The year was 1998. The trip was one of many that time, on our way to our favorite part supplier, Autodem with whom we developed a warm relationship. Apart of parts more than one 130 coupe or saloon found it’s way to the Netherlands to join the growing club of enthusiasts. Funny detail was that even friends who actually did like cars but not specifically the FIAT 130 came home as new owner of this flagship..
At one of these occasions we found a saloon 2800 in amaranth mettalizato, a special colour which is not used much but very nice with all chrome that the car has. This car immediately caught my eye as it was a manual shifted Berlina 2800, very rare indeed as the 2800 was standard delivered with autotrans. The owner of it past away and his family parked the car at a local dealer of occasions hoping to sell it quick. unfortunately this lasted a lot longer and didn’t do the car good. Lucky enough a Dutch enthusiast bought the car after our visit and plans could be made to get it home.
When the 2800 arrived in the Netherlands it went to it’s new owner, a good friend from Maastricht. He had his own idea about the colour the car should get and so we started to restore and paint the car in a very fresh (Lancia) red metallic. Different, but certainly not bad at all. The quality of the pictures is a bit bad but made in the nineties!
years past and at the end I could buy the car back. That was the moment to restore it again, but this time for myself. I could decide what colour (combination) I should use. My dream combi always has been to create a Berlina in dark blue with a red leather interior. I think I fully succeeded.