Love the 127! This version was available as 900L/CL and 1050L/CL. Can you imagine whole families using this as a first car. No luxury, just a cool, agile and handy Fiat.
@@DollyBoy_1923the Palio was a special edition version of the Series 2 which sat above the CL and had a plusher interior, and I think also the instrumentation from the Sport
First brand new car I ever bought, August 1st 1973, Deluxe model with heated rear window and reclining seats, for the princely sum of £875, 903cc engine would rev to close on 8000rpm (fitted an aftermarket rev counter) in first and second if you let it, motorway was very noisy, 70mph was over 5000rpm, the noise made it feel quick, had it to silly speed going downhill, loved it 😍
My first car CAH 917T 903cc 127 in bright yellow. Took it from Norwich to Pembroke and back and regular trips to London. Brilliant little car. I even replaced the brakes on it when I was just 18.
I owned two 127s in the 80s. They were absolutely great cars as pointed out by furious. I had a red 1050cl that went rusty and had been bodged by a main dealer. Then I picked up a V reg Palio version. Alloys, tinted glass, luxury seats, a huge fabric sunroof, metallic paint. I loved that car. Always wanted the 1050 sport version - even more of a rev monster than the 1050cl. Very happy driving days.
My Dad had a mustard coloured corduroy suit in the 70s and would have been camouflaged perfectly in that interior Matt , all you’d see was his sunglasses 😎, head and hands 😁 scary thought but a great little car.
My parents had three 127s in the 1970s, the last of which was a bright yellow 1050CL. I remember we came back from Gatwick to the North East in it on the night of the Fastnet Race storm in August 1979. Terrible driving conditions but us 3 kids, Mum and 6' 4" Dad + suitcases got back safe and sound. Great cars!
What visionary cars they were, and I remember many friends families buying them,second hand, as a first car for their children in the 70s. And so practical, with the hatch you could get a lot in if you were moving from home to college/Uni and then from flat to flat (when we could afford our own places). A lovely car, and what an example.
I drove 100,000 miles in mine including trips to Venice and Naples. I drove it enthusiastically and loved it and along the way it taught me how to do a lot of car mechanics ! Brakes needed regular sorting …That blue is still a favourite….
My mum had two of these back in the late 70's firstly a 900CL then a 1050CL. I passed my test in late 1979 and as a 17 year old managed to exert some fantastic speeds out of them - the 1050 would cruise at 100 and do more than that down hill. Absolutely brilliant cars both of them, very reliable, handled well (they bloody had too!!!) and neither went rusty as I looked after the bodywork properly.
Loved the 1977 facelift with the 1050 cc ohc, loved my Granda's leaf green 1974, loved his 1975 127 Special which my Brother still owns and I loved my Mum's 1974 Navy Blue 127, her first car. Loved the 1981 facelift with the sloped headlights too. Great little cars. Fair play to Seat for giving the 127 five doors as well.
@@seanburke5686 you are a lucky man. My Granda's was the pale blue. I drove it once when I ran out of petrol in my Mum's 1981 Fiesta. My Granny said, " Take the Fiat and get petrol." I was terrified of scratching it. It has survived and my Brother is recommissioning it at present. March 1975 with 26,000 miles from new.
Yeah my mum adored that little car she kept it on the road till it more or less dissolved , about 15 yrs so pretty good for an Italian car with paper thin steel and paint 😬😬
Mum had a bright red 1981 127. She hardly got to drive it, dad was always borrowing it. He drove it VERY hard and it just lapped it up. Cracking little cars!
The clutch feels heavy because the car is primarily designed as a left hand drive. In left hand drive cars the clutch cable is short and connects in more or less a straight line to the clutch. In right hand drive models however, the cable takes a much more circuitous route and encounters a great deal more resistance. Unos and Puntos had the same problem.
Regular lubrication keeps it light and smooth, best done by removal of both inner and outer complete and a cable lubricator (available from M/C dealers) filled with gear oil, hung up and left until it runs through. Best to let most drain out before refitting to prevent a stained carpet under the pedal or a slippery one. VW's had the same problem.
It’s not obvious unless you sit in the left hand seat, but many Fiats of that era have the gearshift angled slightly towards the LH driver so it “falls readily to hand”. Selecting first gear in a RHD model requires a long armed shove.
Also the stupid setup where the brake master cylinder was mounted under the dash on RHD models (in a perfect position to gouge a hole in your leg in a crash!), it took until '79 when Fiat finally worked out a remote mechanism to the LH side so they could finally fit a brake servo.
I had a 903cc which I think was M reg and I owned it in the late 1970's. Even though it was only 903cc it would cruise happily at 90mph on the motorway and I even managed to get 7 people in mine. A great car, fun to drive.
In the mid 70's that 903cc had roots that made it long in the tooth. It was a awesome motor. I bought an Uno in 1984 with the self same motor and in 1992 I bought a SEAT Marbella still sporting the same ( FITA were still banging out Panda's with the same motor). It was a development of the Dante Giacosa designed 633cc motor from the 1955 FIAT 600. Think of all the cars it was used on - including Zastava's etc. When people bang on about the venerable A Series I always think that the FIAT 100 series engine was more important produced in greater volume and just better.
