The luxury Italian car you've possibly never heard of - Fiat 130 coupé | Tyrrell's Classic Workshop

[@maxheeschter3009]

In my car park, a Swiss gentleman has stored a gunmetal grey Fiat 130 coupe, a black Citroen DS 21 Pallas and another grey Peugeot 504 coupe which he all uses as daily drivers. I applaud that man for his tremendous style in cars every time I see him.

[@Inazuma68]

Swiss are the best Schwizer sind di Beschte 😎

[@maxheeschter3009]

@@Inazuma68 die netten Leute aus dr Schwiz sind mir grundsätzlich extrem sympathisch ;) besonders die mit gutem Geschmack

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

That gentleman has exquisite taste, indeed! Out of the three gems, the 504 coupe would be the one I'd lust after most, personally.

[@maxheeschter3009]

and it's actually the one of the three which is in the best condition. they are all well maintained and loved, but the 504 looks like it just came out of the factory and it has never been restored

[@chrissdavey]

Great choices 👍 Excellent taste.

[@amcluesent]

Iain matching his trousers to the upholstery is going above and beyond

[@MLB9000]

At least this time he didn't have an 'accidents' prior to filming

[@darrenmcphillips4706]

😅😅😅

[@Neil2022]

Thank goodness he wasn’t reviewing a BMW with white oyster leather.

[@esolthailand7439]

Underrated comment 😂😂😂

[@raelenezelesco9602]

very witty !

[@davesmith60]

As usual, thanks to the owner for letting us all ride along in this fantastic car. You just shared it with 25,000 or so grateful people.

[@mangomcpoo475]

115,000 now :)

[@The63Jazz]

My grandfather ran a fiat dealership and he had a chocolate brown one in circa ‘74 followed by a blue one. The blue one came along after our red setter ate the interior of the brown one! Stunning car.

[@PaulabJohnson]

Your dog had great taste!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Well, it was already evident you are a man of impeccable taste, Mr. Tyrrell, and your fondness for the Fiat 130 only confirms that! As you've pointed out, it had the wrong badge and the timing of its release was unfortunate, but it sure is the finest car Fiat has ever made. A thing of beauty that would have deserved much more success.

[@macacoeletrico2963]

Dear Matteo. Good to see you here! What happened to your video about the fiat 130? For me it is no longer available. It's a shame because I simply love watching it, even more so now that I managed to acquire one of the only 5 units of the 130 Coupé that arrived in Brazil, all in 1974. Just two of which survived and mine is the most original and complete (with manual transmission, by the way)

[@scaleartsg]

happy to see you here Mr Roadster Life!

[@dariodeagostini5176]

wow, I never thought I would see a fiat130 featured in this channel. As an Italian I am quite fond of these cars... I am also surprised about how the design is actually more pleasant now, than it was 50 years ago. Really good job they did there.

[@timothydraper3687]

It reminds me of the Ferarri 400i in it's styling.

[@andrewsalmon100]

I had two of these. Had one then I went ahead and bought a second! The second was that blue. So many fun trips. I drove it 600 miles to my parent's home in outback Australia and back. Three up. Luggage. High speed. Fantastic ride. Easy. I want another one please.

[@ggilroy4554]

These quirky Italian coupes alway make my heart jump.. Blaming my dad for this defect, because of his taste, driving cars like this and a Lancia Gamma Coupe when I was a young..

[@grayfool]

The first time I came across the 130 was in a Motor magazine road test around 1973. I remember just staring at the photos not believing this stunning car could possibly be a FIAT. It still looks incredible today.

[@rotatoryrotisserie3619]

"Well here I am ensconced in several acres of 1970s bright orange dralon, and loving every second of it". Never before were these words combined, and rarely could be found a more delicious sentence. Iain, I salute you. Excellent video, too (as always). Bravo!

[@ettorebugatti9152]

So true !

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

Loved hearing the name of Leonard Setright after so long. My favourite motoring journalist bar none. His writing was of literary quality, his humour dry and his passion for cars unquestionable.

