1968 Fiat Other

4-door

1.4L

4-speed manual

Clear

Up for auction is my 1968 Fiat 124 Sedan.  I would describe this car as a “time capsule car”.  It has never been restored.  The paint is original, as is the interior.  For its age, the condition is incredible.  The paint still shines (although, you need to keep a good coat of wax on it — there is no clearcoat), and it is mechanically very good.  The engine runs like a top, and the car goes, changes direction, and stops very nicely.  It’s a tight car, and lot of fun to drive.  I’ve owned many Fiats in my life, and this is my favorite, hands-down.  I hate to sell it, but I’m moving and I can’t take it with me.  This is an Italian-market car that was imported into the United States, probably within the last 10 years.  I don’t have the history on it — I bought it in 2010 from a man in Southern California.  The speedo (and tach) is in kilometers, and I don’t know with 100% certainty if the 67,878 Km is actual.  However, considering the condition of the car, I believe it is.  Since this car has never been restored, or even painted as far as I can tell since it left the factory, it is far from perfect.  There are dings and paint imperfections here and there, on the front of the hood, and a good one right behind the left front wheel.  There’s a half-dollar size spot just above the trunk lock mechanism that looks like it was treated with POR-15.  Also, the plasti-chrome trim around the front and rear glass is in bad shape but the rubber is very good all around.  This car looks great from 10 feet away, and even better from behind the wheel, but if you’re the type who wants a 90+ point show car, this is not the car for you.  I am not a stickler for a perfect paint and bodywork — I much prefer an honest original car that might show some wear than something that has been restored to perfection, that you worry about getting a little scratch on and park 1/4 mile away just so nobody parks next to you.  If you’re like me, I think you’ll like this car. So who is this car for?  If you value originality and want a classic Fiat that isn’t a Spider, this is your car.   If you love the single-headlight 124 Sedans, with their beautiful polished grille, their little-on-the-outside, big-on-the-inside dimensions, and no blindspots whatsoever, here you go.  If you like having a car that you can work on yourself and keep up on with minimal effort, this one is great.  These cars are very rare just about anywhere in this condition, and that’s not going to improve.  If you can find a better one that’s all original like this one, I’d be very surprised. A few things worth mentioning:  When you let this car sit for more than a few days, it takes some cranking (10-15 seconds) to prime the carburetor to get it started, but it does fire up every time.  When you start it reguarly, it starts up quickly.  However, when it’s cold, you need to let it warm up for a few minutes or it will hesitate and stall if you’re not careful when you try to pull away.  After it’s warm, you can drop the choke and go without any issues, and drive it all day. Also, the synchros are pretty well shot on the transmission (if this car had a synchronized transmission to beginwith, which I’m not sure of).  I find it’s easy enough to double-clutch. Please note:  The car is currently registered non-op in California.  If the buyer is in California, I will go to the DMV and take care of that, but if the buyer is out-of-state, then it does not make sense to do so.  The car wears matching Italian license plates from the Fiat factory city of Torino (Turin), Italy (which are included) but I’ve never had a problem simply displaying the California plates in the rear window as shown here.  In fact, once a California Highway Patrol car pulled up next to me, smiled, and kept driving.  Your mileage may vary, of course. Please see pictures and let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks!