What's your first Italian car | FerrariChat

What's your first Italian car

Discussion in 'Mondial' started by AUDIO RESEARCH, Apr 18, 2015.

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  1. AUDIO RESEARCH

    AUDIO RESEARCH Formula Junior

    Feb 11, 2009
    350
    PHILIPPINES
    Full Name:
    LUIGI RAYMUND LIRA
    Hi to all,

    I don't know if this has been asked before. What was your first Italian car? My first Italian car was a 1974 an orange 1974 124 Fiat Spider w/ a tan colored top. Contrary to claims that it was unreliable mine was not. Did not any have any major problems w/ it, never left me stranded. That was way back in 1987 when I was still in Medical School.

    audio research
     
  2. YELO T

    YELO T Formula 3

    Jul 2, 2012
    1,193
    Long Island, NY
    Full Name:
    Jonathan
  3. Cadillacbart

    Cadillacbart Formula Junior

    Nov 26, 2013
    436
    Denver, CO
    Full Name:
    John
    First was a 1981 "Anniversary Edition" Fiat Spider. Was a great car.
     
  4. davebuchner

    davebuchner Formula 3

    Jun 1, 2005
    2,487
    London UK
    Full Name:
    Dave Buchner
    My first car was Italian - at university - a 1974 mustard colored Fiat 124 Special T with the 1600 twin cam -bought in 1991. It belonged to my mate who got it as a gift from his grandfather who had owned it from new. My mate had moved on to using the grandfathers Alfa Guilietta.
     
  5. ronfrohock

    ronfrohock F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 16, 2004
    3,919
    MA
    Full Name:
    Ron Frohock
    1982 Fiat Spider 2000. Red on tan. I still have it and love driving it.
    I bought it about 20 years ago and it's been a great car. I've found them to be very reliable and I love the looks of it.
    It was the gateway car into the Mondial when my kids couldn't fit in the back as they grew.

    I've noticed that the cost of these are going up. I'm thinking about getting another to mothball.
     
  6. 2cam

    2cam Formula Junior

    Aug 28, 2014
    742
    Austin, Texas
    Full Name:
    MikeS
    The 1st was a '77 Alfa Spider which led to a succession of different Alfas: 1974 GTV, (3) GTV6s (84-86), 1988 3.0 Milano, 1984 and 1986 Spiders.

    I love old Alfas and believe that the Spiders are another under-appreciated, under-priced classic that's ripe for an increase in price. Sign me up for a minty, pre-'74. :)

    2cam
     
  7. godabitibi

    godabitibi F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 11, 2012
    6,252
    Papineauville, Quebec
    Full Name:
    Claude Laforest
    I would like to post I had a Fiat or Alfa or aything else like you guys but I was never in the imported cars so when I bought my 308 she was my first Italian. The closest I had been to an Italian vehicle before was my friend's CIAO moped when we were teenagers and I would work on it because I was the only mechanic oriented guy around. My second one was my Pantera.
     
  8. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
    5,966
    Milton, Wash.
    Full Name:
    Jeff B.
    My first Italian car was a 1959 Lancia Appia Series II Sedan, purchased for $50 around 1972, when I would have been about 19-20 years old. The same car is still owned locally, still in exceptional condition. Never wrecked or rusted.
     
  9. cockrill

    cockrill Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 23, 2008
    1,086
    Columbia, MO
    Full Name:
    Jeremy Cockrill
    #9 cockrill, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Mine was only half Italian... A 1992 Cadillac Allante. It was my first "exotic" car. This photo isn't of mine, but mine looked just like it.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  10. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    #10 Wade, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Mine, or ours (when I was in high school) is less so having only been designed by an Italian company (Pininfarina).

    A '66 Peugeot 404 just like this one.
    .
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    #11 Wade, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  12. mebowles

    mebowles Karting

    Jan 7, 2013
    147
    Western US
    Full Name:
    Matt
    #12 mebowles, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    #13 VIZSLA, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  14. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

    May 22, 2002
    4,130
    Vt
    Mine was a prugna 86 mondial coupe. Hopefully it won't be my last.
     
  15. bbekker

    bbekker Karting

    Jan 16, 2010
    64
    Mexico
    Full Name:
    Bas
    #15 bbekker, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  16. jmaz

    jmaz Formula Junior

    Jun 27, 2011
    350
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Jim
    #16 jmaz, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  17. uberlink

    uberlink Formula Junior

    Apr 23, 2012
    777
    Twin Cities, MN
    Full Name:
    Mark Johnson
    1980 Ferrari 308. Loved that car. Wasn't using it enough once I had kids so stepped over to the Mondial.
     
