should i buy a spider that won't pass smog?

[124JOE]

does it help to run premium fuel for the test?

[HuntingtonSpider]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Yes the dash is interesting, the guy told me it was original but I'm sure it's not. It does have a curl to it which is kind of cool and unique, and its been overlayed with beige leather or vinyl and stitched, as well as the other consoles. It probably looked pretty good when it was done but is looking a little dingy now and the dash is completely separated from the windshield. I plan to replace with a regular black one. The car sometimes wants to idle real high (up to 4000) when its turned on but usually goes down when I start driving (usually). I drove it earlier today and it drove fantastic, but I just took it around the block and it wouldn't stop idling high and died in the middle of the road. Also the ignition is real wonkey, if it turns too much the alternator (I think) just whirls loudly and won't start. I really have to jiggle it and turn the key very slowly to get it to catch, but then it fires right up. Hopefully after I get the basics replaced I'll pass smog no problem though. Also anyone seen these wheels on a spider? I know they weren't original wheels but I was wondering if they may have been a popular replacement in the 70's.

[So Cal Mark]

that would be the starter you hear whirring. Those wheels were the base for the wire baskets that simulated wire wheels

[124JOE]

you can clean the ING to take care of that dieing in the road
and you may have a vacume leak causing it to run at a high RPM

[katsi]

DAMN! Why are all the deals so far away from TX. I swear. If a guy has an old rusty peice-o-crap in TX he thinks it's freakin gold and wants new prices for it. Serriously! Their is this one guy that has been advertizing the same old pile-O-junk spider for $3,500.00 for the past 3 freaking years. He won't budge on the price because he thinks it's "RARE". It's probably worth about 3 to 4 hundred bones in parts. If you sat in the seat of this thing, you would fall through to the ground. The only thing holding it together is the cob webs. Every guy in the local FLU has been out there to check it out once. The unfortunate thing about it is that this dork is in NO FREAKING WAY an isolated seller here in TX.

Buy the car!

[124JOE]

bring him the kelly book and show him its not worth that mutch
or dont

[katsi]

bring him the kelly book and show him its not worth that mutch
or dont

Yes but he thinks it's "RARE". If you drive up in a spider he thinks you have the only other one left on the planet.

Check this out.
http://lakecharles.craigslist.org/cto/2690379895.html

[HuntingtonSpider]

Took off the bumpers, the front seems to have been involved in a slight accident as the drivers side bumper was pushed almost all the way to the cars body, about two inches or so more in than the passenger side. There is also a small crease under the metal trim around the grill, but that should pop out. Now I have to figure out how to remove those pesky bumper attach brackets and figure out a turn signal situation for the front to clean her up.

[katsi]

Congrats.

[dmwhiteoak]

bring him the kelly book and show him its not worth that mutch
or dont

Yes but he thinks it's "RARE". If you drive up in a spider he thinks you have the only other one left on the planet.

Check this out.
http://lakecharles.craigslist.org/cto/2690379895.html

Yep, I saw that one and really thought it was a Joke

[spidernut]

The front bumper brackets are REEEEEAAAALLLY easy to remove. If you lay under the front of the car, you'll see a C bracket that hold the shocks to the frame rail. There's also a bolt that goes through the shock into the frame. Remove the bolt, remove the C bracket with the rubber gasket and they'll slide right out from the front of the car. It shouldn't take more than about 15 minutes to remove them.

The brackets in the rear of the car are a different story. The one on the passenger side is easy to remove. Open the trunk, look inside the spare tire well and you'll see a large bolt that goes through the rear frame rail and through the bumper shock. Remove the bolt and it'll slide out. The driver's side is the hard one. You must remove the fuel tank to remove the bolt on that side. That is much more time consuming.

Since it sounds like you plan on doing some work on your car, I recommend buying a repair manual for the car. They're available through the major parts vendors and are worth every penny that you'll pay for it.

The high idle might be caused by your fast idle sticking or being out of adjustment. Usually it is an easy fix. You also might have a problem with your idle stop solenoid. Mine gave me MUCH heartburn until I figured out it was causing an irratic idle, fast idling and stalling. It's an inexpensive part that is also easy to replace.

Keep us posted on your progress. It looks like you're delving in and having a great time!!!

[randiego]

I have a 78 and for all of us here in California plagued with the infernal California Air Resources Board (who oversees the Cal smog program) we have only one issue with those bas----s. IF they had to work for a living...........they would starve to death. Their only pleasure in life is to see how many cars that they can get off of the road. Yet a Mexican vehicle can cruise right up here from TJ smoking and the California Haywire Patrol ignore them.

Any way getting back to your question. The biggest obsticle to the smogging is finding the obsolete smog parts. I was told 4 years ago that I got the last new EGR valve (from Vick Auto Sports) Course they are salesmen and many not know of all of the sources. This 1800 engine is a fine engine, but like the previous post, it is imperative to find out WHY the car did not pass smog. A simple vacuum hose that is leaking, the pvc assy. (under the carb) could be clogged, the gulp valve, the EGR valve, the air pump or the carburetor with worn out parts. It could be an assortment of issues. If the car is missing any of the smog items, it won't pass and that is critical for smog before the man can even proceed. Is there a sticker on the core suport from Fiat with all of the smog specs posted? Supposedly, the smog shops should have all that info, but I saw my smog tech reading my sticker for the smog specs. Any way, hope this helps.
Randy