after 12 years (in french car land) back in the fold

[berlinaman]

Hi everyone. After 12 years of not having an alfa I am now 'back in the fold' having just bought a 1970 1750 berlina.
I sold my 1982 alfetta GTV in 1997 as I fell in love with a citroen DS which I bought. I soon realised that the DS was underpowered (DSpecial 1.9) and bought a DS 23 with 5 speed wagon followed by another DS23 5 speed pallas saloon. They were great cars and I finally sold them due to hardly using them (I work from home so the family only clocks up about 10,000k's a year).
But after 2 years of no classic in my garage I just had to have an old car again. Despite having allways coveted a 105 GTV I settled on the berlina because I used to own a 2 litre version in the late 80's and really liked it. I also like the styling and the now rarity of the berlina. I have also owned a guilia super, and fiats - 124, 125's, 132 & 850. I would have also looked at a nice fiat 125 special if there was one.
I bought the berlina from a guy who bought it from the family of the man who had owned it since 1975. It came with an amazingly detailed log book so it does seem to be genuine. Having said that at 94,000 miles it seems rather tired. Desite having new suspension bushes fitted for my RWC it still seems to handle poorly even though Melbourne's northern suburbs hardly offer the cornering enthusiast much joy. So I will have to investigate the handling a bit further as my old 2 litre handled really well.
I had to have some rust repaired for the RWC and opted to have the car repainted for $1500. I certainly wasn't expecting a concourse job and did'nt get one but the car looks pretty smart now particularly with the slightly lowered suspension. The colour however has changed from a light grey to a light blue colour due to the previous owner guessing the original colour based on an internet colour code site.
It looks nice and I kind of like it as my guilia super was pale blue, but I would have prefered it to stay the same. The inerior is pretty good with that lovely dash and steering wheel and the original red interior is pretty good considering its nearly 40 years of existence.
Anyway I will take the car to spetacolo and join the club again. Hope to see some other berlinas too.
See you there.
Tony Stuart

[Brad M]

Not really sure why it took so many Citroens to realise you should be back in an Alfa.

Regardless, welcome back from your lapse of sanity 

[ProvaRacing]

Welcome Tony. And as a former 125S owner also, as well as a couple of 124 coupes, I know what you mean about finding one of those old beauties...sadly they were never be as valuable as an old Alfa and many by now would be written off or totally succumed to Italian cancer Damn Russian steel.

Gotta love the pastel period of car colours but trying to match off a pc screen...dohp!!

Look forward to seeing it at Spettacolo.

[MD]

Yes me too. Had a bunch of Fiat quirky cars. 2x 500's. an 1100D, a 1500MKIII and an 850T van (never imported to Australia) and the car that made me change brands was a 2 litre Berlina. Once I had a test drive of one these ladies I couldn't beleive just what wonderful cars they were. Some years later doing some test drive comparisons of 105 coupes and the Berlina, my impression was that the sedan having 100 longer wheel base was less twitchy in the rear than the coupe. So I am with you. Perhaps some more detailed look over the suspension should sort it out. Best of luck with it.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Did Fiat 125s come to Australia then?  I've never seen one here. I would look at one of those, they're a beautiful sedan.

I'm kicking myself that I never bought one while I was back in NZ, especially a 125T, the homologation version with 25hp extra.  Only 90 or so made, but occasionally one will come up for sale.  None at the moment, but there is a ute....http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Other/auction-249151367.htm

[ProvaRacing]

They sure did come to Australia, mine was a 1970 125 Special (my first owned car). Bought it of my mechanic and only mods were 132 seats (as they had headrests), sports steering wheel, and even though it was the standard dohc 1600 5spd it had a 1800 clutch/flywheel/bell housing.

Oh and the badge had faded so I replaced it with the later style round one...I still have the original badge now!

I loved that car and here it was in 1984;