131mirafiori forum

Classic Fiat Challenge in the memory of Gerry Kennedy

I?d like to post details of the very first classic Fiat event to be held in Ireland in memory of our departed friend and fellow Fiat enthusiast Gerry, who went on his next big journey in December last. Gerry is widely acknowledged as the most committed fan of classic Fiats in Ireland and represented the Fiat Motor Club GB in this country for many years. In consultation with his friends and family, this event is in his memory.

Owners of classic Fiat cars of all kinds are invited to bring out their favourite wheels to join in creating a unique and enjoyable experience. Interest in classic Italian cars of all types has mushroomed in the past few years in Ireland and Fiat is no exception. This event promises to provide great driving routes, an opportunity to explore some of Ireland?s less travelled areas and a chance to socialise with old friends and new. The Fiat fan base in Ireland is large and enthusiastic and this is possibly the first excuse that we have had to all come together on an exclusively Fiat themed event to demonstrate our enthusiasm and love for the cars that many of us grew up with.

Full details are available at this link www.131mirafiori.com/GKRun but in summary, the event lasts an entire weekend with some superb scenic driving routes around beautiful and rugged Connemara in the west of Ireland.

So what is the challenge...? The target that has been set is to have in attendance at least one example of every mainstream Fiat car sold in Ireland in the 60s & 70s ? The wish-list of cars is shown on the web page. From our records we believe that this is achievable from Irish owners alone but foreign participants are also invited. Even if you have a road worthy classic Fiat (pre 1983), but it?s not listed, don?t worry ? You are more than welcome.

A very competitive 2 night hotel deal (Leenane Hotel, Co Galway) has been arranged (again details are on the web page) and route maps have been finalised and can be downloaded or perused at your leisure. All that is left to do now is to :

? Register your interest by sending an e-mail to kevincobwebs@eircom.net stating the car(s) that you intend to bring.
? Book your accomadation directly with the hotel on 00 353 95 42249. Mention Fiat Challenge to Conor or Fiona who will be delighted to answer any questions that you may have.
? Download and print your route map and bring along with you on the weekend. This is important to avoid losing the convoy on route. It's easy to catch up though as there will be plenty of stops.

Please do not leave booking your room until the last minute as only 20 rooms have been provisionally reserved out of a total of 34. Absolute booking deadline is 1st August but please book as soon as possible in case of over-subscription and additional facilities becoming a requirement.

A ?10 registration fee per car is payable on the weekend itself to cover organisational expenses.

Hotel Link : www.leenanehotel.com

Here are some pictures taken from the actual routes.

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane005.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane010.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane012.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane018.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane019.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane020.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane032.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane034.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane036.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane038.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane039.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane043.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane044.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane051.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Mirafioris/RSinLeenane054.jpg)

Great job kev count us in let u know later what cars will bring

Hi Kev,

Looks like one not to be missed 8) As far as I can tell this far in advance, count me in too ;D

The area looks fantastic, shame the view in some of the pic is spoiled by a strange pale blue German thing! The weather looks like it could have been almost perfect for the 131 mate ;) :D

Si

Ya,German litter can sometimes be a problem in Eire.(no offence ment)

I might go to this.

ill go if brensport comes to scotland :P

OK, I'll go if ALL 131 owners from Ireland come to Scotland  ;D :D ;)

hi guys look forward to  meeting you all on that weekend talk soon

mark I 'de go only I dont think my legs would look good in a kilt!!! ;D ;D ;D

go on go on go on :-*

Well I am booked in might need 2 rear tyres for the 124 or might bring the 1500c and no Mark I wont have a jacket on ;D ;D ;D

i should be there for this one,
with roads like that its a quick kawasaki you want
oh no i gave up bikes{too dangerouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssssss}
gerry

ok im going  :P

Quick update - 25 hotel rooms are now booked (25% more than the initial block booking) so I have asked the hotel to reserve the entire hotel!!? :o

If you have not booked yet it might be a good idea to do it now as from experience this level of interest at this early stage means that there is likely to be a lot of last minute bookers.

