FSO/Fiat 125P

[mirafioriman]

Not quite a Fiat but interesting none the less. Deserves to be saved. Saw it on another forum I frequent.

http://www.retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=FSW&action=display&thread=56814

[eugene]

200sterling would be the price for that car.Thats what a Lada would be making of similar nature.Lada and Fiat are first cousins,so FSO must be second cousins with Lada .Eugene

[miro-1980]

Well, I would debate who was the first or second cousin.

In 1930 Polski Fiat 508 was mass produced in Poland under Fiat license.  Later - since late 60's so were making fiat 125, 126, 127, 128 coupe and even 131. They had a letter "p" as in 126p  at the end to signify there were made in Poland. (This is true except for 128 coupe which was called "128 3p"
 
A bit of history: 

In late 40's talks with Fiat were pretty advanced to resume the pre-war cooperation. However the Russians prevented Poland from buying a Fiat license and in early 50's sold us their Pobeda license.
(which was a copy of 1940's ford design).
 
It was later produced by FSO  as M20, Warszawa 201 , 221 , 223 Warszawa. Many version of this were made including ambulance and pickup . There were even few with something like 1950's VW's "felddach" made. The last few hundred produced Warszawas were sold by my wife to Albania (Cubans wanted it , but the Albanian commercial representative got smart and used to send her huge bundles of fresh Orchids brought by airplane from Tirana every week, and Albania closed the deal. 

Finally Poland "got a green light" to buy Fiat license when the Russians started their own talks with Fiat .

We were being sold a license for 1300/1500 old model.  Finally Italians agreed however to sell us the new 125 chassis (but insisted on old style 1300 1500 interior and dash as well as power train. Polski Fiat 125 p - as it was called-  looked somewhat similar but was not a lookalike of the new Fiat 125.  ( I had both so  I know; most obvious was the shape of the front lights, rear lights dashboard and interior.)

 There were basically two engine versions 1300 and later 1500. It was produced as a sedan, pickup, wagon, and even cabrio. Few long versions (six door) were produced , one of them a cabrio. There were two sports versions of this car 1500 Monte Carlo and 1800 Akropolis. (both 4-dr.)  No 2-dr versions were produced.

Key export markets  (outside of east block) were UK, Iraq, Egypt , Colombia ( in the last two there were assembly plants) making their own Polski Fiat .  Incidentally the lowest diff ratio for fiat 125 p ever made were made for medical ambulances for the mountains of Columbia. These are currently very sought after as they are very good for hill climbing events.         

The funny part of was that the 125 license was paid to the Italians by parts. So many Fiat 1300 and 1500 engines at that time were actually Polish made. I believe this deserves first cousin status.   

The Russian version were originally based on 124 sedan , and later developed into their own versions based on this design i.e. 2107. Lada Samara was Russian own design. Original Zhiguli (closest to 124 sedan) were very nice and relaible cars. Actually all Ladas were pretty good.  Very nice cars, simple mechanics and quire reliable too. Niva was Russian own construction - and quite effective in off roar rugged terrain. based on many 124 assemblies.

The one offered for sale  is one of the newer versions (ML) made for the UK market. Actually I believe they at some point sold for 750 GBP! In Poland a car like this (but LHD) with no MOT and no tax would cost around 1500-2000 Euro. So the negotiated price of 750 quid does not strike me as too high.

If anybody from the forum decides to buy it I offer support in getting very cheap parts from Poland as well as all technical documentation and know-how.

It really is worth saving !

Miro

[Fiat 131 Abarth#2]

Hello miro,

Look 125P in Abarth style!

Enzo

[eugene]

Thanks Miro for this very informative read.So FSO are Ladas other first cousin. .Eugene

[italianxrays]

 :)There is also a nicelymodified version in April's Retro cars same colour but a Fiat with chrome front grille etc. not certain the Rover K series would be my personal choice for an engine swop a nice Fiat t/c would have been more appropriate ?
Still take a look shows what can be done, article has some brief history also on marque....quote.....
"Manufactured from around 1967 in the Polish state owned FSO factory on license from Fiat, the Polski Fiat 125 was a watered down version of the original Fiat 125p..............production ceased in 1991"

someone buy it, please such better value than a rusty 131 Sport at ?2k !!!

[Fiat 131 Abarth#2]

Hello,

i think it was a nice Rally-car in the 70/. with Fiat Twincam Power.

Enzo  

[miro-1980]

... but a Fiat with chrome front grille ...

Must be with this chrome grill ! This is our MK1 !

The later plastic grill version does not have the same 1960' look. Mk1  also has the dash from old Fiat 1300/1500 (called here - the boat " due to the shape of the fenders and sides ...)

Miro   
===============

Enzo it was just "nice", it was a "real killer". And it actually drove quite well. Given practically no budget for rallying FSO was quite successfull.

I still believe it was due to the drivers. I remember recently an old man in innocently civilian looking 125p came to one of the youngtimers sports events. The car looked loke a joke to compete with a stable of tuned up, real hard core rally looking monsters.

Nobody noticed him until he has beaten all the youngtimers,  sometime twice ot three times as powerfull as powerful as this 125p. It was one of the original 125p factory rally team members (now in his 70's ) in his stock 125p.  When asked how he did it he said:  " It is not what you have , but how well you can use whatever you have . It is neither the torque nor rpm nor power. All is in the driving technique , and he quietly drove away not waiting his trophy ...

All the beeffed up racer owners were disappointed andf ashasmed than such a grad daddy in an "old piece of junk" showed them where it is really at !

Seeing their faces was worth any money !     

[Blue850]

Stratos disguised as a FSO Polonez

[miro-1980]

This is a POLONO-STRATOS.

A new make of the car which resulted from Andrzej Jaroszewicz ( at that time a star of FSO rally team who just happened to be a son of the Prime Minister) totalling original stratos (no money to replace it ) the suspension and engine was rebuilt and "fitted" into one of OBR FSO  Polonez 'es.

The funniest car ever built in Poland.

Miro