Hello, I've already posted on Facebook while I was waiting to be approved here as I am more of a forum guy (sent my £10 for membership and filled the form in yesterday).

Anyway, I have just got a what looks to be a pretty good low mileage 16VT in red I want to get going on soon hopefully. I know the 20VT's are very good there is no doubting that and I did have my eye on those as well, however I ended up becoming more drawn to the 16VT just because I like stuff that is a bit different but still at the same time very nice.

Given they are becoming less and less common it was one of those there comes a time when you have to act soon or face possibly not finding a nice one you want. Judging by some posts on here and the FB group lately it looks like more people are getting their 16VT's out from the covers and undertaking the project work to get them going and keeping them so it makes me wonder whether what I mentioned might already be starting happen.

If it is considered nice enough I would be happy to start a thread in the Projects area where I will do a more detailed description, it doesn't allow me to do the PM instruction to ask about evaluating and approval.

I am really quite looking forward to progressing, going out for the first time since lockdown started on a nice Sunday today for a soft drink in the Sun in my Alfa GTV I have just done up enough now has made me want to do it even more, I do like these exotic Italian Coupes best as a whole.

Bold move, well done and welcome to the forum

The site allows you to use the PM facility after you have made 5 posts.

By all means detail your exciting project in that section and create a separate discussion thread on which people can leave their comments.

What is the mileage and do you know something of its history?

Thanks, I'll get that going soon in the Projects bit.

The nice thing is there is a file with a fair bit of invoices from before (including the original purchase invoice) and even a load of old tax discs saved and stuck on some paper like a card album (I'll get a picture of that). It has only had two owners I believe over it's entire life so far as well. The first owner kept a little scrapbook of every single petrol station top up which I have kept as it's a pretty cool and quirky little thing. The place I got it from forgot to include it when it was being delivered (I have let them know so they'll have to send it me along with the blue Fiat owners books folder they also forgot) but it even still has the original "Getting to know your Fiat" tape.

I like to keep all the invoices from the work I have done on my other cars so I'll be neatly filing all the stuff I have done on this too.

Mileage is the real crazy bit, it has only done a fraction short of 35,500 miles.

That recording was given to me a Dutch friend - it's a scream

I'm going to have to give that recording a play when I get it. It shows my age a bit as until I got told about it when asking about the car I didn't know back then they had a tape guide, I've only ever known owners manuals so that will be interesting!

Given that mileage and the rarity of the car even though it's still early the vibe and feel I've got from this Coupe I'm already feeling that this is something I'd be better off keeping and would be foolish to let go of.

Good luck with your project, as your name suggests you are likely to be 'going boldly'. I loved mine but some parts were proving a bit tricky even back then, plenty of people on here can help though.

Welcome Captain!

An original 16vt on 35k, you're on to a winner there. I look forward to seeing the project thread if you do start one.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, check the oil.

Many thanks for the welcomes and all, I am looking forward to this. I've kindly been given permission to start the threads in the project area so am getting on with that right now, should be up and going soon. I'll be checking the oil, although I'd imagine it may not be the best, it probably won't be long until I decide to have a full service done and have some new fresh oil put in, especially on a car this far back best to be safe.

More to the point - change the cambelt. At that mileage it may never have been done, and frankly, it's too thin at 3/4 inch width. 3 years or 36k miles, no matter what the book says - and as with anything mechanical and bendy, the more it's used, the better it lasts.

This is an interference engine, and if the belt breaks it will kill most of your valves and also damage the bottom end. Ask me how I know...