ERL 900V - Where is it now....?

[kev131]

This is a car that was once owned by a leading member of the Fiat Twin Cam Register and the first photos came in to my possession in the mid nineties. I dont know from when they date. The cosmetic finish may not be to everyone's taste but the car was loved by someone and had plenty spent on it.

While in good condition it also appeared in a retro magazine article on a trio of 131 Sports (Feb 2006). It was entitled "Pasta Mastas" and carried the tag line "Ugly but worthy of appreciation"!!

Anyway here are the first photos in gleaming condition.





It next came to my attention as being for sale in Cumbria in April 2003. The complete car plus a van load of spares were for sale for ?250!! Didn't have a van or the inclination to travel so I let the deal go! How much would that be worth now???

Although the condition had lost a lot of it's gleam it also appeared to be on a downward spiral having lost affection in its owners eyes.

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I lost track of it after that but it would be interesting to know where it is now and whether it has been restored again or sitting somewhere as a potential project...or scrapped!?

Here are are some photos of the parts that came with the car...?

[mirafioriman]

I remember that car being for sale (I'm in Cumbria) however I don't remember it being just ?250, if it was I'm sure I would have bought it! If I remember rightly it was on ebay and sold for considerably more than this.

PS I remember there was a man in West Cumbria restoring a sport, perhaps this is it?

[eugene]

The rims are disgusting on it.A nice set of alloys would go down well it(just my opinion).Kev,must say you are like an encyclepedia on 131s.Thanks for putting up this intresting post.Slan Eugene Bantry Co Cork Eire

[Tristan]

Oh my.............

[markwilliams131]

i tought yellow was a bad colour choise on a 131 sport
this wins hands down 2 much red if the bumpers and arches were black
it wouldnt look 2 bad

[kev131]

Hi Dave - I thought you were a 4 door man!! 

Yes the price was definitely ?250 when I was aware of it being for sale. I exchanged e-mails and telephone calls with the vendor. Perhaps it was purchased and put up for sale again at a higher price afterwards...?

[mirafioriman]

Yes I am a four door man, but if I had seen that lot for sale for ?250, I am sure I would have bought it. Particularly as it was so close to me geographically.

[Thotos]

I have no idea where ERL900V is now but I used to know this car and I knew where it was back in the mid-90s: at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring, Norman Park and displayed next to my Silver 131 Sport.





Unfortunately my memory fails me and there's no date on those photos but I think it was 1997 or 1998 but could be as early as 1996.

The Dark Grey (Lancia colour) Sport AYV871T was Jason Hodgkinson's at the time and I believe this car still exists in a garage somewhere near Nottingham.





The following year the red Sport was missing from the Bromley Pageant as the owner had sold it and turned up in a Lancia Montecarlo.




While I can't remember the year, I remember the day very well. It started raining in the afternoon so we all sat in each other's cars to get out of the rain and my then very young daughter and I sat in the Montecarlo. My daughter would have been 10 if it was 1998 and her only other experience of Lancias was my Gamma. While sitting in the Montecarlo my daughter asked me "have Lancia ever made a 'normal' car?" 

[kev131]

Out of the mouths of babes...eh Theo? 

Nice photos and I really enjoyed seeing them - Have you been busy with the scanner as well or were you "digital" in 1997/8?

[Thotos]

Here's ERL900V again several years later (I think!) at a Fiat Twin Cam Register meeting. I think it might have been the year 2000 and the last FTCR meeting before the EGM that renamed (and ruined!  ) the Club. I believe the other 131 present (Blue 131 Super) was Simon Ryle's so maybe Simon can give us some more info.

[Thotos]

 Have you been busy with the scanner as well or were you "digital" in 1997/8?

I don't think there were any digital cameras back in 1997/8. No I was very much into 35mm then Kevin so as you say, busy with the scanner tonight. It's amazing what one finds when going through loads of shoe boxes full of photos...

[simon131]

Blimey, some of these 'period' pics make me feel very old Theo and Kev!

Yes, the blue Super was mine, and as you quite rightly say Theo, it was one of the last events put on by the FTCR c. yr 2000. Shame about that club......

ERL was owned by Tony Faucett, a lawyer from Cambridgeshire - I'm sure Jason Hodgkinson knows him much better than me - but it was him who was responsible for turning it red! (yuk!!) TF had it for years and I was very surprised when he parted with it. After he sold the car and it passed through various 'enthusiasts' hands (including the guy in Theo's pic) before ending up in that Cumbrian farm and on ebay.

Never thought much of the car I'm afraid, and Tony Faucett and I were not exactly what you'd call 'mates'

[westcountry 131]

I own this car now. Found it resting in a field in the westcountry but looking a bid sad for itself

[stathe174]

Any pic's of it?

[mirafioriman]

In the introductions section......