Vintage Car | Fiat 128 Coupé | Drive In | 1976

Thames Televisions 'Drive In' programme takes a look at the latest Fiat offering -The Fiat 128 Coupe
First shown: 13/04/1976
If you would like to license a clip from this video please e mail:
[e-mail]
Quote: VT13439

[@kevinpatrickmacnutt]

My god, his fashion choices are aggressively of the era.

[@neilmustow368]

Crickey them flares were massive car still alive Registered November 1975

[@MrBlueWRX]

I have a 128 3p,now if i could just get my hands on a denim safari suit my life would be complete.

[@georgejacob3162]

1:24. Should have said "Rear passenger legroom isn't good especially with the trousers that I'm wearing."

[@iinerd]

Ahahahah you’re right mare!

[@darrenwilson8042]

No idea why this guy bought trousers that were too long for him and had massive turn ups sewn in..... see other vids.......he doesn't look to have short legs so I am baffled

[@Dunstire]

The size of those 'Lionals' is mad and they've got 4 inch turn-ups.Superb.What a man.Bet he wears Brut and smokes JPS

[@GrotrianSeiler]

I can’t help but laugh at these old car review videos. They are hilarious.

[@apj341]

Brutally honest reviews.

[@yardelli]

Orange with Green Trim - gotta love the 70's

[@nlpnt]

Green *plaid* at that, I thought they all had vinyl seats.

[@yardelli]

Some had the Deckchair stripe seats that went on in to the 1300 X1/9

[@DSC800]

It's overdue to come back in style

[@bigyin2586]

DSC800 anything rather than the black/grey interiors, and the black, white and endless metallic grey paints that pass for "colours" and "choices" that we have nowadays!

[@BobMartinsback]

You can almost sense the bodywork oxidising before your very eyes.

[@RoadCone411]

Orange is a good choice of color then...!

[@Nooziterp1]

70s Italian cars. Datsuns (Nissans) were much the same.

[@bigteddy66]

@@Nooziterp1 so was everything else

[@Nooziterp1]

@@bigteddy66 Yes but Italian cars and Datsuns were the worst. It was the era. Both are fine now but not at the time. Like 1950s Vauxhalls. They were rust buckets then but not now.

[@bigteddy66]

@@Nooziterp1 well vw were and still are producing some rusty crap, morris marinas for instance were rotten before they left the plant although not that bad a car, it was just a minor in drag really so what's to hate. Mazda had some big rusty problems when they sprung up also. Thinking about it they were all pretty bad then

[@townsend7]

My first car was a 1976 128 3P. A rare bird here in the United States. It rusted away many years ago. Only memories left.

[@apj341]

Same here Bob, rust took out the left front undercarriage of mine; right under the battery. To its credit the engine and transmission were still fine when it went to the car dismantling lot. Fun car, when it ran. Began its life in New Jersey with the salted roads there and came to California where I bought it in 1982 for $1,900 (I paid half and my parents paid half). Cheers to you.

[@Zilla__man]

Orange paint green interior outrageous bell bottoms! Holyshit welcome to the 70s

[@pit_stop77]

I recently met a guy with one of these that he had restored. Only 5 left in the UK apparently

[@andynixon2820]

Is that a denim safari suit ? . That's a brave choice .

[@laurenceconnelly9694]

Andy Nixon ffs 😂😂😂😂 double denim safari suit .

[@kevinpatrickmacnutt]

Perfect outfit for an orange car with green interior with plaid accents.

[@michaeltaylor8835]

Bellbottoms too

[@numberstation]

Andy Nixon It’s a strong look, Sir!

[@AlexiaVon]

Disaster looking.... lol

[@pit_stop77]

Saw one of these in Bournemouth recently. Owner said it was one of 5 left. Looked like it had been restored

[@timcargile1562]

I owned one of these in the 70s. A great handling car which was quite refreshing compared to American sport type cars (like the Ford Falcon 260 v8, 4-speed Futura which I also owned about the same time). HOWEVER: The clutch release cable would stretch and then break often like clockwork (I had to replace several). I had to do four valve jobs on it (myself) because it would always burn #4 exhaust valve after not that many miles. The upholstery covering completely disintegrated and had to be replaced which my wife volunteered to do, bless her soul. The idea of gluing the rear side vent type window latches to the inside glass surface was not a good one (most manufacturers opt to have a hole in the glass and pull it shut from the outside). I tried re-gluing the latch with super strength epoxy and the glued-to-glass latch actually pulled out little pieces of the glass surface when it eventually pulled away from the glass. I eventually fabricated some shaped metal pieces that reached to the outside of the window and held them permanently shut. I've seen pictures with people using (what looked like) duct tape on the outside to hold them shut (a very inferior way to go, IMO)The paint was flaking off in spots as if the metal was not was not not get a correct primer coat. The vane type, in-tank fuel pump failed early on and I was lucky I did not incinerate myself replacing it one that was diaphragm-operated.. Still, I liked the way it handled, so go figure after all the quality issue. I kept it alive (Fixing It All The Time). At least I didn't die in it!