[@markpink]

I used to buy Car magazine just for LJKS... Although he was a bit over the top in his praise for Bristols!

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

@@markpink Haha yes he did like those but luckily enough, I do too! I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Crook once at the London showroom. I was early for an appointment in the area and was killing time looking in the window when he came outside and invited me in. I said I didn't want to waste his time as I was not a likely customer to which he replied he was retired but "they're kind enough to let me hang around the shop". He then proceed to delight me with some amazing stories and even took me down to their basement parking to show me some of their hidden gems. An unforgettable experience for me overall. What a charming and delightful man.

[@genepoole1771]

As a child travelling in Europe with my parents in 1977, I saw several of these and fell in love with their clean, nimble beauty. Nearly 50 years later I have found the same feeling again from this video.

[@rponiarski]

When I was living in Bologna, Italy, studying medicine and teaching English to a local "professore", his car was a Fiat 130 coupe, also in blue. It was an automatic and we went out a few times. Awesome machine. Thanks for the memories.

[@chrisloukes424]

Certainly heard of this beauty - the 130 saloon was equally jaw-dropping.

[@markdoyle6414]

I would bet my bottom dollar those seats like the ones in a Mercedes featured on the channel are 400 million times more comfortable and welcoming that a leather seat. Love the car and that interior is just something else.

[@FTW523.]

Rolls Royce seats

[@peterhopkins7049]

I owned one of these cars in Dublin for several years and loved it. It was silver with blue interior. It caused me little or no trouble other than the carb icing up as I had converted it to run on car gas due to a petrol shortage. A weak point was the timing belt which required very frequent changing to avoid catastrophic engine damage. Fuel lines close to the carb also needed attention due to heat, which left unattended failed and caught fire. There was also a 130 saloon which shared the same chassis and drive train but was made by Fiat themselves. Rust was the dreaded enemy and unfortunately robbed me of a superb car.

[@saturninofantetti828]

I certainly remember the Fiat 130 coupe. I did my apprenticeship in a large Fiat dealership in the seventies and working on them, one the bosses had one as his personal car. The dealership was run by a family and all their cars were parked in the workshop in strict order - Aston Martin DB8 - Jaguar 4.2c - Ferrari Dino 246GTS - Fiat 130 coupè. Happy memories.

[@klwthe3rd]

It's nice to see Ian share his fond memories of one of his first cars. Honestly, FIAT's have been imported in the US all during the 19070's but i didn't remember this car. Some other commenters stated that the coupe was never imported. That may be true. I have to admit that i love the boxy styling and long horizontal headlamps. I can see why the Rolls Royce Caramgue was styled after this car. It's just beautiful.

[@francispowell1811]

Regrettably, neither 130, sedan or coupe, were ever imported into the US. The Pinnifarina styling is very apparent.

[@stevefrost5417]

Fantastic to see the 130 coupe on the road - I remember walking at lunch time from work in Leicester in the 1970's down Blackbird Rd. where a Fiat dealership was located to see a Blue / Black 130 coupe holding pride of place in the showroom - Mesmerized to see this beauty in the flesh - I couldn't believe it was a Fiat and to this day - I'm now retired - I spent a good 10 minutes walking round it and later told my dad - a dyed in the wool Rover / Jag man what a great looking motor I had seen .He scoffed at the idea that any Fiat could garner such adulation but I've carried that picture in my head all these years since - Brilliant

[@Dan_druft]

Back in 1985 I started subcontracting to a car body and sprayshop. The owner had one of these cars along with around 5 or 6 others that he used for parts. His main car was the same colour as this and he wanted me to maintain the body work. The car was immaculate because if he found anything wrong he wanted it fixed. What a fantastic car it was.

[@davidh2022]

Thank you so much! I turned 50 this year - my Father had a silver over blue 130 and a Lancia Gamma Coupe and Saloon. Brings back so many memories sitting in the back with ABBA on the cassette player!

