How rare?

[BigMikeMc]

So I know this subject has been touched on before, but if someone could indulge my curiousity. Is there anyway to check on just how rare one of my Spiders truely is? I know you can't trust wikipedia but they say that almost 200,000 spiders were produced in all, and 75% were sent to America. Plus fuel injected spiders in 1980 only came on spiders bound for California and that acounts for less than half of that year's production and mine have the California emmisions stickers. Plus they say that the fuel injection came on late in 1980 yet mine were produced in October 79 and the automatic in January of 80 ( I know that year models run from July of the previous year to June of the model year). Another place tells me that 10% of the cars made were automatics, and another place says that 10% of spiders came with air conditioning. Now, if you start crunching numbers and looking at year break downs and color options it would seem this thing might be rare. Which leads me to the next and, more important question... Am I going to destroy a rare car by making it "mine"? Coming from a motorcycle background i have always believe that "stock sucks!" yet I am also a historian and anthropologist so I do respect, love, and cherish the old rare things still left in this life. When it comes to my bikes I have a couple that are customed and then I have old panhead harley that is completely restored to stock. So... is a 1980 fuel injected, automatic, factory air, California emmissions, triple black spider worth restoring or can I make it the way I seee it in my head? (before folks starting worring about big wheels and trash can mufflers, that is NOT the way I see it, Pininfarina was amazing yet the goverment did a few things to try their best to ruin his beautiful design and lines)

[spidernut]

I have two Spiders - one is an 80 EFI California model, the other a 79 Carb'd California model. Though I'm pretty much a purist at heart, you should modify your car any way you like unless you plan on putting it in a museum. Though the 80 Spider was the first year EFI for Spiders, I don't believe it will be of any historical significance 50 years from now.

Fix it, drive it, enjoy it!!!....then ship your stock parts to me.

[Gunsmith]

Well rare doesn't always mean desirable or worth keeping stock, I explain this almost daily in the gun world. First off our Spiders aren't really worth a huge amount of money in the collector car world to begin with. Many "options" on our Spiders were simply thrown on by dealers when they arrived here and weren't actually factory options from Italy so they are not always worth the time and money to bring them back. Automatics seem to be the least favorable with Spider enthusiasts. Many Spider owners also rip out the AC at the first chance. All that being said it may be a different story as soon as a celebrity is seen in one or Jay Leno says they're great. So it may or may not be a dud forever. Like you some things I like stock and sometimes I don't, hate the looks of our huge bumpers, mine have got to go! Depending on how much restoration is needed it may only be worth bringing back to "Stock" if you really like it that way. If you keep the old parts and don't do body mods so a possible future owner can bring it back to "Stock" easily then you are probably safe no matter what you do. As much as I love the Tan interiors on Spiders if yours was triple Black from the factory I would probably leave it that way even if you were replacing the old parts for new. If it were a pre HUGE bumper car I would lean more toward stock myself but once you start pulling those things off you might as well have fun with it in my opinion.

[vandor]

>they say that almost 200,000 spiders were produced in all, and 75% were sent to America.

That's true - actually I think more than 75% were sent here, as the US was the only market for them between 1975-82.

>Plus fuel injected spiders in 1980 only came on spiders bound for California

Not really true - as you could buy a California emissions Spider in many other states. So most all 1980 FI Spiders were Califoria complient, but they were not only sold in California.

> Plus they say that the fuel injection came on late in 1980

Not, not late in 1980 model year. I see a lot more injected 80s than carb'd ones.

Just customize your car however you like it, just remember that value wise a stock car seems to be what is worth the most.

[BigMikeMc]

well guys I would like to first say thank you for your responses and help, it seems the overriding consent is feel free to make it "mine". which is a relief and makes me happy, happy, happy. Just spent the afternoon out in the garage sitting on my work stool, squinting my eyes and staring real hard at the car and of course sitting in the drivers seat and making vroom vroom noises (hey the 5 year old can't have all the fun!) so now its time to start writing out an attack plan, collecting pictures of other Fiats I like as insperation, figure what parts I need, what parts I want, how much those are going to cost, and explain to my wife that the ones I want I really do need, then hopefully I get to actually start tearing into these things. Thanks again folks, without it I would still be worring about messing up a potentionally rare and collectable car. Now I get to have "my" Fiat

[RRoller123]

I agree. One of the nice things about these cars is that they are inexpensive and are not museum pieces; we drive them all over the place! So I would feel free to make it your own and have a blast!

[divace73]

thought I'd pipe up here, If I had a real earlly chrome bumper model that was stock, complete and in good condition, then I'd leave it.
I have a 1980 FI (Month unknown but from the numbers is hovering late 79/early 80) and mine hase been converted from LHD to RHD and a fairly avergae job at that. Some internal trim bits were missig of it and some of the previous repair work is also fairly average. I figured since it is like this I will make it the way I like, which I am in the process of doing by accumulating the necessary bits and pieces and one day will have it looking like a would, it's not far off but still more work to do.
http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og/divace73/ <--clicck there if you are interested or want some ideas

If it was the 1980 anniversary model, then I'd leave it stock as there is more chance the limited run may be worth something to a massive spider fan.

Make it how you like it I say.....

[DeanJones]

thought I'd pipe up here, If I had a real earlly chrome bumper model that was stock, complete and in good condition, then I'd leave it.
I have a 1980 FI (Month unknown but from the numbers is hovering late 79/early 80) and mine hase been converted from LHD to RHD and a fairly avergae job at that. Some internal trim bits were missig of it and some of the previous repair work is also fairly average. I figured since it is like this I will make it the way I like, which I am in the process of doing by accumulating the necessary bits and pieces and one day will have it looking like a would, it's not far off but still more work to do.
http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og/divace73/ <--clicck there if you are interested or want some ideas

If it was the 1980 anniversary model, then I'd leave it stock as there is more chance the limited run may be worth something to a massive spider fan.

Make it how you like it I say.....

With David on this, early Euro model keep stock and restore, other than that restore, enhance and enjoy on a regular basis.
Personally I am not into moderising especially anything visible externally. If one can enhance with items from the 'period' it was designed all the better. Remove traces of American 'safety' requirements where possible and bring back a very pretty shape in its pure form.

http://www.magnuswalker911.com/

Classic example of updating but within the period!

Best of luck with the restoration and keen to see photo's when complete.