My first italian car (it's still my daily driver) is an Alfa Romeo MiTo turbodiesel MY 2011. Best handling sub-supercar I've ever driven. Kind regards, Nuno.
My first Italian (car!) was a lovely white Lancia Fulvia S3 new in 1975 followed by a white Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.8 new in 1977. Followed by a 1 year old red 308GTS in 1982 and then a 2 year old metallic brown Alfa Romeo 6 in 1986 (that color really did not suit the shape - just made the series One "Sei" look like an ugly enlarged Alfetta). Other Italians have followed on (still have most of them although I recently parted with the AR "Sei" and the Alfetta requires major restoration). I detect a strong Alfa theme in these posts!
"I lived with you for twenty years: how many deeds, events and men went by! Today I remember them, each and everyone. I still have, for Alfa, the tenderness of a first love. The pure affection of a child for his mother." - Enzo Ferrari Kind regards, Nuno.
Started with a Ferrari 328, which I owned from 2006-2013. Added a FIAT 500 Abarth in 2012, daily driver. Then experienced my first Alfa, a 1973 acquired in 2013. Now looking for a 348. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The V6 cars have an incredible sound. I've always been of the opinion that there isn't another car at the price point of a GTV6 or 75 that can create the noises that those cars can. They'll make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The biggest problem is that the GTV6s are ridiculously prone to rust. That is a stunning-looking Spider and my favorite era of the Series 2 cars. The small chrome bumpers look so perfect on the cars. They're just sooo deliciously mechanical. I'd purchased my 1st Spider after owning a series of early 70s BMWs and it had everything that the BMWs should have had (4 wheel disc brakes, a 5 speed, and fuel injection). The gearbox just felt so right and direct, the mechanical sounds made by the motor at idle and underway were lovely, and it felt so relaxed at highway speeds. It really hooked me into the Italian mystique and led me down the path of multiple Alfas, a couple of Ducatis, and a BUNCH of Italian bikes. 2cam
A 1973 Alfa Spider in pretty rough shape. If you can survive that and still like Italian cars you're hooked for life. My second car was a 1973 alfa spider that I had restored. The third: a 246 Dino Gt. By this time, there's no going back.
In high school I had 3 fiat 850s to keep one running. We used to take the engine/trans out on my sims Christian hosoi skate board. Let's face it, it was a motorcycle engine. I couldn't afford anything 'nice' like the lancia zagato the girlfriend I had owned
Remember the Le Baron Maser?! Both of these came out around when I started driving and I remember thinking how cool it would be to have a reliable car that looked like this-especially in he case of the caddy
My first Italian was a 1969 850 spyder (903cc / 55ci). It had the heart of a humming bird and half the life expectancy. It did claim one hp per cubic inch at 6,500 rpm. Exhaust system actually reminds me of my '86 Prugna Coupe. I have been known to claim the Mondial as my adult Fiat 850! Let us supose a V8 Fiat at 1,800 cc = 110 Hp. Bump the displacement up to by two more 850 engines and you get 220 hp with 3.6 liters. That is a two valve pushrod engine from about 45 years ago. My 3.5 pushrod MAXX claims 220hp at 6,500 rpms. With vvt. Of course the MAXX did not need new main bearings at 20,000 miles. But thats just a quibble.
It's fun to see that our Italian taste in cars got bigger over time. So even across the pond most got infected by either a Fiat or Alfa like here and so did I My first and second car was an Alfa Romeo 33 QV 1500cc with 4 carburetors. Although they where regular communiter cars you needed to learn to drive it. I drove to nearly everywhere in Europe with this Italian and it only once let me down in the Austrian Alps (mountains) and needed to tow it home. I survived, or rather say, drove through, a severe accident with it on the German highway going 180km/h (110mph) where all the debris was scattering around you and flying suite cases hit your windshield. Oh man we were lucky! I thank Koni and Pirelli still to this day! Had the car for 12 years, drove 360.000km (225000miles) with it without a motor revision. Sold it and it got wrecked in a week Like I said it was a car that you need to learn to drive. Then I got merely Pininfarina styled cars ok... and a Renault 5 GT Turbo next to the Alfa which got more care then Mr. 5 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
My first Italian car was a 1969 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, pictured below just before I sold it in 2005. It now belongs to a member of the Italian Car Club of Ottawa, Ontario, and can be seen pictured (restored) on their website photos. The 2+2 style of this Fiat is what led me towards the Mondial. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hello brother. The SC was a fantastic package. IMO the styling/packaging was more GTE than Mondial. Wish I still had mine.
Great pics. Great design on these-best design in the 124 series. I knew this guy who had one when I was in college is probably 1992 or so. It was more reliable than the Frankenstein 850 I had in highschool. all these old fiats were crazy light-you were never going that fast but man it felt like you were
Same here. Bought right before graduating H.S. All that hard earned lawn cutting money. Started the beginning of a sick love/hate relationship! Help.....