[@grandepho1]

It is a wonderful thing to hear the two great names-Mr. Tyrell and Mr. Croft in the same sentence. Two great giants in the classic Italian motorcar world! Guy Croft fabricated a bespoke engine for my Fiat 124 Spider. It was a true pleasure to work with him. He is truly missed! As was done with my car, I am sure, Iain, this owner was provided with a wealth of documentation regarding the work,done to this 130. Guy was meticulous and forthcoming with his communication to his customers. Thank you!

[@1240enzo]

I have known of the Fiat 130 be it coupe and/or sedan since I was around 14. I am 63 now. I have owned a metallic blue 3.2,sedan in the past, while my brother has 2 coupes and 2 sedans. Such an under-rated but superb car. Values are slowly rising for the best examples these days, as they should. What’s interesting with the example in Iain’s shop is that it has 3 carbs and is a manual. Most 130s were autos. i have never seen a 3 carb setup on a 130, from the factory they only came with one carburettor. What a magnificent engine/induction and exhaust sound this particular car makes. Thankyou Iain 😁, and yes Guy Croft was so good at his job.

[@andrepienaar6459]

We guys will never grow up!! I am 71 and this video brought the hooligan out in me. I had a 1964 Triumph 2000 mk1 when I was a telecom tech apprentice with the twin resonator exhaust. It also sounded quite good on the road, especially between buildings and it had that nice rumbling sound when reversing into a garage.

[@frebuton2016]

Thank you for sharing this. I grew up in Zurich Switzerland and my mothers cousin had a 130 sedan. It was silver with grey velour seats and automatic transmission. I remember as a 10 year old, it had a tiny black shift knob, lots of wood and red lights in the doors. It was such a treat to get a ride with it. My parents only had a white 1972 Datsun Sunny 1200 with black vinyl seats.

[@andrewbaker7548]

My father's friend had a Fiat 130 in blue, I remember seeing it sat outside our house in 1976, amazing. He sold it and bought a Citroen SM, I thought he was so cool and his cars amazing

[@GordonWishart]

I saw a silver one in Riyadh in 1999 covered in dust and sand. It had done only 9,000 kms abandoned in a hotel car park. It was still there in 2010 when I went back to work there again. It’s probably still there. A truly lovely car

[@dude_1965]

"but what I have found is an empty warehouse" 😂🤣 Brilliant video as always, thanks Ian for taking the time 👌

[@enricovonwalterskirchen5596]

For me as someone from the continent (Switzerland), it has a very tasteful feel when an Englishman reviews an Italian car: Someone who knows something about being fair describes the uniqueness when Italian engineering meets quality. I think Mr Tyrrell is a good example of how deep inside every English petrolhead is a lover of Italian cars.

[@iain_tyrrell]

That is very kind, thank you!

[@Ingleson-Grey]

I have been waiting and waiting for this to be featured, one of my all time underrated favourites

[@Ingleson-Grey]

@John Smith a poorly constructed sentence on my part. One of my all-time favourite cars, that is underrated.

[@julianoverall6575]

Thank you for highlighting this wonderful grand tourer. Another lovely coupe I'm an admirer of is the Lancia Gamma Coupe. Both are drop-dead gorgeous and rare as hen's teeth.

[@elmoreguess441]

Dear Mr. Tyrell. The sound in the old warehouse is simply the best sound I have heard in many years. Thank you for still being a sound lover! Around 1985 I could have bought the same model in the same color and with yellow headlights. Unfortunately, I did not take the chance. I could still kick myself in the butt.... This post is a pleasure and cheered me up at the right time. Thank you for this

[@noth606]

Not much use thinking of what could have been, I was once offered a Ferrari Dino for 8 million lire by a friend of my mom, in decent condition but needed to be looked over as it hadn't run in a few years, would have needed fluids, probably some seals, new tires, at minimum but no one knew as it had just sat in a garage. I was too chicken then and didn't go for it, I was 18yo and the 8 mill would have been all my money for quite some time.

