J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

So, after a couple of years of looking, we bought one based on price and proximity, it only broke down once on the way back (clutch cable) and was reluctant to start at the petrol station but it will do a heady 70 mph and provides fun you just cant get in a modern car, ok its a bit rough round the edges but its pretty solid for a 41 year old budget Italian motor.





Went to Sainsbury's in it before, you get lots of looks, especially when 6ft and sixteen stone of me gets out

worley

Well done on the purchase, the colour is nice, is it original?

There is an owners club somewhere in Lyon, a lot of them around in near mint condition.

Enjoy the speed


Nik

HankScorpio

Out the roof?!?!?

Hard to believe that budget italian is still running after more than 40 years, can't have been that bad!

Steve vRS

That's all well and good, but my 94WRX with a HKS dump valve will 'ave it in the twistys

Steve

PS Do you have two, one for each foot?

PPS Looks nice!

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

Fantastic choice, I've always loved Fiats & will have a 500 at some point. I've fond memories driving everywhere flat out in a 126 I paid £25 in the late eighties, I put an old car seat on top of the drivers seat so I could drive with my head out the sunroof like a tank commander. It's got a great plate too !

D

(Time to remortgage and get down to Middle Barton Garage!)

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I know, the plate really suits it, we were intending to put "MU 31" on it like our old one but it would be a shame to take that one off it as it is actually a 500F.

It surprises me how much people on here seem to like these, have to say even though they are feeble by modern standards it manages to feel quite sporty, not fast or even remotely capable but its analogue when modern cars are a bit digital and mostly devoid of character, but then again modern cars dont strand you on the M56 with the clutch stuck to the floor, drip engine oil onto your drive or smell slightly of burning 20/50s.


Have to say, the AA man was superb

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

By the way, pictures take by LG Renoir Camera Phone, resized by Photobucket but I am well impressed with the quality of the shots from it, better (bar no optical zoom) than my proper Digital Camera.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

What a little cutie

Your car isn't bad too

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

Nice find, They are top cars. So easy to work on and proper headturners!!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I did some performance timings, it takes from Warrington to Altrincham to go from 0 - 70.

RRH

age or speed ?

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Are you going to turbo/supercharge it?

It would be apropriate as you're on SNET!

Nice motor!

Hoppy

It's a mini 911!!!

BOB.T

You've got to call him Luigi!

NotoriousREV

Be careful driving it round Alty, you might get squashed by a Range Rover Sport.

Matteeboy

Very cool indeed.

Something like that (or a mk1 Escort) is SO much cooler than a new 911/M3/RS6/whatever!

Turbo2

My brother bought this for his now wife about 5 years ago (UK RHD 1965 500D restored by Middle Barton Garage). Perfect condition but unbelievably slow. No petrol gauge on this model so it's supplied with a wooden dipstick in the petrol tank!

Matteeboy

Love that bottom pic!

Can't quite see the far car (looks a bit like a Venturi to me?!) but the Maserati Ghibli, Fiat 500 and Elan look gorgeous!

Turbo2

Well done: that's your "Spot of the Week"! 1998 MVS Venturi Atlantique 300: one of a mere handfull UK RHD.



Awesome machine, but bedevilled by electrical gremlins most of the time, so it was sold on after a few years and now lives back in France. He replaced the Venny a couple of years ago with this, which he adores:

Matteeboy

Flippin 'eck I am quite a car geek!

I really like the Venturi - sort of a subtler 355 but overshadowed by the "similar" Lotus Esprit

Turbo2

Despite having "only" 310+BHP to the Ferrari's 380 BHP, the comparison with the 355 is a valid one, not just because of the visual similarity, they also have similar performance statistics, possibly due to the lighter weight of the composite body:

Venturi 300 Atlantique: 0-60mph 4.9 seconds, 180mph top speed
Ferrari F355: 0-60mph 4.7 seconds, 183mph top speed

The Esprit V8 was equally quick I believe, but personally doesn't really excite me as much as the other two rivals.

Matteeboy

Think the 355 was 390bhp? The inlaws had one and I was insured on it.

All great cars (Venturi, 355 and Esprit) but all very flimsy.

Another oddball French semi supercar was that Renault Alpine GTA A610 turbo - not in the same league as the others but still quite cool.

ScooByer Trade

You could park that in the boot of that red mpv.Cool car though nice one.

Matteeboy

Saw 5 Abarth 500s (the originals) in Bobbio nearish Milan (mates have got a house there) - Very cool indeed!

Turbo2

My brother's got one (1987 GTA Turbo, not A610), that he's had for well over 15 years (in fact I owned it for 1 year!). Deceptively quick, but quiet with the engine dangling out back. 0 - 60mph about 6.5 secs, topping out at nearly 155mph. Not bad for a mere 200bhp. Also very fragile though.

He's got the top registration on it too: "A1 GTA"

Matteeboy

Cool! I like them - but they usually look rather tatty and worn out.