Seat Belts

[bradartigue]

This has been debate for as long as I can remember; the fact is it was not designed for four people. Some of the advertisements say "emergency seat" - a bad translation of "if someone needs to sit there, they can." I don't know why those mounts are there - if they are even seat belt mounts - because they existed at a time when the cars didn't need belts at all. They were deleted after they were mandated. For all I know they are mounts for multi-points belts for the front seat passengers.

Some argue the console had an ashtray for the back seat, but the part comes from another car that had a back seat, and it was re-used on coupes and other models. The car has "floor mats" in the back, which are also a shared part. You have to remember who made these cars - a lot of parts are common between models. The floor pan in its entirety isn't shared between models, but the Spider body was assembled with a lot of other pininfarina cars, and the ease of interchangability of parts between the FIAT and some other car would expected. It's the same reason we have Alfa door handles on the 79-85, Alfa "rear seat" parts and top tie on the 83-85, wheels from the FIAT lineup, mirrors (that don't match left and right) from the pininfarina made Lancias, etc. It's wonderful hodge podge of parts in some places; makes the cars interesting.

I like that there is mystery to these cars, but I always feel compelled to say driving around with your kids in the back seat is nuts. Seat belts or not. I'm not talking about 15MPH in the neighborhood or in the local parade, but busy street/highway driving you're just doing this for yourself. A modern car hitting the back of your Spider with you in the front and kids in that back seat and they'll be little Spider sandwiches.

[4uall]

here is a fun stroll down memory lane

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14337

[quote="bradartigue"]It was designed from the very beginning to be a two seater. It was never assumed to be anything else. The standard stories are:

1) To avoid taxes (they actually did manipulate the engine displacement to avoid taxes)
2) To make insurance lower (it would have increased to have such a small convertible car be a 4-seater)
3) That it was intended to be a seat, hence the seatbelt retainers on some model years (carry overs from the floor pans used in other pininfarina assembled cars).

Truth is, it just never was a seat, it was a cosmetic treatment for a shelf, and with the top up it looks better than, say, the parcel shelf of the later years. This and a whole bunch of other questions were asked of Tom Tjaarda when I met him back in 2009. I'm sure he enjoyed the interrogation!! (By the way, nicest guy you can meet and loves the Spider to this day).

The ash tray "servicing" the rear was there because the 124 shared that entire center console with other models. After about 74 they replaced the ash tray with a coin cup (and discontinued all other cars that used that console).

[Redline]

The ashtray in the back was for cigar-smoking babies.

[bradartigue]

here is a fun stroll down memory lane

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14337

It was designed from the very beginning to be a two seater. It was never assumed to be anything else. The standard stories are...

Better than those times when I disagree with myself!

One thing I found most annoying of having anyone in the back, particularly a little kid, was they can't help but kick the seats in front of them. I do admit that in my teens driving the Spider a hundred or so miles on the interstate from time to time with a friend in the back, sitting sideways. Flexible person - with the top down it had to be miserable.

[phaetn]

Thanks for all the info, everyone.

Brad, even if you did disagree with yourself, it's a sign of wisdom. To quote from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" Section 51:

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Only a naive or self-delusional person believes that not everyone is a hypocrite or contextually changes their view. It's why I like the company of human beings and distrust robots.

I contradict myself all the time; (no I don't).

Cheers,
phaetn

[bradartigue]

Thanks for all the info, everyone.

Brad, even if you did disagree with yourself, it's a sign of wisdom. To quote from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" Section 51:

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Only a naive or self-delusional person believes that not everyone is a hypocrite or contextually changes their view. It's why I like the company of human beings and distrust robots.

I contradict myself all the time; (no I don't).

Cheers,
phaetn

I'm about to publish a 200 page book in which I am quite certain to contradict myself on most topics. What I find interesting lately is we have a lot of new owners, and I'll get emails - that are always complimentary - but then say "I bought a 19xx Spider xxx and your diagram/guide/etc is wrong, my car has a big yellow wire from the C12 connector to the fuse box, etc...

And you realize they're absolutely right, their car does. From the factory, one of six like that. Because the quality control was forgiving enough to say, hey, we're out of black wire, use a yellow one and we'll bring a spool over. Why stop the line for wire? It makes the cars fascinating, a lot more so than I imagined 20 years ago.

With a Spider you are generally right, but never positively.

[phaetn]

Cool beans!

Make sure to let us know when the book is published. As long as it's about Spiders, sign me up for an advanced copy!!

Cheers,
phaetn

[bradartigue]

Cool beans!

Make sure to let us know when the book is published. As long as it's about Spiders, sign me up for an advanced copy!!

Cheers,
phaetn

It is, and soon, and sure.

It is incredibly difficult to finish a book, I've learned. Writing it is not difficult. Then you start to rearrange and second guess and it just never gets done.