[@histriamagna1014]

The design of the car has aged beautifully. Clean and simple. Timeless.

[@nickhigginsonmusic]

Saw one parked up in Blackpool a few years back. What a great looking machine. It was light blue metallic. Never knew they existed up to that point.

[@Grendizer81]

I need to hear that sound in person. This video surely sounds delicious, but I'm afraid it won't do it any justice.

[@monkeymansean2]

I always thought my X1/9 with a stock exhaust and 85hp sounded amazing too. Fiat really knew how to make an exhaust note sound amazing

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

My favourite Fiat bar none.

[@peterlarkin762]

My favourite Fiat ber tone.

[@iankuah8606]

I really appreciate the walk down memory lane with you. I was lucky enough to test drive a 130 Coupe back in 1979 , and it remains one of my favourite cars of the period. I still have my original sales brochures of the 130 saloon and coupe.

[@philipsparrow7977]

When I was still at school in about 1984 or there abouts, there was one of these wonderful things that would occasionally cruise through the local high street, a village called Stalham in Norfolk as it happens. But even at such a slow speed the thing sounded fabulous.

[@MrSparklespring]

Also fourty years ago : I was a boy at the age of twelve and already car crazy. Every summer we went on holidays to the posh seaside resort of Knokke-Le Zoute in Belgium. (Me being from Antwerp, Belgium). There was a sort of walk through gallery which was a short cut to go to the beach. In that gallery Fiat cars were exposed some six or seven in a row. I remember even the brand new smell of them when I admired the 850 coupé and spider, the 'normal' four door 130 and this masterpiece (in metallic middle grey) the 130 coupé. That was certainly my favourite. Thank you for that trip down memory lane!

[@cliffthelightning]

I love the restrained beauty of these. I saw a silver one with a red interior recently and it was stunning.

[@multislipful]

How right you are to feature this car - in the 1970s I regarded it as wonderfully understated and elegant car. Thank you. This is a great example.

[@edivollgas719]

Think the designers of the Ford Granada sold in Germany took several inspirations exterior and interior from this car. Had some dejavu to my childhood watching the video.

[@martian9999]

if only they had gotten rid of its blobbiness...

[@edivollgas719]

@@martian9999 blobbiness in the days ...... now it looks elegant to me compared to all the mini suvs ....😎

[@martian9999]

@@edivollgas719 I remember how the German press used to criticize the high belt-lines and baroque curved styling of American cars both in USA and outside. Fast-forward to today: every SUV has high belt lines, and most "premium" cars have "emotional" styling, full of crazy creases and blobby curves. (Not to mention, phony exhaust pipes and air intakes...)

[@sexynelson100]

Hi Iain.. Great video ( as always ). You should do a monthly walkaround your workshop and introduce ALL the vehicles being worked on ( if the owners allow it ). I love seeing all the different cars you have in the background and it would be great to see and hear more about them.. Thanks for all your great work

[@MLB9000]

I actually get the impression that they have to be careful to film from particular angles due to not being allowed to show certain cars. Most of what Iain has in his garage is worth upwards of six figures, and even seven figures in some cases, so the insurance and liability issues must be a bit of a headache.

[@wbrenne]

Small correction on the cambelt: The first car produced in series featuring a cambelt engine was the Glas 1004 from the Hans Glas GmbH, a family-owned carmaker based in Dingolfing, Bavaria, which was taken over by BMW in the late 1960s.

[@ml66b]

There was a FIAT dealership in the Lanarkshire village where I grew up in the 70's. I remember seeing one of these there. I also met Graham Hill there when he unveiled the Mirafiori!

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Looks like a Ford Cortina Mk.2 at the rear? My Dad had a 131 SuperMirafiori and that was a great car! 👍🏻

[@a.brounz]

God I love these types of episodes on Mr. Tyrrell's channel

[@TheAslakVind]

Oh that sound in the empty warehouse, like Pavarotti! Clarkson would surely describe it more sensually!

