Tag Archives: Abarth

1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC – REVISIT

August 18, 2013 Graham

The Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC we featured last fall is back up for sale with a much lower Buy It Now price, in contrast the the previous ask of $23,500.

1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC on eBay - REVISIT

The below post originally appeared on our site November 28, 2012:

Hot hatches were all the rage in the 1980s and Fiat's answer to the GTI was a series of hot Ritmos (known as the Strada in the US) tuned by Abarth. The final evolution in the Ritmo Abarth saga, the 130TC, packed a 2.0 liter twin cam, dual carb four cylinder engine capable of 128 horsepower. We've featured two 130TCs here at CICFS already, but this is the first one that has appeared on US shores, making it attractive for Abarth fans who want something just a little different than the 500 Abarth currently being offered by the company today.

Year: 1983
Model: Ritmo
Engine: 2.0 liter inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 69,000 mi
Price: Reserve auction

CLICK FOR DETAILS:1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC - REVISIT

Here is for sale my 1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC (2 liters) 5-speed, this car does not need any thing other than TLC. I have a clear Florida title, engine very strong, drives as an Abarth should do, 5 speed manual all original, make no mistake this is not, just a Ritmo 130, it is a factory made Abarth, force to sell due to lack of space and time, too many cars, please text or call at 305-401-7469 mail me at tony1961@msn.com

VIN: ZFA138A0002968221, 1983 model, 69,000 miles

VERY GOOD CONDITION

NO DENTS OR DINGS,

HAD NO ACCIDENTS

RECARO ORIGINAL (OPTIONS) SEATS

PERFECT INTERIOR, ALL ORIGINAL

TWO OWNERS FROM NEW

DRIVE FANTASTIC: TOP SPEED 195 Km/h ( 121 MPH ) - 0-100km/h ( 0-60 MPH ): 7,6

THE CAR HAS FLORIDA TITLE - IMPORTED FROM EUROPE IN 2012

In 1984 Fiat released the final production model of the Ritmo, the 130 TC Abarth. The car is based on the Ritmo 2 body, but contains exciting modifications. Abarth modifications to suspension and engine gave this car ample quantities of both acceleration and handling. The 125TC (130TC predecessor based on Ritmo 1 shell) won the 1982 Italian Group A Championship. The Ritmo 130TC was with Group N rallying in mind, and when released in 1984, was the quickest production hatch available. The Ritmo 130TC was produced between 1984 - 1988, developed 130 bhp at 5900 rpm, and could sprint to 100kmh in just under 8 seconds. This car had a very firm ride that some people would have found uncomfortable. The optional Recaro seats look the business but lack lumbar and under thigh support. They do offer good lateral support while cornering. One cannot help but wonder what the 131 Rally's 16 valve head may have added to this already impressive equation.

An October 1982 facelift saw the Ritmo's styling become more restrained with more conventional re-designed front and rear ends.[9] Base models sold on the continent featured the by-now familiar corporate five-bar grille with single round headlamps set in a conventional grille, whilst all other models featured twin round headlamps (in the UK, all models of this generation featured twin headlamps). The rear gained conventional light clusters either side of the rear numberplate. The 1.05 litre "Brazil" engine was no longer available.

The 105TC was relaunched with revised interior trim, a dashboard mirroring that of the earlier Ritmo Super, and an upper hatchback spoiler in place of the lower one. In the UK, 7-spoke alloy wheels replaced the earlier Speedline ones. The advertising name was revised to Strada II in the UK, although the car remained badged as a Strada. The US version was unchanged but was finally discontinued at the end of the 1982 model year, leaving only sports cars in the US Fiat lineup (the X1/9 and the 124 Spider).

Most significantly, a hot hatch version — the Abarth 130TC — was added. This model was based on the 125TC with a 1,995 cc engine, but with performance increased to 130 PS (96 kW; 128 bhp) by replacing the single Weber carb used in the 125TC with twin Solex/Weber carbs on a side-draught manifold, and improved cam profiles. The 130TC was capable of 195 km/h (121 mph) and accelerated from 0 to100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.8 seconds.[6] It was a raw hot hatch fitted with Recaro bucket seats as standard in the UK (optional in Europe), and significantly it was the only 1980s hot hatch to continue utilise carburettors instead of fuel injection coming with either twin Solex ADDHE or Weber DCOE40 carburetors. Ignition timing was controlled electronically. Although appearing outwardly similar to the restyled 105TC with its lower door & wheelarch trims, the 130TC could be distinguished by its polished four-spoke alloy wheels (continued from the earlier 125TC), aerodynamic perspex front door wind deflectors, and lower hatchback spoiler. The raw powerful twin-cam mated to a close ratio ZF gearbox made it a handful to drive, with the performance to outpace many of its contemporary rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf GTi, Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra GTE and the MG Maestro.

more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Ritmo

The last 130TC we featured for sale was priced at about $11,000, and that was located in Italy. Is $23,500 the price of unobtanium these days? For this Fiat, I doubt it. While it is certainly in good shape and quite possibly the only example of its kind in the US, that doesn't necessitate such a huge markup. It seems the seller is hoping to recoup the shipping and importation costs while making a tidy profit. With a market for a car this small, this price is just way too out of the ballpark.

