43 SPIT SPOT...

The AA report came through this morning.  As promised, it is comprehensive.  Confirming what the engineer told me verbally, the work that needs to be done is minor.  A couple of spots of paint need touching up, and a scrape on the bumper needs a little TLC, but other than that, it is in good shape.  I'm pleased to report zero mechanical advisories, making it a rare find.

The only thing making my teeth itch so slightly is that the front wing doesn't align precisely.  There is an ever-so-slight gap between the front bumper and the front light.  I'm not too bothered about the gap, but I'm concerned about what caused it.  

The AA guy told me he worked on these cars in a previous life as a crash repair technician and little misalignments like this are relatively common because of tight tolerances, Italian workmanship and age. 

Hopefully, it is a case of the car being a bit middle-aged rather than being knocked about by a previous owner.

It is hard to see in the pictures.  I'll have a better idea when I'm in front of it, but for its age, I'm willing to look past the odd scrape and chip, as the mechanicals look solid.

The only other thing of note is corrosion on the silencer and one of the alloys - again, completely normal. eBay is filled with exhaust kits for the Abarth, as this is a common problem.  As for the alloys, I will be replacing them anyway, so it's no big issue.

One thing I checked straight away was the tyres.  As my father-in-law said when I got my first car, the tyres keep you on the tarmac, so don't scrimp on them.  A quick look shows the car with three different makes of tyres on it, a couple of them budget brands, so I went to Black Circles, got a price for some decent rubber, and sent it to the garage to see if they could do a deal.  Watch this space.