A good friend of mine took me out in his 1050cl . I was so impressed, i sold my beetle and bought the sport version which i later traded in for the mk 3 1300GT.
My parents' had three of these - I've got nothing but fond memories of 127s! Their final one - before upgrading to a Panda - was a 127 Palio. BTW, another great video.
You had me in tears with the kids smoking on the way to school joke. I went to school in the 70s and yes I smoked lol. I had a Zastava version of that car in chocolate brown, and I loved it .
I remember helping my Dad repair the body panel (rear section that the hatch closed down against) using A4 mesh and isopon filler. It was so rusted, the numberplate became a structural piece in the middle. We got alignment perfect and the boot (hatch) closed perfectly. Great memories. Dad watched me change oil, filter and plugs too. I was only 9 or 10. What are kids that age doing today?
i have one of these in my garage, a white, first series, 3 door from 1974. No welding, no rust and in te original paint with 26.000 km on the clock. My first car i ever bought was also a 127. A 2 door special from 1976.
Great little car and lovely colour. I spent most of my L plate time in my Mums 128. She then traded that for a 128 3P. Fond memories of both. These even rusted in Australia unfortunately. Can’t remember when I last saw a 127. When motoring was fun 🤩
I reckon … the most popular car for parish priests during the 1970s! Italian, practical, and stylish. Handy for getting to and from church… for baptisms, marriages, or funerals. Bless you, my son ⛪️
I'm sure that, probably fantastically moustached, gentleman would remove the Cuban heels and adopt a soft, well fitted leather driving shoe, thus fitting the pedals. Joyous little car and what a lovely noise.
Had a 127 Palio for a time, a bit more luxurious than the one tested. I remember it had a sunroof and velour seats, traded it for a 131 Arbarth, that was a real rocket job.
These were so modern when they were new. Just look at what Opel/Vauxhall offered in 1974: Kadett C was rear wheel drive, Same for Ford Escort. The first Fiesta was still 2 years in the future. The Italians really had a good hard look at the first Mini, the super modern R5 and probably also the Honda Civic, Datsun Cherry 100A, Peugeot 104 and Simca 1100 and combined all the best aspects into the Fiat 127: light weight OHV transverse engine, frontwheel drive with proper good road holding, 4seater hatchback with folding rear bench. At that time (1974) the VW Golf1 and Fiesta weren't on the market yet. This 127 is sweet, love the loud 1970's color. We got the 127 Sport which only came in bright orange.
The car that Yugo was based on. Yugo 45 had that 903 ccm engine, but it was not OHC. The cam was in the block, very close to the crank, driven via a very short chain.
I came here to say the same thing. I had a 1989 Seat Ibiza Special with the same engine, not very powerful but really fun to drive. A replacement timing chain cost £10 and took half an hour to fit. It's so short, there's no tensioner.
I wasn’t aware the 903cc in the 127 was ever an overhead cam unit; it was always an overhead valve engine with the cam in the block driven by a chain. The 1050 in the 127 was the later Fiasa engine which was an overhead cam unit with belt-driven camshafts.
In the 80s this was our family car growing up. Ours was a series 3 1050çc super 5 speed in burgundy. Alas at 6 years old, it suffered from chronic rust.
My first car was exactly that model, a blue 1050 CL with orange/brown interior. Unusually, the engine went, and I sold it as scrap for £10 because it was getting very rusty. A few months later I saw it back on the road, with new metal to replace the rusty scuttle panel and rear wheel arches, lowered suspension, wider wheels, sports seats and a noisy exhaust. I assume that it probably had a 1300 engine as well. Shame someone's budget hot hatch does not seem to have survived.
My father had one of those. A 77 S reg too but in white. About 1984 ( i was 10 years old) we were driving home one evening in South London and an Audi 80 pulled out in front of us. We hit drivers side front onto the passenger side rear axle of the Audi. The entire front of the fiat got pushed to the passenger side. Myself and my father were wearing seat belts and we were bruised but safe. The car just folded up at the front and was literally dragged onto the recover truck gearbox and engine oil mixing on the deck. The car saved us.
Loved the 127 - a mate had one of the early booted one's. For some reason I was messing about with a Toledo at the time so missed the 128 and went in at Uno stage - still had that 903cc OHV engine though. Remember holidays in Spain late 70's and in the 80's where these 127's were everywhere then they brought out the Fura - I was actually thrilled when I saw a 5 door Fura !!
I had one of those in 1050cc engine as my first car on a V reg. loved it. used to race 1.3l minis ....... and beat them. loved the 4 wheel slides around round-a-bouts. the engine loved to be rev'd
I know of a very early K reg 127 that has been out of use for 40 years owned by a farmer in rural Lincolnshire. The last one I saw on the road was red SEP787Y about 2003.
Great review! I’m lucky enough to own one of the few remaining series 2 127’s which I rescued last year after being laid up for 25 years. They’re such a great little car and totally different to the Fiesta’s and Metro’s I cut my teeth on!
