money, it took me a few years to restore it. I loved that car, i took it on track days, drove it as my daily driver and after graduating to work etc. I later took it on my honeymoon with my first wife. Other cars came and went including a AR 1750 GTV, which i loved and had for 12 years. To this very day I still have my AC 124 sport, some 43 years after I bought it. Alas it remains sitting under covers following its last restoration. One day I will finish putting it back together and get to enjoy it again. It’s a special car in my life.
Wonderful story David and I do understand you.... and I envy your ability to get it rolling again at will. As with you I loved that car. Many others delighted in the 124 Sport Coupe! A special something about it
Thanks for sharing.
John
Nice. My 124 Sport Coupe was bought new, 1969. Never had a rust problem. And yeah, one of the best cars I've ever owned. A true classic! (Yet, the '73 X1/9 did have a rust problem)
Beautiful. You know what I was talking about. Very happy yours lasted. They were / are amazing in so many ways. Best.
Lovely story, thanks! My first car was a Fiat 132GL 1.6L and my second was a Fiat 131R 2.0L. I miss them, a lot, but my soft spot has always been the 124 Sport AC model, like yours.
Such a wonderful car. Thanks for adding
I had three of them and still have a spider,wish i had another,my favorite car!
Cool. A Richard Ridge wrote me saying that, "Elaine Bond, wife of the original publisher of Road & Track and the real force behind the success of that magazine had an AC coupe, which demonstrated her good automotive taste. She used it as a daily driver to the magazine's office in Newport Beach. "
You and she know cars.
John
I owned a 1968 124 Sport Coupe bought in 1973 for $400. It did not run well, the former owner had no luck with the dealer's many attempts to fix the car. They then went to an independent who sold them a tune up and carb over haul which did not work. I bought it and I replaced the timing belt. Perfect.
Wonderful car, I miss it.
Great story. You need just one skilled mechanic. Glad you got the timing belt right and it ran like a charm. I felt lucky to have Tony, the Fiat Dealership mechanic who moonlighted. He was Italian, exceptionally well organized and knew the car perfectly.
- John
Thankyou for this beautifully put together film. I bought a 1969 124AC in 1987, and it was my daily driver for 14 years. A simply wonderful car for driving on a winding mountain road. The handling was sublime, the noise was almost as good, and I learnt a lot working on it over the years. So many adventures were had in that car. I’m glad it brought you to your wife. Great story.
Thank you Darren. Your 1969 124 AC seemed to bring you joy the same way mine did me,,,. just a joy to drive. I am so glad you enjoyed the story and that it might have brought back a few nice memories.... for both of us.
I bought a 124 sport from a car lot on New Circle Drive in Lexington, KY while attending college at University of KY. The car had the head removed and a large hole in the top of one of the pistons. $175 out the door, and I was glad to get it at that price. I think it was a '72 model. I was driving a '75 131 at the time, it had the 1800 cc engine and I really liked that car but the rust was getting unmanageable. First I had to do a repair on the metal under a motor attachment point, then the metal under the driver's seat supports began giving away. I actually drove the car with a 2x6 bolted under the car to hold the driver's seat in. The engine and transmission were great, but the body was just getting too dangerous. So, I pulled the 1800 engine from the 131 and transplanted it into the 124 body, hooked everything up, and was back on the road again. Having owned 3 124 spiders, a 128 sedan, an X-1/9, and an 850 spider, I was more than just a little familiar with the Fiat cars. I drove that car thru the rest of college and even after that for a while, and can't remember really why it was parked. Might have had something to do with a new baby girl and the need for a 4 door. It was replaced with a retired K-car from the company I was working for at the time. Really enjoyed driving the 124, and wish I still had it. Watching this video has stirred my interest again in the classic, timeless, Fiat 124 sport coupe, and I may be looking for another one to restore and enjoy. Thanks!
Great video, thanks for making it. My first car was a 68 124 coupe, an AC. I'd buy another - restored and sorted of course - in a heartbeat. Just a great driving car. Might prefer a 69 though for the 5-speed tranny.
Totally agree Gordon. It was a car that just felt so right and fun. I am with you on the 5 speed.
