Hi All, Well its getting to that time to do something with our 1980 Spider. We bought last fall, and so far just fix the leak in the brakes, and replaced the rear muffler. The car was or is silver/gray. Last owner went at some of the car with a spray can and its heavy in some places. There is almost no rust to speak of a few small bubbles on one wheel lip. The car has blue seats and door panels. Is it better to keep it stock or is it oaky to change to colors of the body and the inside? Thanks Bob


PS. what year body parts fit the 1980. As there are a few small dents in the trunk lid and motor boot.

That depends on if you like the stock colour or not.
Jim

when changing color, you have to decide if you are going to do doorjams, engine compartment, fuel filler compartment, etc. It is cheaper to keep the same color.

Hi ctbob
That is like asking "how long is a peice of string?". I have the Silver with the blue combo, however the silver is a non fiat colour now...(It's actually a toyota rav 4 mettalic silver GASP )

I do plan to change the interior to the red/burgandy, I just love the Silver and burgandy combo.
Changing the colour completely does take a lot of work as azruss mentions.
Do you have a favourite colour in mind and if so do a search on Spiders in that colour, as you may know some colours suit some cars and others dont.

Is yours a fuel injected model and does it have the aluminium strips on the bottom?

LOVE THAT SILVERR

divace73 wrote:Hi ctbob
That is like asking "how long is a peice of string?". I have the Silver with the blue combo, however the silver is a non fiat colour now...(It's actually a toyota rav 4 mettalic silver GASP )

I do plan to change the interior to the red/burgandy, I just love the Silver and burgandy combo.
Changing the colour completely does take a lot of work as azruss mentions.
Do you have a favourite colour in mind and if so do a search on Spiders in that colour, as you may know some colours suit some cars and others dont.

Is yours a fuel injected model and does it have the aluminium strips on the bottom?

Hi David, no my car has carb. I don't like the blue interior, limits the colors you can put on the body. Love the copper color from Stacey David Gearz TV show. Paint Code
Copperhead Metallic
http://staceydavid.com/projects/copperhead.html
Credit: Custom Color created by Stacey David and Ron Payton of PPG

1 QUART FORUMLA

CODE
COLOR
CUM.
PARTS

DMD1698
Medium Aluminum
467.9
467.9

DMD1610
Transparent Red
809.0
341.1

DMD650
Sparkle Aluminum
879.0
70.0

DMD1606
Perrindo Maroon
918.4
39.4

DMD648
Weak Black
949.0
30.6

DMD646
Weak White
970.9
21.9

DMD622
Red Oxide
975.3
4.4

DBX1689
Basecoat Binder
1027.8
52.5

With regards to most Fiat Spiders, I (I) think that they aren't valuable enough to worry too much about their paint color affecting their value. A Spider with a decent non-factory/non-oem color is more valuable than a Spider with original paint that needs re-spraying.

I've been considering colors for my Sport Coupe because I just can't get hard for its factory blue. This is arguably different than the Spider in terms of resale value, or considerations of originality. I've decided to compromise, and I've chosen a factory color for that same year of car.

Keep in mind that it's YOUR car. I think that's what matters most. People will tell you that there's too many red/yellow/whatever color Spiders out there, and while that may be true, how many of those have you seen in traffic so far this year?

thechadzone wrote:Keep in mind that it's YOUR car. I think that's what matters most. People will tell you that there's too many red/yellow/whatever color Spiders out there, and while that may be true, how many of those have you seen in traffic so far this year?

I think the chadzone has hit the nail on the head...
That copper colour was popular here a couple of years ago, I quite like it, just I know to do a whole car is a relatively big job.
We also have a new mettalic green colour (poison ivy) on one of our GM/Holden Commodore (I think it is a pontiac in the US) cars which I don't know if I like it or not
but It always seem to get my attention.
Persoannly I don't know it it will look good on a spider, I do prefer the darker traditional greens for classic cars (If I was going to go green)

If you love that colour then go for it, just need to pick a contrasting interior.....Yours could be the only spider in that colour making it quite unique....

81SPIDERMATT wrote:LOVE THAT SILVERR

Thanks Matt

if you change one part from stock and if it is not 100 point perfect. I say do what makes you happy. you have to drive it and it might as well be a extention of your personality

Agreed... paint it the color you like unless the original paint is in great shape. I have a white 82 that had some paint work done at some point so... i'm going to srtip it and paint it a classic Nimbus grey with the original red and black interior.

I choose to go with the original color on the car. It is a dark Italian racing green and matched it with the paint sticker in the trunk. I also am having it clear coated to protect the paint. Do what you like and enjoy!