Club126UK

Welcome to the CLUB126UK Forum => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: Paulsmith126 on June 09, 2021, 04:28:51 PM

Title: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Paulsmith126 on June 09, 2021, 04:28:51 PM
Hello

Recently purchased my first 126 to be restored over the next 12 months ready for my sons 17th.

Car looks to be in fair shape underneath and it is a runner.  It needs a fair few new panels and some interior work.

The car was sold as a barn find with no paperwork or even a registration number!  So a bit of a gamble.  I have written to the DVLA and completed a V62 in the hope that it has been previously registered.  The VIN is ZFA126A0008508033.

If anyone has any ideas as to the age or provenance of the car, I would be interested to hear them. Its RHD and has FIAT rather than POLSKI badging.

Key (confusing) points I have noted from my research:
1) plastic bumpers point to it being an FL model from 1984 onwards
2) an old style instrument pod points to it being a pre-FL model 
3) there are 3 holes on the right hand side of the boot lid in a triangle pattern for a badge that is not there?
4) It starts on the lever as opposed to the key

Look forward to posting on the forum as the work progresses.

Cheers
Paul
(https://i.postimg.cc/RJSchB8m/1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RJSchB8m)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wyVmSrBG/10.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wyVmSrBG)

(https://i.postimg.cc/5Q2C1mYN/11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5Q2C1mYN)

(https://i.postimg.cc/z3zWnqtZ/12.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/z3zWnqtZ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/JsfZJJgP/2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/JsfZJJgP)

(https://i.postimg.cc/WhfMNx7R/3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WhfMNx7R)

(https://i.postimg.cc/23GQJ1bS/4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/23GQJ1bS)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3WYjnXwq/5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3WYjnXwq)

(https://i.postimg.cc/PPqWkdYz/6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PPqWkdYz)

(https://i.postimg.cc/WD0r7zcj/7.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WD0r7zcj)

(https://i.postimg.cc/S2q914m9/8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/S2q914m9)

(https://i.postimg.cc/fVtYJ5HV/9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/fVtYJ5HV)
Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Minijohn on June 09, 2021, 10:32:25 PM
Hi Paul

Welcome to the forum - that's a nice project you have there.

I'm not far from you - in Membury, Devon and I'm restoring/modifying a Polish 126 which I bought, in Yeovil, without any paperwork at all.

DVLA wanted proof of when the car was built to issue a V5.

I first contacted the archives dept of Fiat in Italy.....
[email protected]
who put me in touch with a person at the factory in Poland who sent me a letter confirming the build date.

Maybe Fiat can confirm when your car was built.
Note - DVLA wanted an original letter, not an email.

This may help too....
https://www.fcaheritage.com/en-uk/classic-services/fiat-certificate-origin

Good luck with that.

John
(https://i.postimg.cc/mz1Q2JDr/IMG-20210407-165226.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mz1Q2JDr)

(https://i.postimg.cc/SJhWkZpy/IMG-20210414-155952.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SJhWkZpy)
Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Paulsmith126 on June 09, 2021, 10:55:42 PM
Many thanks for the reply John.

I'm actually in Yeovil!

I will give your suggestion a try and see how I get on and will let you know.

Cheers

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Macmonkey on June 11, 2021, 08:33:56 PM
Welcome to the forum. The 3 holes on the boot that you mention will be for a 650 badge. (I’ve attached a pic of my car to show).
Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Bar Vitelli on June 11, 2021, 09:03:40 PM
...and the lever start is standard!

Invest in ‘Fiat 126’ by Alessandro Sannia if you really want to get to know your car!
Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Paulsmith126 on June 11, 2021, 10:14:07 PM
Quote from: Macmonkey on June 11, 2021, 08:33:56 PM
Welcome to the forum. The 3 holes on the boot that you mention will be for a 650 badge. (I’ve attached a pic of my car to show).
The 3 holes I mentioned are shown in my photo attached. They are on the flat section.

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Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Paulsmith126 on June 11, 2021, 10:15:39 PM
Now attached!(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210611/faea89d8e45e2ecf6c1ce8ded619c387.jpg)

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Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Paulsmith126 on June 11, 2021, 10:16:49 PM
Quote from: Bar Vitelli on June 11, 2021, 09:03:40 PM
...and the lever start is standard!

Invest in ‘Fiat 126’ by Alessandro Sannia if you really want to get to know your car!
Thanks. I will take a look. I thought the lever start was changed to normal start at some point?

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Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Macmonkey on June 12, 2021, 06:44:27 AM
Those 3 holes correspond to the ones on my car where the fog light is (as on pic I attached). But weirdly your car appears to have the later bumper with the fog light attached underneath.
Title: Re: New owner, Somerset
Post by: Minijohn on June 12, 2021, 10:42:28 PM
Your bumpers don't match each other.
The front bumper is shallower than the the rear.
Here's a photo of my car with its original rubber bumpers. Notice the rear is the same as yours, but the front is different.

(https://i.postimg.cc/5YSbxwk6/IMG-5726.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5YSbxwk6)

I suspect your car had chrome bumpers originally