-Paul

Fiat

1984 Fiat 131 Abarth Volumetrico

February 28, 2013 Graham 3 Comments

To close out February, I thought we would feature another three box sedan from the 1980s, the ubiquitous Fiat 131. But this is no ordinary 131. In 1981, Fiat decided to add some fire to the mix, much like Alfa Romeo did with their turbocharged Giulietta we featured yesterday. The 131 Abarth Volumetrico featured a supercharged version of the 2.0 liter twin cam engine. This would make the car good for 140 horsepower and top speeds approaching 120 mph. Shortly after Fiat ceased production of the Volumetrico, Lancia would adopt the technology for use in its Beta Coupe, HPE, Trevi and Montecarlo. This 131 Abarth Volumetrico is for sale in Cuneo, on the French border near Nice.

1984 Fiat 131 Abarth Volumetrico

For sale, Fiat 131 Abarth Racing Volumetrico 2000cc, year 1984, original TO plates, two door in optimal condition. Papers available. Contact only by telephone.

Fiat 131s for sale that are in good nick in the US generally bring somewhere between $3,500 to $6,500 or so. The Volumetrico is not a common 131 in the US or abroad, so I'd suspect a low mileage example like this will bring somewhere near the top of that range, if not more. The 131 was the World Rally Champion in 1977, 1978 and 1980. Subsequently, the 131 Rally that was homologated for sale is a rather pricey item to this day. For much less cash, the Volumetrico offers similar looks with the added benefit of supercharged thrills.

-Paul

Fiat

1963 Fiat Abarth 2300S Coupe Works

February 8, 2013 Graham

The Fiat 2300S was a curiously styled car, almost appearing as a sort of Italian Plymouth Barracuda. The sportier variant of what was then Fiat's top sedan, this coupe. As was the case with many Italian cars of the time, the sedan and coupe were penned by two different styling houses. Pininfarina was responsible for the sedan's looks while Ghia was contracted to design the coupe. At the time Ghia did not have the production capacity, so construction of the coupes was contracted to Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI).

Not a car you'd necessarily envision as a competition vehicle, this 2300S has been worked over by the boffins at Abarth and helped carry famed racing driver Paul Frere to a win at the 12 hours of the Nürburgring.

1963 Fiat Abarth 2300S Coupe Works

There were originally only three of these cars. The car was approved on 06.08.1963 by Abarth and re-registered on 03.02.1966 by FIAT SPA in Torino since Fiat took over Abarth. It later went to a collector in the Aosta Valley and finally came to Heilbronn Kirchausen in 1998.

The car had very successfully taken part in major races such as 12 hour Nürburgring (Paul Frere) class win and second overall and Tour d'France and Tour of Europe (Golderer/Peter Falk). The car was completely dismantled and sandblasted. Doors, hood and trunk lid were replaced with aluminum. The engine, with its three Weber twin carburetors was rebuilt and the engine now produces 186 hp at 6498 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 4992 rpm. The 5-speed gearbox and limited slip differential were completely overhauled and the specially made Koni Suspension rebuilt. The original plexiglass windows were frosted and also had to be replaced. For safety, the passenger compartment is reinforced with a roll cage and a racing fuel tank system installed. Of course the car has MOT and FIA papers. More pictures and information can be found in our "press reports."

The 2300S coupe itself is not a common Fiat. Add the Abarth tuning into the equation and you have one rare piece. A standard 2300S coupe might bring somewhere between $30,000 to $50,000. We've seen smaller vintage Abarths bring close to six figures, and the asking price of over $337,000 is eye watering. While it has an impressive race history, I'm not sure the seller will realize this high price. If the car was for sale around $100,000, I could maybe see it. But at the asking price, we are now in solid Ferrari and Lamborghini territory.

