Custom bits on my '78 Spider

What sets your Spider apart from the rest?
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pintopower
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:03 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800
Location: West Covina, CA
Contact:

Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by pintopower »

Well, here is my "finished" 124. I started with a sound car and did a few things to it that I felt fiat should have done. I hope you all enjoy!

Side Markers:
I ditched the massive factory markers and installed some that I bought in ebay.it. I think they are for a 500. The are all amber so I installed a red LED in the rear. I could not stand the factory ones and wanted the look of the early spiders. I also ditched all trim, emblems (except for the trunk) and antennas (mine had 3 for some reason).
Image

Front Bumper:
First off, installation of ANY bumper on the front of a 124 is a shame. The car is so damn pretty without it, but face it, in a world of parking bumps and mistakes, I needed the big ones. I also wanted fog lights but did not want them on top of the bumper. I had the bumper chopped and plugged and then Allison Auto installed (and found) the fog lights. I also wanted the air dam.
Image

Interior:
Early 124s had a pretty dash with real wood. Later ones looked like Ikea furniture that was left outside for 10 years (maybe because most 124 were left outside for 10 years). I bought stainless covers and then painted them the factory red that this spider came in. Yes, my spider is actually the same color that it was in 1978. I know, hard to believe. Then I installed the stainless gauge bezels from IAP (as did the wind deflector) and the clock lens from Vicks. The wheel came from an early 80's spider.
Image

Rear Bumper:
The split rear bumper on early 124s was just perfect. I wanted something like that on mine. So i took the rear bumper, sectioned it, welded the holes, installed a bracket, a couple truck license plate lights and new chrome. Then I had all the holes welded in the body of course. I really like how simple the rear of the car looked. It cant beat an early one in looks, but it sure will when some ass hole bumps me at a red light.
Image

Here is a link to more pix:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26161002@N ... 453044732/
1978 Fiat 124CS, 1980 Fiat 138 (Strada), 1979 Fiat 131 (Brava) and 1976 128 3p. There are six Pintos also.
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perthling
Posts: 349
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:04 pm
Your car is a: 1974 124 Spider
Location: Western Australia

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by perthling »

I like it. Not over the top, just subtle mods that suit the owner and shouldn't offend the purists (well, maybe the dashboard might but I think it harks to the 500 with its coloured dash as well). IMHO, it needs a '124 Sport' badge on the rear, but that's just me...

Nice colour BTW.
_______________________
Perthling
1974 Fiat 124 Spider (blade bumper 1756cc)
1974 Fiat 124 CC (same family since new)
1975 Fiat 124 CC (project)
1969 Fiat 124AC (project)
1997 Coupe Fiat 20VT (daily driver)
http://www.fiatlancia.org.au
mdrburchette
Posts: 5754
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:49 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by mdrburchette »

Tastefully done! Where did you get the upholstery? It looks great.
1972 124 Spider (Don)
1971 124 Spider (Juan)
1986 Bertone X19 (Blue)
1978 124 Spider Lemons racer
1974 X19 SCCA racer (Paul)
2012 500 Prima Edizione #19 (Mini Rossa)
Ever changing count of parts cars....It's a disease!
pope

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by pope »

Great looking car!! Very nice job.
Where you chopped the rear bumper, that would the perfect place to put license plate lights on both sides. Little round domes that were half chrome facing out ( kinda like you have now, just a little bigger) with the light portion facing towards the plate and wire it through the bumper.
I too want to know where you got the seats under the sheep skin. They look custom and very well designed.
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Curly
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:09 am
Your car is a: 1968 AC Coupe and a 1976 CS1 Spider
Location: Gippsland - Victoria, Australia

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by Curly »

Elegantly executed :D , especially the rear end - although I just can't help thinking how much nicer it would be with some delicate chrome bumpers to match the lovely delicate sidelights :roll:
The wheel arch to tyre clearance with those wheels looks perfect, a tidy job.
mbouse

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by mbouse »

i truly like what you have done.

certainly sets your vehicle apart from the average spider....and something that a true Spider fanatic would thoroughly enjoy. :wink:
baltobernie
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Posts: 3466
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by baltobernie »

Looks Great! Did you get the personalized plate for this car, or was it from another '70's theme?
User avatar
pintopower
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:03 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800
Location: West Covina, CA
Contact:

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by pintopower »

Well, thanks for all your positive responses!


perthling - Yes, soon it will get a 124 Sport badge on the rear and a fiat badge on the grille. I like the color too. I wanted french racing blue because I felt tha the last thing we needed was another red 124. But, it was a differnet shade than I had ever seen, PLUS its the color it came.

mdrburchette, pope - The uholstry was all done at http://www.tonyimportcar.com/ Javier is amazing! The seats are completly stock BUT were repaired. The frames were trashed. In fact, each seat was 3 pieces when I bought the car.

pope - I wanted bigger lights for the bumper but those were the biggest I could find.

Curly - I can't argue with that, the early bumpers are nice but as often as I drive all my cars, I would never install bumpers that are little more than trim. I am a big fan of impact resistant bumpers. I have been bumped or nudged way to many times in my life. So sad. The lowering looks nice too, Mark at Allison Auto (http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/) got the gap correct. The wheels are nice on the car but they will be on my 128 3p soon. I bought a set if 14" Panasports for the spider. Big bumper cars need 14"-15" wheels, I think.

mbouse - Thanks alot. That's what I was going for.

baltobernie - The plates were supposed to go on my 1980 pinto wagon, but it got historic plates so I kept them any way.
1978 Fiat 124CS, 1980 Fiat 138 (Strada), 1979 Fiat 131 (Brava) and 1976 128 3p. There are six Pintos also.
Daniel

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by Daniel »

That is the best spot i've seen yet for extra front lights the spiders with extra light in front (driving lights) always
end up looking crowded or out of place ! you did a great job on your car 2 thumbs up ...


Daniel
JeremyB

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by JeremyB »

Looks great! I also have a grill badge for mine. I am waiting for a replacement lower grill to come in. When it arrives, I was gonna do the same thing you did. Paint both black, and mount the grill emblem on it.
Nice job with teh bumpers. Did you compress the bumper shocks? They appear to be closer to the body.
Awesome job.
pope

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by pope »

Your interior is great. Are the seats Vinyl or leather?
miragesmack

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by miragesmack »

pinto, looks great! It's even hotter without the bumpers, those are my fav pics, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do....
User avatar
pintopower
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:03 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800
Location: West Covina, CA
Contact:

Re: Custom bits on my '78 Spider

Post by pintopower »

Daniel,
Thanks a lot! I like the fog lights too!

JeremyB,
I installed the Grille emblem (just the one Mark sells with a custom mount that I made) and the rear emblem. It is the /F/I/A/T/1/2/4/ badge. I know few people like it but I love it! The bumper shocks have not been cut but you are right, they do look closer don't they? I will post updated shots of the car.

pope,
The seats are vinyl, hence the sheep skins. I get a bit moist in the heat driving while sitting on vinyl. It looks even better now, I had the center console and carpet replaced/reupholstered. I also installed seat belts in the rear. PLUS i put in shoulder belts in the front which mine did not have. I don't know why, its a 78.

miragesmack,
I agree. The front bumper comes off before any show I attend, HA!
1978 Fiat 124CS, 1980 Fiat 138 (Strada), 1979 Fiat 131 (Brava) and 1976 128 3p. There are six Pintos also.
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