My dad had the later series 3 127 comfort, in a blue that was not far from this shade of blue. It was the car with the earliest memories for me, mainly the ones with the RAC Man jump starting it but while watching this video the grab handles and roof lining looked very familiar as well, I would have been 4 when my dad had one of these. Great review of a great little car, remember having a look at this one at the NEC.
Oh i love the 127, especially this colour with that interior. The 900s were more sold respect to the 1050 so it's even rarer. But the top of the line was the sport with the 70 HP, a true rocket. You should also find the A112, the elegant sister of the 127.
Just like the Alfa Sud it gave a whole new meaning to the phenomenon 'biodegradable'. Drove like a dream, until confronted with wintery conditions and roadsalt.
Great video, but I'm biased. My first car (in the early 80s) was a 73 903cc 127 sedan (same shape no hatch). It was tired but still so much fun to drive, like you said flat out everywhere, with little 135 Pirelli's on the limit of adhesion. The 0.9L Ferrari was a great first car and followed by a 128, Uno, Bravo and now Abarth 500...
My mother had one of these still get the nightmare over & over (taking me to school in the 70s ) I'll forgive my mum one day but my dad he was the coolest he had mk2 escort popular+ black bumpers, handles and black door mirror just the one door mirror ,could never understand why 1975 R-reg in midnight blue. Ps it was a company car 😊 but still a ford Escort Mk-2 The coolest passed away now (love you Dad)
In 1977 i went from the tiny 126 to the 127 then on to the 128 3p two years later which was to be my last ever Fiat at the time the British option was the BMC mini from 1959. The 127 felt very modern sporty and was very good on petrol the built quality was better than BL but way below VW. I enjoyed your detailed video enormously a job very well done and for me super nostalgia! My 127 was the first generation model which was much nicer on the inside than the horrible interior of the second generation of your video!
The 127, along with the Renault 5 was quite a game changer in the early 70s - should also mention the Autobianchi A112, which was the prototype for the 127, using a shrunken 128 platform. The A112 managed to outlive the 127 by a few years - as with the Primula, proving to be the real, but forgotten innovators within the FIAT empire of the time! My uncle had a yellow 127 mk2 - not sure which model it was - it certainly didn’t feature a man-bag! I remember the brutalist instruments and colour-coded column stalks well, along with a fruity sounding exhaust. Sadly it was T-boned and written off - to be replaced by a brand-new FIAT Panda - which was brilliant, if unreliable! That car sounded the end of his FIAT ownership (126, 127, Panda) - it was replaced by an Austin Metro!
In 1977 I was working for a fiat dealer. We had one of the 1st 3 127 1050CL in the country. It was lhd and we took turns in thrashing the life out of it. The general opinion was that it improved on the previous model but lacked some of that car's charm.
Brings back so many memories, my dad had a white Series II same year, same spec as that one but in white with grey carpets and blue seats in that same cordoroy material. But by the time it was 6 years old it was a rusty wreck, having blown up its original engine and was scrapped in 1985 barely 8 years old!!! My dad to his dying day said it "was the worst effing car I ever had" LOL. I can still remember the embarrassment of being picked up from school in it, when all the other kids were being collected in Cavaliers and Sierras 😂😂😂
I had an ageing Series 1 in New Zealand. The quarter light window handles and pivots were glued on, and the sun Down Under was too strong for it, so they were always falling off. Looks like the Series 2 design was changed.
Actually it was the 128 which was the origin of the supermini as we know it (in terms of mechanical layout) 2 years before the 127. And indeed the 127 wasn't offered as a hatchback until a year after production started. And yes, I did have a 128😁. Brilliant little car with masses of space!
What about the Autobianchi Primula? The 1st car to have the classic modern FWD layout plus it was a hatchback. 1964 the layout Ford copied for the Fiesta. Even Fiat were cautious adapting it for the 127.
@@edgarbeat2851 Yes of course, the Primula was indeed there first. Easy to overlook the Primula as it wasn't a big seller (75k vs 3m for the 128), not sure where outside Italy you could buy one(?), but certainly not the UK. As far as I can find out, the Primula was basically used as a rolling test bed for Fiat to iron out the problems of the layout before going all in with the 128.
@@HowardLeVert No, the 126 was a completely different layout. Being rear engined and rear wheel drive it had absolutely nothing in common with the "supermini".
@badbusdriver7160 a very facinating car. I judge the 1st modern hatchback in its drive line yes Renault and other makes even a traction avant hatch existed. But the gearbox, diff, clutch and engine transverse. Layout as used today. Datsun and Mini had unusual clutch arrangements. But not universally adopted. Hence why the primula is a little masterpiece. Ford had a similar prototype FWD set up in the USA I think adapted from the German Ford Taunus I forget. That's an interesting thing to look into. Iv forgotten the code name project.
Wow! My mom bought a silver 1050CL new in 1979. It had the same interior but in grey. I was only six years old but already a complete car nut. I can honestly say that this is the first time seeing that interior since the mid 80´s. It was exactly like I remembered it. I mean, I struggle to remember to eat, sleep, where I put my keys etc. But why the heck do I almost have a complete blueprint of an old Fiat not seen in almost 40 years in my brain? And can someone please tell me if they got a 5-speed box in 1979, because that´s how I remembered the gearing. Also, those bright colours on the stalks were not that bright when it was new.