-Paul

Fiat

1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato

January 14, 2013 Graham 2 Comments

While they are small, the Abarth 750 Zagato "Double Bubble" coupe is rather mighty. These cars collected numerous victories on the track, everywhere from the famed Mille Miglia to the 12 Hours of Sebring. While its 750cc inline four cylinder engine with 48 horsepower might not seem like much, its lightweight and diminutive size more than made up for it. This 750 Zagato for sale in Connecticut has a race history behind it and wouldn't be a car you'd be afraid to use regularly in vintage racing.

1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato

1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato Double Bubble Coupe. Runs and drives well. Has an extensive VSCCA race history. She has a Race Car paint job. Looks good from a distance, but nothing flash up close. Ideal for the track. I love these door handles.
Push the button, pull the handle. VSCCA Safety Inspection (scrutineering) Stickers. One for every race. A couple of things to note:

1. The seats are period, but not original. They come up on eBay occasionally.
2. The engine is correct, but not matching number. Not uncommon for a race car.

The paint is ideal for an old race car. The floors are original and in very good condition. Optional auxiliary radiator.

As we mentioned with the last Abarth 750 featured, good examples will run you around $80,000 to $100,000. Since this one is a bit rough, but nonetheless complete, I'd suspect somewhere between $65,000 to $75,000 might be a good estimate for its worth. As it sits, the patina on this car is great and a departure from the over restored examples you tend to see at auction. Let's hope the new owner keeps on racing it as originally intended.

-Paul

Fiat, Revisit

1983 Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth – REVISIT

November 28, 2012 Graham 2 Comments

The Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC we featured in the summer is back up for sale with no reserve. While it is rare, I doubt the sale price will come close to the $23,500 the owner was seeking a few months ago:

1983 Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC on eBay - REVISIT

The below post originally appeared on our site July 2, 2012:

1983 Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth

Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC (2 liters), 5-speed. VIN : ZFA138A0002968221. 1983 model, 69,000 miles, very good condition. No dents or dings, see pictures. Like new! Had no major accidents, original Recaro seats (optional). Perfect interior, all original. Two owners from new. Drives fantastic. Top speed 195 km/h (121 mph). 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph): 7.6 seconds. The car has a Florida title, imported from Europe in 2012.

In 1984 Fiat released the final production model of the Ritmo, the 130 TC Abarth. The car is based on the Ritmo 2 body, but contains exciting modifications. Abarth modifications to suspension and engine gave this car ample quantities of both acceleration and handling. The 125TC (130TC predecessor based on Ritmo 1 shell) won the 1982 Italian Group A Championship. The Ritmo 130TC was with Group N rallying in mind, and when released in 1984, was the quickest production hatch available.

The Ritmo 130TC was produced between 1984 - 1988 , developed 130 bhp at 5900 rpm, and could sprint to 100kmh in just under 8 seconds. This car had a very firm ride that some people would have found uncomfortable. The optional Recaro seats look the business but lack lumbar and under thigh support. They do offer good lateral support while cornering . One cannot help but wonder what the 131 Rally's 16 valve head may have added to this already impressive equation.

-Paul

Fiat

1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato

November 9, 2012 Graham 2 Comments

The number of Abarths that emerged between the 1950s and 1970s is staggering. There's always another obscure model that comes out of the woodwork that I wasn't aware of. This 750 Zagato isn't one of them, but is perhaps one of my favorites. Based on the 600 with a 750cc inline four cylinder engine wrapped in Zagato coachwork, the 750 Zagato's most distinctive feature is the "double bubble" roof. Not just a pretty face, these 750 Zagatos racked up a number of wins in races including the Mille Miglia and 12 Hours of Sebring, not to mention shattering a few world records at Monza. This 750 Zagato for sale in Australia has undergone a body-off restoration and is fully documented.

1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato

Fiat Abarth Zagato 750, double bubble. Original LHD Ex USA and Netherlands car. Fully registered in Australia. Body off restoration of alloy body and steel chassis, fully documented. Extremely thorough restoration. The owner even printed a hard cover book of the Abarths rebirth. Many times concourse winning car. Stunning blue paint on a flawless body. All usual Abarth features are present, gauges, correct steering wheel,badging,4 speed gearbox (with factory tags and Abarth & co diff). Correct handbrake gearbox.

Slight upgrade to 850 cc from 750cc primarily for reliability.Abarth exhaust and sump,naturally. Rebuilt Jaeger gauges. Original wheels with NOS spinner caps.Correctly replicated interior directly copied off the original (often missing). Gearbox truss and front sway bar have greatly improved the handling. Front disc brakes (original included). Over 500 miles road testing. Totally reliable. Immaculate

Awards-
2010 Australian Classic Car Magazine , Restoration of the year finalist
2010 Noosa Beach Classic Car Club – Noosa Classic , Best European Sports
2010 Fiat Car Club Queeensland , Presidents Trophe
2011 NBCCC – Club car of the year
2011 Festival of Italian Motorsport , Lakeside , Judges choice .