  18. Dizengoff

    Dizengoff Formula Junior

    Nov 24, 2011
    625
    Chicago
    I'm currently hunting for a hot rodded GTV or GTV6. I haven't decided which, although I suspect a hot-rodded GTV or GTA/M tribute might be easier to find than a GTV6.
     
  19. AUDIO RESEARCH

    AUDIO RESEARCH Formula Junior

    Feb 11, 2009
    350
    PHILIPPINES
    Full Name:
    LUIGI RAYMUND LIRA
    I always like the Alfa Romeo Spider w/ the Kamn tail. I wanted it as an upgrade to my Fiat Spider but it was very rare in our country even today. I regret trading in my 124 Spider for a 73 M Benz 450 SL . The Merc was more of a boulevard cruiser and not a proper sports car.
     
  20. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,040
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    My wife had a 1978 Fiat Strada when I dated/married her. Wasn't terrible, but eventually just donated it in 1989 (still running, but with some problems) as a tax write-off. The scary thing was that it used the same gas cap as my 1978 ex-308 ;).
     
  21. Burch1

    Burch1 Formula 3

    May 26, 2012
    1,028
    Singapore/Carmel, IN
    Full Name:
    Greg
    People forget that the Cadillac Allanté was designed by Pininfarina just like the Mondial.
    Remember that ads showing them coming back from Italy on the specially built 747's?
    Amazing to think of it today.
    Cheers,
    Greg

     
  22. bartzagato

    bartzagato Formula Junior

    Aug 7, 2010
    614
    Belgium
    Full Name:
    Bart
    My first Italian car was a 1980 Lancia Beta Coupé. It was something I've never seen before. I was working at that time in a Fiat/Lancia dealership on saturdays to sharpen my wrenching skills and earning a buck. I was 20 at that time.
    My life was filled with Volkswagen aircooled machinery.
    One day a guy stopped at the dealership and asked the owner if they were interested in buying the Beta Coupé he had on his trailer. When I saw that car on the trailer, I was completely in love with it: instant rcrush.
    An Italian exotic for a measly 400€, I bought the car a nanosecond after the garage owner refused the offer.
    It was painted in a non original sea-green apple-blue color, which made this a million dollar car in my eyes: sporty lines, funky color, raspy engine sound, ..., no doubt : those old VW kettles had to move, this was the new God on wheels.

    The virus has struck me since that day:
    Next cars/mopeds followed:

    Fiat 127 Sport Abarth
    fiat Uno Turbo 1
    Fiat Ritmo Cabrio in Abarth livery
    Alfa Romeo 33 (2 times)
    Alfa romeo 75 (2 times)
    Lancia Dedra SW
    Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato (still have)
    Lancia fulvia Coupé
    Lancia Fulvia Berlina (2 times)
    Vespa PK50XL (still have)
    Vespa PK50S (still have)
    Ferrari Mondial QV

    Because I later in my professional life worked as an after sales responsable in a Fiat/Alfa/Lancia dealership between 2000 and 2003, I drove every single model ever produced in that timeframe.
    I drove the FIRST Lancia Thesis in Belgium, it was a demo car. I waited till 9pm on the truck to arrive, called my boss the car arrived and asked if I could take it home for a testdrive. To my big surprise it was no problemo! I was king of the road and made a 'small' detour. It was the worst night of sleep with that car on the driveway.

    Later I discovered the reason for my love for Italian oily stuff: I was concieved in Rome. Thank you for that dad! 😃
     
  23. feiss

    feiss Karting

    Jan 23, 2014
    77
    Bologna Italy
    Full Name:
    Carlo Faccioli
    My first car in 1972 is DUETTO 1300 ALFA ROMEO (in USA THE GRADUATE)
    M A G I C !!!
    Black !!!
    and after an other DUETTO 2000 Carburator RED
    And now MONDIAL T CABRIOLET RED 1992
    And I am ITALIAN from Bologna
     
  24. Subito Grigio

    Subito Grigio Formula Junior

    Jun 2, 2009
    327
    1961 Giulietta Spider (bought in 1975; sold 1976)
     
  25. porchnut

    porchnut Formula Junior

    Dec 2, 2014
    282
    Tucson, AZ
    Full Name:
    Andrew Bober
    My first is my 1986 Mondial 3.2, love it so far !
     

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