signature in trunk

[1979FiatSpider]

Just a little curious here. I was in the trunk area and noticed a signature on the underside of the trunk lib. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about it? Not sure what it says, "Polos"? Hmm.. Do you have one?
Brad.e

[DoctorPDR]

Just a little curious here. I was in the trunk area and noticed a signature on the underside of the trunk lib. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about it? Not sure what it says, "Polos"? Hmm.. Do you have one?
Brad.e

OMG...I thought I would never see the day. You know what you have there? This is an authentic signed reproduction signature by Mr. FIAT himself, which is the last model Spider ever built for 1979.

I'm just pulling your chain fellow Michigander (just don't take that to heart).

[SLOSpider]

Damn kids and their crayons!

[BEEK]

i have noticed many signatures behind the rear seat backs in spiders i dissasembled over the years

[DoctorPDR]

i have noticed many signatures behind the rear seat backs in spiders i dissasembled over the years

I worked on an assembly line for one of the major manufacturers in my late teens. We signed stuff to and probably the line worker signed his name where ever the car was in the assembly line process. However, nothing of significance.

[Snoopy]

I have one behind the rear seat backs and i see this at many spiders... wachuko i remember have a similar like my spider...

[1979FiatSpider]

[quote=

OMG...I thought I would never see the day. You know what you have there? This is an authentic signed reproduction signature by Mr. FIAT himself, which is the last model Spider ever built for 1979.

Crap!- and I just cleaned it off with hot water and soap.

[sptcoupe]

There used to be a consistent myth in the late 60's/early 70's that Sergio himself signed the backs of the seats of the first 20 spiders off the production line. There was even a photo capturing the moment allegedly posted in some dealer showrooms around the country, and the most ardent of we FIAT freaks diligently checked the back seats of every spider we got our hands on all through the 70's. I never did see any of these mythical 20 cars, and in fact, I don't recall ever hearing about anyone actually ever finding one. Does anyone else recall this myth? Has anyone ever heard of one of these spiders being found?

I found it interesting to listen to Tom Tjaarda (who designed the spider) tell the story of how the car came about when he attended Italian CarFest in Dallas a few years ago. He said that when he finished the design he sent it forward and never heard another word about the car - never even saw a photo of it - until it was rolled out at the Geneva show where it made it's debut!

[wachuko]

I have one behind the rear seat backs and i see this at many spiders... wachuko i remember have a similar like my spider...

In both cars...

'81



'83

[DoctorPDR]

I have one behind the rear seat backs and i see this at many spiders... wachuko i remember have a similar like my spider...

In both cars...

'81



'83

You got a little bit of a mess going on in there, huh wachuko? Are you doing what I did to my car? If you are not sure of what I did, click on the link below my signature and check it out.

[wachuko]

You got a little bit of a mess going on in there, huh wachuko? Are you doing what I did to my car? If you are not sure of what I did, click on the link below my signature and check it out.

I was until I saw your photos on the work done .... Taking all that out to get to the metal looks like a major PITA!!! You know, I want to be able to drive this car THIS year...

[DoctorPDR]

You got a little bit of a mess going on in there, huh wachuko? Are you doing what I did to my car? If you are not sure of what I did, click on the link below my signature and check it out.

I was until I saw your photos on the work done .... Taking all that out to get to the metal looks like a major PITA!!! You know, I want to be able to drive this car THIS year...

lol, it took me about a week to get all that crap out. There is an easier way, BUT you have to do it in sub-zero temperatures. If it's freezing out, all you have to do is beat on that stuff with a rubber mallet and it breaks off in big chunks. However, I did not want to freeze my ass off so I did it this way. It was therapeutic and provided me a lot of planning and solitude. But once completed, I simply took my air gun with a metal wheel to obtain that shiny steel look and then I coated all the metal with Rust Bullet. It turned out SO NICE and was well worth the work! No type of rust will ever form again on that treated metal.

[wachuko]

Oh crap ... now you are going to make me fell like a wuss if I don't do the same.... there goes another week or two of work... lol

Seriously, that is the way to do it... I will take the time to do it right the first time. That will allow some worry free ownership, as far as rust in those areas. Thank you for the photos. I have been downloading a few as reference (but that viewer you used do not support right click to download photos... so I have to copy the screen and cut out just the photo on Paint...)

You got a little bit of a mess going on in there, huh wachuko? Are you doing what I did to my car? If you are not sure of what I did, click on the link below my signature and check it out.

I was until I saw your photos on the work done .... Taking all that out to get to the metal looks like a major PITA!!! You know, I want to be able to drive this car THIS year...

lol, it took me about a week to get all that crap out. There is an easier way, BUT you have to do it in sub-zero temperatures. If it's freezing out, all you have to do is beat on that stuff with a rubber mallet and it breaks off in big chunks. However, I did not want to freeze my ass off so I did it this way. It was therapeutic and provided me a lot of planning and solitude. But once completed, I simply took my air gun with a metal wheel to obtain that shiny steel look and then I coated all the metal with Rust Bullet. It turned out SO NICE and was well worth the work! No type of rust will ever form again on that treated metal.

[bajacalal]

Inside the door of my friend's Jeep, we found a paper "DEFECT" tag with a dirty comment about somebody who worked at the plant written on it. It was dated too, sometime in 1986, iirc. I wonder if that guy is still around and if he still remembers it.

[1979FiatSpider]

I relay appreciate seeing all the detailed/in-depth work you guys are doing on your spiders. Unfortunately trying to get things just right is one of the reasons I ended up getting my spider. I've had a 76 early bronco that I kept tearing down more and more and eventually got in over my head. and then it just sorta sat there in my garage. Last summer I wanted my "fun" convertible to spin around in while I contemplated over my bronco, and that's when I came across the spiders. So I have to keep telling myself "just leave well enough alone". New rims and tires, couple parts here and there that's it. So if I ever start posting pictures of getting ready for some major overhauling, someone please step up and say "DON'T DO IT". I would like to keep driving it and don't have room for a 3rd topless toy. Sometimes too much inspiration can be a bad thing.
Brad.E