We read yesterday that Americans referred to pasta as macaroni up until the late 80s, when the Italian word started to gain prominence in the US. We grew up calling pasta noodles, and still call it that, so make of that what you will. So, while we believe that 124 wagons like today's example were sold as the Fiat 124 Station Wagon in North America, we've gone with the European moniker Familiare, because we like it.
While the 124 Familiare appears to have plenty of room for, say, a family of five, we hope it's a tight five on the scale, because each family member will be allotted 13hp for forward progress. In the old country, that must have been a real surplus, but we'd suggest packing light, lest you strain the sweet little 1200 single cam engine.
Year: 1973
Model: Fiat 124 Familiare
Engine: 1,197cc 4-cylinder
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 35,309mi
Price: Auction
Location: El Monte, CA
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Fiat 124 Familiare
Minor surface rust. Nice floor board, not running, Missing rear seat. Needs minor body work. Will put 4 good tires to roll. Needs total restoration.All stock only two owners. Price reverse
Looking at the underside photos provided by the seller, the condition of this California car appears to be very redeeming. The floors seem to be - and are claimed to be - very solid, with little rust to find underneath. Exterior sheetmetal shows some flaking of paint due to rust, but it appears to be the sort of surface rust that the seller is claiming. Mechanically speaking, the car has needs. The seller says that it does not run or drive, so expect the worst, but given the simplicity of these engines, we wouldn't be too worried.
This car clearly requires a bit of cleaning up, but we don't agree with the seller on the need for a full restoration. The interior will probably clean up pretty nicely, though new seats will be in order. And, the mechanicals could be brought back to driving condition with a reasonable effort. We're running a crank, some rods and pistons, and two cylinder heads to the machine shop this afternoon. Our Fiat 500 Abarth will suffice, but this 124 Familiare? Well, that would be ideal for the job.
-Graham