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a barn find. I need a winter project and remember driving small open sports cars in my youth. One of these would be perfect. I'm looking for a really good Fiat 124 Spyder in good driving condition. No rust and low miles preferred. I prefer the older small-bumper version made around 1979. I want one of these because...

The Pininfarina bodies are elegant.

These's plenty of room for my 6'2" and 200 lbs.

They are cheap and parts are readily available. My mechanic/dealer has a perfect one and is very experienced at taking care of them.

I'm looking for a driver for our nearly deserted Northwoods two-lane blacktops. There will be no crate engines... sorry hot rodders.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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I was following one of these about 2 hours ago in Las Vegas, same color.
 
Posts: 6350 | Location: NY, NY | Registered: 28 November 2005Reply With Quote
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Dick. Might need to look earlier than the 1979's.
http://www.classic-car-history.../fiat-124-spider.htm
quote:
Originally posted by Dick Wright:


a barn find. I need a winter project and remember driving small open sports cars in my youth. One of these would be perfect. I'm looking for a really good Fiat 124 Spyder in good driving condition. No rust and low miles preferred. I prefer the older small-bumper version made around 1979. I want one of these because...

The Pininfarina bodies are elegant.

These's plenty of room for my 6'2" and 200 lbs.

They are cheap and parts are readily available. My mechanic/dealer has a perfect one and is very experienced at taking care of them.

I'm looking for a driver for our nearly deserted Northwoods two-lane blacktops. There will be no crate engines... sorry hot rodders.


Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
 
Posts: 5077 | Location: Near Hershey PA | Registered: 12 October 2012Reply With Quote
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Thanks. I've been researching for a couple of weeks and didn't find that information... now bookmarked.

I have a dealer friend who has the car I want in his collection. It's a turbo with only 25,000 miles on it and that is in new condition. He's doing some research now to figure out how we can make a deal. I will have to swap him my beloved Porsche due to room restrictions... I only have room for two cars.

As a backup, there's one in Grand Rapids, fully restored with 46,000 miles. Nice car but I want the turbo. I'm only interested in a local car (Michigan) that I can test drive. The Porsche is very well sorted and, if the Fiat, doesn't drive the way I want it to, I'll keep the Porsche. I've spent fourteen years sorting it to my satisfaction.

I show my car once a year at a sports car show up north but my principle interest is driving the country two-lanes up here in the woods.

I think the Pininfarina bodies are absolutely elegant.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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Pininfarina is awesome. I still drule over early 70's Panteras.
For me, if I was looking to buy a Fiat Spyder, I'd want to put it on a lift. Metal seems quite thin on these cars and other model Fiats of the era as well.
I just saw one listed as contition : NEW online with lots of new fittings and the floor pan was rusted through.
Good luck.


Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
 
Posts: 5077 | Location: Near Hershey PA | Registered: 12 October 2012Reply With Quote
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The owner of the turbo is a dealer and he has a lift. I'll put it up there and carefully check the bottom. I appreciate the suggestion but I'm pretty confident that there will be no problem. This guy is extremely fussy and wouldn't have bought it if it had any problems.

I have yet to drive it and have to make sure that I can get in and out easily and that I like the way it drives/handles. The Porsche is well sorted and drives beautifully... if I'm not super happy with the Fiat, I will simply keep the Porsche. I wish I could anyway but I just don't have room for another car.


Dick Wright
 
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To me, Pininfarina's lines are elegant from any angle. This is like a fine rifle... it's fun just to look at it.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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I had a bluish grey 1968 (if I remember right)124. It wasn't like new or anything, but it was a blast. The worst thing about it was that damn clutch cable that was so overworked you carried a spare. My wife loved it. The mill was great, but no hotrod by any definition.
 
Posts: 15786 | Location: Iowa | Registered: 10 April 2007Reply With Quote
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I found one with a turbo (very rare) and only 25,000 miles. It was in showroom condition. I drove it and, with the seat adjusted, the controls were all in the wrong place... Steering wheel was too far away and at a wierd angle... ditto the shifter. The pedals were too close together. I passed.

The car was lovely to look at but I drive them and the Fiat can't remotely compare to my Porsche. Too bad...that car was absolutely beautiful.


Dick Wright
 
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I remember those pedals being close when I recon'd Fiats and Alfa's way back in '78. An Alfa Spyder is much more roomy & refined as I recall.
quote:
Originally posted by Dick Wright:
I found one with a turbo (very rare) and only 25,000 miles. It was in showroom condition. I drove it and, with the seat adjusted, the controls were all in the wrong place... Steering wheel was too far away and at a wierd angle... ditto the shifter. The pedals were too close together. I passed.

