1982 Talbot Solara 1.6 LS
(Featured on 8th December 2013)
Make: Talbot
Model: Solara
Year: 1982
Mileage: 46,467
Registration: URY 692X
Sellers original description:
This wonderful Talbot car was purchased new in February 1982 by it's first and only owner for nearly 30 years, from the Talbot dealer, Bishop And Bishop Ltd of Wigston, Leicestershire. He part-exchanged an Austin Allegro and ordered the new Solara in Willow Green metallic with Parchment cloth interior. It was the 1600LS model, the entry level at the time, with 4 speed gearbox and a radio. The list price back then was £5099 plus £56 for metallic paint.
For the next 29 years he fastidiously maintained the car, always keeping it garaged and covering just 45,000 miles. In fact, from 1996- 2011 the car covered less than 2000 miles, but was religiously MOT'd every year to keep it roadworthy. I have MOTs dating back to 1990 to confirm the low mileage to be genuine.
The car had seat covers and over mats from new hence the wonderful condition of the interior. The rear seats look like new with no rips or sun damage often found on these cars. The drivers seat has slight creasing and a small wear mark about the size of a 20p. The carpets are original and as new. Last month I fully Scotch-guarded the seats and carpets to help keep them in this condition. The dash, rear parcel shelf and door trims are all mint. The original dealer sticker is in the rear window and the dealer tax disc holder is still present, as are the original key-rings and number plates.
When I purchased the car in 2011, the bodywork was completely rot and rust free with no scratches or dents, but the paintwork had faded somewhat , more to a silver than the original pale green. This was a common problem on these cars at even just a few years old. The standard steel wheels were almost blemish free and bumpers free from scrapes. It was a real time warp.
Since my ownership, I have had the car fully overhauled mechanically and it runs superbly. I have only covered about 700 miles a year in her, on dry days only, and have always wiped her over after use before putting her back in the garage under a dust cover . The mileage is currently 46,690.
In September last year I decided to restore the paintwork to its original glory. The car was taken to a reputable body-shop in North London and over a two week period, the bumpers and trim were removed and the car resprayed in the original Willow Green. It was expensive, but I have to say , it does look stunning. I then put a Mercedes-Benz branded polymer sealant on the paintwork to give it further protection and to give it a super deep shine. The car almost looks like it just left the showroom!
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