I don't hate you...
But I do hate to see someone such as 'flaviaman' (who I believe restored this car?) pour his heart and soul into a very comprehensive rebuild of a car only to not even recoup what he spent on parts/specialist services and nothing for his time, effort and obvious expertise and attention to detail - heaven only knows what all this work, done to this standard, would have cost in a professional 'shop....
I've looked through all the pics and invoices on the auction? site and have noticed a few little things that imho may need attention - not unusual after such a comprehensive rebuild and only 375 mls or so covered since. Please understand, I'm not trying to 'rain on your parade', I just want you to continue to enjoy your car without any problems arising. Here's what I've
casually noticed from the pics:-
1) Parking brake cable is contacting the exhaust - this was a common issue, cure is to re-position the exhaust (might not be possible as space is tight) or make up a new longer cable support bracket to hold the cable away from the exhaust - the existing bracket looks like this :-
Or you could install a cable heat shield similar to this (this item is currently out of stock but you could use a short length of exhaust header heat wrap) :-
There is also shown in one of the pics, a plastic sleeve on the passenger side parking brake cable, this can be slid (takes a little effort) along the cable to help shield it from the exhaust heat, but the real long-term cure is to keep the cable away from the heat source. What can happen is the exhaust will burn through the cable outer covering allowing moisture in which then causes rust which causes the parking brake to bind, not good.
2) Clutch cable adjustment nut - as best as I can see, it appears that the wrong type of nut has been installed, here's the correct metal ball-end nut which allows to cable to pivot in the clutch release arm as the clutch is operated, also there would normally be more adjustment thread showing when the correct nut and locknut is fitted :-
3) Front wheel alignment... I saw the pics of the front wheel alignment being checked by the 'string method' - this is fine as regards the toe-in adjustment if done carefully but doesn't do anything for the camber and caster angle adjustment. I didn't notice any mention of any further wheel alignment work being carried out subsequently (restorer may have done so so later? and string-check was just for initial toe-in setting? idk).
I know pics can be deceiving, but to my eye, the camber angle especially on the passenger front wheel appears to be excessively positive and possibly also excessively' toed-in'. In some of the pics, the outside edge of the tire tread looks worn away.
I did notice that the tires were changed in pairs on different dates - not all 4 tires at the same time, in some pics the outside tread looks worn, in others it's fine. But as the (4) tires are almost unworn now, it's too early to tell from wear patterns if camber angle is incorrect.
In my experience, the 124's can benefit from a slight change in camber angle towards the negative (stock setting is 0* 30' +/- 20', (car loaded) depending on which manual you consult. Altering it to approx. -0* 30' or so (loaded) can help with turn-in and reduces tire shoulder tread wear.
4) Driver's door armrest is missing the finishing plug at it's forward end afaik these are still available :-
5) Inside the trunk just in front of where the fuel filler metal pipe enters the trunk, there is a painted pipe that doesn't appear to be connected to anything - what is this for, could it be a water drain from the recessed gas filler housing? should it be connected to anything?
6) Under the car there are a few small areas of chipped undercoating, possibly caused when the exhaust was being fitted, these should be touched-in.
7) Rear brake hoses, these run very close to the inside of the wheel, it might be worth checking that there are no balance weights fitted to the inside of the wheels e.g self-adhesive type, as these, if fitted can abrade and damage the flexible hoses (I don't see any balance weights fitted to the outside of the wheels, so am guessing these might be fitted inside the wheel 'bell').
8) Transmission drain plug would normally be a taper plug with a 12mm internal hexagon (i.e takes a 12mm Allen /key) that had a built-in magnet to collect any metal wear fragments - I don't know if the type of plug fitted to your trans. has a magnet but it might be worth checking whenever you next change the oil.
9) Afaik, these early cars were fitted with an engine splash shield that attaches to the panel below the radiator and the engine crossmember with a cut-out to clear the oil pan. In my experience, driving at high speed (c. 80+ mph) without this splash shield fitted can cause the front end to lift and the steering to go light - it also helps to keep the area around the engine cleaner. I don't remember them being aluminum only saw sheet steel type e.g. :-
10) I notice that the correct, large (so-called Turtleback) air cleaner isn't fitted, this was the stock fitment for the 1608cc engine when fitted with the dual Weber 40 IDF carbs. - it incorporated anti-resonance perforated internal tubes and helped to significantly reduce the intake drone which can be very annoying on a long journey. I did notice that the correct turtleback air filter element was purchased (c. $70?). Perhaps the restorer found that with the greater height of the 1608cc engine compared to the original 1438cc engine, there was insufficient hood clearance. (I had this problem when fitting 1608cc engine into 124 AC Coupes).
11) As you're now running essentially a Euro spec. 1608 engine, it would be worth checking that the ignition timing is set to the Euro figure of 10* btdc as some U.S. spec engine used 5* btdc.
12) Be careful about using those Magnesium Alloy wheels, Fiat stopped using them after only a few years and switched to conventional al. alloy wheels. The Magnesium Alloy wheels can corrode if the surface finish scratched/chipped. Fiat issued special instructions, back in the day, as regards checking and refinishing these wheels incl. using a special primer. Their use was banned in Motorsport over here if they were over 4 years old, I've seen corrosion spreading through the metal , looks like wood-worm holes and I've seen them break/collapse. Please be careful. I used to do a rudimentary check on these wheels when changing tires - remove tire, suspend wheel on a string, tap the wheel, it should ring, if it emits a dull sound it's faulty and not to be used.
13) I'm not doing 13 'cos that might be unlucky...
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