In February 2009, Classic & Sports Car published a Your classic story of my purchase of a Ferrari 348tb, which I took to my home in Spain.
I ended by stating: ‘I can’t see myself ever letting go of it.’
Inevitably, though, following five fabulous years, the Ferrari was sold.
An R230 Mercedes-Benz SL and a glorious Bentley Continental GTC followed, but then I retired and the hunt was on for a true classic.
The Fiat 124 Sport Spider’s beautiful cream-leather interior
The shortlist was narrowed to an Alfa Romeo Spider, a Lancia Beta Spider or a Fiat 124 Spider.
I managed to miss the Classic Car Auctions sale in June 2024 when there was a very pretty 124 Spider on the block, but once I realised the car hadn’t sold I gave them a call and a deal was done.
My wife and I took the train to Wakefield, where the vendor kindly collected us from the station and took us to his workshop.
The beautiful, Pininfarina-designed Fiat was parked front and centre, finished in Azzuro Metallic with cream leather and smart Cromodora alloys.
Like most Fiat 124 Sport Spiders, Michael Elvans’ car is left-hand drive
The car had come from California some time in 2020 and had been restored there, but it’s not perfect, which is how I like them.
Once it arrived in the UK, its owner had replaced most of the engine ancillaries, the soft-top, and all the brakes and carpets.
It was an equal delight and relief to see that the car was as described.
A few Spiders were converted to right-hand drive, but most are left-hookers, which doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
The little Fiat is taken out most weekends
The 25-mile drive home was great fun: the thin, wood-rimmed wheel felt alive, the 2-litre twin-cam loves to rev, and it cruised happily at an indicated 70mph (probably closer to 55) in fifth.
This is what motoring used to be like.
The Fiat is rust-free and a joy to work on, and thankfully it already had European-spec bumpers, so the first job was to remove the ugly plastic door mirrors and replace them with circular chromed ones.
The plan was to slowly improve the car’s appearance and to use it as much as possible during the summer.
This perfectly imperfect Fiat 124 Sport Spider is rust-free
I ordered the missing Pininfarina side badges, fresh sunvisors, a new rear-view mirror, plus other bits and pieces.
The brake servo and fluid reservoir were replaced and a friend went over the electrics: he discovered a corroded connector behind
the dash, cleaned it and now the previously erratic tail-lights work perfectly.
He is currently restoring an Alfasud, so is used to 1970s Italian build quality.
This Fiat has the hated smog-reduction system, but the vacuum lines have all disintegrated and I plan to change the carburettor and intake manifold to European spec. This will liberate power and should help with fuel efficiency.
This Fiat 124 Sport Spider is in great mechanical condition, but a new carburettor is on the cards
We take the Spider out every weekend, and we were recently invited to the Auto Italia Car Day at Carlton Towers, near Selby in North Yorkshire.
A quietly spoken lady said ours was the prettiest car at the show and asked to sit in it for her photograph to be taken. High praise indeed.
Everyone who sees it says the same thing: “Isn’t it beautiful?”
My wife has christened the car Sophia, I presume after another Italian beauty. I have no intention of letting go of either.
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Factfile
- Owned by Michael Elvans
- First classic 1964 Singer Vogue
- Dream classic Ferrari 250 Lusso
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A cut above: Alfa GT Junior vs Fiat 124 Sport vs Lancia Fulvia Coupé