This was my dad's first car when he pasted his test in his 40's, he had to change the steering wheel for a smaller one so he could fit his legs under it.
I learned how to drive on Yugo 45, which is based on this car, and had a 903 ccm engine, 4 speed gearbox (1st gear not synchronised) and no brake booster.
@@gorkab8461 My parents, my brother and I had a Yugo 45 for 18 years. We did about 100.000 km in it. But I have to say, going on a trip with it was very stressful. Every overtake was a big risk. 🤐
Very cool even in the seventies. If you had one of these you were a bit different. The sporty one was a reall hoot, you just plant you foot on the floor and go.
Argh, i owed 2 of these. I had an R reg (in red) with the small boot lid and a white one of these. I would give my right arm for one now. They all rusted away. Also had a bronze 131 Mirafiori and red128 estate. Fiat really need to re-do this car as in the concept shots from a few years ago. I would buy.
The 127 was very common here in Portugal in the 80's. My stepmother had and second hand early model back in the day. Lettuce green, horribly noisy and with the capability of packing a large family plus luggage on our way to the Algarve. Do I miss it? Nope.
Had a v Reg that had alloy wheels and a sunroof and was a gold colour bought it out of Chelmsford auctions many years ago didn't have it long it was a special edition if my memory serves me right do remember that it was a nice little car and was nippy
My mum had a dark blue mk1 - utilitarian but reliable. Not so fond memories of summer: wearing shorts and sitting down on the vinyl seats that had been baking in the sun.
I had a 127 Sport in the mid/late 80's. I enjoyed every single one of its 70hp until a suspiciously merry older lady drove into the side of it. I'd have another in a heartbeat. Black or orange please.
I bought one of these from my big brother , he had put a 127 sport spoiler kit on it which he saved up for, unfortunately for me and unbeknown to me didn't spend a penny on the brakes which cost more than I paid for the car to fix 😂😂
Love the 127! This version was available as 900L/CL and 1050L/CL. Can you imagine whole families using this as a first car. No luxury, just a cool, agile and handy Fiat.
They also did a 'C' version as well for a while that sat between the L and CL.
What was the top trim level?
this is basically a yugo, but made well
@@DollyBoy_1923the Palio was a special edition version of the Series 2 which sat above the CL and had a plusher interior, and I think also the instrumentation from the Sport
In Brazil, there was versions of Fiat 147 with 1050 and 1300 cc engines.
First brand new car I ever bought, August 1st 1973, Deluxe model with heated rear window and reclining seats, for the princely sum of £875, 903cc engine would rev to close on 8000rpm (fitted an aftermarket rev counter) in first and second if you let it, motorway was very noisy, 70mph was over 5000rpm, the noise made it feel quick, had it to silly speed going downhill, loved it 😍
My first car CAH 917T 903cc 127 in bright yellow. Took it from Norwich to Pembroke and back and regular trips to London. Brilliant little car. I even replaced the brakes on it when I was just 18.
I owned two 127s in the 80s. They were absolutely great cars as pointed out by furious.
I had a red 1050cl that went rusty and had been bodged by a main dealer. Then I picked up a V reg Palio version. Alloys, tinted glass, luxury seats, a huge fabric sunroof, metallic paint. I loved that car. Always wanted the 1050 sport version - even more of a rev monster than the 1050cl.
Very happy driving days.
My family were lucky enough to own one of these in the 80s - I'll always remember the reg no.: YDP 160T!
My Dad had a mustard coloured corduroy suit in the 70s and would have been camouflaged perfectly in that interior Matt , all you’d see was his sunglasses 😎, head and hands 😁 scary thought but a great little car.
My parents had three 127s in the 1970s, the last of which was a bright yellow 1050CL. I remember we came back from Gatwick to the North East in it on the night of the Fastnet Race storm in August 1979. Terrible driving conditions but us 3 kids, Mum and 6' 4" Dad + suitcases got back safe and sound. Great cars!
My aunt had a 126 and drove it from Scotland. To essex to see us for a Holliday. Not long after that holiday she upgraded to a 127
@fredriklarsson8105 I think one long journey in a 126 was enough for her
What visionary cars they were, and I remember many friends families buying them,second hand, as a first car for their children in the 70s. And so practical, with the hatch you could get a lot in if you were moving from home to college/Uni and then from flat to flat (when we could afford our own places). A lovely car, and what an example.
My dad was a musician and could get a huge organ, amplifier and speakers into the back of his!
I drove 100,000 miles in mine including trips to Venice and Naples. I drove it enthusiastically and loved it and along the way it taught me how to do a lot of car mechanics ! Brakes needed regular sorting …That blue is still a favourite….
