Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

This is the place to discuss restoration problems, post questions or projects-complete or partial.
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by basso »

Good news my cable rollers are in good shape.
But:
Is anyone able to give me an hint about the rear brakes....my harddiskdrive crashed and i have lost all the diassemble photos of the brakes. In wich direction are the shims for the handbrake mounted???

Basso
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by basso »

Rear Brake.
i finally got the infos about the shims and was able to assemble the hand brake mechanism.

Another part of my spider is ready...

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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by basso »

Center console:
while disassembling my spider i noticed that the heater vent was leaking for a long time.
The upper (radio) Console was covered in rust and the foam was wet.

I decided to clean up erverything down to the bare metal,
it is a bit tricky to pull the foam of, but with an exacto knife and a lot of patience it works well.

This was my starting point:
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the upper console was blasted and brushed:
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the foam was glued to place...
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and covered with vinyl..
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980 rear lights.

Post by basso »

my rear lights where blind and i dont like to buy new ones, they are a bit expensive...
This was my starting point:
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I tried to separate the "clear parts" from the reflectorplate, but the are melted to one piece.

My next try was to cut the reflector out..
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it is a timeconsuming job but when it is done You can send the reflectors to be renewed ( what i did)
I ever thought that the refletors are chrome plated, but it is alloy steamed under vaccum on the plastic.
I had to wait a week and was amazed when they arrived.

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What a difference! I used a soldering iron (200°C ) an melted the reflektors back in the rear light housing.
the reflectorplate is made out of ABS and if You melt ABS with 200°C i become like wax and both parts can be "mixed". It is much stronger than glueing ( and i dont think that the alloy likes the glues solvent )

And this is the final result:
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TOP: before, Bottom after.

I am happy ;)

p.s. i had to pay 40 Euro for the steamed alloy...and my rear lights are now originals in best condition :)
Last edited by basso on Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980 transmission

Post by basso »

i finally finished the overhaul of my transmission, ok it was an complete restauration...

my transmission was in bad shape, the preowner of my spider started his driving career with it :(
Every theet of the gear was flatted and so i had to buy ervery single piece ( ok, to buy a transmission in good shape would have been cheaper).

Here is my photostory...
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the case was blasted and coated with an baking paint ( 200°C in the oven wich is not harmful).
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my transmission was leaking and i coat the insight with an varnish made to coat motors and transmissions (expensive but very useful) just to be sure there are no hair cracks in the case...

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If You ever overhaul an Fiat transmission it is an good idea to look at the small gap shown in the photo - mine was closed because the two casting molds meet in there ( i used a dremel and cut it out)
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this is what all theeth look like
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some of them had cracks - i bought new one.
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980 -transmission

Post by basso »

i reasembled all parts after i burnished them ( the old gear wheels where over and over with rust )
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They fit well and where easily reasembled
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p.s. the brown colour is the oil ;)

And finally my shiny "new" transmission - so sad it wont be seen anymore when the spider is done ;(
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Basso
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joelittel
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Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:53 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Evanston, IL

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by joelittel »

Nice work basso, you've done a lot to your car.
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joelittel
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Evanston, IL

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by joelittel »

Your taillights look amazing. I'm going to look into doing mine.
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Ptoneill
Posts: 606
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 1:28 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by Ptoneill »

Looks beautiful!! Keep up the great work!
Stay Safe,

Pat
79spider
HAVE FUN!! It's a FIAT!!
ptoneill@msn.com
http://s1121.photobucket.com/albums/l504/ptoneill/
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by RRoller123 »

Wow, nice work!
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by basso »

Tanks a lot ;)
Actually i am about to finish the bodywork.
Most of the american spiders are in a good shape, but here in hamburg/germany the weather is not so kind to fine italian metal – a lot of things had to be done and need to be done. i started with cutting rusted areas out and replaced them with new metal - the usual way.

a litte photostory :)
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the driversides foot area was completly wrecked.
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i searched the internet but a formed replacement sheet was not available, it costs me a whole day to hammer the metal to an nearly correct shape ( and a few beers too)...
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it fits well and could be welded in.
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by basso »

there is on thing i missed to mention when overhauling the transmission:
if your gearshift lever vibrates sometimes a tiny spring inside the gear tower is broken.
Mine broke in three pieces and one of them blocked when changing to third gear.

in germany the spring was not sold and the shipping cost from the US to germany where a bit too expensive. I bought 10mm spring steel and formed the spring out of it. it works well !!!

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Last edited by basso on Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980

Post by narfire »

Wow, very, very impressive skill set....and patience and thirst....
Your work looks absolutely stunning.
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980 fuel Tank

Post by basso »

Hi ;)
i am glad to write about finishing my rebuild fuel tank.
When i started it was just an old rusty piece – like everything on my spider :( ...

Here are some photos before my work began
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I started with sandblasting the outer metal – i use copper slag, it is cheap and
works well if you like erase the rust and old colour.

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the photos above are taken a few minutes before i started to spray it with brantho korrux 3in 1.
It is a fine lacquer but needs to cure two weeks...
Last edited by basso on Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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basso
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:57 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

Re: Fiat Spider 2000, 1980 - fuel tank

Post by basso »

Time to take care about the inside...

I bought the POR15 fuel repair kit and started by using the "Cleaner Degreaser" to remove every dirt inside
after that the Metal Prep got its chance to remove the rust...

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... i don feel that this is a good surface to apply the Fuel Tank Sealer on it...
I ve done a lot of research in forums what to do, an the answer is really simple:
Cirtic acid and hot water is the best rust and dirt remover you can buy. The instrucitons are easy: fill the fuel tank with boiling water and mix a few packs citric acid in it and let it stay for 24 hours. I needed to do this three times, and got an complete rust and dirt free fuel tank!

Actually it cant find the photos but on the next photo You can see the blank metal when the sealer was applied.

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The bottom of the tank was painted two times with an fuelsafe paint and the top with standard automotive laquer out of the can
(black and clear). The stickers and of course the fuel tanks article number ( 082 2A ) was applied with an scrached stamp and the bottom sealed with rockfall protection.

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