1978 rolling restoration

[RRoller123]

Glad that worked out well! These little cars can sure be a challenge sometimes.

[124JOE]

i agree this is a great site
thanks guys

[DocGraphics]

Well I think it's way past time to update this thread...(hold on this is gonna be a long one)

I got her all back together & running like a top & drove her daily till the weather forced me to put her up for the winter.
Too busy driving to even post my progress with the car....Gawd I love driving this little Italian beauty!

So Finished all the upgrades I was doing & all the cleaning & painting & got her all buttoned up & back on the road with no complaints what so ever. She runs perfect, that carb & exhaust combo really sounds good & my gawd does she pull when the secondarys open & a good solid spark from the ign upgrade.
Only getting about 18MPG daily (drive it like ya stole it) but did get somewhere over 25MPG on the Labor Day weekend drive around the lake (150 mile road trip)

So heres the new stuff, I got the bumperettes all primed, painted & installed (satin black looks like rubber)

I also got the front marker/blinkers that Mark sells installed in the outer rectangular holes. I mounted them to the inside of the holes so the back housing grabbed on 3 sides....worked great...look GREAT! (email me Mark for better pics if you want for your store)

Next was a little Evil-bay impulse buy of chrome eyebrows to go over my headlights, a little filing to let them fit in the stock headlight retainers but I think they look very cool (haven't seen them on any other spider)

So all that along with Mark's spoiler that I already put on I think I have the front end to how I want it to look.

Heeere's pics

Marks lights mounted in the outer holes




with bumperettes & spoiler



Heres the eyebrows



Lit up




Better view of the whole front end


It was great to get her all finished up for the year & back on the road where she belongs

Best thing yet to happen was azruss's visit again & this year he also brought over Jim from spokane.
Was a great afternoon shooting the Fiat breeze, great meeting Jim & Russ got to put his butt behind the wheel of my girl & flog the crap out of her on the new tires & rims.


Heres a couple pics of Jim's 81 (I think) & my 78 together






Sorry about this long winded post but it was waaaaay overdue.
My girl is all put away in the garage for the winter (sob) waiting for spring to poke it's head out again (or at least a sunny day with clear roads to take her for a quick spin)

[fiat218]

Why with the eye brow,

[SLOSpider]

Heres a cool pic, check out the articulation in the suspension, looks like I could go wheelin' with that travel.

[/quote]

No you need more, like this with my Blazer in Moab:

[DocGraphics]

You win!

[SLOSpider]

Not sure if you got my email but was asking about your old wheels. Still got them?

[DocGraphics]

Yea still have them & yes for sale, hadn't thought about what I would want for them, I'll give it some thought & PM ya

[SLOSpider]

Thanks!

[nothingbychance]

Hey, Don, delighted to find your restoration description. I have a '78 that I bought new, and she is now being brought back up to specs. Not a full restoration, just enough to make her safe and lookin' good, but I'll be going over your description to see what in particular I should think about. I'm keeping as much original as I can. She's ivory with a red interior.
Moira
Cobourg, Ontario

[DocGraphics]

Great to hear Moira, get that girl up to snuff & drive the heck out of her. Good to hear another 78 is being saved!

[azruss]

Don,
What happened to the roll bar you had in your car. are you planning on puting it back in.

[DocGraphics]

I still have the roll bar Russ, but with the aftermarket seats it won't fit.
May put it back when I decide to redo the stock seats in another year or two.

I have thought of just selling it but shipping it anywhere would be impossible, kinda the same issue as with my old BWA wheels.

Guess I should update this post a bit...
Been driving Fiona for the last 3 months, rain & shine & snow as the trucks clutch went out & I havn't bothered to fix it yet, already have over 1000 miles on her this year.
No problems, no leaks & man does the heater in this thing work good!

This years projects will be front end alignment, new rear suspension (& lower to match the front), new shocks & driveline rebuild. That will make all new suspension on my girl, ready for another 35 years!
I have a line on a new black top I hope to pick up cheap so that might change too.

[DocGraphics]

Another update of this springs fun.

I got that new top, black vinyl new in the box, been sitting on a shelf for who knows how many years.
Drove down to Clarkston Wa. to get it in Fiona & she loved the drive, 250 miles - 5 hours all at highway speeds (top up though short rains a couple times)
I just laid it over the existing top to check it out & I think the black will look great.
Front corners match so it is the right style.
Also noticed the back window is a bit bigger as there is less material along the bottom edge where it mounts.
(I really need to get the back end lowered soon, looks like it belongs in the 70's again)







I got a new cap to where on the really sunny days



& then the coolest part so far this year...custom plates.
I did "ARACNID" (only 7 letters in Idaho) for the state plates & as I am running bumperless i ordered an Italian one for the front to match.
The Italian one also has the "Torino" county mark & 78 registation mark (year of my car)





I still have alot more planned to do this year but still have my courier in the garage putting a new clutch in it, have the parts for it & its all taken apart but every day I plan on putting it together I end up playing in the Spider...go figure.
I already have 2000 miles on her this year!

[azruss]

Just stay in Idaho, Don and the plate shouldnt be a problem. Go to Spokane and they are sure to notice (ask me how i know this ). If you decide to sell the roll bar, let me know. If not, I will see you this fall and maybe pull a template off it.