[@johna1160]

21:24 After Iain's extensive build up of what to expect of the throaty exhaust note, I wasn't disappointed. Had to hear it again with headphones. Glorious!

[@mklohk]

The humble Fiat 124 (+spider) had an alloy DOHC engine with rubber belt since '68. Very nice engines indeed.

[@mattede8744]

I live in Australia and in 1982 I bought a 2nd hand 131s manual wagon { You call them estates } and it was the most fun car to drive. I wish I never sold it. But the 130 was my dream car, at the time. I think we only had the autos here. Loved your video. It bought back some nice memories. Cheers.

[@giusepperescigno1657]

Congratulations for this fascinating story and the way it is told. I am clearly Italian and listening to this makes me a bit nostalgic.

[@timtownsend4151]

Iain, I share your passion for the 130. The Fiat Dino Coupes are also high on my list of desirability. I love these quirky cars that came out and are probably under the radar to a lot of people. As ever, your passion and knowledge is obvious.

[@jamesbaker429]

Car SOS and wheeler dealers both worked on Dino coupe ,SOS a basket case and wd with a long stored low mileage car.

[@johnchurch4705]

@@jamesbaker429 Salvage Hunters:Classic Cars restored a blue 130 Coupe.

[@ianmedium]

My late uncle had one of these, the sound was glorious and it was such a beautiful car to look at. It is the one classic car that I would have much higher quality bespoke enamel metal badges made for to get rid of the cheap ones that it comes with. Keep the originals in a box for completeness but have some beautiful cast and enamel ones replace it. The car deserves it!

[@AlanDepledge5]

Splendid video of an almost unknown Fiat. I was a salesman at a small Fiat dealership in Somerset in the late 1970’s. The boss did club rallies (with a 124 Abarth Spider) and needed a tow ‘barge’ to transport it to events. They happened to have a written off 130 Coupe. So one of our brilliant mechanics took the engine from the 130, mated it to a 5 speed manual box and fitted this into a Ford Transit mini-bus. I was one of the first to drive it up the road. Amazing vehicle and an excellent showcase for the dealership. I have been a Fiat fan ever since - v happy days.

[@CGAT147]

My uncle had one in Italy … soooo classy.. was a real head turner when I was lucky enough to enjoy a ride in it ❤

[@worldofrandometry6912]

Very rare machine. Nice to see tyres with a decent depth of sidewall again too.

[@kll1597]

I’ll potter when Harry’s Garage is on but when it’s time for ITCW I’m stopped and in the zone 😍

[@Omnihil777]

I tell you, it's not easy to get a smile on my face from a video, but that sound, that exhaust, wow, or like we say in germany : geil.

[@davidd1930]

I've always considered the 130 one of the most simple and beautiful cars ever made

[@iainmacleod4007]

Last time I saw one of these exotic masterpieces it was being broken by Demolition Autos (now DA Autoparts) in Dumfries. This was some time around 1985. It saddened me then and has stuck with me for nearly 40 years.

[@graham6229]

I have owned three Fiat 140 Sports two of which have a similar genesis to that car you have. They were both amazing bits of kit and I wish I still owned my dark blue one. Great video as usual and what a sound from the exhaust of your car. Wow !

[@frederikbalcaen]

I grew up as a kid in a Peugeot 604 v6, but this Fiat 130 has more style, and the sound is mind boggling! How lucky you must have been to discover this car at 18!

[@iain_tyrrell]

Yes, I was very fortunate indeed!

[@stretoo]

I have always loved this car since day one (there were some of them in my hometown Geneva at that time). Thank you very much to give it a chance to be known by a larger audience. You're the best!

[@rogerwatt3154]

I was a professional car photographer when this car was introduced and I shot one in grey metallic back then, working with the wonderful and sadly missed Sue Baker who wrote the copy. It was SO elegant from every angle and drove beautifully. This is a great video, Iain, as I've always thought that the car never got the attention it deserved . . . probably because they all rusted away so quickly like most Italian cars back then.

