Todays Excellent Shite Rescue, Fiat Strada & BSA Content

[Torsten2001]

I commited to this rescue before I saw it but the family were so glad when I said yes that I can't back out! It looks worse than it is though. It's been garaged for 5 years (I use the word garaged in the loosest sense of the word), there's filler in the bonnet and tailgate, the nearside sill is crispy, the petrol tank leaks apparently and the windscreen wipers have been snapped off damaging the spindles. It has 107k on the clock and it is the 1300, I couldn't really get a good look around but it doesn't look too bad, I am the eternal optomist though! The tyres are still up! It's in East London so have a butchers hook!

 

The guy was a top bloke and as I'd mentioned I liked bikes too he told me that the guys renovating the house next to his sister found an old bike in the shed they knocked down so I trotted off there expecting an old Honda C90 or something. You can imagine my utter delight at coming across a 1950 BSA (dated by the registration number LLB160), not entirely sure of the model but it is either the 350cc B31 or the 500cc B33/M33, I'm dragging back to work tomorrow evening to be assesed once I've desyphered the engine and frame numbers:

[barrett]

Incredible! Is it a pre-facelft one by any chance???

Good score on the BSA too, must be worth a few bob even in that condition no?

[Torsten2001]

It has these wheels:

and the front looks like this:

I think!

 

I reckon there's money in the BSA, too far gone for me I think!

[Cavcraft]

Whoosh, top shite scoring there.

I reckon the Beezer parts should be pretty easy to find.

[Torsten2001]

Parts will be a doddle mostly but it is seized solid, didn't try and move it, I'll save that fun job for tomorrow!

[Lord Sterling]

Fiat Strada, otherwise known as Ritmo in Europe.

 

Nice find. I remember as a kid a mate of mines dad having a Fiat Ritmo/Strada similar to the one above in his garage for quite a long time.

[greengartside]

That Strada is pure WIN

 

Superb find Torsten!

[warren t claim]

Can it be saved?

[scoobypete]

Well done that man on the strada!!

 

Ive been hiding a secret fetish for one of those for a while.....first dibs if you decide you dont want it!!

[Pete-M]

I had a Strada 130TC and liked it lots.

 

I bet the rear strut towers on that are a tad flaky, but get it done, man.

[Angrydicky]

Oooh, Strada!

 

I demand MOAR pics!

[Torsten2001]

I don't really know what sort of state it's in, 5 years might have saved or condemned it but right now the options are me or the scrappy!

[Tayne]

.

[Alexg]

'excellent' doesn't even come close mate. Love Stradas, good luck with it and I can't wait to see more pictures!

[warren t claim]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=v ... POwaldgYeA

 

Some inspiration from Uncle Sam.

[Lankytim]

Was the facelift strada known as the "super Strada"? Maybe not, but it rings a bell anyway. Top collecting skills though, even if it does look a tad weathered!

 

The last time I saw one about was in Acocks Green in Birmingham around 10 years ago, it was for sale at 350 notes. I was tempted but had just bought a Morris Ital.....

[pompei]

I love those "liquorice allsorts" wheels!

[theorganist]

Excellent save, haven't seen one of those in years.

 

My friends mum had an orange Strada 60 (I think it was), I remember it being very nippy and sounding very sporty, I was only 14 at the time though.

[nigel bickle]

Good luck with that.

 

I went to France for my(LHD) series1.

 

Quite a rare car now -but I'll wager its close to rusted out. Depends how committed you are I guess..

 

If you get stuck for parts -I've plenty (got several of the damn things!)

[boobydoo]

A series one Strada has got to be Top 20 Autoshite, surely!

Well saved, I say!

[garycox]

Wow! I love those Stradas with the circle door handles... Haven't seen one for years!

[peter9000uk]

Sod the car! I want the bike, engine looks very Goldstarish BTW

[trigger]

I love the look of those old Stradas, I'd love a 105TC in that shape, There can't be many left now though.

[mattblack]

Can't belive no one's posted this yet....

 

 

[trigger]

This ones better!

 

[Mr Lobster]

Strada does look fairly well gone but you never know. Either way, full marks for taking it on.

[Torsten2001]

The worst bits that I can see are the tail gate and the bonnet, alas the tailgate was about the only part of the car I could photograph! It is a rare car so I guess it needs saving, as for commitment Nigel I guess that just depends on what I find! Better I save it than the scrappy I suppose!

[Rusty Pelican]

Seen two at a car show recently , classy looking cars , Our local scrappys had a Strada Cabrio in a while back , started and drove but ive never seen rot like it , holes in the middle of the doors FFS , good luck , these do need saving if at all possible

[nigel bickle]

Be interesting to see how bad it is.

Look forward to the pics..

[kevin 900]

Hahahahaaa

 

I'd never seen that 'Hand built by Roberts' sketch before! Classic.

 

My mate had a T-Reg Strada in the late 90's, don't know what model it was, but he seemed to think he'd make an Abarth replica out of it (it was a 5-door...)

 

Needless to say, it ended up looking hideous & got scrapped...