Fiat 127

Author
Discussion

rangie999

Original Poster:

229 posts

180 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
In my youth I had a scruffy 127 sport. I loved that little car….however a new company car arrived and it had to go. It’s probably been recycled several times by now.
So fast forward to my old age and I fancy one again….they have all gone! Even Autoscout only has one for silly money. So I’ve bought a worn out and rusty project that going to be great fun restoring…I’ve done a few other cars so not daunted. But when you think how many of these Fiat and indeed Seat sold you would think spare body panels would be available…a few in Italy for sale but Brexit makes the seller reluctant to ship. Not sure what to do short of a road trip in the pickup.
So when did you last see one?

Turbobanana

6,740 posts

208 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
I've spent a lot of time in Italy over the last few years, and rarely seen one there. Most have probably donated headlights to Maserati Biturbos, which I believe use the same part.

Good luck!

Edited by Turbobanana on Saturday 8th July 11:21

Rob Dicky

209 posts

230 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My wife's 1976 127 with boot not hatchback bought used at 12 months old and kept it 14 years. Only 903cc but ran really well an excellent little car.


Edited by Rob Dicky on Saturday 8th July 11:03

Good luck with yours

Edited by Rob Dicky on Saturday 8th July 11:04

Bob the Cop

189 posts

91 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
]

Thought you might like to see a line up of 127's at the Lamborghini factory.
I photographed the Countach during my visit there in 1979/80. No intention to record the Fiats.
The factory were putting the finishing touches to a limited edition model, the "Palio" ?
I expect someone will know the model name


.

LuS1fer

41,753 posts

252 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
Yes, it was the Palio.
The most expensive trim with a Webasto sunroof. Sort of like the Pallas luxury badge used by Citroen or Ghia by Ford.

Probably single numbers in terms of surviving cars as they did like to rot.

jet_noise

5,800 posts

189 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
Jumpers for goalposts, wavy screen...
...a youthful J Noise with hair, a lot of hair, has tickets to see classical prog. band the Enid with two friends. Mum's car, her 2nd 127 IIRC in yellow after green, has been booked for the occasion.

Oh no! Fuel shortage. It's economical, driven carefully we'll make it won't we. And back?
Bath to London, park on Wardour Street, the Marquee club. Oxford Street no entries & ULEZ pah!
It's a hoot in City traffic, Italian small car is made for it.
Gig is superb.

Now to get home. No fuel at that always cheap Jet station on the M4 slip, sort of expected. Oh, great, now it's snowing.
50mph is very, very boring but gosh is it sipping rather than slurping.
Fuel light on. Coast down Box Hill, no power steering so can still turn!
We're the only car on the road and tracks in the snow.

And home to student flat, no heating of course! Luxury smile

Here endeth a 127 anecdote.

B'stard Child

29,256 posts

253 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My ex wife bought a 127 Palio - lovely little car to drive (it replaced a Hillman Imp which did’t want to keep it’s engine in the bay)

She was a terrible driver on a good day and it died after punching through a hedge arguing with a tree or two and then rolling over to play dead.

It wasn’t the first car she had killed and it wasn’t the last.


wibble cb

3,754 posts

214 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My grandfather had one REG650R, did less than 25k in 10 plus years of ownership, it wasn’t the best car in the world, but it got my grandparents around.

jet_noise

5,800 posts

189 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
My ex wife bought a 127 Palio - lovely little car to drive (it replaced a Hillman Imp which did’t want to keep it’s engine in the bay)

She was a terrible driver on a good day and it died after punching through a hedge arguing with a tree or two and then rolling over to play dead.

It wasn’t the first car she had killed and it wasn’t the last.
My Mum also went from Imp to 127.
But well beaten by your ex in the article of auto-murder!

ReverendCounter

6,087 posts

183 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
You might have seen this youtube two-parter, OP - if not you might find this interesting - restomodded shed find Italian 127:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4A2Qw4Fymc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-PHdAt8Zq8&t=...




Dapster

7,453 posts

187 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
A few for sale here

https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search.html?dam...

Crazy prices, this late model sport up for €20k!

https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id...



Great cars though - peppy engines and hang-on-forever handling. Rot killed most of them I'd imagine.