[@danwedderburn5550]

I started work as a car cleaner on a Saturday as a young 14yr old at a local service station / car sales in 1976. The owner of the business was always buying flash cars for himself to use. I could drive at that age & one of my jobs each saturday was to clean the bosses car & fill it up with fuel. I had the privilege then of driving one of these back then & loved it, it was so unique. Others i drove & cleaned from memory were Daimler double six, XJS, Rolls Royce shadow, a huge Cadillac, many XJ6. I was so lucky looking back.

[@antonybarnett6870]

I've always loved the uniform lines of these automobiles. I think they are a car that elevates the badge, by that I mean I believe you could drive this car through the streets of Turin and you'd be treated like loyalty and people would stop and stare and admire the lines, and the fact that it carries a Fiat badge will be of little consequence to the overall beauty. Another great video Iain, I suspect if the owner ever decides to part with it, I'd imagine you'd get the first call - and why not. The interior is just super crazy flair and any colour regardless is just a statement and poses the question - Don't ask why? ask Why Not. Thank You again Iain.

[@richardfoulkes3083]

Always loved the look of these and even the 4 door as well. The fact that Iain couldn’t get 3 of them back on the road speaks volumes of how difficult they are to maintain mechanically and body wise.

[@charlesjackman143]

I was thinking that, they must've been complete dogs!!

[@piuthemagicman]

@@charlesjackman143 rust + parts availability. dogs are nice :)

[@santosh911]

I remember a writer for Classic and Sportscar had quite an obsession with these 130's as well as Lancia Flaminias.

[@martinmcdonald4207]

I was born in`62 so i was very impressed when i saw one of these Fiat 130 2 door coupe`s in silver not long after i saw the 4 door Fiat 130 Saloon. Very impressive in the metal for this young 10 year old when the only other players were the usual German, British and even French producers and even those makers high end cars were as rare as hens teeth. I know what you mean about Fiats and fixed lamp post`s. My friend wrapped his Fiat 127 around one back in `81, unfortunatley i was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time of impact! Slainte.

[@fothersiow]

"...ensconced in acres of 1970's Draylon." Really enjoy watching and listening to Ian's emotive and insightful videos every time! Thanks

[@Elektoos]

What a gem! The warehouse sound test was a really nice addition to the video to.

[@simonelliott5956]

Always adored these cars, fabulous machines. Nice to hear the late Leonard Setright mentioned, it’s been a long time since I heard his name! I remember in your video of the Camargue that you mentioned the similarities between the designs and specifically the interiors, it would be nice to see an Iain Tyrrell ‘short’ video on that connection. Another example of a high quality video, which you do so well Iain.

[@stonkr]

Always enjoyed LJK's column in Car magazine.

[@mducheine2784]

@@stonkr Loved small Honda Coupés, allegedly the first to coin the "Supercar" attribute and admirer of ZZ Top (or is that just my imagination?)

[@kevgermany]

@@stonkr I followed him in Bike magazine. Brilliant journalist.

[@AlanDepledge5]

LJK’s book ‘Drive On!’ is a classic

[@Inisiarev]

In my humble opinion a 6 cylinder is the most wonderful sounding engine. You can hear there’s something special going on yet it never screams for attention. The gentleman of engines indeed. Thank you for yet another very informative and lovely documentary.

[@adzy166]

Fabulous. Family friend had one when I was a kid and I thought it was the coolest thing. Such understated style. Excellent video, thanks very much

[@phillipleeds296]

Always loved the 130 coupe since I first saw one new in a Fiat dealer showroom on Sydney’s north shore when they were first released. About ten years later, I test drove a white one for sale at prestige car dealer in Sydney’s inner west - it had that orange interior. Such a lovely car to drive and so elegant. Not hugely expensive at the time, but still beyond my means then, sadly. At least I can say I’ve driven one and it did sound glorious!

