82 Spider Turbo

[architectdave]

Hi All I have a chance to purchase an 82 turbo with new top and interior in pretty good shape, metallic pine green. It needs some rust repair and a paint job, it also does not run. The owner has started it with starting fluid but it will not run on its own. Is this a big diagnostic or a relatively simple one? Also what would you guys pay for this car? What's it worth running with new paint? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Dave

[2ndwind]

Dave my understanding is that the turbo is typically not there or non-functional. My 2nd '82 (non-turbo) automatic would only run with staring fluid, initially. When I hooked up the air hose properly, it was a bear to keep running. I swapped out the Air flow meter from my 5 spd and Voila! It ran fine. A working used AFM fixed it.

Because I don't know how the turbo interfaces with the intake it is possible the turbo or place where it went, is the culprit.

Price-wise I have learned to be wary. Reasons to drastically reduce price:
-Does not run (or run near-normally), thus you cannot test the transmission either.
-Major rust (especially in shock towers and cross-member.
-No DOCUMENTED maintenance done on mechanicals in past 5 yrs like timing belt, valve adjustment, fuel pump, gas tank filth, rubber guibo replacement, drive shaft center bearing, u-joints, brakes, brake hoses and lines, front suspension rebuild.

I paid $1000 for the above-mentioned automatic. It had no recent mechanical info., bad top, ok interior with bad seats, and only the driver's side rear fender flare badly rusted. No other rust, oddly. I sold it after getting it running, replacing the timing belt, water pump and tensioner bearing, fuel sending unit, transmission modulator valve, screen and filter(all done by me) fixing a few odds and ends and having the rusted rear quarter panel fixed and painted. I barely broke even with a $1950 sale. Part of the reason was it was an automatic. Not particularly desirable. The turbos were an aftermarket job done pre-dealer I think in New Jersey. Info somewhere on this site. They didn't add much hp. for all the trouble.

Your seller probably thinks this is a once-in-a-lifetime gem. I think it is worth $200-$800 but I have no pictures, no visual of the rust extent, nor have I heard it run briefly on starting fluid. the installed top is worth $3-500 but on a worthless car it is a waste.

[BEEK]

i have owned 2 turbo spiders, the first one i bought in 83 from a fiat dealer i worked at , it was a demo, had 12k miles on it and it was loads of fun. the second one i bought and restored at my shop. i sold it for 5,000.00 in 1997. that was fair market value at that time. turbo spiders are fun, the intake hose is usually a problem, and will most likely have to be rebuilt. as it will be rotten or have holes in it. a nice turbo spider today will bring fairly good money. look at the car well, check for rust everywhere. everything else can be fixed fairly easily

[toyfiats]

A non-running Spider with rust is usually a sub $1000 proposition, possible exceptions being later Pininfarina Spiders and Turbos. A used, complete, but condition unknown turbo system sold recently on Ebay for around $1400, so even if the car was too far gone to fix up a complete turbo system is still worth money.

[architectdave]

Thank you for the replies guys. I don't have a ton of information on this car....I can tell you has the Pinniferina badge in front of the rear wheel. It is a five speed, I assume the clutch is okay.... I can fix the rust and paint it. It has some rust bubbles in the doors and it needs a floor pan on the passengers side. I'm sure it will need brakes and tires.....I can do all of this mechanical and body work Its really the diagnosis of the fuel injection that scares me. I was thinking of offering the guy 750 for it and not going over 1000.00 Would this be a 7-8000 car fixed up painted and running?

Dave