Just Acquired a 1980 Spider

[bradartigue]

Geez you'd think your team lost a game last night or something (mine certainly did).

I'm talking about body parts, not safety parts. The guys who joust with me on the bumperless comments all have pictures of fender extensions, big rally light kits, roll bars, etc. Therefore the "saves weight" argument is lost on me. The weight savings of every part you describe is negligible to begin with.

I do think originality is the best approach; for most things, and when financially achievable. We otherwise continue to reduce the number of good examples on the road.

This whole thing has been rather tongue in cheek, perhaps you missed that part. I don't think anyone takes either side of the argument very seriously, I certainly do not.

[zachmac]

Brad,

I didn't mean to come off all serious and what. I was just pointing out that not all mods are bad. I get a sense from all you posts that you are an agreeable, very knowledgeable guy who just prefers original when feasible and possible. I also get that in the end like all of us you love most anything Fiat (maybe a lot more than most of us) and you just like to see the cars preserved and in a sense under the stewardship of good caretakers.

I just think that there is also plenty of room (and a large enough production numbers) for both the purists and tinkerers in the pool. Again, I acknowledge that you've made it clear in all your posts that everyone owns their car and is free to do as they please so don't think I am implying otherwise. I also don't expect everyone to agree with or like everything I might do to mine. And BTW, I am leaning very much TOWARD putting the bumpers back on my own car as all of the alternatives seem somewhat (here I go invoking the naked crowd wrath) lacking.

All these discussions are meant to be in good spirit and good faith, so if they come of as other than that please allow for the lack of intonation, facial and body language, and knowing each other personally, that the medium imposes.

[spiderdan]

1st off, to get this thread back on track...welcome to the forum Gprocket. nice car and it looks like the dog likes it too.

If I may chime in on this bumper(less) thing. I have always loved cars. As a kid, the first thing you noticed about a car was the face.
Some faces were mean looking (muscle Mopars), some were classy (Cadies, Rolls), some were sad (Pinto, Vega) and some were just ugly (some AMCs come to mind, Pacer, Matador).
Most of today's cars just don't have that original face anymore. That said, I agree the tube bumpers on the Spider ruined the original face of the Spider. It was like adding braces on a kid. Not really pretty but it served a purpose. Does it look better without the braces?
Yes and No. It comes down to what ever turns your crank. I'm just happy that you guys and gals are keeping these Spiders on the road.

But really, how can you just not love a face like this...

I do think originality is the best approach; for most things, and when financially achievable. We otherwise continue to reduce the number of good examples on the road.

I'm with Brad on this. It's important to me to keep my 68 as original as possible. Yes I have made a few mods (elec dist and dual brakes) but I try to keep everything else as original as possible.
Especially with the new Spiders on their way, I think it 's important to keep a few "as they were designed and made" on the road.

[zachmac]

Yes, back on track, welcome to the Forum! Lots of good advise and wise council here. Your car looks great and given that it is already modified ou are free to do as you please with good conscious (not that you weren't anyway).

If I ever have an early Spider, chrome bumper car, I will absolutely keep it original as possible. That is precisely why I chose a later car to "play with". Most cars from the sixties got uglier / worse in the seventies and eighties as the government stepped in and we got LOTS of very ugly bumpers, taillights, etc. as a result. Seems the first generation are always the prettiest but NOT necessarily the most reliable or well sorted. That's why I again prefer old look with modern (or later factory) improvements "under the skin".

And Spiderdan, yes that is a very pretty face! Nice car.

[Frog2Spider]

A polite bumper-less Spider owner is like a ...

Oh, never mine.

[DieselSpider]

My father went the bumperless route on one car and found it was a big mistake. The savings on constant paint touch-up and body work more than paid for the bumpers.

If its just a show piece and never sees a parking lot or city traffic then that's one thing however if its to be used for its intended purpose then I'd go for the bumpers.

Same with lowering the car as traffic calming devices become more the rule its getting very difficult to drive around where I live and not encounter extreme speed bumps and humps potentially able to remove exhausts, front aprons and any other parts that hang down under your car.

[toplessexpat]

Yes - welcome to the Forum. You'll find we're a fairly irreverent lot!

As for originality - I've got a 71 and a 69 to restore - and they're going to be as pure as I can get them (although she who must be obeyed is seeking Tiffany Blue in the respray!).

Clear bra on the bumperless ones is preventing rash so far.

A