[@MoultrieGeek]

I love Sundays, first Harry posts and then Iain. Brilliant car Iain, thanks for the tour.

[@christopherboyle1479]

Wonderful. Thank you as always. That Pininfarina design has all the timeless elegance of a Chanel suit. In this part of the world, whenever one of these cars came on the market, the Arthur Dailey dealer would claim it had a "Ferrari engine". I knew someone who owned one and believed it. Somehow I never thought it would be right to disabuse him. But (anorak point) Lampredi's 1968 Fiat twin-cam 124 Sport was not quite the first production engine with a toothed-belt driven camshaft. I believe that honour belongs to the Glas GT of late 1964, closely followed by the 1966 model year Pontiac tempest, which offered a 3.8L OHC straight 6.

[@sandyneedham6499]

This is why I like Iain Tyrrell - not only does he put the cars into perspective, comparing them with the other offerings which were competitors at the time, but he has taste and understands design. Classic designs still look good after 50 years, and the clean lines of the Fiat 130 Coupe show how a well designed car, created with real style, will stand the test of time. In the same way, this is why an Alvis TD21 is still such an elegant car. The larger "greenhouse" effect which was more common in the 60s and 70s does contribute to this classically good looking style. Yes, Mr. Tyrrell, like the Fiat 130 Coupe, you are a class act!

[@christophermarshall5765]

I know about the Fiat 130 coupe. They were common here in Australia for a while. I personally worked on a few.

[@miamimo70]

The pot holed roads are really beginning to irritate, everywhere 🙄 - fab car

[@col4627]

Enjoyed the vdo a lot. When I was 18 (47 years ago) I was a mechanic at Fiat and there were a few of these 130 coupes regularly in the garage. They weren't well put together and as you said, you could watch them rust. I remember them being temperamental too but everything was forgiven, or tolerated, because they were so beautiful and elegant. Of course they were, they're Italian. The carb was an odd choice, especially considering the two duel choke webbers they decided to bolted onto the 1600 124 sc. The main thing I recall though was how no-one could ever fathom out why the were so prohibitively expensive. It was if they just didn't want to sell them.

[@kinimodreisac6653]

i knew of the existence of this big Fiat but never had an explanation as detailed from it . this sir has an extremely nice and calm voice... which i like to listen to . and he knows so much from this car.. it so interested me.

[@Kizzle001]

What a nice surprise, to see Iain in a time machine reliving memories of 40 years ago and educating us along the way.

[@dino2400]

Had one for many years, actually as a classic-leased car, and used it for several years for daily use (around 2006 - 2012). Just fantastic. I always thought the biggest setback was that FIAT gave all to compete with Mercedes for ultimate luxury, and ended up just as expensive. Except that it remained FIAT and therefore had to quit because of lack of sales. But the coupe remains one the most beautiful 70’s coupes.

[@kevinbray9550]

It's great these survivor cars are still out there. It's not logical that you would buy one instead of a Jag XJ. It's not logical that you would restore one over a Ferrari but you have to admire the mavericks of this world who take a path less trodden. Bravo !

[@drtonyvalentich]

I am selfish, and as he fiat 130 coupe is my all time dream car (and I always dreamed of putting triples on it too), I plead with you to give us more updates on this beautiful piece of Italian engineering.

[@GM-fh5jp]

The tire squealing takeoff in the factory did indeed make the point, Iain. Our children will never know the visceral feeling of such a sound associated with their daily transport...a homage to a bygone era. Thanks for posting and we all want to see what you do to the suspension and drivetrain to make this thing work as intended.

[@tomyost6330]

I have owned, for various amounts of time, a '74 128 ugly green wagon, '77 131 2 door 5 speed, '81 Brava 2 door 5 speed, '81 Strada (Ritmo), also '82 Strada, and presently, and for the longest time, a '75 124 Sport Coupe in yellow. I've owned many brands but Fiats were always my favorite. Peace! From Syracuse, N.Y., USA.

