Autobianchi A111

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I guess you have seen that Autobianchi in the eBay tat thread, I seem to be having a high-intensity crush on it.

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/87970496.htm?ca=12_s

 

It seems to be a PROPERLY obscure old thing. Most cars, if you dig on the ineternet enough, you can find someone somewhere selling bits or a bit of a forum thread or something. Well, I am struggling with this one. I have interrogated french, italian and dutch Autobianchi club sites, they are full of these:

 

 

and these:

 

 

but they have NOTHING on these A111's. The best I can do is a brochure scan:

 

http://www.autobianchi.org/ita2/a111.asp

 

I've had a dig on italian ebay, theres a couple of useful-looking parts catalogues, and some other treasures:

 

http://cgi.ebay.it/Fianco-destro-Autobianchi-A-111-originale-dellepoca-/350048267564

 

!!!!!

 

Theres one appears ina set of 2010 dutch club gathering pics:

 

 

French wikipedia reckons out of 60,000 built only 7 are known to remain in existence!!! That seems spectacularly low, you'd think there'd be more than that knocking about. PLus it reckons 4 are in france and 3 in italy, it makes no mention of a dutch one, and i've seen 3 or more for sale in italy.

 

A vitual cadbury's mini-roll to any shiters who can turn up any decent info!

[seth]

I'm off to a good start!

 

[chaseracer]

Is there a Fiat 128 under there somewhere?

 

 

EDIT: Apparently not, but they were both designed by Dante Giacosa who also did the Autobianchi Primula, which was the 'dry run' to prove the tech for the 128.

 

2nd EDIT: Thanks, Bollox!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Apparently not, I think these are a year older than the 128 and were supposed to slot between the 128 and the 124. Theres certainly a strong resemblance though.

[barrett]

So are you buying it or what?

 

Maybe Michel could contact the Dutch club and find out if the windscreen is shared with anything else

[Guest]

Here's an Italian slideshow with bonus wallpaper and info: http://autodimerda.blogspot.com/2009/04 ... -a111.html

[Alexg]

I know nothing about these cars, nothing. I didn't even know of their existance. After going through my vast collection of car books I still have nothing. All I've learnt is I love it, I want it. Good luck, we're all counting on you.

[michiel]

So are you buying it or what?

 

Maybe Mich(i)el could contact the Dutch club and find out if the windscreen is shared with anything else

 

I'll try to remember to contact them tomorrow!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Wow that would be amazing, cheers michiel.

 

I have emailed an italian autobianchi parts shop, see what they come up with.

[michiel]

Someone claims 'Front doors and windscreen seem to come from the Fiat 124':

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yeah I saw that, the front doors certainly dont though, they dont have the 'shoulder' of the 124.

[flat4alfa]

I love that, I reckons it should be bought quickly for that 500 funny monies. A 124 screen ought to be persuaded in. So what, it's an A111 !

 

I know only that:

- saw one for sale last year on eBay.it

- I once won a competition in CCW for identifying one from a brochure shot

- A111 has been on my want list for a few years now, ahead of Primulas

 

My Dad lives in Bretagne and has the means to collect it, so be quick! I could be persuaded (once it's rain proof) to swap it for the Alfa 6

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I've fired off a load of questions about it, so we'll see what comes back. Its been for sale for a bit like, but I dont know how its been stored or anything beyond whats in the ad at the moment.

 

If you are keen then by all means get on it, i dont want to get into a competition.

[flat4alfa]

After going through my vast collection of car books I still have nothing

It's on Pg.18 of the 1972 Observers book, but I doubt any were ever imported into RHD markets. Profiles in Ruoteclassiche and Retroviseur (iirc) but this thread probably a first over here. This one was sold through Citroen dealers, not sure why FIAT didn't carry it themselves.

 

i dont want to get into a competition.

Go on, go get it, I'm not in your way

[Minimad5]

What a lovely looking thing

 

Never heard of the car before, so it'll be great to hear or see more

Well done chaps

[Tayne]

,

[trigger]

I know nothing about these, I didn't even know what it was until i googled it, I'll just post these photos that I'm sure you have already seen.

 

1970_Autobianchi A111 by Christophe Ramonet, on Flickr

 

1970_Autobianchi A111 by Christophe Ramonet, on Flickr

 

Motore Italiano 2009 Heiligenkreuz (A) by ahellmann, on Flickr

 

And this person seems to have a few photos of them, I don't know if he owns this or not?.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70869312@N ... 341742137/

[Richard]

I've looked at 124 pictures and I think the doors could well be the same, apart from the handles being in a different place. The only way to find out is buy it and get a 124 screen.

[Volksy]

Motore Italiano 2009 Heiligenkreuz (A) by ahellmann, on Flickr

 

 

 

Above is a Seat 1430, the Spanish 124, in its facelifted guise it looks pretty similar, although the screen and doors do look taller.

[Volksy]

http://www.viddler.com/explore/autobian ... /videos/2/

[nigel bickle]

I still think 128.

 

So much of it is early 60's Fiat.

 

From a cursory glance:-

 

Doorhandles are 13/1500, hubcaps 124/5. Front bumper early 125 - overriders later 125 s.

 

From the brochure the interior looks very early 125-except the clocks & console.(1dial too many...)

 

I reckon I could muscle up sufficient to convert that to rhd; kinda making it unique.

 

 

You just gotta do that Testes. If I wasnt buried in this barn build (& swop outs)- I'd be on that like a rash...

 

Makes me pleased you spotted it first-but if you decide not too.....

[Formula Autos]

Same doors but different skin and door tops perhaps?

 

The side view in Trigger's post looks like 124 doors (ish) from the side. The top (window frames) of the back doors are very different though - there's a definite curved top edge on a 124, but a sharp corner on an A111.

 

The screen looks pretty similar on both though.

 

 

I found the above image here:

http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprint ... _124_1973/

 

No A111 though in their database. If someone could find a scaled drawing of the Autobianchi, maybe the dimensions could be compared?

[HillmanImp]

The front of this car looks so perfect. The SEAT version looks gash.

 

The lines on it are fantastic. Kind of reminds me of a small Bristol Beaufighter from the front?

[Hertz]

I thought there was a large place in Macclesfield who specialised in this very marque?

[nigel bickle]

Update please; Mr B

[Phrancofile]

The Bleinheim Gang have just posted a picture of an A111 here today: (halfway down) http://www.blenheimgang.com/blenheim-ta ... irilite-2/ Nice coincidence!

[barrett]

DynaMike @ autopuzzles says:

 

I'm pretty sure it won't be too difficult to find a windscreen for an A111. But maybe you'll need to practice your Italian

On the autobianchi.org site is a list of part suppliers (Servizio Ricambi), windows are called 'cristalli' and a windscreen is a 'parabrezza'...

[michael t]

they only made 56,984 of them, neat looking car would be a great autoshite voyage to collect that one

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Don't pressure me!!!! These things happen or don't happen, i just let stuff take its course.

 

I have requested a load more pics back off the sella, he's sent me some, the interior is in a pretty bad way and theres some reasonably serious grot on the rear wheelarches, probably not as bad as the front end of mi landcrab mind you. He's got/had it stored in a barn so the rains not pouring into it anyway.

 

I have requested a phone number so I can have a chat about it, i am very tempted but it does look a bit borderline in terms of sheddiness of what i'd dare tow on an A-frame! The tyres are supposedly alright mind.

[garethj]

i am very tempted but it does look a bit borderline in terms of sheddiness of what i'd dare tow on an A-frame! The tyres are supposedly alright mind.

Hire a trailer for a have-it-away-weekend in la belle France?