1986 Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC

Imported from New Zealand after being sold new there, this incredible Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC arrived in the United Kingdom in 2019. As a result of those sun-filled 33 years, ‘C404 RBV’ is remarkably rust-free and has the MoT record to prove it. 

Resprayed a couple of years ago by a Ferrari expert to make the most of that incredibly well-preserved body, the owner says he has “spared no expense to make it as good as can be”.

Not that its charms end with its looks. Because it’s the fabled Abarth 130TC, which, as the name suggests, has no fewer than 130 wild Italian horses under the bonnet courtesy of a twin-cam engine, it’s a ripsnorter of an eighties hot-hatchback that delivers its power without any driver aids whatsoever, so it is “raw and visceral” and “can be a bit of a handful!”

There are 2 spare door cards and a few parts together with a original front seat that will be part of the sale. An original service book that the first owner had and is stamped is available to the new owner..

Fresh from that recent Kudos Concours Restoration Ltd respray, the Strada’s coachwork looks great. Mind you, with a final bill of £4,560, it should do, shouldn’t it?

It also fits together surprisingly well; after decades of seeing ratty, poorly maintained rust-buckets, to see one that’s still in much the same condition as it left the factory in shows the Strada’s problem was poor quality steel rather than the way it was screwed together.

The black plastic trim, of which there is quite a bit, is all good, too. As are the lamp lenses, the badges, and the window glass. Even the four corners of the bumpers and the door mirrors are free of scrapes and scratches.

The round door handles echo both the wheels and the fuel filler flap, and the pressed metal numberplates are a nice touch.

Speaking of wheels, the 14-inch factory alloys are also in great shape and they’re fitted with a matching set of 185/60R14 Continental EcoContact 6 tyres, all of which look to have plenty of tread left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As for work to do, you’ll want to keep on top of the polishing regimen and the alloy wheels show some slight lacquer loss but apart from that we can’t find anything for your To Do list.

The interior is a bit more of a mixed bag because cars like this are all about the originality, and neither the front Recaro seats nor the Sparco steering wheel look like they are the originals. 

However, the Low Volume Vehicle Certification Plate does refer to the car being fitted with “AUTOSPORT BUCKET SEAT” , so don’t throw them out until you’ve done a bit more digging, eh?

Just in case they are aftermarket, the seller tells us that he’s located one, possibly two, front seats and these will be included in the sale. 

The rest, the carpets, headlining, dashboard, and rear seat, are all pretty good. While the same sunshine that preserved the coachwork will often damage the interior, this one has survived very well with bright lettering to the instruments and controls and an absence of UV damage to the plastics.

The glovebox is home to a torch as well as the vanity mirror, and the boot contains an outdoor car cover in addition to the sound system.

As for flaws, the passenger door card is grubby but the owner tells us he’s managed to track one of these down, too. Photos of this, and the seats, will follow.

If originality means more to you than hi-fidelity you might be to track down a period-correct headunit to replace the modern JVC one that was fitted in October 2019. This formed part of a £3,200 install that included multiple speakers, a subwoofer, and an amplifier in addition to a Clifford 650p alarm/immobiliser.

The engine was dyno-tested in May 2022 following work to the fuelling system that included a Filter King regulator and gauge, new jets, and a freeflow air filter in addition to fresh engine oil and a new oil filter. 

The work, which included 20 hours of labour, set the owner back £1,900 but the result was 140bhp, ten up on the original. With only 950kgs to haul, performance is likely to be sprightly.

September 2021 saw the Fiat receive a service that included a new timing belt and two Weber 45 DCOE carburettors. This resulted in another big bill, this time for £1,800.

A new exhaust system, front brake discs, and a rear hub were fitted in May 2020.

As you can see it starts and runs well. The seller used words like “visceral”, “raw”, and “a rollercoaster ride” to describe it, which is, of course, exactly what you’d hope to hear.

The engine and engine bay are fairly clean and nicely presented. There is scope to further detail it if you plan on showing it (and if not, why not?) but that’s very much a second-tier job.

The underside looks good and solid, and no MoT tester has ever raised the thorny issue of rot and corrosion.

The plastic front chin spoiler is undamaged and free of scrapes.

The new exhaust system is present and correct, as is the full-size spare wheel that’s in a cradle under there.

The Fiat’s MoT certificate is valid until the 14th September 2024 and it was issued, like every one before, with no advisories. 

This is almost certainly a world record for a Fiat from the eighties and we’ll be informing the editor of the Guinness Book of World Records on the owner’s behalf.

The history file also comes with invoices for the work that’s been carried out here, a book on the Strada Abarth Abarth 130TC, and a copy of Motor from June 1984 in which they review the model. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for being an imported car.

Only for sale because the seller is thinning his collection ahead of a move abroad, this is a rare chance to get your hands on a fine example of a car most of us never expected to ever see on the road again.

Utterly analogue in its responses, the Strada Abarth does what you tell it to, when you tell it to. There are no driver aids to intervene when they think you might have made a bit of a balls-up, which is probably how it should be.

One of only five still in use on UK roads according to How Many Left (plus another 32 on SORN but who knows how many of those will ever see tarmac again…) we estimate it’s going to fetch somewhere between £16,000 and £22,000.Strong money. for sure, but when will you ever see another like it?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in West Wickham, Kent. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’