[@benzinapaul7416]

The 130 Coupe is a stunning design and this example is in the perfect spec. The 130 Coupe, Gamma Coupe, Ferrari 365/400/412 and even the Peugeot 604 have this lovely 1970s PF style to them.

[@CubeCyclone]

I think I saw one once when I was a kid but never again. You start to think you dreamt the whole thing until a video like this emerges. It's the stuff of legends. Amazing to see what it should have been like all along. Thanks Iain!

[@Tracertme]

It is wonderful listening to your personal attachments to specific cars of your youth, mine was an 82 alfetta GTV6 in gunmetal grey. It was my first ever car I owned and frequently think about buying one back.

[@magnolerriccardo6840]

There's a couple of things I love of this job : One is the 130 V6 coupè, of course. And the other is that British countryside panorama.

[@vincezab1]

Many years ago, when I was 19 or 20, I found out that what was purported to be the world's largest collection of automotive manuals and marketing literature was at the Philadelphia Library in Pennsylvania, USA. I has a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville at the time, and sure enough, they had the shop manual. Not an exotic to be sure, but that was what I was looking for and they had it. At some point the contents of the Automobile Reference Collection were transferred to the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Library & Research Center and the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, where the treasure apparently now resides. I can tell you that the collection was indeed of staggering scope and breadth when I was admitted behind the locked gate in the library to peruse the pontiac manual. If you need to find an old shop manual, the AACA may have it.

[@joecapriotti6366]

The education and history you share is fantastic, my first car was a Fiat 850 Coupe… I didn’t have the means or talent to keep it running, but fell in love with the mark.

[@alexbrown1995]

One of my early girlfriends had a 850 coupe. It broke down one night and we slept in it. Not a lot of room in it, as I recall....

[@mikebarnard2689]

I drove my dads 850 coupe ( buttercup yellow) as a 16yr old, buzzed around in it after I’d passed my test, it broke tho and nobody seemed interested in repairing it. Shame… bought a Beetle after that.

[@P.Galore]

One of these came up for sale in the US recently and I was so tempted, Having owned several Italian cars, I concluded the price of admission would be a fraction of what it would actually cost to keep running.

[@briannumme9337]

Fix It Again Tony

[@alexbrown1995]

@@briannumme9337 Fails In All Tests

[@briannumme9337]

@@alexbrown1995

[@annon231]

Six of these RHD 130 Coupes (at least) were imported to Australia. I worked in a bond store while attending university and drove all of the six when they arrived. Each for about 100 meters!. I hadn't thought about them for many years but had wanted one for at least a few years after first seeing them. This lust evaporated when I developed a lifelong love of motorcycles. I still love my exotic motorcycles but now want an RHD Ferrari 456M GT. It may be folly but I know the risks in owning an older Ferrari. Obviously, I'll have to source one in the UK and then get it to Thailand where I am retiring. Thank you so much for your excellent work producing and posting. It is such a fabulous channel.

[@iain_tyrrell]

Thank you for sharing that too

[@salar7735]

"I had a slight altercation with a very fixed lamppost unfortunately" is a genius way to describe it

[@nervo6321]

Charming looks and an interior layout that can only be described as brilliantly beautiful.

[@bigbird2100]

Great video 👍 As ljk setright once noted that Yamaha make musical instruments and the fact their 2 stroke engine's performed so well was of no coincidence.

[@simonelliott5956]

People forget that LJKS was also a respected Hi-Fi and music reviewer & writer as well as a motoring journalist. A very interesting and talented man.

[@mrdainase]

@@simonelliott5956 I think from memory he played the clarinet to a very high standard too. A very talented man, and still very much missed along with his colleague Phil Llewellin.

[@simonelliott5956]

@@mrdainase Yes I seem to remember that too, spent most of my career in audio, but although I saw him holding court at the odd show, I was too low down the pecking order to have met him personally, although I know a few journalists that worked with him over the years.