Survivor-grade European classics can be hard to find, especially examples that have remained with one owner and avoided a full restoration. This 1973 Fiat 124 Coupe checks those boxes, showing 60,895 miles and offered with a clean title. Listed here on eBay, the car is described as a retained, unrestored example that has been carefully maintained over the years while preserving its original character. Thanks for the tip, Araknid78!
Power comes from a 1.6-liter engine paired with a manual transmission, keeping the driving experience true to the lightweight, enthusiast-focused feel these coupes were known for when new. The seller notes that the car has received recent mechanical attention, including a full service in February 2024, a brake caliper overhaul, and a timing belt replacement. The original Fiat exhaust system is still in place, something many collectors appreciate when evaluating a car that hasn’t been heavily modified.
The car is described as largely original, with the most notable change being a newly installed black leather interior. Otherwise, the goal appears to have been preservation rather than restoration. According to the listing, the paint is original and shows some age-related scratches, which is consistent with a car that has been retained rather than refinished. The undercarriage is said to be rust-free and the car is presented as mechanically sound and ready to be driven.
Mileage is listed at 98,000 kilometers, or roughly 60,895 miles, and the seller emphasizes that this Fiat has remained a single-owner vehicle. That kind of history can be appealing to enthusiasts who value continuity and originality over show-quality restorations. Instead of being rebuilt or heavily modified, this example appears to reflect the life it has lived, supported by recent servicing to keep it on the road.
Cars like this tend to appeal to a specific kind of buyer, someone who appreciates authenticity and wants a classic that still feels genuine rather than reimagined. The Fiat 124 Coupe has long been appreciated for its balance of style, simplicity, and drivability, and this example seems to lean into those strengths.
With recent maintenance completed, largely original presentation, and single-owner history, this 1973 Fiat 124 represents a preserved piece of Italian automotive design that can still be enjoyed as intended. Would you keep it as an original survivor, or take it further with a restoration of your own?
You forgot to mention that it’s in Agneda,Italy,& it’s $18,000.
These look so much nicer with the small bumpers.
Plus you have to consider shipping to the US,& customs fees.
Used cars have tariff rate of free.
And yes, I would love one of these.
I had to google it to see exactly what it looks like. What terrible pictures!
I agree. 9 crappy photos to buy a car from Italy. I went to their website and, yep, same 9 crappy pictures. You are saving $400 by buying it on EBay – LOL!
I have owned two 124 Sport Coupe way back in the 1980’s. One was a very nice low mileage -69 AC, and then also a very rusty and ratty -74 CC. They are for sure nice cars but I honestly liked the sedans better, the driving experience is the same. Good engine and gearbox combo, good brakes. The suspension is fairly soft and steering is perhaps not quite at the Alfa/Lancia level of communication. Not sure if this one has the 124 based 1608 engine or the later 132 based engine (was it 1592 cc?) but either way they are in my experience the best ones. The 1400 is quite gutless at lower rpm and the 1800 is a bit gruffer and less rev happy.
But for this kind of money I would rather get a Lancia Fulvia Coupe.
Fanalone!!
IDK. I had a ’74 TC and I had a friend with a Sport Coupe. Seemed to me if my memory serves me right, his Sport Coupe was much quicker, better sounding and handled much better than my TC. But it was a long time ago.
I also had a ’69 1438cc coupe. It was beautiful (to me) and handled better than anything I’d previously driven. The short, wide wheelbase got me in trouble once though in an S-curve (ok I was going waaay too fast) when the inside rear wheel lifted-fortunately I got it back after some white-knuckle fishtailing! Other than that it was always planted (except in snow-not good). They must be maintained by knowledgable people or an experienced home mechanic (ask me how I know) and the vent window and rear window/rear view mirror adhesives weren’t durable-neither was the vinyl upholstery or the magnetic cooling fan clutch (attached to the water pump as I recall-I went through three of them). And yes, as Beyfon mentioned, the 1438 in the ’69 isn’t gonna win any stoplight drag races! But it would cruise all day at 80 on the interstate and with the five speed and 4 wheel discs was entertaining in the twisties! Light weight was part of the design philosophy in order to achieve a respectable power-to-weight ratio so things broke-it ain’t a Volvo! Also in those days corrosion-proofing and extreme cold weather testing were mostly non-existent, so a couple of harsh New England winters killed it (I think). That said, it put a smile on my face every time I looked at it or drove it (when it was running properly). I’d certainly have another, but at this price as Beyfon said, you can move up to a Lancia, a far more durable machine (so I’ve read).
My first new car was a red 1970 124 coupe, 1438cc. Loved that car. Unfortunately some guy in a Lincoln Continental got on the Expressway the wrong way and hit me head on in the right lane. Car was toast.
And you survived. Wow.
