What happened to this 131 Abarth ?

[david]

This is the front cover of september 2004 retro cars but when you check out the number plate on the DVLA site nothing comes up !  was the car written off or exported but if it was exported the site usually tells you !
By the way the number is BLE 981S

[Fiat 131 Abarth#2]

Hi,

BLE 981S,  this 131 Abarth is from Jonathan Sage here in the forum "131grp4" 

Enzo 

[simon131]

Mmmmm - a bit of sad story which still has time to finish with a happy ending! The last I spoke to Jonathan about his Stradale it had just been moved to a 'secret location' in Surrey, England, to have it's restoration continued. Unfortunately funds have been an issue - aren't they always? - but we are ever hopeful that it will return to the road - but as to when? Your guess is as good as mine.

[david]

But as I said it does not come up on DVLA site which usually means its been scrapped which I don't believe as no one would scrap it, would they?.
If it was on a sorn it would say and even if it wasn't  on a sorn it would say when it was last taxed which only leaves scrapped or possibly change of registration number to maybe a private plate ?

[mirafioriman]

Cars which have been scrapped often still appear on the DVLA website. I can't understand why that registration doesn't appear unless it was a 'made up' plate fitted for security reasons.

[n2oxide]

After a lesson learnt, I always put on a fake plate or private looking plate ( I use GAS 1T for obvious reasons ) when any of my cars goes for a photo shoot and I even cover up the chassis plate(s)/wing stampings if the car is at a show.  There are some scammers out there that do sometimes catch petrol heads off guard. We just had the WRC works car on stand in Frankfurt with Lotus and whilst the number plate, PVC999W is common knowledge, the chassis numbers are not left on show for the scrupulous cretins to get a snap of.

Only last week a Sunbeam Lotus came up for sale in France, right car, right price but the car just happened to belong to the Events Co-ordinator for the club and his car was in the garage at home in Hereford yet some mother **ck*r had it up for sale and knew all the engine number and chassis number and the picture was one from our club magazine.  I know a fella who went to buy an HSR in Manchester, all the numbers matched, so off he went with ?10,000 in fresh readies ( the seller wanted cash ); he came back in an ambulance minus his money and pride.

Don't give your cars identity away.

Perry