My mum had two of these back in the late 70's firstly a 900CL then a 1050CL. I passed my test in late 1979 and as a 17 year old managed to exert some fantastic speeds out of them - the 1050 would cruise at 100 and do more than that down hill. Absolutely brilliant cars both of them, very reliable, handled well (they bloody had too!!!) and neither went rusty as I looked after the bodywork properly.
Loved the 1977 facelift with the 1050 cc ohc, loved my Granda's leaf green 1974, loved his 1975 127 Special which my Brother still owns and I loved my Mum's 1974 Navy Blue 127, her first car.
Loved the 1981 facelift with the sloped headlights too. Great little cars.
Fair play to Seat for giving the 127 five doors as well.
My mum had a metallicl blue 127 special, last one at the dealership before the new models came out , also passed my driving test in it ❤
@@seanburke5686 you are a lucky man. My Granda's was the pale blue. I drove it once when I ran out of petrol in my Mum's 1981 Fiesta. My Granny said, " Take the Fiat and get petrol."
I was terrified of scratching it.
It has survived and my Brother is recommissioning it at present. March 1975 with 26,000 miles from new.
Yeah my mum adored that little car she kept it on the road till it more or less dissolved , about 15 yrs so pretty good for an Italian car with paper thin steel and paint 😬😬
I still have the pictures of my Father driving the 127 Sport, testing it for his national motoring page on telly and in the papers
What memories! My first car, a MK1 900cc I believe... it rusted for fun, but I loved it! Long live SKV 103R !!! 😍
Mum had a bright red 1981 127. She hardly got to drive it, dad was always borrowing it. He drove it VERY hard and it just lapped it up. Cracking little cars!
The clutch feels heavy because the car is primarily designed as a left hand drive. In left hand drive cars the clutch cable is short and connects in more or less a straight line to the clutch. In right hand drive models however, the cable takes a much more circuitous route and encounters a great deal more resistance. Unos and Puntos had the same problem.
Regular lubrication keeps it light and smooth, best done by removal of both inner and outer complete and a cable lubricator (available from M/C dealers) filled with gear oil, hung up and left until it runs through. Best to let most drain out before refitting to prevent a stained carpet under the pedal or a slippery one. VW's had the same problem.
It’s not obvious unless you sit in the left hand seat, but many Fiats of that era have the gearshift angled slightly towards the LH driver so it “falls readily to hand”. Selecting first gear in a RHD model requires a long armed shove.
@@snich63 I suspect in LHD form these Italian cars would have a much better pedal layout. Also you would have a left foot brace on the LH wheel well.
Also the stupid setup where
the brake master cylinder was mounted under the dash on RHD models (in a perfect position to gouge a hole in your leg in a crash!), it took until '79 when Fiat finally worked out a remote mechanism to the LH side so they could finally fit a brake servo.
I had a 903cc which I think was M reg and I owned it in the late 1970's. Even though it was only 903cc it would cruise happily at 90mph on the motorway and I even managed to get 7 people in mine. A great car, fun to drive.
In the mid 70's that 903cc had roots that made it long in the tooth. It was a awesome motor. I bought an Uno in 1984 with the self same motor and in 1992 I bought a SEAT Marbella still sporting the same ( FITA were still banging out Panda's with the same motor). It was a development of the Dante Giacosa designed 633cc motor from the 1955 FIAT 600. Think of all the cars it was used on - including Zastava's etc. When people bang on about the venerable A Series I always think that the FIAT 100 series engine was more important produced in greater volume and just better.
A good friend of mine took me out in his 1050cl . I was so impressed, i sold my beetle and bought the sport version which i later traded in for the mk 3 1300GT.
My parents' had three of these - I've got nothing but fond memories of 127s! Their final one - before upgrading to a Panda - was a 127 Palio. BTW, another great video.
You had me in tears with the kids smoking on the way to school joke. I went to school in the 70s and yes I smoked lol. I had a Zastava version of that car in chocolate brown, and I loved it .
I remember helping my Dad repair the body panel (rear section that the hatch closed down against) using A4 mesh and isopon filler. It was so rusted, the numberplate became a structural piece in the middle. We got alignment perfect and the boot (hatch) closed perfectly. Great memories. Dad watched me change oil, filter and plugs too. I was only 9 or 10. What are kids that age doing today?
i have one of these in my garage, a white, first series, 3 door from 1974. No welding, no rust and in te original paint with 26.000 km on the clock. My first car i ever bought was also a 127. A 2 door special from 1976.
Great little car and lovely colour. I spent most of my L plate time in my Mums 128. She then traded that for a 128 3P. Fond memories of both. These even rusted in Australia unfortunately. Can’t remember when I last saw a 127. When motoring was fun 🤩
I reckon … the most popular car for parish priests during the 1970s! Italian, practical, and stylish. Handy for getting to and from church… for baptisms, marriages, or funerals. Bless you, my son ⛪️
I'm sure that, probably fantastically moustached, gentleman would remove the Cuban heels and adopt a soft, well fitted leather driving shoe, thus fitting the pedals. Joyous little car and what a lovely noise.
Had a 127 Palio for a time, a bit more luxurious than the one tested. I remember it had a sunroof and velour seats, traded it for a 131 Arbarth, that was a real rocket job.
