Sunday 8 June 2014

I need a fiat 850!

Where did I go wrong in life? That I have ended up in my mid fifities without a Fiat 850? No doubt I musn't be too hard on myself as the last 7 years has been a huge period of Automotive gain in my life. I now own 2 Pinninfarina coupes which have brought my motoring level to an unexpected high. Before I make up some story of new found wealth I must confess if I had to sell them I could probally exchange them for a basket case 850 (such as this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/fiat/auction-728513606.htm. Why do people take cars apart! madness!) How I ended up with $160,000 of Automotive exotica which is almost worthless is quite beyond me.(this is another story) But i really can't complain. In reality I am spoilt rotton by the downturn in  prices of gorgeous coupes on the New Zealand Market.
    Still being the odd person I am (or is it human nature) I never quite have enough. And i still hanker after one.My first one I brought when I twenty, for $900! It was 10 years old british racing green, in almost concours condition, (although it already had terminal chassis rust)off a dealer (only car I ever made money on - I sold it for $1200). It taught me how to corner, that car.It was a mini ferrari, It had a huge rev counter! It was great, I loved it, I wanted to marry it but I was fickle and fancy free, I wasnt serious on a long term relationship (which eventually came with a Sunbeam Alpine) Although I am very happy now (the Alpine is gone too) I wonder if I had more sense then, I could have enjoyed a life of Italian mini exotica. I guess I began to feel the 850s faults... it was....too small, All my friends had holdens, the fiat was a wimpy 903cc! The engine was at the wrong end, it wasnt a real car because of it like VWs, Imps and Skodas& Simcas.It bucked quite a lot (such a short wheel base) The fool I was! The problem was the Fiat was down right beautiful.Almost karmann ghiaish! later in my shed days i had another, it had bits missing, most of the front, although by then in my late 30s I much handier with a welder, for the life of me I couldnt see how to invent the shape of the bits that werent there.
    This is when I realised the 850s mysterious dark shame. They werent really cars at all! They were gorgeous yes but they were truly spirtual! They had no earthly place! They were the non-materialist cars, it was hopless to hang on to them! Like the androids in Bladerunner, they burned brightly but they had no staying power.They were Aspirin cars.For in reality they dissolved before your eyes after 12 years and that was that; no more!
     Yes I know theres rumours of them on trade me. But I ask you are they real? or has some clever conjurer really just managed to cobble together some avatar? I know for a fact one recent 850 on Trade me was actually printed on his 3D printer! In reality there are no Fiat 850s left in New Zealand. Despite being made here, Despite selling like hot cakes. They where so plentiful I thought an Austin Healey Sprite was exotic! Oh, how many sprites I would trade now for a decent 850!
  So I dont feel so bad really, and I have happy menories  and well... how many gorgeous sports coupes do you really need? Theres a lesson here for all bottom dwellers, those of us who love classic cars on the cheap. Buy whats cheap at the time, drive and enjoy it, Life doesn't get better than that! I enjoyed my fiat 850, I'm so glad I experienced one.

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