Back on The Road!

General chat about the car goes in here.
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DUCeditor
Posts: 490
Joined: Sun May 23, 2010 7:36 am
Your car is a: 1977 FIAT 124 Sport Spider
Location: Monadnock Area, New Hampshire USA
Contact:

Back on The Road!

Post by DUCeditor »

I've been pretty quiet here on the Spider forum for a while. Health issues had for a while greatly limited how much driving I could do, and several niggling problems had made even those times as much as hassle as a joy. But now I'm back -- and so is my lovely `77.

Image

I just picked up the car from AVA Restoration, Dublin, New Hampshire, and along with a customary tune (points, plugs, oil, carb, etc) some specific issues were addressed.

One were the real lights. A bit more of an issue each year, this season the whole right assembly had become 'iffy.' Alex found it neccasary to fully take the units apart and sand blast the various metal parts. That did the trick.

Another issue was that for a while he'd become impossible to start when fully warmed. Let her cool with the hood up for 20 minutes or so and she'd be fine. It tuned out the the idle solenoid wasn't working at all. Now she seems to start and run perfectly hot or cold.

He also replaced the water pump whose bearing was totally shop and seeing the need flushed the radiator before replacing the coolant.

She drove like a dream coming home -- and I took full advantage of it, including one of my most favorite back roads -- NH Rt 137. Wow, what fun!

Sure is good to be back! Spidy and me. :)

_Don
Italian motorcycles. An Italian car. An Italian wife. What more could a man desire?
User avatar
DUCeditor
Posts: 490
Joined: Sun May 23, 2010 7:36 am
Your car is a: 1977 FIAT 124 Sport Spider
Location: Monadnock Area, New Hampshire USA
Contact:

Re: Back on The Road!

Post by DUCeditor »

[quote="DUCeditor"]I've been pretty quiet here on the Spider forum for a while. Health issues had for a while greatly limited how much driving I could do, and several niggling problems had made even those times as much as hassle as a joy. But now I'm back -- and so is my lovely `77.

https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/lgN ... kD3kxqgGau

I just picked up the car from AVA Restoration, Dublin, New Hampshire, and along with a customary tune (points, plugs, oil, carb, etc) some specific issues were addressed.

One were the real lights. A bit more of an issue each year, this season the whole right assembly had become 'iffy.' Alex found it neccasary to fully take the units apart and sand blast the various metal parts. That did the trick.

Another issue was that for a while he'd become impossible to start when fully warmed. Let her cool with the hood up for 20 minutes or so and she'd be fine. It tuned out the the idle solenoid wasn't working at all. Now she seems to start and run perfectly hot or cold.

He also replaced the water pump whose bearing was totally shop and seeing the need flushed the radiator before replacing the coolant.

She drove like a dream coming home -- and I took full advantage of it, including one of my most favorite back roads -- NH Rt 137. Wow, what fun!

Sure is good to be back! Spidy and me. :)

-Don
Italian motorcycles. An Italian car. An Italian wife. What more could a man desire?
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RRoller123
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Back on The Road!

Post by RRoller123 »

Excellent! Bring it down to Tutto Italiano on the 6th?
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle
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