What a touching story. Great video. I do love those Fiat Sport coupés. My favorite being the BC, the second generation.
Thanks, Roman. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes I love those bc coupes too. That is the kind that Mary Scott (from the video) had.
- John
I had a 1978 AlfaSud Ti !.3 which had only done 33,000 miles and it had rust issues in 1995, even so it had been rust protected in all the box sections by a company called Ziebart which I do declare slowed down any major rust issues, Mechanically it was a very sound and needed nothing doing to it apart from tackling the rust issues. It was a great drivers car with it's low centre of gravity short stroke boxer engine. I sold it to a Alfa nut with the original 33, 000 on the clock in 2015
THanks. Interesting. I had to look up the AlfaSud. And you had a great experience with it compared to what Wik says, "The Alfasud became notorious for its propensity to rust, notably because of an assembly process that combined inferior recycled steel, and the factory's Pomigliano d'Arco location just 15 kilometers from the Bay of Naples. In one instance, early Bodies in White, ready for painting, were left outside the assembly building, in the naturally salty air.[15] To inhibit rust, engineers called for filling all bodywork box-sections with synthetic foam, which was later discovered to hold moisture."
You did it right with Ziebart.
A nicely put together video, John, without being saccharine or sentimental. I’m sorry for your loss. However, I also think that you owe it to yourself and your clearly wonderful wife to invest in another 128 AC. A restored version would be a wonderful purchase and likely to be mechanically, and, more importantly, structurally sound. I derive great joy from my modest collection of two 1970s Fiats and one 1970s Japanese hardtop.
Thank you Alastair.
And "yes" I had thought about that as i found some of the very nicely maintained or restored ones on line. Great idea. But I also agree with Heraclitus who said, "You can never step into the same river twice." Thanks again.
Beautifully done, John. A lot of work in this movie. You found great visual supports to include! And ended on a lovely note. ❤
Yeah, it was a great video
👍
Like so many, I lusted after the glorious AC & finally secured a 2nd hand1967 model with the intention of bringing it back to its glory...plus some, including.....more power with upgrades to the fabulous handling.
Fortunately, a mate was working in the engine re-conditioning business & knew of a dismantled 1.8 litre FIAT 132 engine awaiting a "good home"; e.g. my AC :) BUT, as good as Signor Lampredi's 1438cc engine was, I wanted more torque. "No problem" said my magician.
The long/short of its storey was thus:-
* every reciprocating engine part was balanced;
* the 1438 cams were replaced with the 132's; &,
many other tweaks were incorporated producing super smooth torque pulling like a mad bull! To avoid the wrath of any observant plod, take-offs on level ground had to be carefully managed to avoid rampant wheel spin.
Could go on & on BUT, this too short a period with my Italian love affair had to come to an end with the arrival of a mortgage then children.
Wow! You advanced the art beyond imagining. Hats off to a wonderful mechanic. For me the stock beauty was enough. Perhaps when the children are grown, you will return to it! 🙂
Beautiful story, especially the end!!!
Thank you!
Wow. I owned a much later 124 coupe with a 5-speed
trans that was an "experienced" car to say the least.
Mostly, the paint was faded and ugly, but the mechanics
of the vehicle were excellent and the car was a hoot to
drive. Dark Blue, BTW.....
This was late 70s, and I had it for about a year with
access to great driving roads in my area.
Think of it often, I do.
Dan in Bangor
Yes they added the 5 speed soon after mine. Nice.
They were great eh! Fond memories both of us have.
I bought a new 124 coupe and loved it but finally traded it in after 3 years because of poor material, it was a socal car so no rust but all the plastic and vinyl was falling apart the ignition switch just fell apart,the seats were splitting and outgassing a scum that coated the windshield that I had to use vinegar to get off the head gasket started leaking oil out the side at 29k miles but to be fair it was probably because the new car dealer I bought it from didn't torque the head on it 500 mile service
It's too bad that such a beautiful fun car suffered from bad materials
Sorry about that MGman6000. Great car, great design, great handling.... but undeserving materials. Steel for me.