Description
Welcome to the sale of my very rare Fiat 132 2500 Diesel.
Whilst a fair few of these 132s were sold new in the UK, the diesel iteration never made it across to us. Unless any others have been imported previously (no record of this), this may well be the only one in the UK.
I brought this car back to the UK in late September/ early October 2021. It was previously kept in a large collection of very nice Italian classics in the province of Avellino in Italy. Myself and a group of friends undertook a fantastic trip to bring this and a couple of others back.
The drive back was pretty faultless barring the need for a replacement starter motor upon my return. The car traversed the Swiss Alps, German Autobahns and the crossing back to the UK without missing a beat. Since its journey to the UK, it has been to a few shows and has been taken on a few trips with friends. It has even featured in AutoItalia magazine when I took it to their Italian Car Day at Brooklands.
Mechanicals:
Mechanically, the car is sound - the engine runs very well and is surprisingly economical and will deal with motorway journeys with ease. As with any classic, there is always some fettling to do unless they are never driven!
The car would most likely benefit from a flush of the cooling system and maybe some new hoses. It sits at temperature absolutely fine, but as I doubt anything has ever been changed, this might be a wise undertaking.
The glow plug control unit does not function currently, so I have installed a bypass button which you only need to use when the car is cold in order for it to start.
It could also benefit from the engine mounts being changed as they're not too bad, but there is some excess movement in them.
The brakes are not amazing, but I believe they will just need a bleed as they stop the car very well but are a bit vague at the top of the pedal travel and then a bit too sharp at the bottom.
I have performed an oil change on the car and fitted new glow plugs, a reconditioned starter motor, new rocker cover and sump gaskets. There is still a very minor oil leak which I believe may be from the sump, perhaps the gasket may need a bit of sealant applied.
Cosmetics:
This is where beauty is in the eye of the beholder! The car is very original and as such is not concours. It has seen a life in Italy and has obtained a few scratches and dings throughout this life. The lovely dark blue paintwork polishes up well, but if you wanted it perfect, it would need a full respray.
There are various areas of cosmetic bubbling/ corrosion along the chrome door trims and on some of the bottom door edges, but there is nothing alarming or horrendous for an Italian car of over 40 years old. The roof has a patch of faded paint where it looks like something was spilt on it. The bonnet and bootlid have some speckles and scratches. I would say that as it is, it's a very useable classic and still turns many many heads on a drive or at shows.
Underneath, the car is pretty fantastic all things considered. As you'll see from the pictures, it is very clean and has very little in terms of any corrosion. I would imagine some suspension bushes could do with changing, but driving it doesn't reveal any particular knocks or vagueness, so I think it's all survived quite well.
Interior:
A very classic period combination of blue velour with brown trim. Again, for the age of the car, it is in very good order. Being from a hotter climate means that various pieces such as the dash top and door cars have some cracks, but in general it's very decent. A couple of the door seals could do with replacement as the rubber has come away slightly.
The car comes with a few bits of paperwork, but naturally, very little was kept throughout its life in Italy. I know that the previous owner had the fuel system overhauled including the diesel filtration & injection systems.
The original jack and spare wheel are in the boot.
I suppose apart from this, I'll let the pictures do the talking and if you have any more questions, please do get in touch.
The car is based just near Faringdon in Oxfordshire. I am available for viewings, but please let me know a little bit in advance as it's stored locally and I have minimal free time due to work. Ironically, the initial purchase of the 132 was because my friends were buying others from the collection and asked if I wanted to go along. I thought if I'm going along, I may as well bring one back myself!
The moment we started driving through Italy, the lovely 132 started to grow on me. Throughout the journey home, it was comfortable, relatively effortless and surprisingly modern to drive for its age.
I think what makes it unique is relatively obvious - it's most likely the only one in the UK! If, like myself, you enjoy car shows then you'll very much enjoy ownership. It turns heads and there are plenty of interesting features to chat to people about as well as its history.
My favourite thing would have to be its looks. The 2500 diesel version of the 132 gained a bonnet bulge to accommodate the slightly taller engine. It looks quite menacing but classy. I've always been a fan of open faced headlights too.
