The Italian tuner and small time auto manufacturer Siata (Societa Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori) built a handful of cars using Fiat parts. The early cars were sweet looking mini Ferrari clones such as the S-208 that Steve McQueen owned and drove, but the Spring was a different breed. Find this 1971 Siata Spring for sale in SF Bay Area, CA for $7,995 via craigslist. Tip from Kaibeezy.
The Siata Spring looks less like the mini Ferrari and more like a mini version of one of those VW Beetles with the Rolls Royce hood...and that isn't a good thing. The Spring had a retro-style when released in 1968 that was designed to appeal to the youth market and also vaguely resembles an early MG product.
The Spring uses the mechanical bits from a Fiat 850, which means a rear mounted 850 cc inline-4 good for 34 horsepower in normale trim.
This Spring isn't in showroom condition but could be driven as is and slowly restored. It isn't clear if this one comes with a top for wet days, but seems to be an open top beach car like a Meyers Manx and would make a great spring/summer ride.
See a cooler trunk mounted wire wheel? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
I have looked at a few of these over the years and everyone of them was a rustbucket. Parts are hard to find since they were so cheaply made. A poor man's mini MG TD. I would like to still find one though.
ReplyDeleteJim Z
OK - haven't ever seen one of these other than in Jacques Tati's 'Trafic': http://youtu.be/-S2hRXV41S0?t=1m32s
ReplyDeleteOne hell of a fall from grace for Siata. It looks like something Willy Mays Hayes would drive.
ReplyDeleteThat license plate looks H U G E compared to the rest of the rear
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