....and she passed, for the third year running, with flying colours! Whoo-hoo!

Tester commented on how unusual it was to find an Italian car that had working brakes, in fact "the best brakes of any Italian car!"

Of course, in true coupé fashion, she gave me a scare last night: lights fine, horn fine, tyres fine, brakes fine, washers......ah, not again!
Turns out the Halfords non-return valves are about as good as the Fiat ones! So, in the torrential rain this morning, a twenty minute battle with the scuttle panel, one new valve popped in and then.....the rain stopped!

Never mind, she's passed! Now, what do I do, sell her, park her and SORN or fit new Toyos, in place of the stoopid budget black things that do a poor impersonation of "safe" tyres and start driving her more?

Keep her and drive her more.

Hmmm, maybe and maybe respray her Matt Black......

Oh well, that's a pair of Falken FK452 ordered, now I just have explain the logic to Mrs Stan.....if I'm not back soon, call the police!

well done stan, good to here mate

Thanks Sam, although I think the guys in the garage were a bit embarrassed by my dancing afterwards!

Congrats Stan - you cant sell her, not after all the hard work you've put into that car!

Try telling that to Mrs Stan!


Hmmm, I *could* always get rid of Mrs Stan I suppose, she's more temperamental than a coupé!

What?

Tell you what Stan, sell the 20v and buy a '69 Coupe from me.
Zero road tax
£80 per year FC insurance.
Bigger smile on your face

Hmmmmm



"Mrs Stan, I'm buying an even older Italian car....!"
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Tells Mrs Stan she'll look like Gina Lollobrigida when she's sitting in the car next to you.

Nah, she's just a youngster, she'll just say "Who?"

Well, Gina Lollobrigida was born in 1927... she's even older than Stan. I'm not sure Fiona would appreciate the comparison.

Yeah but in '69 she was only (gulp) 42

Blimey is she really 82, mind you I still think Bridget Bardot is 21

New set of Falken FK452 tyres fitted today at the front end ( of the coupé, not Mrs Stan! ) and they are a revelation, even though they haven't been bedded-in yet!

*I* have sat on Brigitte Bardot's knee...

That's you off my Christmas card list!

Good news about the coupe stan

For those who didn't follow your restoration project you should post up a before and after picture. One of the engine bay would guarantee more plaudits heading your way

Oh and just noticed, 12 posts off 20000 !!!!

You mean these pictures......


Before;




and after;




It was a mess, wasn't it!

Indeed

Where's the turbo gone

Well done Stan and Jiggisaurus

I just removed that stupid NRV out of the washer pipe, it makes no difference with it not fitted.

Well done Stan.

Good choice on getting new tyres

Well, the Falkens have proved to be an *interesting* choice!

I am very glad I read up on them before buying! Almost every review I read pointed out that these tyres benefit from being bedded-in properly and that has definitely proved to be the case.

When first fitted they handled, to borrow a phrase from one of the reviewers, as if you were trying to steer candlewax!

Yesterday the car was taken on a nice long run into Scotland and along the A75, which is quite a pleasant driving road. The journey outwards was interesting in places, the tyres just didn't inspire confidence when pushing through corners. However......after about 200 miles had been clocked up, all of a sudden and almost magically, the tyres changed, a bit like Jekyll and Hyde! They became superb! Pushing into corners it quickly became clear that I would give up long before the tyres did!

So, Falken FK452 definitely get a huge thumbs up from me for the coupé.

what are they like in the wet mate. Im looking to change the set thats on my coupe in the next few months

I'll need to wait until it rains (ironic in Cumbria) but the reviews I've read rate them highly in the wet too and looking at the sipe design, they look like they should clear water very well indeed.

No problem at all, I've had them on for 3 years with no problems.
In fact driving back through Belgium from Spa in convoy with McMike in heavy rain I noticed him fall back a long way, so slowed down to his speed and then stopped to see if he had problems at the next service area.

No mechanical problems, but he had been aquaplaning!

Not a twitch out of my car on 452s.

Here's commitment for you; I've just been out hunting for wet roads!

I found varying degrees of damp road, where the twisties are, and yes, I'm *very* impressed indeed.

This is going to sound daft, but just fitting a decent set of tyres has transformed my opinion of the coupé! Yes, it's still slow, still a bit agricultural and there are plenty of others out there that knock it into a cocked hat, but as a very cheap grand tourer it'll do me for a while!