[@fasthracing]

I always liked these, you can however almost seeing it rust before your eyes

[@apj341]

Rust in the front right undercarriage spelled the demise of my blue flea, a 1976 3p.

[@rjft7003]

Thank you for the upload! Those trousers, like my father with his 128 Sport Coupé 😆

[@Allan9966]

Don't worry about the accessibility of the service items under the bonnet - the body would rust to nothing before the first service was due!

[@frankhoward7645]

As a former Fiat salesman, I really didn't understand the appeal of the 3P as opposed to a 128 4-door. While the 3P looked sportier, it was slower due to it's heavier weight, was much more difficult to get into the back seat due to the lack of rear doors, had less room in the back due to the body styling, and handled worse due to the lack of a front anti-roll bar. It also cost more.

[@Lar308]

Well then you had no eye for car beauty. This car has been described as the poor mans Ferrari and for me it was. My recollection of the saloon was a car that was advanced for the time but overall had a rubbery detached feel to its handling. The 3p had razor sharp handling and an exhaust rasp to die for. Only the amazing little 127 came close to it for driving entertainment.

[@neilwalsh4058]

It was brought in to appeal to sportier younger drivers, the 128 saloon was a small family car, the 3p carried on the great Fiat tradition of building a coupe off a saloon car like the 124 and 850. I bought a 7 year old one in 1984 and absolutely loved it. Capri drivers didn't though because unless they were in a 3 litre they didn't stand a chance!!

[@Tmuk2]

Haha, my God, look at those strides

[@darrenwilson8042]

the 6 inch hems are amazing. Why not cut some off then turn them up? Was he expecting a sudden growth spurt?

[@roverwaters3875]

as opposed to charcoal gray with another gray

[@kevinphilps2925]

'After hours petrol supplies' Made me chuckle

[@paulhunter123]

what is after hours petrol supplies? after 5pm

[@adrianadrian1887]

Funk yeah!

[@jnbr7520]

man that suit is AWESOME!

[@Vics251]

They always used to make such a big deal of having to lift luggage over the tailgate lip in those days. !

[@Lar308]

Exactly - I used to being my racing bicycle in the back of mine regularly. That lip would only present problems if you were an invalid.

[@nickwilczynski3684]

Why did they always shoot these in that miserable looking dirt field??

[@michaeltaylor8835]

Nick Wilczynski welcome to 70s bbc

[@huwprice881]

It’s clearly a racecourse, none too sure which though. Kempton or Sandown Park?

[@georgejacob3162]

Michael Taylor. Thames Television is ITV.

[@simonlilley]

I think it might be Epsom

[@another3997]

@@michaeltaylor8835 Made by Thames Television, which was ITV, not the BBC. And it's filmed on a racecourse.

[@michaelhasse2568]

Love these 70s videos, they always complain about the pedal placement, because the steering wheel is on the wrong side. Always driving on mud and rough roads. Love it. Wish I had a couple of these cars

[@tomwebber9377]

Those pants are a flashback to bad fashion choices our species made in the 70's. Had those in patchwork myself, covered my feet!

[@SloMoShort]

My first car. I had a silver one. It was a great car. The criticisms are ironic in comparison to British cars of that era.

[@RoadCone411]

What does that mean? The Fiat was uncomfortable, poorly-built and rusted even worse than the norm for the day, which is saying something. At least it looked good, more or less. The British gave their own cars some very harsh criticism - with good reason - so I really don't understand your comment. For example, the Marina may have sold well, but it was cheap compared to an imported Fiat and clearly no better. Along with the ugly Allegro, the Marina is also one of the most negatively criticized cars ever (did you see Jeremy Clarkson eviscerate both cars on TG?)

[@surreyscouse2873]

That 1st bend road surface he went round resembles most main roads in Surrey. Today!

