Help Checking out a Car in Kansas City?

[supplyguy]

Very much interested in a 1982 Fiat original owner if I can get comfortable it is as it sounds/looks on the net. I'm in Virginia and could really use some help from a KC member. Many thanks in advance.

[supplyguy]

Phone call with owner was most positive. The only two concerns - occasional dime size oil drip from main seal (he believes) and he cautions the rear differential whine will drive me nuts on return trip from KC to VA. Seller believes this is simply result of original gearing for US 55 mph market in 1982 and changing diff gearing will solve that. Thoughts from the pro's? If I had a member from KC eyeball the car and it is as it looks, I believe I could fly in and buy! Many thanks.

[redcars]

I have an 82 Spider and it has no rear diff whine. The Spider gearing was not changed for the 55 MPH speed limit, but for the engine that it has. Changing the gearing will make the engine quiter not the rear gears. If the rearend whines it is because of the condition of the rear gears. That said I had an Astro van that had a rearend whine that I could not get rid of and I put 150,000 miles on it.

[supplyguy]

Thanks Red...as I wrote it (the 55 mph part) I realized it sounded goofy. Read more on this site and understand a little better the differences between 4:10 and 3:90 and why folks prefer what they do. I suspect this is either a ratio issue or a failing differential. The head of the KC Fiat club has offered to check the car out for me.....a hugely nice gesture.

[redcars]

If you buy this car and drive it home I am just 20 miles east of St Louis, MO. That is just 250 miles into your trip, but if you are having problems we can put it up on the hoist and have a look at it. I would drive it home the way it is unless the whine is very!! bad. I drove a 1967 1500 fiat for a month with a bad diff. When it first got loud I drained the oil and it was silver with all the metal in it. If you buy it and are interested in some support for the trip. I will send you my phone # and address.

[bshatto]

Rent a car hauler from U-Haul and buy yourself some piece of mind.

[124JOE]

i grabed mine in reno
i had three days to tinker then i drove it back to wi
my dad and i changed oil,plugs and tuned it up to run smoother
he sent me to have the diff oil changed and then pointed my home
1800 miles it started to get hot because i was doing 80mph
so i slowed down to 55 and let everyone go around me
it died once "lack of oil"
the starter backed off in WY so it was push start after that"untill i got her home"

look at the giblio"rubber donut"on the driveshaft to see if its bad
jack it up and turn the diff listen for bad noises
get it running look for fuel leaks
tires are marked with a date(0101)is first week of 2001(0907)is the 9th week of 2007

if it came from a mecanic it should be in great condition "driveabliaty"
i wish you luck "it should be FUN"

[supplyguy]

Friends suggesting I pursue loc8ters car instead....the KC car has 23,000 miles and suggesting it would be wrong to buy such a showpiece and actually drive it lots. Guess it's like buying an antique carpet and actually walking on it. I'm hanging in there pending the visual check by KC Fiat gentleman.

[dmwhiteoak]

Joe, where's your sence of adventure gone? A car hauler?

[124JOE]

well back in the day me and my"then"girlfriend got a pay check on the same day
that only happened twice a year
at that time i had the oppertunity and a chance to get a free car,so i jumped up it
with $600 we got on a bus"ill never forget that one"and headded for reno
we got back with $60 to our names

just not so lucky now a days
ive had 5 free cars out of 17 or so