Car is in Australia.Please contact for more pictures.We will work with the buyer to find the best value freight worldwide.

The motor is an early 3 bolt Fiat 850 coupe motor that is slightly larger internally than the original 750 motor. The 850 also puts out slightly more BHP and is stronger than the early Abarth motor. The gearbox is the original handbrake version that is original to this car. The gearbox had an extensive rebuild with new and very expensive bearings. The crown wheel and pinion are original Abarth and stamped Abarth & Co. The gearbox still has it external Abarth tag showing its specs.

I do not have a 'buy it now' price. I can say my reserve is less than the sale price of the red Zagato 750 at RM auctions in USA a few weeks back.

Mint examples of the Abarth 750 Zagato are hovering in the $80,000 to $100,000 range at the moment; one sold at the 2011 RM Auction in Monterey for $93,500. The owner is seeking less than that, but I'd guess he's somewhere between $60,000 to $80,000. The blue paintwork is certainly unique and a refreshing change from the usual red. With the number of show awards already racked up in Australia, this is an Abarth that certainly won't disappoint.

-Paul

Fiat

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

October 21, 2012 Graham 1 Comment

For 63 years, Abarth has been the tuning arm of Fiat, turning out wins on the track and hot versions of ordinary Fiat passenger cars on the street. From the wicked 131 Rally to the modern day 500 Abarth, the Abarth range has been rather diverse over the years. Vintage Abarths are highly prized and often bring large sums at auction. One of my favorite vintage Abarths is the 1000 OTR, a car we featured in August. Based on the Fiat 850, these were handsome, well proportioned coupes that hid their diminutive stature well. Another OTR for sale has come to our attention via our reader Graeme, who is located in New South Wales, Australia and is selling his 1000 OTR.

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

A genuine Fiat Abarth OTR 1000 coupe, fully restored, with only 9,800 miles and absolutely NO rust ever. With FIVA papers and easy re-import into the US, this highly desirable Group 4 factory racing car can lay claim to being the best of the nine known survivors.

Abarth & C. was formed in 1949. The company was very successful under Carlo Abarth’s leadership, receiving extensive support from FIAT. Abarth & C. was purchased by FIAT in 1971. On 9 September 1965, Abarth launched the OTR 1000, derived from FIAT’s new 850 coupé, with a special “radiale” engine where the combustion chamber was formed by two intersecting spherical domes, one containing the inlet valve and the other the exhaust. The intention was to achieve the efficiency of the Abarth twin camshaft cylinder head without the complexity. The OTR engine was based on an Abarth modified FIAT 850 block.

Unfortunately the SCCA thought the Radiale head too clever, and the OTR too modified and powerful for its class, and exercised its right to exclude from SCCA competition cars “not considered suitable”. This probably explains why Abarth made only a few OTRs and homologated the car in Group 4, not Group 3. This car was imported into the United States in 1967 by Abarth Sales Corp. It was raced from 1967 to 1970 by the first owner before he had an accident. The car was stored, eventually coming to Australia in 1993. It sat in a shed on the Central Coast of New South Wales until purchased by the current owner in April 2005 who spent 18 months restoring it.

The car was stripped to bare metal and all panels straightened with minimal use of filler and repainted. All the missing bits and pieces were sourced from around the world. The engine had new valve springs, the head was fitted with hardened exhaust valve seats and all seals were replaced. The car has since been featured in Australian Classic Cars magazine and has won awards at a number of car shows including the FIAT Club of NSW Concorso d’Eleganza Best of Show in 2007 and 2010, and Best of Show and 1st Street Modified at the FIAT Clubs of Australia National Meeting at Bathurst in 2008. The car has travelled only 4,800 miles since restoration and the total mileage is 9,800. It comes with a detailed history and the original owners manuals.

For more photos please click on the following link:
http://www4.snapfish.com.au/snapfishau/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=5248217018/
a=80400830_80400830/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/

Enquiries to gtowers@ozemail.com.au or call +61 2 9960 7876

Graeme is asking $63,000 USD for his OTR and can be reached via the contact information above. The OTR that was for sale in California was advertised at $85,000, so even though there are little comparables to go buy, I think our reader is being realistic in his asking price. It is estimated that around 35 of these OTRs were ever produced, so that figure represents a small price to pay for exclusivity that most Ferraris and Lamborghinis can not match.