B'stard Child

29,256 posts

253 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
jet_noise said:
B'stard Child said:
My ex wife bought a 127 Palio - lovely little car to drive (it replaced a Hillman Imp which did’t want to keep it’s engine in the bay)

She was a terrible driver on a good day and it died after punching through a hedge arguing with a tree or two and then rolling over to play dead.

It wasn’t the first car she had killed and it wasn’t the last.
My Mum also went from Imp to 127.
But well beaten by your ex in the article of auto-murder!
When we split she took the 205 as part of the settlement - killed that as well frown

SydneyBridge

9,427 posts

165 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My dad had a yellow 127 and then a yellow 128, both fine for a family of 4 in them days...

Turbobanana

6,740 posts

208 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
jet_noise said:
Jumpers for goalposts, wavy screen...
...a youthful J Noise with hair, a lot of hair, has tickets to see classical prog. band the Enid with two friends. Mum's car, her 2nd 127 IIRC in yellow after green, has been booked for the occasion.

Oh no! Fuel shortage. It's economical, driven carefully we'll make it won't we. And back?
Bath to London, park on Wardour Street, the Marquee club. Oxford Street no entries & ULEZ pah!
It's a hoot in City traffic, Italian small car is made for it.
Gig is superb.

Now to get home. No fuel at that always cheap Jet station on the M4 slip, sort of expected. Oh, great, now it's snowing.
50mph is very, very boring but gosh is it sipping rather than slurping.
Fuel light on. Coast down Box Hill, no power steering so can still turn!
We're the only car on the road and tracks in the snow.

And home to student flat, no heating of course! Luxury smile

Here endeth a 127 anecdote.
clap

jet_noise

5,800 posts

189 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
jet_noise said:
B'stard Child said:
My ex wife bought a 127 Palio - lovely little car to drive (it replaced a Hillman Imp which did’t want to keep it’s engine in the bay)

She was a terrible driver on a good day and it died after punching through a hedge arguing with a tree or two and then rolling over to play dead.

It wasn’t the first car she had killed and it wasn’t the last.
My Mum also went from Imp to 127.
But well beaten by your ex in the article of auto-murder!
When we split she took the 205 as part of the settlement - killed that as well frown
nuts

B'stard Child

29,256 posts

253 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
jet_noise said:
nuts
I know I did the right thing splitting - been with current partner for 30 plus years - picking one that can’t and won’t drive helped

Mr Tidy

24,332 posts

134 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My Mum bought a dark blue 127 registration OML 690K to replace her Fiat 600 in 1974.

I have some great memories of ragging it around as it was the first car I drove after passing my driving test!

When she was looking for a new car in 1978 she tried a 127 Sport and a 128 3P but despite my best efforts she paid more for a Fiesta 1100S. banghead

Good luck with your project - it is good to know one is getting saved. thumbup


JuiceTerry

126 posts

99 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
My brother had a 127 Sport in the early 80’s, great looking thing in black with orange accents.

Frankthered

1,630 posts

187 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
Rob Dicky said:
My wife's 1976 127 with boot not hatchback bought used at 12 months old and kept it 14 years. Only 903cc but ran really well an excellent little car.


Edited by Rob Dicky on Saturday 8th July 11:03

Good luck with yours

Edited by Rob Dicky on Saturday 8th July 11:04
My first car was a green 1977 127 Special that looked rather like this yellow one, even with the boot rather than a hatch. The "Special" part was that the facelift version was about to launch so they loaded it up with extras like check-patterned cloth facings in the seats and front seat head restraints and, um, that's about it really.

It was a cracking little car and I'd love to drive one again. I bought it in 1987 and got it through one MoT before rust (around the rear strut-tops) and an engine that rattled on start-up caught up with it and I scrapped it in 1989. frown

Good luck with the resto, OP!

Brinyan

425 posts

100 months

Saturday 8th July 2023
quotequote all
I often think of the 127 Sport I had as my second car. Was so much cooler than my first car………Austin Allegro. The 127 was black, with orange badges, one proudly stating 70HP.
Progressed to a Lancia HPE 2000ie. Would love to still have them both.
Well done OP, may be a challenge to source the parts, but it takes what it takes.