Long time stalker has found one! Maybe

[jboggess]

Hello been pokeing around in the fourm for a long time, and been looking for a decent shape spider also. I found this one on Hemmings, its been listed for quite some time and i just talked to the guy today about it, and its still for sale.
I just wanted to see what you guys think about it and the price. Heres the link.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/car ... 48328.html

Its located in St Johnsbury, Vermont, any of you around from there?

[baltobernie]

Nice looking car ... almost too nice. If the car is as sound as it appears in the ad, it's priced fairly; it would take considerably more than than the asking price to restore a typical Spider to that condition.

However, if you're spending ten grand on a thirty-year-old car, you have every right to expect that darn near everything works A-OK. At a minimum, I'd insist on a satisfactory state safety inspection. There are probably independent vintage auto inspectors available, as well. Fiat experience would be ideal. Help me out here, guys; isn't there a Spider restoration specialist in Montreal? I think I've seen some of his work at FFOs.

[narfire]

I agree. It looks in great shape. I can see the trailing arms have been replace as has the drive shaft support and bearing. Seats look good/great. Perhaps a compression check and see from there. To be honest not my favorite colour but if the car is mechanically sound,it should offer good value and you can be on the road with it real quick.
Bit of a mistake in the ad's pre-amble in that 80 was the first year for fuel injection not 81.


There is a fiat restoration fellow in Toronto... Andy's Spiders. Evidently some of his cars have done well showing at FFO.

[jboggess]

Great advice, thats so much. Would it be fair to offer him a price in the high 7,000'S ? I dont want low ball him but maybe he would take it. Whoo Knows. Thanks!

[So Cal Mark]

well, 80 was the first year for FI, but that was Calif cars. 80 federal cars had carbs, so technically he's correct. If the car really can be documented for 40000 miles, I'd say the price is in the ballpark. But since it's been for sale for awhile, I'd consider an offer of $7500 to be a good option. I agree about the color, in my opinion probably the worst color Fiat used but many people like that color, so if it's in good conditon and you like it, go for it

[spidernut]

The console looks replaced as well as the electric fan. The one under the hood is definitely not stock. It looks like a nice car all in all. $8,900 isn't bad if it is a straight and clean as it looks in the pictures. Have a GOOD Fiat mechanic do an inspection before buying. It is very easy to hide or overlook some pretty expensive problems. Someone who knows Fiats well doing an inspection can reduce your chances of getting stuck with problems you don't need.

Good luck on your car hunt!

[baltobernie]

Try contacting this club; they may be able to refer you to a qualified mechanic: http://www.vea.qc.ca/index.html

[ORFORD2004]

The only problem that i see is that Montreal is about 2.5 hours drive from St Johnsbury. I'm about 1.5 hours also.

[jboggess]

Alright, thanks guys, ill see if i can find a Fiat guy to check it out for me.

[spider2081]

A group of us New England Fiat owners took a weekend trip in Vermont last weekend. This very owner and car was part of the group. It is a very clean car and I think the add is a true description of the car. There are more photos of the Vermont trip and this car on the FLU site under Events.

Good Luck

[markpink]

Actually I am the one who posted the pics of the Vermont Trip. They are on this board as well at http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 16&t=15232

Plus there are around 70 pics at my web site. Probably many pics of the car in question.

http://www.myfiats.com/Fiat_Vermont_Weekend.html


Thanks


Mark

[jboggess]

Ok thanks for all the help guys, well see what happens

[seabeelt]

I would check again after thsi past weekend. Vermont got hammered by Hurricane/Tropical Storme Irene with severe flooding many places - roads, bridges and houses washed away in flash floods