anyone know this car?

[mbouse]

gonna get my buddy to detroit soon to take a look... before we go, is there anyone here that knows this detroit area vehicle?

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/1557682393.html

[spider2081]

I own an LE, #277 and have been recording vin/car badge numbers for the last few years. Whenever I see one for sale I record them. I started around 2005. For some reason I have this car in my records. Chassis # 178021 badge 083. It must have been on ebay or offered in one of the chat rooms in the past 4 years for me to have the numbers.
If I lived closer I would certainly take a look.

[courtenay]

I know pictures can be deceiving, but this car looks pretty nice!!

[engineerted]

Sorry Mike, I have never seen this car. It still amazes me how may people I come across that own a Fiat and have never been to this site.

Ted

[So Cal Mark]

since he says it rides "bumpy" plan on replacing the shocks. They're probably seized from sitting

[mbouse]

i actually received some feedback from an interested third party. seems that the A/C has been pulled from the car, and it has had a re-spray about 16 years ago. the owner's manual is missing as well. badges are not all present either.

can someone tell me how a F.I. car runs properly w/out the O2 sensor in place?

kinda depletes the 'collector' status a might, doesn't it? it is no longer any better than any other '81 Spider now.

and yeah... the seller says his dad owns it.. a car dealer..

Mark--seller blames the tires for the 'choppy' ride. apparently the car has sat long enough to put flat spots on the tires.

Ted-- i am amazed at the volume of Spider owners i run into in Michigan that have never heard of FLU, FLUID or any chat room that we frequent. Whether they are selling a running car, or a parts car...

[spider2081]

I have an 81 daily driver. When I bought it the Oxygen sensor wire was broken off the sensor. The engine exhaust smelled very rich. I installed a new sensor and the smell is gone. I believe with out an sensor the computer thinks the car is running lean and makes the mixture rich.

[narfire]

I have a 80 fi and I believe, or was told if the O2 sensor is missing/ wire broken,not working ect, then the computer kinda defalts to an average setting. The car can run rich at times and perhaps lean but still works.
Is there a plug in the manifold where the O2 sensor goes? The Bosch sensors here at Lordco (like a NAPA) are about $45 cdn

[So Cal Mark]

if the car has been sitting for any length of time, the tires will have to be replaced. But nearly every Spider I've seen that has been sitting has rear shocks that are seized

[pooldoctorstl]

Fuel injected cars will run without the O2 sensor but not great. The on-board computer uses many readings, one being the O2 sensor voltage readings to adjust injector pulse to control fuel delivery. Without it, it goes into a backup or limp in mode which won't be based on actual exhaust gases. It is a preset fuel delivery mode, which could be too lean or too rich. You can drive it, but I wouldn't for very long without the sensor.