Description
I bought it from a collector in Arizona - the driest state in the USA! This car doesn't know the meaning of the word rust and has never even seen an accident (or much rain for that matter).
This 1981 example with only 46, 000 miles is as original as it gets (except for the addition of a passenger-side wing mirror - and even that, the owner took the trouble to get an exact match - not easy - which is why the other spiders you see have mismatched mirrors). The time-of-day clock has been replaced by an oil gauge (an original Veglia instrument of course) in the belief that it's more important to keep an eye on the oil pressure rather than the time of day.
The car has always been parked and covered and the reason the paintwork and bonnet are so good is that the owner in Arizona used to take his car cover with him and cover it even when parking at the shopping centre! The car has never been repainted (except the bonnet) , the interior and carpets (even the carpets) are all original, as is the bonnet - with its rear window still bright and clear over most of its surface.
The original factory headliner, although a little ragged just along the leading edges, is tight and works very well - the rear window too is almost perfect (the previous owner showed me a trick to fold it so that it wouldn't suffer the usual rear window damage of converts.) I have the original bill of sale which shows the addition of FIAT alloy wheels which are in perfect condition, as is the alloy steering wheel - both factory fitted options. They are not scratches and the paintwork is undamaged but they are just tiny dents and as they are so small I decided not to spoil the original paintwork by filling and spraying. I think with the new dent removal techniques these could be made perfect quite easily, I can't imagine there is a better, more original car with such low mileage. The car is located in the 46 - near Figeac and I welcome any inspection. If you appreciate true originality, then I don't think there is another car with this pedigree. This car has been in my collection for 30 years since it was imported from Arizona. It has always been parked and has only covered 6, 000 miles in my ownership bringing its current mileage to 46, 000miles The car has just passed its MOT without notice. History / Histoire: Bought in Arizona 1992 with 38, 000 miles. Imported to UK 1993 38, 363 miles 1994 38, 521 miles 1995 38, 540 miles 1996 38, 640 miles 1997 38, 910 miles 2000 39, 079 miles hoses & thermostat 2002 40, 557 miles master cylinder 2003 42, 116 miles 2004 exported to France 2007 42, 260 miles exhaust 2010 44, 000 timing belt & alternator belt 2012 44, 650 miles water pump 2020 servo & brake lines & flexibles 2024 46, 265 miles new radiator
