Along came a spider......finally some progress.

[dickykitch]

That red looks fantastic. I think I want to paint mine red when I get to that stage - is it the standard Fiat color or something else?

Rich

[NCArachnid]

Rich,

Thanks for the compliment. The color is a VW color from the current Jetta. It is called Tornado Red.
I looked at the factory Fiat red for the '72 which is Vivid Red. I thought it was just a little too orange for my tastes. Very similar to the Porsche Guards Red. I also looked at the Corvette Victory Red. The VW color is deeper and seems to change depending on the light. In natural light it appears lighter and brighter. In darker conditions or artificial light it looks a little bit deeper. When I went to pick up the car it was sitting in the back of the shop in the dark and my first impression was "oh no, it is too dark". But when we rolled it into the Carolina sunshine my response was, "perfect!".

Everyone sees and perceives colors differently: which is why color choice is such a personal choice. Go look at some cars on new car lots in different lighting conditions so you can see what it will really look like. I rented a VW Jetta for a week and was sold on the Tornado Red by the end of the week. The shape of this car is so ageless and beautiful that nearly any color looks great.

Good luck with your Spider.

[dickykitch]

Thanks for the info Jon, I'll maybe hunt out a rattle-can and check it out.

Rich

[NCArachnid]

Rich,

Mind you those car/color suggestions are for US spec. Just noticed you're from across the pond. Not sure if they made the same models in the same colors for the Euro market.

Alan,

Sorry to sound offended by your question about the rusty muffler. I wasn't bothered by the inquiry at all. I'm a very detail-oriented person, as I can tell you are by your meticulous build, and that sore-thumb muffler in the pic bothers me as much as it does you. I have a polished Magnaflow stainless muffler, 2 1/4" with 4" slant-cut tip in the shop. I just need to make the time to take it to the muffler shop to fab a new system from the down-pipe back. I'm looking forward to the new look and sound.

More pics later. My Dad is coming back in town for Thanksgiving but we have to pour a concrete parking pad instead of working on the Fiat. Maybe it will rain and we can work on the car instead.

[juvius]

jon,

Your car looks beautiful. I really like the new seats (hope they don't put up too much of a fight getting them fitted). I can't wait to see it finished.

later,
steve

[jknfiatspider]

I noticed that you pulled the radiator to perform Tbelt service. To save time I made a tool to remove the big nut without taking the radiator out. It's a 1 1/2" craftsman socket, 3/4" drive. I filed some flats on the collar to fit a big wrench. Since it's a 12 pt socket, I just align the flats so I can get a good shot at the wrench with a hammer. bang it loose and double bang it tight!

[jknfiatspider]

I noticed that you pulled the radiator to perform Tbelt service. To save time I made a tool to remove the big nut without taking the radiator out. It's a 1 1/2" craftsman socket, 3/4" drive. I filed some flats on the collar to fit a big wrench. Since it's a 12 pt socket, I just align the flats so I can get a good shot at the wrench with a hammer. bang it loose and double bang it tight!

[nelsonj]

The car looks very good. The new tail lights, bumpers, and if I might add light gaskets look really good.

Make sure you get the mirror in the right spot before mounting. If you could even tape it on and go for a test drive that would be good. I note they put that style mirror on the fender rather than the door. There's a thread near the top of the "social" section called "winter sucks" that has a car (looks like a 72 and your color) from a FIAT ad with that mirror. Take a look at that pic and see how you like it.

I sort of screwed up, even though I triple checked my mirrors, the passenger is in the wrong spot and almost worthless. Once mounted, its a very expensive fix to relocate. So really be sure of the exact location before mounting.

Good luck.

Peace.

[124JOE]

I sort of screwed up, even though I triple checked my mirrors, the passenger is in the wrong spot and almost worthless. Once mounted, its a very expensive fix to relocate. So really be sure of the exact location before mounting.

Good luck.

Peace.

that's what stickers are for go to a vinal lettering store and get your mates name or flames or a scorpion or a spider made to cover the holes
so you can move the pass side mirror

hope this helps

[NCArachnid]

Thanks for the personal experience with the mirror. I was about to drill holes and mount the mirror where I had it in the picture, but thought better of it. With the change in seat and seat position, that test position could be way off. I considered using the red 3M double sided body mounting tape initially before I drill holes for permanent mounting.

I've seen my mirror style mounted out on the fender or on the door.




Finally got the front bumper mounted. Had to use a ratchet strap to provide traction while I snugged all the bolts up. This technique helped ensure even gaps on each side.





Now back to those seat brackets and interior......