[@crumplezone1]

He`s got more denim than Levi`s. I had a 128, drove it home went to bed and in the morning I went to drive it and was greeted with just four wheels surrounded by a a mound of brown dust !

[@paulbrowne6087]

Wow, those trousers!

[@markrutter6439]

Dors anyone on here remeber the fiat 127sport which came with twin choke webber carbs used to ho like stink and rot quicker but were rapid little cars not safe at all but lots of fun

[@RobertCorrigan]

Had the later one with 1300 & 75HP stock. Great learner car, if you survived the first week, you could survive anything. Swapped the carbs to DCNF's, toughened up the springs and changed to 175/50/13s all round. Probably got about 20mpg on average but in early 90s not much kept up.

[@cornovii3012]

my first car when i was 17 and the same colour as this one, just about kept up with my mates 998 mini :-D

[@apj341]

My first car too, in 1982. Bought it six months before my 16th birthday for $2K USD. Relegated to sitting inside it, in the garage, listening to the radio. LHD, light blue over dark blue vinyl. Had it for six years, at least $2K in repairs, and front subframe ultimately succumbed to rust under the battery area. Now I wish I had learned welding.

[@danielboguse4249]

I had a 74 128 four door way back then and once you got it started it was great in the snow and had excellent heat. I wish I still had that car now to go along with my 81 Brava and 84 X1/9.

[@anothercitizen4867]

Brutal review. Not unlike his wardrobe choices

[@koont666]

Loving the Gucci loafas

[@davidhayes4814]

Hard to work out relative values due to shocking inflation in 70s. In 1972 an e type v12 cost £3200 on the road. By 1976, this cost £3200....... frightening. Imagine what it is like in Argentina!

[@undefinedname1398]

I like it.

[@joebryant5722]

Very nice design. I like this car. Very classic Italian small car.

[@zebedep]

I haven't seen one of these in a very long time.

[@alphatrion100]

They're all long gone. Last time i saw one was in the 80's

[@Lar308]

Not so quick - there are many going still - cherished by their tasteful owners.

[@apj341]

Some 128 Fiats are still available and for sale on vintage car websites for exorbitant prices. Wanna buy back your youth? Someone will sell it to you.

[@sjguk267]

I am 0:25 seconds in to watching this and....holy shit what just got out of the car!!!

[@mvcharisma2968]

Burnt orange on avocado vinyl and brown plaid interior, what a color combo...

[@clairebannister4749]

Hilarious - the paint didn't even match on different panels when brand new!

[@johnazhderian5734]

This is a Fiat!

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Brand new? I thought it was used for 20 years.

[@frazzleface753]

MLA 29P was last taxed in 1985.

[@jusb1066]

9 years, pretty good for a fiat, my dad had a 132, and by 8 years old was nothing to hold the door interiors on with :)

[@italianduded1161]

Love the 128 coupes ❤️🇮🇹👍

[@tonyhancock3912]

Denim sailor suit with patent loafers. Nice

[@RoadCone411]

This is like an early version of the early version of Top Gear.... excellent. I couldn't tell you when was the last time I saw a Fiat 128 Coupe, they were probably all rusted away from UK roads by 1980!

[@owensteele1645]

This one survived quite well. It made it to 1986 if DVLA are to be believed.

[@jimmyduncan7650]

The old "Dan Dare" trousers and a 1.3 Sports car. Must have been living it up....YAWN!

[@Antesdelfinadmin]

That was my first car 😍

[@apj341]

Wow, my first car too!! In 1982. A 1976 3p with, I want to say, sixty thousand miles on the odometer. Best regards.

[@zebedep]

I always thought the rear light clusters looked distinctive on these.

[@JackBandicootsBunker]

Coffin-shaped taillights, indeed quite distinctive.

[@indian2003]

I had one of these cars in the late 70s and the heater was just fine and it managed the Norwegian winters. Is it possible that the British buyer ordered them without thermostats? The drive shafts bothered me but never the heating. It was about the same time the Austin Allegro came on to the market with the square high tech steering wheel.

[@apj341]

I'd defrost the windshield by cracking both front windows, leaving the little heat on the feet. Did this to pass my driving test on my 16th birthday (11/1982).

[@sportshatch]

That Fiat was even painted rust coloured

[@stevenray787]

That plaid green interior I lived through the seventies yes I did

[@guy4469]

alfa sud ti fantasic car had 2 so quick worth a lot todays money

[@johnwh1039]

has to be said that cars have improved! The car looks a few years old although it must be new

[@General.Longstreet]

People spoke proper in them days.