-Paul

Lancia, Uncategorized

1979 Autobianchi A112 Abarth

September 24, 2012 Graham 1 Comment

While the Volkswagen GTI gets the lion's share of praise for kicking off the hot hatchback craze, the Italians did a lot to popularize it. Fiat has brought their fair share of fast three doors to the market over the past few decades, but another oddity crept up a lot earlier than the tuned versions of the Ritmo, Punto and Cinquencento. In 1971, Autobianchi launched the A112 Abarth, a small hatchback based around Fiat 127 mechanicals and badged also as the Lancia Y10. These diminutive hatchbacks were never sold here and few survive in good nick to this day. This particular A112 Abarth was brought over to the US a few years ago by a Dutch gentleman and offers those stateside a rare opportunity to get into a vintage Abarth at a reasonable price.

1979 Autobianchi A112 Abarth

Capri blue exterior, black Abarth front scooped hood, tan velour and vinyl interior, 5-Speed manual, twin two-barrel carburetor, 13" Campagnelo magnesium wheels, 43,000 original miles (69,000 km), two-spoke Abarth steering wheel. This A112 was imported to the States six years ago by a Dutchman in Texas. $13,500.

This same A112 Abarth was listed on eBay last year at $17,500. While the price has been reduced quite a bit, we're still a bit on the high side at $13,500. Just because a car is rare in the US doesn't automatically equate to added value. If you could snag this Abarth for around the same price of a similar vintage, well kept GTI, say, $8,000 to $10,000, I'd say it would be worth biting. At that price, you couldn't get much more Abarth bang for your buck.

-Paul

Fiat

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

August 26, 2012 Graham 2 Comments

The number of Abarth tuned Fiats produced over the years is rather staggering. Just when I think I've seen and read about every model there is, another oddball creation pops up that I never knew existed. Such is the case with this Abarth 1000 OTR, which stands for Omologato Turismo Radiale. This name represented the fact that this car, based on the Fiat 850, was homologated for Group 3 racing by the FIA. Radiale means radial, which referred to the car's new engine with hemispherical combustion chambers. This engine produced a little over 100 horsepower from just shy of 1.0 liter. Around 35 examples were thought to have been produced, making this OTR for sale in California quite a unique opportunity to acquire some vintage Abarth iron.

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

An original 1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR. Only three dozen of these were produced worldwide before production ended. Most likely less than 10 are in the United States. This Fiat is completely original except for the paint; it was resprayed in the early 1970's after being polished extensively at shows and concours. Based of the Fiat 850 Coupe, this little Abarth has a 982 cc inline 4 cylinder good for 84 hp (850 coupe has 34hp). There is not a better condition Abarth 1000 OTR in the world. This Abarth is in absolutely excellent, original condition. It has undergone an extensive mechanical restoration at The Pit Stop in Brisbane, California.

History:
-First owned by John Edgar, an Abarth sub dealer in the Pacific NW.
-Owned by Chris Obert in Santa Cruz, CA for 30 years.
-Purchased by Dave Steel in Carmel, CA.
-Purchased by current owner. Resides in Brisbane, CA, south of San Francisco.

Some of Abarth's best have reached into six figure territory and this OTR is really rather close to that territory. Since so few were made, it's hard to place a value on cars like these. If I had to estimate, I'd say we're probably in the $45,000 to $70,000 range. I want to like this car, but I can't help but think I could get the best Lancia Fulvia or Alfa Romeo GTV for much less money. Granted, they are not exactly the same class of vehicle, but you really have to be an Abarth nut to spend this kind of money on what was meant to take on the Mini Cooper S back in the day.

-Paul

Fiat

1976 Fiat 131 Abarth

May 23, 2012 Graham

Declared one of the greatest handling rally cars of its time, the Fiat 131 raised the bar in the 1970s. Derived from a modest saloon car package, the 131 Abarth combined the best efforts from Fiat and Abarth into a fiberglass body employing the 2.0 liter 16 valve four cylinder engine from the Lancia Beta. Along with a fully adjustable suspension, this allowed engineers to perfect the setup for a varying degree of road surfaces. The car captured the manufacturer’s title in 1979 along with winning one of rallying’s toughest competitions, Finland’s 1000 Lakes. This 131 Abarth for sale in Spain is an example of the 400 produced for homologation purposes.

1976 Fiat 131 Abarth

Fiat 131 Abarth. Very good condition. All original except carburation (it is fitted with two twin choke 44 IDF Weber carbs). Rare original blue colour. Spanish plates.

131 Abarths do not come cheap, and this blue treat is no exception. At a little over $60,000 USD, this is about average for what these cars are commanding today. The shade of blue is especially attractive, as it sets off the fender flares and is quite a departure from the usual red in which you see these cars painted.

-Paul