Fiats and Pintos...Strange Mix

[pintopower]

Hi everyone! My name is Alberto and I have a car addiction. Yes, it is true, cars are indeed more costly than drugs but I think provide a greater high. Either way I am a car junkie, but I am ok with that. So long as one comes to terms with it. My love with cars started with Pintos. I have six. I love them, thats all I can say. I am Italian, however, and felt that I should own an italian car, so I bought a Fiat, or two, um, or three. I dont know why I have not joined a 124 forum yet, I have had the car three years. Oh well, now its all done and boy is it nice! I bought the car from one of the Fiat 850 guys in southern California. His name is Merkel, as many of you know. He saved the car from the junk heap and sold it to me for pennies. The car was a wreck but had zero rust and was completly original. I hate dealing with other peoples half assed repairs. So, I went through most of the car and what I didn't do I had Mark Allison do. Thanks Mark! The interior was done at ICS on Figueroa in LA, so was the front and rear suspension, stearing box and misc electrical, bust most importantly the Paint and body. Aside from some overspray on my front suspension which irritates me, the paint job is amazing, but more importantly, the body work on this car is amazing. It was a mess before, the car being mostly bondo. Mark Allison rebuilt the rear end, installed braided brake lines, lowered it, and I am sure I am forgetting some stuff. I installed his front air dam re-pop and emblems. Any way, now the car is a show stopper. I love driving it. Next, it needs a complete exhaust system, but thats later. I have funneled enought money into this ragtop black hole. I will have it at the next best of France and Italy! I look forward to some events in the socal area too! I am looking forward to this site and meeting all of you!
Alberto
P.S. Here are some shots of the 124 before and after, and my other Fiats. There is a link to the rest of my cars at the bottom! Enjoy!
124:




Strada:

131:

Pangra:

80 Pinto Wagon:

79 Pinto Wagon:


80 Pinto Sedan

78 Pinto Hatchback:


The rest:http://www.ringo.com/photos/albums.html ... =163357057

See, I told you I have a problem. I sure hope I did the picture thing right.

[So Cal Mark]

welcome Alberto! Great collection of pix! We've got a run coming up Sat, check the Events category for details

[rlux4]

Welcome aboard. Had to show the wife your post. When we got married we had a '79 Spider, anticipating the need for a "family" car, we sold it and got a Pinto station wagon. She still hates that car. Don't know why, she just did. Maybe if ours had looked as good as yours it would have been different. Hope you can make it next Sat. Ron

[ventura ace]

Alberto,
Glad to hear the progress on your spider, cuz I'm tired of seeing your damned pintos at all the Fiat gatherings -- ha! Just kidding. Your pintos are definitely cool, and it seems that your spider is gunna be, as well. We got 2 events coming up next 2 weekends. This weekend, the FLU meeting that Mark is setting up, and the next weekend is at Merkel's -- why don't you tell the people here about that one? Aren't you leading a session on car detailing, or something like that??

Alvon

[mdrburchette]

Wow, Pintos! I didn't know people actually collected those things. But, I confess, I owned a 75 fastback in my younger days, then bought a 68 Spider. Welcome to the forum!

[So Cal Mark]

Denise, I get the feeling you've owned one of everything at some time!

[baltobernie]

That 1600 Kent engine was a real runner; not as sophisticated as the Fiat twin-cam, but they sure ran great.

[mbouse]

yup, you certainly have the fever. welcome to the hospital!!

[mdrburchette]

Denise, I get the feeling you've owned one of everything at some time!

Welll, thinking back, there have been quite a few! We could start a thread for everyone to list all the vehicles they've owned if we can't find anything better to talk about...no chance of that happening here.

[So Cal Mark]

now you want to test my long term memory?

[mdrburchette]

Sorry, I know how that may be difficult for some of us.

[radiopilot]

Great collection of cars and pics... God I wish I were back in Harbor City once again! Miss those California days hanging out
at Palos Verdes and Torrance when I was only a wee lad at 15 yrs of age...

Nick

[TJC]

I, too, have sinned. I had a BroncoII problem a few years back (loved those Cologne V-6s).

Love the custom job on your Spider. The red dash is sweeeeet.