These were so modern when they were new.
Just look at what Opel/Vauxhall offered in 1974: Kadett C was rear wheel drive, Same for Ford Escort. The first Fiesta was still 2 years in the future.
The Italians really had a good hard look at the first Mini, the super modern R5 and probably also the Honda Civic, Datsun Cherry 100A, Peugeot 104 and Simca 1100 and combined all the best aspects into the Fiat 127: light weight OHV transverse engine, frontwheel drive with proper good road holding, 4seater hatchback with folding rear bench.
At that time (1974) the VW Golf1 and Fiesta weren't on the market yet.
This 127 is sweet, love the loud 1970's color.
We got the 127 Sport which only came in bright orange.
What an adorable little car from my childhood, you need to drive a Zhiguli next and see the shared components from that era 😊
The car that Yugo was based on. Yugo 45 had that 903 ccm engine, but it was not OHC. The cam was in the block, very close to the crank, driven via a very short chain.
I came here to say the same thing. I had a 1989 Seat Ibiza Special with the same engine, not very powerful but really fun to drive. A replacement timing chain cost £10 and took half an hour to fit. It's so short, there's no tensioner.
I wasn’t aware the 903cc in the 127 was ever an overhead cam unit; it was always an overhead valve engine with the cam in the block driven by a chain. The 1050 in the 127 was the later Fiasa engine which was an overhead cam unit with belt-driven camshafts.
@@freepieanchipsgarage That's exactly what we were saying.
@@Zeem4 yes, I know it was, contrary to what was said in the video. I’ve had Pandas with the same unit.
In the 80s this was our family car growing up. Ours was a series 3 1050çc super 5 speed in burgundy. Alas at 6 years old, it suffered from chronic rust.
My first car was exactly that model, a blue 1050 CL with orange/brown interior. Unusually, the engine went, and I sold it as scrap for £10 because it was getting very rusty. A few months later I saw it back on the road, with new metal to replace the rusty scuttle panel and rear wheel arches, lowered suspension, wider wheels, sports seats and a noisy exhaust. I assume that it probably had a 1300 engine as well. Shame someone's budget hot hatch does not seem to have survived.
A nice vibrant colour on the outside and light and airy on the inside. Current car manufacturers take note.
What an amazing car! My parents had 2 127s in the mid 70s, the first model with the 903cc engine. Still remember the black vinyl seats 😅
I’d imagine in the summer- the vinyl seats were very memorable
The dials in the binnacle remind me of the Helix Oxford Geometry sets you used for Maths at school! 😂 Very much like a right angle and protractor 😅
My father had one of those. A 77 S reg too but in white. About 1984 ( i was 10 years old) we were driving home one evening in South London and an Audi 80 pulled out in front of us. We hit drivers side front onto the passenger side rear axle of the Audi. The entire front of the fiat got pushed to the passenger side. Myself and my father were wearing seat belts and we were bruised but safe. The car just folded up at the front and was literally dragged onto the recover truck gearbox and engine oil mixing on the deck. The car saved us.
Loved the 127 - a mate had one of the early booted one's. For some reason I was messing about with a Toledo at the time so missed the 128 and went in at Uno stage - still had that 903cc OHV engine though.
Remember holidays in Spain late 70's and in the 80's where these 127's were everywhere then they brought out the Fura - I was actually thrilled when I saw a 5 door Fura !!
I had one of those in 1050cc engine as my first car on a V reg.
loved it.
used to race 1.3l minis ....... and beat them.
loved the 4 wheel slides around round-a-bouts. the engine loved to be rev'd
Cool little car takes you back Matt to the basics of a car no ECU no full on electric gear just basic whippy fun nice colour too just subscribed 👍
I know of a very early K reg 127 that has been out of use for 40 years owned by a farmer in rural Lincolnshire. The last one I saw on the road was red SEP787Y about 2003.
The Dash Binnacle with the dials reminds of of the faces of the Zeriods from Terrahawks........
Engine and transmission making a beautiful sound. Loads of character.
Great review! I’m lucky enough to own one of the few remaining series 2 127’s which I rescued last year after being laid up for 25 years. They’re such a great little car and totally different to the Fiesta’s and Metro’s I cut my teeth on!
Had a 1978 1050L in yellow. It was brilliant. Bought at 5 years old, with 22k on it, it was still being taxed early 90s by someone.
I put many miles in a 127 1050CL during my time at Knibbs (Trafford) They were a fantastic car for the time.
My dad had the later series 3 127 comfort, in a blue that was not far from this shade of blue.
It was the car with the earliest memories for me, mainly the ones with the RAC Man jump starting it but while watching this video the grab handles and roof lining looked very familiar as well, I would have been 4 when my dad had one of these.
Great review of a great little car, remember having a look at this one at the NEC.
I have a Series 3 127 that originated in Scotland. Don't suppose it was GBM 519Y?
@@brobbo number does not ring a bell, can check with my dad he might know.
88 miles an hour? Great Scott !
Oh i love the 127, especially this colour with that interior. The 900s were more sold respect to the 1050 so it's even rarer. But the top of the line was the sport with the 70 HP, a true rocket. You should also find the A112, the elegant sister of the 127.
