131's - Old school fun

[Gavin Mark]

Does anyone have fond memories of the back end loosing grip at the slightest pressure on the loud pedal, 2000TC, Sport or Racings??. Fondest memory in a Sport - 100 Miles up the M6 to a Stages rally, seeing our ride home being thrown sideways aroung a quarry on wet stone, the looks on the way home, covered in mud, then 100 yards away from home, she gave up, blowing a head gasket.

That was 10 years ago, I've grown up now,via 2 X19's, 2 Alfa 33's and now a 20V Turbo Coupe.

I noticed an ex Rally 131 Arbarth on sale in Italy for circa £12.000. Tempting......... Gulp

 

[obi_waynne]

Those were the days. I think they called it driver experience - none of these fancy PAS, ABS aircon setups we demand today! You seem to buy 2 of each car - that shows loyalty. So your next buy I presume will be another coupe?

I love the 131 Arbarths - there was a black Arbarth that parked in our street it really did look the biz - especially with the red scorpion badge! I hear that they can be quite tempermental though? What are your thoughts on reliability?

 

[thexav]

Other than your current car which one was the most fun and which the most practical?

 

[Gavin Mark]

Most practical, the Alfa 33's. You could fit a couple of bikes in the back and still have a sporty ride, especially when you have a 1.7 Veloce Cloverleaf set up by Westune, Horwich, with a custom single box exhaust system. Most fun(excluding current 20V T. Coupe), 131 Sport, again run with a single silencer (only for a couple of days) It was too loud to be sensible, but it didn't half turn heads! It was still hot away from the mark with the second box.

Is anyone still in touch with Simon or Pete West from Westune. The last time I passed their old Marsh St Garage, a new housing development had been built over it.

 

[obi_waynne]

Try this number for Simon and Pete Tel/Fax: 01204 697535. :shock:

Looks like Peter has had a prestidgious racing career! http://www.brdc.co.uk/brdcarchive.cfm/flag/2/member_id/140

 

[Gavin Mark]

Cheers Waynne. Has anyone any opinions on the Punto HGT Abarth? Probably a more sensible runabout for day to day use than the Coupe -> it's getting close to 60K miles now :?