[@paulhunter123]

those days

[@502Chevy]

Gotta be good for the spare tire to be exposed to the under hood heat day after day...

[@neutronalchemist3241]

It will always be newer than the other three wheels that had been exposed to the road. It's not like you'll race with the spare wheel anyway. The 127 the Ritmo and the Panda will have it there too. Why not? If there is enough space there, you are not consuming luggage space elsewere, and both the FIAT 100 and the FIAT single cam engines were very compact. This is the engine compartment of a 1982 FIAT Ritmo 105 TC. Notice the dimensions of the 105HP engine (thus it being a twincam), and those of the full size spare wheel. uploads.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/fiat/11517030.jpg

[@vintagecarnews5899]

super

[@sammygirlie345]

That is a very bold look a British 70s leno

[@rekord1969]

These were cracking cars... 1st car:) jij7770. Good times.

[@peakyparttimers9362]

Look at them flare s wow!

[@johnstairs]

I’ve still got one! the denim suit that is not the Fiat.

[@justsumguy2u]

I've never heard of this program before, but I really like it. How about that avocado green interior with orange exterior? But I have to give credit where credit is due---that Fiat made it the whole 4:47 without breaking down once.

[@detomasopantera1966]

Great car...

[@apj341]

Fun car. Learned a lot about working on cars because of my 1976 3p.

[@detomasopantera1966]

@@apj341 i loved them along with the Mirafiori and the 127 Abarth👌

[@Rockythefishman]

Sports is not a word I would use

[@EgoShredder]

Fatally wounded asthmatic lurching slug on its way to the vet perhaps?

[@ewaf88]

Top marks then for the gear change - clutch and location of the bonnet release.

[@TherymasterWidnes]

You'll have to change to 3rd before you hit 50! I thought he was test driving a Fiat 128 Coupe, not a Maserati!

[@another3997]

Remember, it's only got a 4 speed gearbox, as was common back then. Combined with low power and torque, gearing had to be pretty flexible.

[@mickdaly6537]

Love the prisoners uniform

[@AB-pl1ko]

- with those bell-bottoms, a slightly 'fashionable' one..

[@ManosS40]

I remember these back in the 80s! I liked as a kid their design.

[@fiat128fanclub4]

Good idea !

[@lewis72]

My mum had one of these in met blue, AAM 212V and I loved it (I was 14 at the time). I really wanted her to keep it for me when I learnt to drive but she got a Skoda 120 LE instead.

[@apj341]

Mine was like a sky blue or a little darker than that. I miss that little car.

[@lewis72]

@@apj341 My mum's was a metallic mid blue. I also miss it. Would have been a great little car as my first car. I had a Dolomite 1500HL instead though.

[@Paul-fq9pj]

Shoes still modern

[@marpass8763]

@StealthyMonk 😁😁😁😁😁

[@Lar308]

Holy god if I read anymore cloths comments I will explode. This was a car video remember - who gives a shit about his cloths?

[@tallatmehmood8867]

Hell yes. I felt same too

[@grahamariss2111]

In danger of catching those flairs in the door

[@borderlands6606]

Sounds like a deputy head master explaining why you were going to get a jolly good thrashing, before sloping off with the French mistress for a dirty weekend in the Cotswolds. People still spoke in a "your target for tonight" voice in the 1970s, now a car review needs a food fight or a drive through a hedge. Not sure which is daftest.

[@rockolutheran]

what?

[@borderlands6606]

You're probably too young.

[@another3997]

At least you can understand what he's saying. Some of the modern TV presenters have such strong regional accents they're hard to understand and unpleasant on the ear. Nobody wants 1950s style, upper class presentation styles, just bring back neutral accents, clearly articulated sentences and a speed and tone that means just about anybody can listen without having to strain to understand what's being said. Clear, concise communication is a dying art. 😁

[@another3997]

At least you can understand what he's saying. Some of the modern TV presenters have such strong regional accents they're hard to understand and unpleasant on the ear. Nobody wants 1950s style, upper class presentation styles, just bring back neutral accents, clearly articulated sentences and a speed and tone that means just about anybody can listen without having to strain to understand what's being said. Clear, concise communication is a dying art. 😁

[@another3997]

At least you can understand what he's saying. Some of the modern TV presenters have such strong regional accents they're hard to understand and unpleasant on the ear. Nobody wants 1950s style, upper class presentation styles, just bring back neutral accents, clearly articulated sentences and a speed and tone that means just about anybody can listen without having to strain to understand what's being said. Clear, concise communication is a dying art. 😁

[@SegaStation]

I owned one of these in the early 90s. I loved it but it was one of the biggest rust buckets I've ever owned, and I've owned 18 fiats in last 30 years...

