Stories & Photos: Gallery 30
New owner of old Italian R16

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Marco from north Italy bought this 1969 R16 last July. He and his father already owns several classics, like (Lancia Flaminia Coupè Pininfarina 1960, Mercedes 230SL 1964, Lancia Flavia Coupè Pininfarina 1965, Innocenti-Morris IM3 1966, NSU Prinz 4L 1968, Autobianchi A112 Abarth 1973).
Last year he found this R16 in a workshop he visited to have his ordinary car (Audi A4) fixed.
Immediately interested in the car he attracted the attention of the owner of the garage, who saw a chance to make money on the old R16. Since the price was too high Marco decided not to buy the car at the time.
Two months later the price was reduced to half of the original amount, which Marco accepted.
Marco remembers when the last R16's was seen in Italy in 1980, when he was 15. But these cars where of the new type, and he doesn't recall ever seen the old model before.
The car has been parked in a garage since 1992, when the original owner, and old lady, bought a new Audi 100!
Still in a very good original condition it has only covered 57 000 kms!
Of course there a some work to be done, but Marco and his father hopes to be able to fix it without doing a rebuild and repaint, to keep the good original condition. Hope fully the car will be ready by next spring/summer.
Could the plastic sheet on the door panel be the original protection?
Hey, there is something strange going on! The rear lights have been inverted, the orange turn indicator (blinker) is in the outer segment of the light... Marco believes this must be due to some Italian rules where the turn indicator must be the light closest to the side of the car.
The same apply to the front turn indicators, which incidently are white on Italian cars. Both the parking light and the turn indicator are located in the inner segment, with a light bulb with two circuits, like the brake/rear light bulbs. The outer segment is completly empty, there is not even a hole to put a light bulb in!

Marco has begun the restoration of his R16 after it has been standing for two years since he bought it.
The car is in resonably good condition, but Marco feels that it need a fresh new paint.

Magnus Bjelk (magnus@r16site.com)

Last revision 2004-09-24