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I’was waiting for the property certification card by near two year! the great moment came on the last April 18. With this document and the Fiat Register joining I’ was able to stipulate an assurance agreement for historic vehicle with my company.

This happened on the last May 2: at that date the dear old 124 had all the paper allright to travel on the public road. But since she had still the old and “squared” wheel, unsuitable to travel, I’ called for my friend’s crane truck one more time. Flavio loaded the venerable car on May 8 (I’ hope!) for the last time and we brought her back to the tyre repair & selling shop for her new tyres and the steering convergence overhaul.

In the process the 124 have had her own original wheel discs, being those had been previously sand- blasted and oven-repainted. She received four new Pirelli P3000 155/SR 13” and four brand-new wheel bosses; at dawn of Wednesday May 14 she was ready for run once more!

With the compliments of the tyre-man I’ left carefully, in order to warm up her renewed engine. The 124 is like brand-new and answers to my imputs very well. The engine run very smooth, without a minimum splutter or whatsoever, the brakes works very well and promptly.

When a lap was completed I’ drove the car to Piero’s workshop in order to submit her to the law’s trial tests: once on the roller carpet for brakes testing she reacted very well and was declared full operational. Piero and his son were very happy and satisfied.

Early in the same afternoon I’ drove the car to the electrician shop in order to fulfil same little gaps with the dashboard warning lights: since after the rebuilding some dashboard cables were put in the wrong place the related lights didn’t work properly anymore; they were the reservoir, the dynamo-charge and the water-temperature warning light as well.

The left main forward light didn’t work altogether. The brave and skilful Luciano worked very fast, since he had had a 1972 Fiat 124/1200 Mk.III at one time, so he knew it very well. Firstly he repaired the reservoir and the high lights beam spy on the dashboard, then swapped the cables in order to make operationally the front lights once more; in so doing he made working the water-temperature warning light also.Then came the time of the dynamo-charge light, because we found the relate cable mistakely cut!. But unfortunately it became late for my appointment with Paola, my wife: it was 5,10 p.m. and by that time I’ must to go to her office to bring her home. So I’ gave her a ring: “ Paola, I’m going to come late to you! your Twingo have had a little fault! now I’m to the electrician and all went good, so I’ll came to you as soon as possible!”, I’ said her. Our reliable Twingo was perfectly O.K. of course but I’ needed this little lie…!

Moments later I’were standing proudly in front of her office building, happily with the shining and renewed 124: soon very much people welcomed us and they all want to get a look to the “resurrected” old car. The 124 liked to all very much, I’ received a lot of appraisals and congratulations; some wanted to know the related history and/or where I’ found her. A friend shot many photos to her and a my wife’s colleague told me: “I’ve recognised you immediately! I’ve just have seen you on arrive!”; she was very glad.

Then, suddenly came Paola: she wasn’t thinking about at all and she was unaware. After some glancing she begin to smile: “ What a joke! so the Twingo wasn’t faulted, you are joking! I’should imagine your mind, I’ know you nowadays!” and she was amused and surprised at the same time. With the compliments of our colleagues and friends we left for home. I’ was very happy, particularly for share this magic moment with my beloved wife.

She was happy with the proper working of the car also and we enjoied our car lovingly. In the past few days I’ washed the 124 interiors completely, the skay seats like the cockpit ceiling; I’ substituted and/or repaired some switches, I’ cleaned the ash try, I’ repaired the little light inside the cockpit case, I’ retouched many items… and so on. Then came the time to install new carpets, the work being done by my good friend Rolando, a very skillfull upholster.

Today the car is ready for use, being her rebuilding come to the end. It’s another great page folded in my life, another GREAT goal added to my “scoreboard”. I’ own all of that firstly to my dear old friend Piero, without him help nothing was possible. And I’m very grateful to Mrs. Favati Senior and her daughter Cinzia, our skilful webmaster who both carefully preserved the car, to my wife who presented me the same and last, but not at least to Elisa – the Car Documents Agency employer – who, very sturdly went ahead and struggled versus the infamous and notorius Italian bureaucracy.

Above all I’m very happy because I’ believe to have joined a mine precise target: when I’ look at this renewed 124, being it so dark, it resemble that of my father one very much.