1971 Spider Restoration Puzzle .

[davebdave]

Hi All,
I've started to assemble our 124 that I got from a friend who dissembled the car in preparation for a full restoration. I don't know anything about Fiat 124s but I'm going to try to put it together.

Here's the story of the car: http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic ... 01#p297155
Dave

[davebdave]

Here is the blank canvas:

[davebdave]

I got the rear brake compensation valve on. I wonder why the lines are routed this way with such a tight bend away from the coilspring?

[davebdave]

Well I almost lost it in frustration. I tried pushing the rear bump stops into their holes, I tried greasing them, I tried using a rope, I tried Boiling them, I tried safety wire, I tried squeezing the nipple with a hose clamp and then just before I shot the car I decided to modify it with a rivnut insert.

[RRoller123]

Clever!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

There is a trick to inserting these bump stops, but it sounds like you've found a good (better?) solution. I have to say, those bump stops may be the only thing on a Fiat that I have never removed. I have thought long and hard, and short of cutting out floor panels and replacing sheet metal, the bump stops are the only thing I can think of.

Since one of my current spiders is a '71, I'll be interested in following your story.

-Bryan

[davebdave]

The bumps should be strong, don't know from an engineering standpoint how well they will work. I noticed searching online that Alfa bolts theirs on. Maybe that's why they were more expensive cars.

[davebdave]

There is a trick to inserting these bump stops, but it sounds like you've found a good (better?) solution. I have to say, those bump stops may be the only thing on a Fiat that I have never removed. I have thought long and hard, and short of cutting out floor panels and replacing sheet metal, the bump stops are the only thing I can think of.

Since one of my current spiders is a '71, I'll be interested in following your story.

-Bryan

Hey Bryan, I'm glad you will be following. I'm sure I will have questions and it sounds like you're a good person to ask.

At the moment I don't know enough about what I don't know to ask a question.

Dave

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I'm sure I will have questions and it sounds like you're a good person to ask.

Thanks, and I'd be happy to try and help. I get pretty weak in terms of knowledge once you move past 1978 spiders, but that's not an issue in this case.

-Bryan

[davebdave]

Wow steel lines are a PITA to bend and I'm not very good at it. I may need to install a few clamps to hold the lines clear of the driveshaft.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

OK, I was wrong: I also have never removed fuel and brake lines to the rear. In the front and on the rear axle, yes. Down the driveshaft tunnel, no.

Anyway, good work!

-Bryan

[baltobernie]

FYI, the 1971 model year has unique tail lamps. If your purchase did not include these, start looking now, or consider a small amount of metal work to fit the shorter 1972-74 ones before going to paint.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

FYI, the 1971 model year has unique tail lamps. If your purchase did not include these, start looking now, or consider a small amount of metal work to fit the shorter 1972-74 ones before going to paint.

Very true that. The tail lamps assemblies in mine were OK but not great, so I went with exactly this solution. The '71 lamp assemblies wrap around the rear-to-side crease ever so slightly, while the later ones do not.

Worked just fine, and while not original, I kind of like the yellow turn signal portion of the lens. My original '71 was all red (except for the backup light portion of the lens).

-Bryan

[davebdave]

Thanks for the info on the tail lights. I appear to have a good set of originals and possibly some reproductions.

tail1 by Dave W, on Flickr

tail2 by Dave W, on Flickr

[RRoller123]

Rare as Hen's Teeth!