Some of you will know that when my Abarth was delivered back to me from Mark at IRS a few weeks ago my orange 131S 1600 was taken back with the hope of getting it back on the road for the Summer (and I meant this Summer when I was talking to Mark as he's not known for his speed!
).
The S has been hibernating in my garage since we moved here in July 2007, but has been off the road since 2003 when the head gasket blew.
The head was 're-worked' by the legendary Guy Croft and I bolted it back on and got the car running again quite quickly, but I never got round to MoTing it again and then I purchased the Abarth (in July 2004) and the rest as they say, is history. All of my hard earned cash has been poured into the house since 2007 and that which was left (not much
) went into the Abarth, so the poor old Special lost out.
Until this year - when I decided that something had to be done to return it to the road.
At the end of last Summer my good friend and fellow 131 enthusiast Andy Cobb came to stay for the weekend with his lovely wife Anita, and before we had beer
he stripped the rear brakes and replaced a leaking cylinder. Luckily there didn't appear to be much else wrong with the car - but I rolled it back into the garage and there she stayed - again!
Anyway, it was delivered to Mark's a few weeks ago and after a little fettling and re-assembly of the head and rockers etc., this morning it was insured (for a very reasonable ?77!
) and taken for MoT - where it passed first time!
I'm well pleased.
Looks like I'll get it back for my birthday in early June and will able to enjoy it for the Summer!
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