Cheers

im booked in 8)

Hi all, The Roscommon Crew are all booked in, and, as some of you already know, we ended up buying  eight of gerrys 132"s .AT least 2 of them will be present and maybe  more, it should be a great weekend ,looking forward to it and seeing all the lads lassies, and cars :) :)

hi kev, i had an enquiry is this event strictly for fiat cars?
 reg: gerry
 

Thinking of an Integrale or two  ;D ;D ???

Hi Gerry

Ya it's a Fiat themed event...for now anyway.

Two reasons :

(1) It's in memory of the biggest Classic Fiat fan in Ireland.
(2) It's the first Fiat event in Ireland ..ever..as far as I know and it has been advertised as such - I think that is why there has been such a good take up on hotel rooms so far - 29 booked (as of tonight) out of 46 in the hotel.

I always feel like a heel when having to give this news and I'm conscious that it sounds like exclusivism - I dont mean it to be but the appeal for many people is the very fact that the event IS just for Fiats.

Maybe in the last few weeks coming up the weekend get in touch again to see where we are numbers wise - is that OK? Or tell your friend to buy a classic Fiat!? ;)

 i prefer just FIATS for a change just to see what could be achieved
fiat all the way,  just said id ask
cheers gerry

well theres a few of us up here who have classic fiats under restoration but wont have them ready for this year so does that exclude us?

Nick - Why dont ye all club together and buy that orange 131 from Marty K - Instant eligibility and a road going car!!? ;) ;D

try gerafiori rent a fiat, x19 or fiat 500 maybe 131 rep  ;D ;D ;D

Oh, and I was thinking of coming in the Gamma   ::)
Oh well, I suppose I better start polishing the 131 again...   ;)

Ya we can have a shiny car competition Theo!  ;) Although I think u'd win!  ;D

Not if your car is there Kevin!  :-\

HI ,WAS   WONDERING   WOULD  IT  BE  OK  TO  TURN  UP  FOR  THE  EVENT  EVEN  THOUGH  IM  NOT  A  MEMBER  AND  ALSO  BRING  ALONG  MY  128  OR  IT  JUST  FOR  131'S,  REGARDS  IVOR ???

The event is for all classic Fiats so your 128 will be most welcome.

Have a look at http://www.131mirafiori.com/GKRun for full details.

Hi Jack1 - Thanks for posting. Certainly your 128 will be very welcome - The event is for all classic Fiats.? ;)

The owner of the attached recently completed project to restore a 127 Sport has sent in these pics. The October event will be one of the first outings for the finished car. We hope to have a 127 Sport in all 3 factory colours at the event. Enjoy the pics.? :)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Scrappers/Picture006.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Scrappers/Picture003.jpg)

(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l250/kev131/Scrappers/Picture007.jpg)

looks like a gem

That 127 Sport is a flashback to my youth and my then local FIAT dealer Premier Motors with their window display of a black sport nose to nose with a orange one, all brand new & sparkling....magic!? :)

who owns the 127 sport?

hi that sport is tucked away down here in kerry.
    sam

Hi Sam is she Irish or a swimmer?

hi sid  sam is in hospital at the moment so he cannot reply to your question
but check out the windscreen  :-\

Ok she swam lol.

ah well most of the Irish 127s were trashed doing hot rodding and at least
it has a good and loving home now with a black brother :o 8) :)

Mt mate Paul has a black 127 sport currently under restoration should be ready for next year.

just sourced an engine for my x1/9 from brennsport,
that will have my exie on the road in plenty of time for this event
it was that or get the fiat 500 ready, but that wouldnt be fair on the little thing ;D

hi eugene are you bringing down any of your rivas  i just love the lada rivas for a man that has so much intrest and comment making in the 131 forum my curious mind as to why you have no fiats can you shine any light on this subject  ??? ??? ??? ???

I don't have any Lada Rivas byt i do have Lada Nivas 4x4s.This is a classic Fiat event in memory of man who loved classic Fiats and to bring a Lada along would be an insult to his memory.
Also i don't like showing off too much with a LADA ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.Eugene

 an old friend of mine was mad in to anything lada poor devil ended up that way a nice white jacket with very long sleeves that you tie ::) ::) ::) ::)

Jesus gay man 131 i agree with you 100% those old rotten Russian subs, keep it Italian all the way!  ??? ::) ::) :-[

Jealously won't get Bren and Gay 131 lover anywhere. ;) ;D.Eugene

yes italian cars only please 8) 8)

The Lada started out as a Fiat, so that's Fiat enough for me.

