New member in North Carolina

[Roscoe790]

My name is Roscoe, and I am the proud new owner of a 1981 Fiat Spider 2000. I previously owned a 1979 Fiat Spider 2000 when I lived in Hawaii a few decades ago, but I hope to be more successful now that I have YouTube and an internet filled with parts. If all else fails, I have access to this fine message board filled with experts to walk me off the ledge.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Welcome, Roscoe. I think you'll find the fuel injected '81 spider to be much nicer than the smogged and carb'ed version in the '79 spider...

-Bryan

[Roscoe790]

I never knew I was hampered by the emissions-controlled engine before, but that was the advantage of having it on an island with lots of traffic jams. Although one of those traffic jams taught me just how important the clutch is since the pedal snapped in two during a particularly brutal traffic jam near Pearl Harbor.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Wow, Roscoe, that was a pretty brutal traffic jam.... The clutch pedal broke in two, or the "tang" broke off where the clutch cable attaches?

-Bryan

[Roscoe790]

It snapped about 1/3 the way down the pedal. I know because I kept trying operate the clutch using a clutch nubbin to no avail. My favorite part was listening to a traffic report about me while still stuck in the second to the right lane because nobody would yield space so I could get to the shoulder.