So i'm new to fiats and am looking for a new project. I'm thinking of buying a couple of spiders in bad shape and cobbling them together to make one decent vehicle. Looking at combining:
1981 automatic, wrecked. extensive RH body damage, engine presumably works.
1980 (fuel injected) manual. hole in engine block. good body.
1977 manual. extensive body rust. possible engine fire.

From this lot, would it be best to restore the 1980 or the 1981? can I use much from the 77 or should I skip it? Or do I just wait for that fuel-injected fivespeed to come along at under 1500? (I haven't found any yet).

BTW, I'm not the most advanced garage mechanic, but I do okay. Zero foreign car experience, though.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

My recommendation...

Forget the '77.

Can you get the '80 & '81 for a decent price? If so, then restore the '80. Get the engine/block from the '81,transplant to the '80!

Above recommendation based on your description of the 3 cars. Do you have pictures?

Thanks. I had my years wrong. both FI cars are 81's.
this is the car with hole in the block. craigslist, battle creek, MI .

No pics of the automatic.

Here's the 77. craigslist Detroit. craigslist. detroit

I hope the images worked.

Like many things in life, beauty is only skin deep;. I hope I don't offend anyone, but I don't care for smog equiped carbed cars (78), or sports cars with automatics. BUT, you need to look deeper than what you can see in these pics. What does the interior look like? What about rust? Look at the shock towers, floor pans, steering box mount, front crossmember, etc. Just my opinion, but I would opt for the Blue 81 IF the body is solid. There is a FI motor here in St. Louis on CL for $400 you could put in it.

Good luck!