Rusty But Trusty

Well, since thorough market research has shown oddball Fiats are popular with the readership here, here’s a feature of a Fiat 128 3P. You could call this the successor to the 850 Coupe, although this car should be infinitely more practical with its front-engine, rear hatch layout. It’s also got some funky features, including 3 vertical taillights (kind of like on a Mustang, but with curved sides), and a grill that might be a copy of an Aston Martin DBS from the sixties. You’d think this car (and its successor, the 128 SL) would have competed quite effectively with early hatches like the VW Rabbit, while adding a touch of sport. But once again, it seems Fiat’s reputation saved the day, making these cars an exclusive choice for future collectors.

By exclusive, of course, I mean cars which your ordinary, sane person would not choose to run. But since you’re already here, I’ll assume you fall into the other group. My experience with these is limited to a test drive of a mechanic’s 128 wagon. A standout feature on that car was its near-lack of brakes, something I had to discover for myself on the test drive. Outside of that, it was a fairly entertaining, if dinky-feeling car to drive. Wrapping a Scirocco-Junior style body around it should make for a pretty sporting, economical ride. Check it out – beggars can’t be choosers since these are rare as hen’s teeth, but this is a pretty solid looking unit for sale by someone who seems to have a thing for old 128s, at $1250 in Riverside, CA. The seller will throw in a 5-speed Yugo transmission if he sells for asking.

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