considering buying into the vintage Fiat Spider world

General chat about the car goes in here.
User avatar
MrBlimp
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 12:03 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Chichester, NY

Re: considering buying into the vintage Fiat Spider world

Postby MrBlimp » Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:40 pm

chrisg wrote:But I'm not really a car show kinda guy anyway...I don't want to show off my car & accolades for it's aesthetics seem shallow to me.


I rarely do car shows myself, but when I do I like being the one who has the car in the shape I described.

chrisg wrote:I also seem to collect semi-vintage road racing bicycles and I race bicycles (modern ones)...I ride the vintage ones (often to the surprise of my friends) and they are nice but they all get ridden, meaning sometimes I get caught out in the rain & sometimes they get a nick on them.


My bicycle collection was close to 75 bikes but my wife said "Before you bring home another car you have to clear out space in the driveway - meaning get rid of some bikes!", so now I have under 60 (the garage on my main home is packed to the rafters and there are a few in the shed of my cabin). Almost all of the parts bikes are gone (I saved a few for a future tall bike project). I have 7 Raleigh 3 speed bikes dating from the early 50s to the mid 70s and a 80 Super Course reworked as a fixie. I have a couple of stretched bikes, a recumbent, an extremely expensive hand made Italian multi speed carbon fiber bike, a bunch of MTBs (from hardtails to full suspension), about 5 single speed (one dating to the 30s) and a bunch of fixies.

chrisg wrote:With most cars, I buy with an eye towards a scrap out exit strategy....and other than with paint and labor, most stuff can be reversed back out for cash if so desired.


Sounds like my monetized monthly method - when I get past the monthly dollar figure the car can blow up and I couldn't care - though that isn't what I am looking towards happening - in fact, what I am looking towards is years more driving fun!
69 Triumph Spitfire
70 MGB
78 Fiat 124 Spider
92 Mustang LX
00 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L - Totaled
00 Ford Ranger XLT 3.0L
05 Hyundai Accent

User avatar
chrisg
Posts: 746
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:30 am
Your car is a: 1971 FIAT

Re: considering buying into the vintage Fiat Spider world

Postby chrisg » Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:19 am

Sounds like with a level head your foray into the Fiat world will be rewarding. Have fun.

Btw, I have a soft spot for the 3 speeds & have a '65 Robin Hood and a '65 Schwinn Racer (or is it Speedster?)..great office errand bikes! The handmade American & Italian steel road bikes are the ones I love though. They take up much less space than cars, but even at good prices sure are more expensive by weight!
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare

User avatar
MrBlimp
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 12:03 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Chichester, NY

Re: considering buying into the vintage Fiat Spider world

Postby MrBlimp » Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:44 pm

Car is home - so is a giant pile of parts - just about everything but a rear end and another set of fenders.

FIRST INSPECTION OF ELECTRIC SYSTEM:
- Wipe-Wash steering column lever - non functional

- Tachometer and Speedometer - non functional (I believe the PO mentioned he removed the Speedometer cable)

- Horn - non operational - though while driving I occasionally heard a weak sound

- Toggle switches mounted in chrome dash stripe above section with the Hazard Light Switch and Map Light:
- 1. unknown function
- 2. Heater Fan/Blower toggle switch - operational
- 3. unknown function
- 4. Map Light toggle switch - operational (the little switch on the light itself is non functional)
- 5. unknown function

LIGHTS (there is a toggle switch on the dash left of the instrument cluster that turns them on/off)
- Key on dash lights:
- Emergency brake light - operational
- Fasten seat belt light - operational
- Oil light - operational

- Headlights - work when the steering column lever is in the up position, not in the down, nor on the DIP (pulling lever).

- Parking lights:
- Driver's side - front - operational
- License plate light - operational
- Passenger tail light - rear - operational

- Signal lights:
- Passenger side - Rear - operational
- Passenger side - Front - operational
- Dash Signal lights on all the time

- Brake lights - operational

- Hazzard lights -
- Switch - operational
- Flasher - operational
- Lights - did not check
69 Triumph Spitfire
70 MGB
78 Fiat 124 Spider
92 Mustang LX
00 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L - Totaled
00 Ford Ranger XLT 3.0L
05 Hyundai Accent

User avatar
Texsardo
Posts: 216
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 1:15 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider Convertible 1800
Location: Post Falls, Idaho
Contact:

Re: considering buying into the vintage Fiat Spider world

Postby Texsardo » Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:03 pm

I bought my 78/79 handles 3 years ago. Spent 1st year fixing previous owners American shade tree quick fixes. Spent next year completely redoing interior from metal floor, up. This year looking for a bit of minor bodywork and painting without taking out a second mortgage. I am trying to return it to as close to original as possible. Yes, I am leaving bumpers on.
Now as to Fix It Again Tony, I have the shop manual in book form and have everything set to shop specification and it runs like a well tuned engine (no pun intended). In fact, there were a lot of overheating cars pulled out of a recent cruise but with the Electric fan I finished without problems and drove home happy. Go for it. I only suggest the carburetor type and maybe the 1800 of pre fuel injection type.
Texsardo


Return to “Fiat Spider Related”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests