Fiat 124 CC Sport Coupe (Updated)

This gorgeous Fiat 124 CC is a real Alfa 105 beater! Like its more fancied Italian cousin, Fabbrica Italiana Automobilo Torino’s sporty coupe came equipped, as standard, with a rorty twin cam four cylinder engine, five speed ‘box, fully coil-sprung suspension and disc brakes all round. They also featured a performance orientated interior, including a sports steering wheel, comprehensive instrumentation, a centre console and bucket seats.

124 Sport Coupe engine capacities varied, starting with a 1438 cc version of the Lampredi designed power plant fitted to 1967’s first series, or AC, a 1438 or 1608 cc in the BC that followed in 1970, and a 1592, 1608 or 1756 cc for the final CC iteration of the model that ran from 1973 until its demise in 1975. This is also not dissimilar to the engine offerings available in the 105; they could be had with 1300, 1600, 1750 and 2000 cc variants of Alfa’s famed four pot DOHC.

Being a CC, today’s example is also quite likely fitted with a limited slip differential, which was a popular option here in Australia. LSDs were also available, ex factory, for the 105s, although they may have only been a standard fitting on the more performance orientated editions.

The 124 shown here - resplendent in reddish maroon metallic duco - takes what was already very high-end for its era componentry up another notch, having been fitted with quad Cibie halogen headlights, twin Weber side drafts, extractors, electronic ignition, slotted front rotors, and 15” Simmons wheels shod with 195 / 50 rubber. The interior has been tastefully upgraded, too; there’s a Moto-Lita steering wheel, leather Recaro seats with a matched rear pew and door cards, and carpet that’s colour-coded to the interior.

A lot of thought has been put into the car. For example, the bonnet now features gas struts and a cleverly designed strap, attached to the old prop mounting point, to stop the whole shebang tilting too far forward or getting damaged in gusty conditions.

I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a truly awesome car, even if you can’t quite agree that it’s better than the equivalent Alfa of the period. It’s a credit to its owner, either way, and would be a welcome addition to my garage!

Regular readers may have noticed that UMPH posts have slowed a little lately, partly because I went touring in the Galant to South Australia, as well as taking an ultra-brief sun soaker holiday on Queensland’s Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Then there’s my buggered laptop, leaving me to write and edit on an iPad … . Doable but less than ideal!

So please bear with me! There are a couple of cars from Noosa to come, as well as some of the correspondents’ photos. All good stuff. I promise!

ooo O ooo

Update, as of 7:00 pm on Thursday the 3rd of August, 2022:

The 124’s owner, Darren, contacted me an hour or two back, offering me a few pics. The most stunning one is the “before” shot, showing the car’s pre-resto state. What a transformation!

The other images are of the interior and round out coverage of the car very nicely indeed. Thanks, Darren!

For anyone looking for more 124 content, here's a great video from Jack from YouTube channel Number 27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuTRThThcw8.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question: Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van? The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification. Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ; the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away. However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other. No super obvious hints here. Or here ... . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front H O L D E N lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having their own . So what exactly are those diffe

Vick Auto Prima Fiat X1/9 Brakes: An Owner’s Assessment

At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9 . I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US. The kit included: New single pot callipers , new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items), DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and all the necessary mounting hardware. They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too. Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-x19-gets-prima-brake-upgrade.html . Initial Assessment: I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny

Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

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