Full Description
SORRY NOW SOLD – SIMILAR WANTED
A cheeky UK RHD Fiat 126 Bis with 23,138 miles and a huge history file.
EQUIPMENT
PVC underbody protection, moulded polypropylene bumpers, hatchback rear door, side protection strips, rear spoiler under bumper, opening front quarter lights, laminated windscreen, front and rear seatbelts, engine compartment hatch, driver and passenger door mirrors, rear fog/reversing lights, heated rear window, tilt/tip reclining front seats, folding rear seat, front utility shelf, rear parcel shelf, courtesy light. Accessories; High gloss black door mirrors, Abarth wing decals, 6-spoke alloy wheels with Abarth centre caps, full custom leather interior, battery kill switch, aluminium gear knob, digital volt gauge, wooden steering wheel, Kenwood CD Player.
EXTERIOR
This truly remarkable Fiat 126 Bis is super cute and finished in its original rare colour of Ivory Meteor, (Code 205/F). The paintwork looks fantastic with a bright polished shine and uniform finish. All factory fitted panels have excellent fit and linear gaps and the panel edges are sharp and seam lines defined, exactly as they were made. Amazingly the lightweight bodywork has avoided the common dings found on most examples and only very close scrutiny will nothing other than detect markings. All trim pieces are immaculate and the factory registration etched Bespo glass remains fitted. An iconic Italian design, guaranteed to raise a smile!
INTERIOR
The delightfully sparse interior of the Fiat 126 harks back to a far simpler era of motoring with an emphasis on everything you need and not a lot more, however, this example has some subtle improvements! Luxurious Grey leather seating with colour scheme Yellow piping are in superb condition. A beautiful wood rimmed steering wheel with Ferrari Cavallino Rampante ‘little prancing horse’ is a tongue-in-cheek touch. Abarth carpet mats again in matching colour scheme are protected by rigid rubber snow tray mats. The front luggage compartment is spotless with the original rubber mat, washer fluid pouch, factory paint code sticker, chassis plate and offside inner wing chassis stamp. A delightfully dinky interior yet surprisingly capable of accommodating large adults!
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Fitted with the 704cc water-cooled engine with twin-choke downdraught carburettor, power output measures 26bhp at 4500rpm and maximum torque of 36lbs.ft at 2000rpm. Far from a performance car of course, progress is interesting as you would expect from a two-cylinder machine, however, the long forth gear ratio of 4.33:1 allows the car to cruise at maximum motorway speed in a relatively civilised manner! Designed with simplicity in mind, this thrifty motor will provide the new owner with very low running costs and tremendous fun! The rear engine compartment with rubber mat and rigid engine cover is very clean with red painted air intake to help reveal the power within! All factory aperture stickers are present and original factory weld lines are clear to see. The four speed gearbox with synchromesh on the top three gears works correctly.
WHEELS, TYRES & BRAKES
Upgrade alloy wheels have been fitted to this cheeky 126 and look superb with Abarth centre caps and only light faint scratches and no kerb damage. Brand new Nankang tyres were fitted in September 2021 and are of size 155/65 R13 front and 165/55 R13 rear. Front and rear brakes drums are very well maintained and perform exactly as they should, albeit not up to modern braking standards requiring a firm foot in comparison!
HISTORY FILE
The Fiat 126 Bis was introduced in 1987 and featured some of its most major revisions to include a 704cc water-cooled engine and a full hatchback rear door. Bis being French for ‘encore’, this caused some understandable befuddlement for an Italian car that was built in Poland! This delightful UK example was registered new on 28th September 1990 by Fiat Main Dealer, Felbridge Garage of East Grinstead, to a Mrs Wiggin who owned the car until 2001. The previous Owner, Mr Unson, purchased the car in 2009 to add to his collection of Italian cars which also includes a Fiat 600D and an Alfa Romeo GTV. Mr Unson, a member of the Club 126 owners club, had seen the car in a Ferrari dealership in Canterbury a year beforehand sat amongst several supercars tucked away at the back. Despite attempts to buy, the car was not for sale, and it was a year later that he eventually managed to convince the dealership to sell the car to him!
The history file is simply colossal and perusal of all the specialist invoices and receipts for service and extensive maintenance would take hours. The car has wanted for absolutely nothing and the condition and driving experience are testament to this. The original book pack and dealership point of sale literature is present along with the service book with 14 stamps and most recent entry in September 2021. Both sets of keys are present and three Fiat sales brochures. Every inch a desirable cult classic, this wonderful example is not to be missed.
HPI clear.
