Description
The Car
This is a very special A110: Dieppe built, with fantastic history, presented in exceptional, restored condition, with a desirable Gordini powertrain.
Subject to A ground-up restoration in 2023 to create the ultimate in road-going A110s, it has then been subject to 12 months of (no-expense-spared) significant further development and enhancement to turn it into the ultimate expression of the A110 and the purest sports car experience for the road.
It is powered by a highly desirable and freshly rebuilt Salv Sacco 1255cc Gordini unit, breathing through Italian Weber 40DCOEs and mated to a 5-speed gearbox. This, combined with its 700kg mass, gives spectacular performance delivered with a fizz and vigour you cannot get with a modern sports car. Steering is telepathic while riding on group4 springs, Spax adjustable dampers and new Blockley period tyres; all magazine article clichés and superlatives apply: See Octane issue 252 June 24 for Richard Heseltine’s words which do it more justice than I could, “spellbinding” is mentioned. This is the greatest hits of the breed.
Modifications with choice, period and rare components abound to enhance the car: freshly rebuilt PLS Monaco split rims, an alloy front mounted radiator with electric fan, Cibie super Oscars, a Pierre Ferry high volume sump, Momo Indy wheel, rear roll bar…the list goes on.
It’s now been subject to a comprehensive 600 mile shakedown and development with obsessive levels of detail (and over 1200 photos available to show it) and is ready to go for the summer.
History
Built in Dieppe in 1972 (an exciting place to be as the WRC was being won ’71 and ’73 by the Alpine team) the car spent it’s like in Benzons just outside Paris until 1997 when it was imported to the UK. Here it was used for a handful of Targa rallies before being retired to a barn in ~1999 where it was discovered over 20 years later and completely restored to as you see it today.
Specification & Overview
Body
Subject to an £11, 000 body and paint restoration
All chrome bumpers re-plated and as new
All rubber seals and aluminium trims replaced with new
New rear lights
Pistachio stripe on the LH wing (in vinyl)
Interior
Original seats in amazing condition deep cleaned and refitted
Dash and dials all cleaned and rebuilt
New, bespoke carpet throughout
New/ reconditioned door cards
Rear roll bar with provision for harnesses (correctly installed with spreader plates and 8. 8 hardware as-per MSA)
Original Momo Indy steering wheel with a lovely care-worn patina
Chassis
Correct, large chassis
New bushes, ball joints and bearings throughout
All suspension components blasted and powder coated/ plated
Spax adjustable dampers
GP4 Springs
New/ rebuilt brakes (callipers, discs etc) front and rear
Rebuilt pedal box with updated master cylinder rod (improved pedal feel)
PLS Monaco split rims fully refurbished and rebuilt with new hardware on new Blockley tyres
Powertrain
Salv Sacco rebuilt 812 1255cc Gordini engine ~600 miles
Cylinder head resin treated for porosity (a must with these engines)
Original “Bologna” marked Italian Weber DCOE 40 carburettors which have been rebuilt and set up.
AVP Competition engine and gearbox mounts
Pierre Ferry high volume sump with baffle (fully refurbished*)
Rebuilt 5-speed gearbox with competition linkage
Rebuilt driveshafts
Rear mounted oil cooler
New cooling system throughout inc. front mounted allow radiator with fan.
New ignition system throughout inc. coil, plugs, points, bespoke HT leads
Facet Red top electric fuel pump & Filter King
123 Ignition Tune + Bluetooth distributor
Bespoke breather system
4 branch exhaust with sports silencerThe condition and quality of the restoration and how this car presents is stunning. I was approached by Nicola Burnside, head of Alpine UK at Bicester Scramble and asked to display it on the Alpine stand and at future events; a testament to how special it is.
It also runs, drives and performs how it looks and has just been fully serviced with Wagner engine oil inc. Micro-ceramic treatment, filter, gearbox oil and brake fluid. It is beautifully set up and enhancements such as the 123 distributor and 5 speed gearbox make it very useable.
Unlike most A110s it’s only had a light competition history, so had never been damaged or filled with holes for accessories. It’s been a well-loved road car and is ready to be enjoyed. It’s also perfect and eligible for some great competition events should you want to use it; with that Gordini powertrain it’ll be fantastically competitive. It does also come with a box of spares and original parts (inc. the original parts and French number plate!) and of course a spare wheel with a cover which straps in the back.
* P. S. If you’ve read this far I’ll give you an example of the level of work that’s gone into the car. When I say the Pierre Ferry sump was “refurbished”, this was an understatement: It was removed, stripped and vapour blasted. The drains were then bored out and threaded to M24. The M24 sump plugs were too heavy for such a lightweight car, so were machined out to reduce their weight to a minimum without compromising strength. The sealing faces were machined and then it was vapour blasted again to a final finish. It was replaced on the engine of course, with new gaskets and hardware. This approach has been taken throughout and yes, it really has become an obsession. So why am I selling? Well, it’s complete, I’ve enjoyed it immensely, but we’re moving house and I’m ready for a new project.
Offers invited.