I saw it coming at the last moment, stood on the brakes and held onto the steering wheel so hard the steering column crushed the dash. I had a lap belt on, my buddy the passenger didn’t and hit the windshield. It wasn’t a good day.
Wow,this is the exact same car I bought new in 1973,same color for $ 4,200 new at a dealer in Cherry Hill N.J.after selling my 72′ Gremlin X.Toggle switches constantly broke,trunk lid failed,rubber hose to the gas tank rotted away.My neighbor backed in it and I had to wait 4 months to get a replacement. Did I mention it was a blast to drive.Sold it at 30 k miles and got a used 72′ Nova.
European version car. I personally prefer the United States version. I like the larger bumpers on the CC. I owned an AC, and a CC. Nice car though! I preferred the CC over the AC. Wonderful cars, and a joy to drive! Best to do all the repair work yourself! Take your time and have patience when working on Fiats!
My boss had one of these, back in the mid-70s. To say she drove it spiritedly would be a gross understatement. It was quick and handled great – better than anything I had ridden in or drove at that point in my very young life. It was impressive!
Located in: Agneda, Italy
Asking US$18000
Thanks for the acknowledgement, Elizabeth
Love the gauges and toggle switches! Also, love the 4 headlights on the BC and CC cars! Best to find a rusted parts car for the parts you might need! Great information Elizabeth Puckett!! Great tip Araknid78!!
How is this car not completely rusted away? I had the same car in Iowa, and within about 8 years it had terrible rust even though I always kept it clean and detailed. I guess they don’t use salt on the roads in Italy. Wish we could get away with that!
In one of the nice little “Driving Hints” booklets which used to come with new FIATs I found the Italian trick to non-rusting. At one point it said something to the effect of “when oil spraying the the underside, be sure to cover the disc brake assemblies.”
I later discovered that over there they’d dilute drain oil one-to-one with kerosene or Diesel fuel and spray it on the underside of the car when it was in for oil change/service. Messy but the kerosene would carry the old engine oil into every crack and crevice. I used that trick on my FIATs in CT in the ’70s-’90s and they lasted well over ten years without rusting out. CT is known for using salt like it’s going out of style and most cars succumbed after a few years.
A very nice example, though I liked the earlier 124 Coupe better. Still, try to find any of these, anywhere. I like the driver-centered layout, with extra legroom for whomever is riding shotgun/navigator.
Consider this route: take a repositioning cruise from the US to Europe….a leisurely way to travel: you can pass the time working on your Italian! Pick the car up, drive it in its intended environment, the backroads of Europe, for three months, then ship it back to the States. Maintain it, love it, and drive it! Don’t squirrel it away. Share the experience with others.
Growing up my folks had an off-white ’69 AC coupe and then traded up to a blood-red ’71 BC coupe, the latter being the one car my dad still says to this day he’d give his left one to have back again.
One of Dad’s work colleagues told him he spotted a pretty blonde driving the everlovin’ heck out of a little red foreign sport coupe, taking corners hard and fast and revving up through all the gears, wasn’t until he finally caught up to her a few lights later that he recognized her as my Mom.
I don’t recall either 124 being particularly troublesome, nor the metallic-green ’79 Brava wagon that ultimately succeeded them, mostly ever in the shop just for routine maintenance such as timing belt changes.
The ’71 did suffer issues a couple times returning home from long-distance family vacation road trips. First time was a failing fuel pump, replaced same-day with an electric pump that also handily resolved vapor lock issues it sometimes had in the hot Nebraska summers. Another time it started running erratically, and the shop off the interstate couldn’t figure it out right away, so we had to leave it there and take a loaner the last couple hours’ drive home; that problem turned out to be a cracked distributor rotor, cheap and easy fix.
Let me add as a former owner,the black snorkel off the air cleaner was hinged.It the winter you would turn it down to get warm air off the engine.Also under the steering column where the manual choke and throttle.The fuel pump was mounted in the trunk.Electric fan.
The hinged air cleaner takes me back to my 125S. Ditto the hand throttle. Poor man’s cruise control!
I had a ’74 Sport Coupe and, as others here have said, it was a blast to drive, especially on country roads. I’ll skip the downsides that others here have already commented on, but will note that the car came without a radio or anywhere good to install one. As near as I can tell, this car does not have one either. My dealer told me that Italians didn’t listen to the radio in the car and didn’t think we should either; I have no way of knowing if that was true. (I do know that my roommate at the time had a 1974 X1/9 that did not come with a radio, either.) I remember having to buy a special kit to install one. I think it went into the cubby box on the passenger side, but others here may remember better than me.
My ‘71 Fiat 850 Spider had a radio. I don’t remember how or where but I spent a lot of time in that car, about 100 miles a day, and I know I would remember not having one.