The car was lovely to look at but I drive them and the Fiat can't remotely compare to my Porsche. Too bad...that car was absolutely beautiful.


Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can.
 
Posts: 5077 | Location: Near Hershey PA | Registered: 12 October 2012Reply With Quote
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GOOD! I was going to suggest a Miata but you seemed set on a British car! Still, as they say, the Miata is what the British sports cars were meant to be!
Peter.


Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
 
Posts: 10505 | Location: Jacksonville, Florida | Registered: 09 January 2004Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Dick Wright:


A dealer friend finally found the car that worked for me... a 1991 Miata with 24,000 miles and at a very reasonable price. It looks and drives like a new car. The previous owner kept it garaged and only drove it only occassionally. Driving this little sucka is FUN.


Dick,My brother has a very nice, extra, Miata, for sale. New paint, top, and upholstery.Timing belt also.

The bad news... it's a Miata. There's a qazillion of them running around.

The good news... it's a Miata... Jap quality and cheap parts and labor, if needed. I was amazed at the torque and handling when I test drove it. This is a really small car but I can get all 6'2" and 200 lbs. into it easily and be very comfortable.

I had a car like this in college days and my brother had a MGA. I'll never forget the delight of driving those cars on a nice day.

I've had and cherished and obsessively cared for Porsche for fifteen years. Since we also have a real car and only a two car garage, it's time for the beloved Porsche to go.

We live in a fairly remote area with lots fo good two-lane blacktops thru the Michigan woods. Really looking forward to this summer.

Anybody want to buy a really good and well-sorted Porsche 944?
 
Posts: 8959 | Location: Poetry, Texas | Registered: 28 November 2004Reply With Quote
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I had a Miata a few years ago and traded it in for my Lexus ES330. I still have a hankering, but would opt for the auto, paddle shifters and hard top. Stick shift around town is a pain in the behind.
Peter.


Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
 
Posts: 10505 | Location: Jacksonville, Florida | Registered: 09 January 2004Reply With Quote
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An Abarth prepared Fiat 124 Spider has some pretty classic lines, as mentioned on this thread above. I like the ad campaign they've got in Europe: "Topless since 1966".

There are some pretty hot models and engine configurations available. 6 speed automatic with paddle shifters is an option with the Abarth version. The Abarth logo on the hood is better than a Fiat logo.

https://www.fiatusa.com/spider.html


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Posts: 7046 | Location: Rambouillet, France | Registered: 25 June 2004Reply With Quote
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Sorry about the last pic. I didn't have one of my car and I took it from the net because it was identical to mine. I didn't know the picture was that big. I deleted it.

Anyway, this is the real thing, my car taken in our yard.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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Another view of my car.

After researching small roadsters all winter, I got lucky with this one. It's a 1991 that has 24,000 total miles. In collector car talk this is easily a 2+ car... practically showroom condition.

The driving is enlightening... it's kinda hard core. The steering is very quick and it really sticks to the road. You really gotta pay attention. It feels quicker than my Porsche or the other two roadsters I tried.

And it's a Mazda... I can get anything I need from Moss Miata without growing broke.

Now I have to figure out how to get my shooting stuff in it for matches.

Should be a fun summer.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Peter:
I had a Miata a few years ago and traded it in for my Lexus ES330. I still have a hankering, but would opt for the auto, paddle shifters and hard top. Stick shift around town is a pain in the behind.
Peter.


There's not much around town driving here... the closest town has 3500 souls and it's fifteen miles away. When going to town I usually take Glorya's VW Bug which has an automatic.

We are blessed with many good two-lane blacktops that run thru our boonies. This car is a delight on roads like that.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Wink:
An Abarth prepared Fiat 124 Spider has some pretty classic lines, as mentioned on this thread above. I like the ad campaign they've got in Europe: "Topless since 1966".

There are some pretty hot models and engine configurations available. 6 speed automatic with paddle shifters is an option with the Abarth version. The Abarth logo on the hood is better than a Fiat logo.

https://www.fiatusa.com/spider.html


I think the early cars with the small bumpers were absolutely elegant. Big bumpers didn't help the elegant part.

I really liked the turbo my friend had but not the Italian driving position. I couldn't handle reaching that far for the steering wheel and the shift lever. I really love driving cars like this on our nearly-deserted country roads but, dammit, I wanta be comfortable when so doing.


Dick Wright
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 27 March 2014Reply With Quote
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