[@graemew7001]

He likes that car as much as we all seem to like his suit here in the comments section. You could get the stitching picked out and have those trousers remade into a 4 person tent!!

[@darrenwilson8042]

You wouldn't think from this critique that the 128 was the groundbreaking FWD layout that spawned modern cars. Transverse engine, end on gear box with unequal length drive shafts - all seems to have passed the reviewer by.....

[@CORRIGEEN71]

Denim flair suit so cool needs an afro to carry if off

[@paulhunter123]

how is this a coupe its a 3 door hatch back - that makes an austin metro look good

[@vikingraiders4138]

Gucci loafers with a denim safari suit

[@team3383]

Class

[@Kyntteri]

That's how you know, who runs the smack ring in the prison yard.

[@adrianadrian1887]

@@Kyntteri serios gangsta sh. It...

[@MrCROBosanceros]

I can imagine Toyota engineers back in those days,looking and laughing. Let's show these arrogant fools how to make a car!

[@kevinpatrickmacnutt]

Broj 1 You mean those parts bit taillights. They look like something that should be screwed on to a trailer.

[@2kcars507]

Toyota were producing real bags of shit at the time. They rusted away within 12 months. Back then, even Datsun were a lot better.

[@MrCROBosanceros]

Yes! But at that time they have been observing and studying Americans and Europeans.

[@bentnickel7487]

2K Car quality really started to improve in the early 90s. All american cars were poorly made, by today's standard. However, I bought a loaded 70 Mustang with a 351 Cleveland 4 barrel Mach I for $3200. and another loaded 73 Mach I for $4300. both new. Can't do that any more. My grandson just bought an 18 Mustang loaded for $50K.

[@chryslerelectronicleanburn1676]

Kevin MacNutt when it rusted away you would have tailights fr your trailer.

[@cambs0181]

Wonder f there are any left! This one made it to early 1986.

[@apj341]

My 1976 made it to May of 1988.

[@johnwh1039]

Towards the end I got the overwhelming desire, as Liam would, to look for him, to find him and to kill him!!!! You really get the impression that he wanted to criticize every feature of the poor little car, possibly (probably) because it was produced by Johnny foreigner. If that had been an Allegro test he probably would have swooned over it!

[@OldeJanner]

Had a 73 one, more rust than solid metal, but a great little engine and interior.

[@alfamonk]

this guy's good!

[@LakeHowellDigitalVideo]

An orange car with green interior. Confirmation that everyone was colorblind in 1976.

[@johngrieve2868]

looks like kempton park in the uk...

[@DarrenCoull]

Sounds like he had a hard time trying to find any redeeming features with this car :-)

[@DarrenCoull]

Most around me are 24/7, guess we are spoilt these days! :-)

[@doodemog]

Ever diminishing petrol supplies 🤣

[@azazelsamael6957]

Wish had this one, one day...

[@joseluisherrera4669]

Just wondering why the Austin Marina coupe fastback hadn't the success of this tiny Fiat 3 doors

[@hjp1hjp22]

The Fiat 128 coupe looks more interesting than the plain boxy 128 saloon it was based on. An old lady neighbour who is 91 and can't drive has a yellow 1978 128 saloon in her garage for 37 years when her husband died in 1981, and won't part with it, and will remain there until she dies.

[@apj341]

Any update in 2020?

[@Haffschlappe]

Please test Allegro 1500

[@chrispenn715]

Wow where can i get a fab cool and trendy suit like that? 😂

[@GRAHAMAUS]

Rallied on of these. Broke it in half yumping it on Eppynt.

[@MarkPMus]

Which Kenny Everett character has a voice like this bloke? I remember there was one in a bowler hat and suit that sounded exactly like this presenter.

[@scaleop4]

man its odd watching this, i was not even born till 83

[@EgoShredder]

It's too 70s even for Man About The House! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4fNp393dtd3ebs

[@mr.y.mysterious.video1]

Thought it was only Japanese cars that came with flares

[@dalejenkins1558]

the sud was a much better car than this

[@Haffschlappe]

Was Different, not better.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

That paint looks like to have faded under the sun for decades

[@bogfinken]

Screaming orange body colour, green interior, and those pants... It doesn't get more 70's 😂😂😂