Due Porte: 1975 Fiat 128 Wagon

Since we are on the topic of cool wagons, is a two door wagon cooler than a four door wagon?  I'm not sure that the non-wagon rule of two doors being cooler than four doors holds for wagons, but you could pick this one up and test your theory at your local cars & coffee.  Find this 1975 Fiat 128 Wagon for sale in Lynden, WA for $4,000 via craigslist.

The seller doesn't include any pictures of key areas or the engine, so you can assume there is rust.   The question is how much and how bad.  The seller says no rust other than surface rust, but that is hard to believe for a mid-70's I-car made from Soviet Steel.  The seller does state it was last on the road in 1985 and you'd need to spend a weekend sorting it out.  I'd be interested in the story that parked it for 32 years after 10 years of use.  I do dig the 70's avocado green that you just don't see anymore.

The 128 was designed by the legendary duo of Dante Giacosa and Aurelio Lampredi.  Much to the chagrin of the English, the Italians like to claim it is the blueprint for all front transverse engine, front wheel drive cars that came later.  The 128 originally started life with a 1.1 iron block, aluminium SOHC engine timed with the dreaded rubber timing belt.  This example is a later model, powered by a 1.3 topped with a non-standard Weber carb, that will take points off at your next local concours.

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Gianni is Daily Turismo's Pacific Northwest correspondent.