Wheelbase help please

[kilrwail]

I have a 1978 Fiat 124 Spider, which has been in an accident. To help the body shop and alignment shop straighten it out, I’d like to know the typical variance in wheelbase between the left and right sides. Could you take a few minutes and measure the wheelbase on a comparable car on both sides and tell me what you have please? The spec in the shop manual says 89.7” +/- 2 mm. Thank you.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

The only method I have to measure this distance is a garden-variety tape measure, but I measured my '69 and '71 spiders and they do appear to be about 89 and 3/4" on both sides. As for 89.7" ±2 mm, I can't measure that accurately, but I can say that both sides of each car appear to be the same as far as I can tell.

-Bryan

[kilrwail]

Thanks Bryan - I appreciate the effort. The good news is that the body shop pulled the left side out so that both sides have the correct wheelbase. We're getting there.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Glad I could help, Peter. And, I keep forgetting I have a laser measuring tool (like for home construction), and the distance measures as 7' 5 3/4", or again, 89.75". Occasionally the gauge would flicker to 7' 5 11/16", and so it appears that spec on my cars is OK. Bondo repairs...? Now that's another story.

-Bryan