Fill up her tank and bring her on !

Well Mark I agree Italian all the way and only the RIVA was Fiat based and remember it was the russians that gave the pre-rusting steel to the Italians  ;) ;) ;) ;)

Hello 2 all , you got 2 weeks 2 get your motors out dust them off and get them down 2 leenane and hopefully blow the cobwebs out of them looking forward 2 meeting all there.? ?

I'm dusting her down as you speak Bren - With some luck this Indian summer will last...! ;)

28 hotel rooms booked at the last count - Dont forget it all starts at 1.0pm on the Friday just west of Galway - Connemara Coast hotel car park.? ;) Some of the best scenery on the Friday including the Clifden "Sky" road!

Also please print out the route map from this website or if you get separated from the group you may get lost.? ???

Its the document at the bottom of this page...

http://www.131mirafiori.com/GKRun

Have a great time guys, I'm just sorry that I won't be able to be with you this time :'(

Thanks Si although there is still time to change your mind - Especially with this Indian summer we are having...! ;)

CHANGE OF PLANS : There seems to be little demand for the Friday afternoon run and some work travel has meant that I will out of the country on Friday until around lunch time. Therefore please note a new start time of 6/7pm at the Hotel itself in Leenane.

RE: Change of plans:

That kinda' suits me too Kevin, as I will be recovering Friday
from bringing back Gerry's white 132 from Italy.

I will be setting out this coming Monday at 12.30 pm
from Rome to (hopefully) arrive in Brittany at 7pm the next day
for a ferry to Plymouth in the UK.

It was the only option I could find to get the car to the UK
as all the cross channel ferries (including Ireland to France),
and the tunnel too, seem to be booked up solid
as a result of the disruption caused by the Channel tunnel fire.

I will spend one night in Cornwall (Liskeard) with my mother,
and then drive up to Wales for the Rosslare ferry with Irish ferries,
to then arrive in County Clare about midnight Thurday.

PS: She was treated to 4 BRAND NEW tyres this week !!
I had the Hobsons choice of Pirelli P3000's (175X70-13's).
260 euros fitted and balanced for all 4. I thought it was a good price.
The upside of this work is the grip and poise of the car is now
near modern standards.
The downside is that the steering has lost a lot of it's character.

On "balance" Graham (no pun intended) the new tyres will be an improvement.? ;)

I've just heard from Tom Heavey, the editor of the only Irish classic Car magazine, Irish Vintage Scene, who will be covering this event.

http://www.irishvintagescene.ie/

If we can organise a car for Tom to travel in as a passenger he will attend for all of Saturday, if not he will either come along at the start or end of the day.

I will have a passenger with me, otherwise I would have had Tom with me ..to promote Fiats all day long!! Is anyone travelling solo who would be happy to have a camera carrying passenger..?

We will organise some photo shoots as well during the day so that Tom has some nice shots for the magazine.? ;)

Well if Tom is not a nervous passenger he is more then welcome to go shotgun in the little 124 sport. Sure we can show him how strong the Italian scene is and passionate we are about our little babies.

HI Dave - Thanks for the offer - I'll pass that on - Good opportunity to get more exposure for the Irish Classic Italian car scene.  ;)

hi everyone  met I V S at the Top Gear show ( what a load of crap ) and
asked  what happened on the  " not turning up " got the story about
car breaking down ( Ford Escort )  :D :D :D and no baby sitter, but apart
from that asked about will he do a feature on the weekend and he will
but it wont be until February or March  ::) ???. time will tell  :-\. Roll on
next year. Sean

Why do people buy Fords  ::) ::) as they cant even make tractors ::) ::)

Ford do make Tractors ::).Eugene

And now ;) to add insult to injury Ford And FIAT tractors are now amalgated into new holland ;D ;D

Sure Fiat are now making the new Ford Fiesta as Ford are broke and Fiat seem to be the only one making money ::) ::)

Ah Toyota!!