Buy '76 or Keep '80?

[Pete112]

Hi All,

I've been working on restoring an '80 Spider that currently has an 1800. So far I have not been able to get it to start due to no spark. That's a whole other topic though. On the plus side, the '80 is very rust free, especially considering I'm in NJ.

I now have a friend that is selling his '76 with an 1800 (not origional). He's asking $2k for it and I can't really talk him down since he's a friend. The '76 is fully operational and is road-worthy. I haven't seen the '76 yet but I've been told its in good condition other than some interior work. The one picture of the outside does look really nice.

So, what would you do? The whole "parts" car thing is not an option since the wife is not big on having more "things" around the house. It's one or the other. She also said whatever I decide is ok as long as we would use the profits from the '80 to buy the '76.

Obviously I would thoroughly check the '76 before making any final decisions but I don't want to waste this guy's time either.

Is there any differences between a '76 and an '80 that would guide my decision (they already both have the same engine)?

Is $2k a pretty good deal for a working '76?

Is my '80 worth about $750 in it's not running condition? (not sure if parting out is an option)

Finally, if you think I should go for the '76, what problem areas should I look for? (or can you point me to a site for this)?

Thanks for your advice!

[mbouse]

$750 is very low on expectations of revenue for a parts car, piece by piece. i'd expect around double that if i were you. however, the difference between parting out a car and having one around for your parts is what? i don't understand you. you say your wife would not be in favor, yet you are considering this as an option?

which car has the least rust? digital pictures (especially only one picture) could hide more than it reveals.

is your friendship worth the possibility that one orthe other of you thinks or knows he just got screwed in the deal?

no way i make a decision without seeing both vehicles and test driving the one i don't own.

[azygoustoyou]

They would have the same problem areas. Floor pans, shock towers, fender wheel wells, and you might want to check the cross member to see if it's loose. Check the lower control arms to see if their bent. Look at the oil pan for dents. If the top of the front shocks are rusted. You'll have to replace them when you take them off. I couldn't get mine off without ruining them. See how the brakes are. What kind of brake lines does it have? Check the seat rails. Look at the inner front fender wells behind the tires for rust.

Where are you in NJ Pete?

I live in Franklinville , south Jersey. I have a 78 and a 81. I have one on a Rotisserie. Talk to your friend. If he's a real friend, he might just want to help you out and keep the car close. Never know.

[Pete112]

Sorry, in my attempt to not write a novel and bore everyone, I try to summarize sometimes when I shouldn't!

I meant that I know most people will say to buy the '76 and keep the '80 for a parts car but that won't fly. I would need to use the '80 for profit if I buy the '76. I think I could get away with saying that I'll part it out and it will be gone over the next few months. But that requires a lot of time on my part to ship everything!

So my question to all of you was really 2 fold. 1. Should I buy the '76 and sell the '80. 2. If yes, what do I look for to make sure I'm not getting something worse off.

He's actually a coworker that I trust, not a friend that I hang out with everyday. He's not trying to rip me but that doesn't mean the car is great.

Obviously rust is a big deal. But say the rust level is equal to mine (minimal), what would you do?

Azy... You're really close to me! I live in Woodstown. I have some family and friends in Franklinville! I don't think I ever saw a Fiat driving around our area!

[So Cal Mark]

so, can you get the 80 in road worthy condition for the difference in cost of the 76? Seems like we need more info on the condition of both cars to make a good recommendation

[azygoustoyou]

Pete,
Since your so close. We ought to get together sometime and see what we each have. I'm trying to get mine on the road also. I live about two miles from Captain Cats on Delsea.

[Pete112]

I have an update. I checked out the '76 and most of it is in better shape than my '80. Only problem was I was not able to check underneath because the ground was wet and I was in business clothes. We couldn't start it to move it b/c the battery was dead. It's now been charged up and my friend said he drove it around and it ran fine. So sometime this week I'll take it for a ride and check the condition of the underbody. The wheel wells were pretty solid as was the door hinge area.

So, not a whole lot of new information, but it does look promising. It just needs a little interior work. Interior is functional, but not real pretty.

2 questions - is $2k a good price for a '76 that's working well but not in perfect shape? It has a new top, new tires, and new front suspension. Seems like it's a fair deal but confirmation would be nice.

Second, how expensive would it be to change the interior colors? My wife is not thrilled with red seats and door panels!

[spederman85]

Check this national Craigs list site for a good idea of what people are asking for Fiats these days across the country. 2k is in the ballpark and a decent deal if it is in good condition.

http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?i ... e=&ys=&ye=

[So Cal Mark]

I'd say it sounds like a fair price

[mdrburchette]

Changing the interior color won't be hard either, since you say it needs replacing. The quickest way is to see what our Fiat vendors have to offer for door panels, seat covers and carpet or you can go to a local interior trim shop and pay a little more but choose exactly what you want.

[Pete112]

I decided to buy the '76. The fact that I can actually drive it around immediately is the biggest contributing factor. Considering my '80 doesn't run, there could be countless problems I don't even know about!

The '76 does need some TLC. The brakes are real low and the interior is not in great shape. But those should be relatively easy fixes.

I think I'll probably part out the '80 because my wife likes the tan interior in that car and I'll probably swap it. At that point there's no use swapping crappy interior into a car that doesn't run. And like some of you said, parting it out will probably be more profitable anyway. A little sad, but at least the parts will be used!

Well, I'll have a lot more questions as I move along with the TLC stuff. But thanks for everyone's input!