The Italian Job - The Laurencekirk Connec

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   Happy New Year.
I saw the Italian Job on TV again last night and, as always, it reminded me of one of the many motoring missed opportunities over the years. 
In 1985 I think, I was visiting pals in the Aberdeenshire area and driving on the Aberdeen to Inverness road I think, the A96?.  Anyway, whatever road it was, it was about Laurencekirk that there was a garage sat up off the road.  As always, I've got my eyes peeled for anything interesting lying about and I see what at first glance I thought was a black Aston Martin DBS parked in the trees and obviously feeling a bit sorry for itself.  I doubled back and went in to see what was about.  I parked and walked up to the open workshop door and was amazed to see two Ferrari Dino V6 engines just lying on the floor, just inside the door.  There was the usual collection of MGBs, Minors, Escort RS2000s  etc. and in the workshop, in the process of, if not restoration, major work, was a gorgeous Fiat Dino Spyder.  There was also a really tatty coupe.  Now the Dino engines were beginning to make sense.
I got chatting to the bloke for a wee while about the stuff he was working on and classic cars in general.  I asked if it would be OK to go and have a dig around the old Aston that I'd seen from the road before I left.  
"Look again.", he said and on looking closer, it was also a Fiat Dino coupe, a black one.  "Interesting car, that one, ", he said, "that's the mafia car from the 'Italian Job'. "  Obviously I've translated this from the unintelligible to the southern ear, semi Dorric language he spoke. He said that it had been outside for about a year and was complete and in running order, but needing a good tidying and preservation before the Aberdeenshire climate exacted its toll and the car  became unsaveable.  He claimed to have photos of it on set and documented proof of its provenance, but I never saw it. �800 was what he wanted and I'm sure �650 or �700 would have bought it, but another restoration project was the last thing I needed at the time.
I think about it every time I see it in the film and wonder if it survived?
I've  got some photos somewhere I'll try to dig out.
Anybody up there any ideas  if it has survived or if it's still there or even heard of it?

Edited by m3Cecotto

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m3Cecotto Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Bavarian-Board Forum Sponsor Joined: 29-September-2003 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 791	Topic: The Italian Job - The Laurencekirk Connec Posted: 01-January-2005 at 08:24
	Happy New Year. I saw the Italian Job on TV again last night and, as always, it reminded me of one of the many motoring missed opportunities over the years. In 1985 I think, I was visiting pals in the Aberdeenshire area and driving on the Aberdeen to Inverness road I think, the A96?. Anyway, whatever road it was, it was about Laurencekirk that there was a garage sat up off the road. As always, I've got my eyes peeled for anything interesting lying about and I see what at first glance I thought was a black Aston Martin DBS parked in the trees and obviously feeling a bit sorry for itself. I doubled back and went in to see what was about. I parked and walked up to the open workshop door and was amazed to see two Ferrari Dino V6 engines just lying on the floor, just inside the door. There was the usual collection of MGBs, Minors, Escort RS2000s etc. and in the workshop, in the process of, if not restoration, major work, was a gorgeous Fiat Dino Spyder. There was also a really tatty coupe. Now the Dino engines were beginning to make sense. I got chatting to the bloke for a wee while about the stuff he was working on and classic cars in general. I asked if it would be OK to go and have a dig around the old Aston that I'd seen from the road before I left. "Look again.", he said and on looking closer, it was also a Fiat Dino coupe, a black one. "Interesting car, that one, ", he said, "that's the mafia car from the 'Italian Job'. " Obviously I've translated this from the unintelligible to the southern ear, semi Dorric language he spoke. He said that it had been outside for about a year and was complete and in running order, but needing a good tidying and preservation before the Aberdeenshire climate exacted its toll and the car became unsaveable. He claimed to have photos of it on set and documented proof of its provenance, but I never saw it. �800 was what he wanted and I'm sure �650 or �700 would have bought it, but another restoration project was the last thing I needed at the time. I think about it every time I see it in the film and wonder if it survived? I've got some photos somewhere I'll try to dig out. Anybody up there any ideas if it has survived or if it's still there or even heard of it? Edited by m3Cecotto
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