Once a famous and pampered car on the UK Club scene, since then dry-stored for 12yrs out of its 27, structurally sound and ready for mild renovation to make it the best of the last.
That is, the last ‘real Italian’ Fiat - the 1998 Fiat Punto ELX85 Mk1 late top-version Cabrio by Pininfarina (just before Euro-beige set in with the Mk2). That classic Italian pure-driver-pleasure!
Bought 2011 from ex-founder member ‘Missy’ of the Fiat Forum, in fine condition but bent valves, mended and ran 8k in 2yrs till the 140k engine gave up. Ole Dave built me an as-new 1368 bottom end to replace the 1242, but rod thro the side @ 500mi! He put in a less-good ditto but belt broke @ 1000mi! been in the barn ever since.
It’s up on ramps – any inspection - first-stage MOT-welded as per usual but all sound as is, or a perfectionist could re-do it to ‘as new’.
The car came with a nearly new, totally unobtainable, factory soft-top hood, which I put on, must be the best hood of any UK Cab. I found a factory original radio/tape from Germany, ready to replace the aftermarket unit.
Selling with lots of rare body parts, same colour, saved from my previous ELX90 Cab – both rear wings, door, bumpers, boot, bonnet, trims, and the superior velour interior from the ELX90 to replace the ELX85’s cheapskate trendy/jazz pattern.
And more - spare alloys, Hankooks – the best at that time, OK they’re 12yrs old but out of the sun so should be good.
The two old blocks, to measure from or take near-new bearings/rings/seals/pumps off for your repaired engine, still under the brilliant Mk1 16v head with instant-response direct-cable throttle (instead of later soggy fly-by-wire) so you can still do lift-off oversteer.
With the spares, its fundamentally sound state will save £1000s on a renovation – or good for a ‘rolling restoration’.