Disaster

[ROOK1]

Steve,

There are a couple motors listed for sale here. One is motor only the other is motor trans combo. I have a buddy that is hauling a Jeep to Long Beach to be shipped back to England and I am sure I can get him to take one there for you. He is heading that way around March 17th.

Here are the links.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad ... cat=&lpid=

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad ... cat=&lpid=

I also have an 1800 out of a '75 sitting in my garage. I was saving it for a play motor but the way things are going here I wont get to the project. I dont know what kind of condition it is in but it does turnover by hand. Make me an offer and I'll get it to you.

Chris

[mdrburchette]

Good grief, Steve! I just found this thread. You are one lucky dude to be living in SoCal with all those guys willing to help.

[ga.spyder]

Wow
I was just thinking the same thing,Denise! I keep telling those guys they dont realize how fortunate they are to have such a great support group.You SoCal guys rock!

[Jim DeShon]

I too am sorry to hear about your misfortune. I hate to see any of these cars go to waste. I would encourage you to repower it. Engines are not that hard to come by. If you decide otherwise, I am in dire need of some pieces [ a complete interior, a gearbox, some top latches come to mind]. I am nearby, retired, and now have the rescources to get mine running again. Maybe we can strike a deal.Keep in touch. ...J.D.

[jimincalif]

Sorry to hear about this. I'm no mechanic but I'll be glad to help at the work party, I can do what I'm told. I can also bring chips, 7 layer dip, beer, pepsi, etc. Be a good opportunity to meet folks and learn something too. Good luck finding an engine.

[narfire]

Hey Steve. I guess it's a bit up the road,but I have found Lenny @ Auto Italia has a fair inventory of used fiats in stock. I think his website shows a few of the engines available. I think he is in Windsor, is that near San Fransisco?
Good luck sounds like there is no shortage of help down there.

[fiasco]

I too am sorry to hear about your misfortune. I hate to see any of these cars go to waste. I would encourage you to repower it. Engines are not that hard to come by. If you decide otherwise, I am in dire need of some pieces [ a complete interior, a gearbox, some top latches come to mind]. I am nearby, retired, and now have the resources to get mine running again. Maybe we can strike a deal.Keep in touch. ...J.D.

Jim,

Maybe we can work out a deal that will be good for both of us. If we can find a running donor car that has the parts you need and the parts I need, we could go together on the purchase and split up the parts. For instance, here's a car in Alhambra that's got a salvage title (which wouldn't matter if we're gonna cannibalize it), which looks like it might fit the bill. If we can talk the guy down to $1000 or $1200 and split the cost, you could have your full interior (looks good in the pics, but obviously we'd need to inspect it), I'd get my engine, and we'd have a resource for other stuff we might need in the future, or we can start selling stuff off. I have a spot to store it at my house if that's an issue.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/ct ... 10023.html

Let me know what you think.
-- se

[TulsaSpider]

Damn Steve sorry to hear of it. I have never seen this kind of response though! I am envious of all the resources out there!
If you mention Fiat in a shop in Tulsa, you get blank looks and a "what is that"? or you get a good chuckle and a "no we don't"
It looks like you'll be in good company and you will be learning so much about your car! I wish I had the resources to buy that Houston motor!
Good luck!

[Jim DeShon]

Steve:

That looks like it would work, if the guy is not too greedy. I can probably pop for $500-600 depending on what I get out of it. I have a good pickup for a tow vehicle. Maybe we can scare up a borrowed trailer.Do you have a place to put it ? I'm out of town in a hotel this weekend but, should be back late Sunday if I'm not delayed by weather. My email is jimdeshon@yahoo.com ...J.D.

[pope]

Good Luck,
I know what you mean, I have more Spiders in my subdivision that most states have.

[fiasco]

Couple of questions:

There is a '79 Spider 2000 (carbed) nearby that runs and drives - I looked at it this morning, and it looks like a possibility. JD and I are considering a joint purchase, but before we go down that road I need to know if I can put the engine from the 2000 in my '76 which currently has the 1800 (1756).

This same guy (a kid really, looked about 18) has a '73 parts car that has a "rebuilt" engine in it, but has had other stuff removed. I haven't seen this one because he called me and told me about it after I had already left his house. I'm concerned that this may be the smaller 1592 engine (he doesn't know) rather than the 1756. It does have a small-bump hood. This site (http://www.esportscarparts.com/Fiat/SpiderHistory.htm) says the 1756 came in July '73. Would the bumpy hood be an indication that it has the larger engine? I'm not sure I could tell by looking at it myself.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
-- se

[Jim DeShon]

Steve:

Yes, the engines are interchangeable. There are some minor mods. to the engine bay that I am not that familiar with. I'll let someone else brief you on that. You might also consider developing the 79 and disposing of the 76'. I'll leave all that up to you. Let me know in what way I can be involved. I am quite interested.

[fiasco]

Here are some pics of the interior of the 79.

The seats all appear to be in great shape with no tears. The rear panels (where the conv. top goes down) both have tears in them. The consoles are not in great shape, and the dash top is cracked in the normal areas. The dash inserts look good, and the steering wheel didn't have any cracks that I noticed but probably needs a sand and refinish.

I had to lighten the pics because I took them with my phone which has a very mediocre camera. The color of the interior is darker than what it appears in these pics - it is more of the tan color than the cream color that it looks like here.











Jim - I will email you directly to work through some of the details.

-- se

[fiasco]

Here are the current outstanding questions regarding using the '79 or '73 that are currently under consideration:

1. Jim is concerned about interior parts from the '79 fitting into his '77. Can anyone speak to that issue? Seats, panels, etc.

2. Also, he's interested in the transmission. Would there be any issues taking the trans from the '79 to the '77.

3. I'd still like to hear various opinions on the pros and cons of fitting the 2000 engine into the '76.

4. I'd also still like to hear opinions on using the engine from the '73.

Thanks,
-- se

[mdrburchette]

The interior should be interchangeable from the 79 to 77.
The 73 model engine is probably a 1592. The small bump hood was introduced in 1973 as was the 1592 engine. You need to be aware of your emission laws because the 73 engine is not going to be equipped with the proper smog equipment and will have less power than the 1800.