Just like the Alfa Sud it gave a whole new meaning to the phenomenon 'biodegradable'.
Drove like a dream, until confronted with wintery conditions and roadsalt.
I have had 2 fiat 127 first one i had was a 1050cl which was my first car i owned and the second was 127 sport had lots of fun in
Love the 127, saw this car at MITCAR the other year, lovely car and the owner is a lovely bloke
Great video, but I'm biased. My first car (in the early 80s) was a 73 903cc 127 sedan (same shape no hatch). It was tired but still so much fun to drive, like you said flat out everywhere, with little 135 Pirelli's on the limit of adhesion. The 0.9L Ferrari was a great first car and followed by a 128, Uno, Bravo and now Abarth 500...
I remember admiring this little car at the NEC .
My mother had one of these still get the nightmare over & over (taking me to school in the 70s ) I'll forgive my mum one day but my dad he was the coolest he had mk2 escort popular+ black bumpers, handles and black door mirror just the one door mirror ,could never understand why 1975 R-reg in midnight blue.
Ps it was a company car 😊 but still a ford Escort Mk-2 The coolest passed away now (love you Dad)
Great video of a great car - "Freddie the 127" is the coolest car - your very lucky Gavin lent it to you!!
In 1977 i went from the tiny 126 to the 127 then on to the 128 3p two years later which was to be my last ever Fiat at the time the British option was the BMC mini from 1959. The 127 felt very modern sporty and was very good on petrol the built quality was better than BL but way below VW. I enjoyed your detailed video enormously a job very well done and for me super nostalgia! My 127 was the first generation model which was much nicer on the inside than the horrible interior of the second generation of your video!
One of my teachers had one in this very same color in the late 1980s. But I haven't seen one on the road in years!
And a gigantic Phillips screw right in the middle of the Space 1999 dash. Wow.
Nice popular parking site. Probably after dark too.
Oh wow, I had a 127 as my first car, I’m looking forward to watching this
The 127, along with the Renault 5 was quite a game changer in the early 70s - should also mention the Autobianchi A112, which was the prototype for the 127, using a shrunken 128 platform. The A112 managed to outlive the 127 by a few years - as with the Primula, proving to be the real, but forgotten innovators within the FIAT empire of the time! My uncle had a yellow 127 mk2 - not sure which model it was - it certainly didn’t feature a man-bag! I remember the brutalist instruments and colour-coded column stalks well, along with a fruity sounding exhaust. Sadly it was T-boned and written off - to be replaced by a brand-new FIAT Panda - which was brilliant, if unreliable! That car sounded the end of his FIAT ownership (126, 127, Panda) - it was replaced by an Austin Metro!
In 1977 I was working for a fiat dealer. We had one of the 1st 3 127 1050CL in the country. It was lhd and we took turns in thrashing the life out of it. The general opinion was that it improved on the previous model but lacked some of that car's charm.
Wow I Love this colour! In my early teens late 80s I dreamed of owning a 126 in this colour!
A forerunner to your Punto. A real blast from the past
The Autobianchi A112 was the first supermini, launched in 1969! Great review though!
Not sure it is totally legal to have all those stickers over the windscreen LOL😂 Cracking little car though. 😊
903cc was the one most sold in these parts, used to have a tiny curvy exhaust. Same engine in my 97😊 cinquecento
Brings back so many memories, my dad had a white Series II same year, same spec as that one but in white with grey carpets and blue seats in that same cordoroy material. But by the time it was 6 years old it was a rusty wreck, having blown up its original engine and was scrapped in 1985 barely 8 years old!!! My dad to his dying day said it "was the worst effing car I ever had" LOL. I can still remember the embarrassment of being picked up from school in it, when all the other kids were being collected in Cavaliers and Sierras 😂😂😂
Great review. Now we need a 126 full review!
I had an ageing Series 1 in New Zealand. The quarter light window handles and pivots were glued on, and the sun Down Under was too strong for it, so they were always falling off. Looks like the Series 2 design was changed.
Actually it was the 128 which was the origin of the supermini as we know it (in terms of mechanical layout) 2 years before the 127. And indeed the 127 wasn't offered as a hatchback until a year after production started.
And yes, I did have a 128😁. Brilliant little car with masses of space!
What about the Autobianchi Primula? The 1st car to have the classic modern FWD layout plus it was a hatchback. 1964 the layout Ford copied for the Fiesta. Even Fiat were cautious adapting it for the 127.
The 126, surely?
@@edgarbeat2851 Yes of course, the Primula was indeed there first. Easy to overlook the Primula as it wasn't a big seller (75k vs 3m for the 128), not sure where outside Italy you could buy one(?), but certainly not the UK. As far as I can find out, the Primula was basically used as a rolling test bed for Fiat to iron out the problems of the layout before going all in with the 128.
@@HowardLeVert No, the 126 was a completely different layout. Being rear engined and rear wheel drive it had absolutely nothing in common with the "supermini".
