Hi from Nottingham UK

[gammakeith]

Hi all!

My names Keith and I'm shortly to be a 126 owner.  I've been lurking a little while I've been looking for a suitable car but as the deal is about to be completed (Sat) I thought I'd better get rid of my lurker status.  I'm a fairly old g*t based in Nottingham.  However, the advantage of age is that all the things I have broken means that I have become a pretty competent home mechanic.  My main interest is in classic motorbikes having restored quite a few over the years but I have 'done' one car restoration (Triumph Spitfire).  I ran the Spitfire as my daily transport for 10 years and then swore I would never again run a classic car after it was sold.  However, the passage of years has dulled the memory of the trauma of the constant repairs needed to keep it running Thus, a Fiat 126 will now serve as our second car for my wife.  It will join the company of an Alfa 156, a Fiat Ducato based motorhome and quite a few motorbikes (Ducati ST4S, Suzuki RG500, Scott Squirrel, Cyclemaster and Honda CRM250). 

I'm looking forward to having a rear wheel drive car again.  Roll on the snow! 

Best wishes,

Keith

[wsmitwil]

Welcome to the club 

[Rusty's Uncle]

Hi Keith the great thing about this club and forum is that there are enough members of a "mature" age to form a panel of grumpy old guys & gals whilst at the other end of the spectrum there are younger folk , not old enough to hold a licence, that are enthusiastic about the 126.
That old memory loss is a good trump card but I have issues with that Spitfire thing as I was strictly an Austin Healey Sprite man 
Good luck with the car and you can do a drag race with that Cyclemaster 
I once had a Vincent Firefly which I sadley ruined in my youthful ignorance

[Pete126]

Hi Keith to the club, With age comes knowledge! how to set up Points, Timing and fuel mixture without a LapTop

[gammakeith]

Ha ha, nice to know there are a few other 'mature' members    I have to say that I have not missed carbs, points and tappets in cars.  Modern cars might be more complex but as long as nothing goes wrong, servicing is a doddle.  I have not forgotten the joy of trying to get the timing right with a clapped out distributor!!

Wasn't the Austin Healey Sprite the car that was the basis for the the MG Midget?  The same Midget that finished its life with a Spitfire engine?  Sorry, couldn't resist that   

I am hoping the 126 has a little more 'go' than the Cyclemaster but am not expecting much.  The Cyclemotors are a classic example of how the simplest and most basic vehicles are often the most unreliable.  I always thought the Firefly was an elegant little beast and are probably worth a small fortune now.

I am sure this has been asked countless times but why "Rusty's Uncle"?  Did you buy the car off Rusty?

Keith

[DeVilleChris]

Welcome to the forum, hope you find a nice 126!

[Kowalski]

- I'm a fairly old g*t

- become a pretty competent home mechanic. 

- main interest is in classic motorbikes

- I have 'done' one car restoration

- Alfa 156, a Fiat Ducato based motorhome and quite a few motorbikes (Ducati ST4S, Suzuki RG500, Scott Squirrel, Cyclemaster and Honda CRM250). 

- looking forward to having a rear wheel drive car again.  Roll on the snow! 

-check
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I'm fairly new here, and not yet as competent as many on here, but your profile seems to suit this place perfectly.
Welcome!

Andre

[Rusty's Uncle]

Midgets were too posh for me they had a chrome strip down the side and a fancy radiator grill which slowed them down 
The last Sprites made with the bigger engine were Austin Sprites as they could no longer used the Healey name. That is what you get for fitting dodgey bits   
 As for Rusty's Uncle you are only the 2nd person to ask about that. The first one was the guy that bought Rusty from me, a 126 Brown that was more a rusty colour rather than rusted. So when I joined the forum I was no longer Rusty's "dad" . Since then I have adopted two petulent additions to the family, Toshi the 500L and Mossy the 126 DeVille 

[gammakeith]

Ah, that makes sense. It does, however, sound like you are a glutton for punishment with your Fiats.  One will be enough for us    Mind you, even though I prefer my vehicles original, I do like the sound of the motorbike engined (BMW K75) 126's.  Who knows, maybe in the future we can have 'his' and 'hers' cars?

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.  I'm sure I'm going to fit in ok 

Keith