@badbusdriver7160 a very facinating car. I judge the 1st modern hatchback in its drive line yes Renault and other makes even a traction avant hatch existed. But the gearbox, diff, clutch and engine transverse. Layout as used today.
Datsun and Mini had unusual clutch arrangements. But not universally adopted. Hence why the primula is a little masterpiece. Ford had a similar prototype FWD set up in the USA I think adapted from the German Ford Taunus I forget. That's an interesting thing to look into. Iv forgotten the code name project.
There was a special edition of the Matra Bagheera, called Courregés which also had handbags on the doorcards.
Wow! My mom bought a silver 1050CL new in 1979. It had the same interior but in grey. I was only six years old but already a complete car nut. I can honestly say that this is the first time seeing that interior since the mid 80´s. It was exactly like I remembered it. I mean, I struggle to remember to eat, sleep, where I put my keys etc. But why the heck do I almost have a complete blueprint of an old Fiat not seen in almost 40 years in my brain? And can someone please tell me if they got a 5-speed box in 1979, because that´s how I remembered the gearing. Also, those bright colours on the stalks were not that bright when it was new.
I’m patiently waiting for your Fiat Tipo (1990s version) review 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
This was my dad's first car when he pasted his test in his 40's, he had to change the steering wheel for a smaller one so he could fit his legs under it.
They where everywhere as a teen.
I learned how to drive in one of these! Lovely
I learned how to drive on Yugo 45, which is based on this car, and had a 903 ccm engine, 4 speed gearbox (1st gear not synchronised) and no brake booster.
@@DashCamSerbia Quite similar! Both the Yugo and 127 are iconic today, so many people around Europe has great memories of them
@@gorkab8461 My parents, my brother and I had a Yugo 45 for 18 years. We did about 100.000 km in it. But I have to say, going on a trip with it was very stressful. Every overtake was a big risk. 🤐
@@DashCamSerbia Haha! Overtaking was ambitious
Very cool even in the seventies. If you had one of these you were a bit different. The sporty one was a reall hoot, you just plant you foot on the floor and go.
The intro shot looks beautiful
I drove a palio once and hit the brake & throttle at the same time...gave me a huge moment on a wet roundabout.😂
These Fiats were assembled here in New Zealand in the 1970s. I like them.
Argh, i owed 2 of these. I had an R reg (in red) with the small boot lid and a white one of these. I would give my right arm for one now. They all rusted away. Also had a bronze 131 Mirafiori and red128 estate. Fiat really need to re-do this car as in the concept shots from a few years ago. I would buy.
The 127 was very common here in Portugal in the 80's. My stepmother had and second hand early model back in the day. Lettuce green, horribly noisy and with the capability of packing a large family plus luggage on our way to the Algarve. Do I miss it? Nope.
Had a v Reg that had alloy wheels and a sunroof and was a gold colour bought it out of Chelmsford auctions many years ago didn't have it long it was a special edition if my memory serves me right do remember that it was a nice little car and was nippy
That would have been the 127 Palio. A very good spec for their time .
I think cordroid is the word you are looking for to describe the fabric. Nice vid.
You forgot to show how to get ventilation on the floor. The two flaps under the dash. :)
If you ask me the 903 cc was an ohv engine not ohc. In italy and the netherlands the 127 was sold until 1986 the brazil built version from 1983 on.
This was the tiny car that was modified here in Brazil to become our beloved 147❤!
All those stickers on the windscreen would annoy me 😂👍
I agree, hated having a tax disc in the windscreen! I always put mine behind the mirror so I couldn’t see it!
Cars have got duller and duller over the years but refinement is where they have moved forward. The Renault 5 was the other great…
My mum had a dark blue mk1 - utilitarian but reliable. Not so fond memories of summer: wearing shorts and sitting down on the vinyl seats that had been baking in the sun.
Great to see. My fist car was a 1980 1050 CL in yellow 😀
You've got to love a 127 awesome little cars, genuine question didn't they do a sport? Or was that the 128?
Yes there was a Sport version of these.
@@Mark_T thank you I thought they did!👍
Initially a 1050 sport and later a 1300 sport. Best to not look at the rev counter in the 1050 sport.
@@paulgodman7939 thank you!
127 1050CL was my first car, happy memories. I drove it Italian style😁
Such a great looking little car, I'd LOVE one! Love the shape.
I had a 127 Sport in the mid/late 80's. I enjoyed every single one of its 70hp until a suspiciously merry older lady drove into the side of it. I'd have another in a heartbeat. Black or orange please.
I owed a 1976 900cc 127 special in the early 80s. I loved it, but it was pretty worn out by then
My father had 3. Great little car.
Yeah there were still quite few in the 90's but now one doesn't see any even in Italy!!
I bought one of these from my big brother , he had put a 127 sport spoiler kit on it which he saved up for, unfortunately for me and unbeknown to me didn't spend a penny on the brakes which cost more than I paid for the car to fix 😂😂
Pio Mnazu' was the designer, he tragically died in a car accident shorlty after having desinged the car.
Another great review Matt! Enjoyed it, lovely little Fiat.
I had a T reg one of these back in 1987.