A Tale of Two Fiats

[Zulu]

My dad (Glasair180) and I are restoring Fiat Spiders simultaneously. This is our restoration thread. First, the backstory.

A year ago, at sixteen years old, I was looking for my first car. My first desire was a Mk I Golf GTI. I found exactly one for sale in the state of Florida, and naturally it was plagued by rust in the hugely-expensive-to-fix windshield frame. I tried early Rabbits and Golfs, but it wouldn't have been the GTI, and I wanted the GTI. I next decided that a Volvo 240 Wagon would be a good, cheap, and reliable car to drive until I go to college, but naturally every seller seems to think that the 240 Wagon is worth huge amounts more than the 740 Wagon or the 240 Sedan. That idea fell through as well.

And then, at Christmas time in my mother's house in Virginia, I came across a Craigslist add for a blue 1975 Fiat Spider. I called my dad. I called the seller. The car sounded great; he said he just had it completely restored with a brand new, "professional" metallic-blue paint job. I told my dad to go and buy it, but I never heard back from him. The ad on Craigslist disappeared. I lost hope in the little blue Fiat. So I started looking for other ones, but came up with no real hits.

I flew home. I walked through the terminal, out toward the passenger pickup area. And a little blue Fiat pulled up to take me home (Fiat 1). My dad and I thoroughly cleaned the car, put a new top on it, replaced the non-functioning voltage regulator, and some other little things. Oh, and we found rust. Lots of it.

My dad quickly decided he wanted a Spider as well, so we searched out another for him, eventually finding a brown '77 (Fiat 2). In our search for parts for the two of them, we ended up purchasing an almost rust-free body (Fiat 3), three engines, three transmissions, a set of Abarth Chromodoras, and a plethora of all the other Fiat parts you could want.

Now, we are in the midst of an engine/transmission move, from Fiat 2 into Fiat 3, which will be my dad's car. After that we will move the engine/transmission from Fiat 1 to Fiat 2 which will be my car, as Fiat 1 has a lot of rust in the pans and the shock towers.

Photos next.

Austin

[azruss]

sounds like a great dad/son project/competition. If you dont mind an all original car, these swap outs are a great way to get a nice car without huge bucks. currently doing a resto on an 80 but swapping many part off my rust-bucket 70. tranny, rear-end, bumpers, flat hood, 6-gage dash. keeping FI motor.

[Zulu]

Fiat 1


Call this the "before pic". This was after a good wash, but without any changes. Since this was taken: bumper removal, new ("temporary") turn signals, new tan top, grills painted silver, refreshed badges.

Best things about this car: reupholstered seats in a soft tan cloth, and it still had the belly pan.


"Before": Mirror cracked, new side mirror, visors removed, EGR light removed, carpet dash cover.


Pretty much as it stands now, except it doesn't leak anymore. No, really, it doesn't. I promise, it doesn't.


Engine compartment. I have a yellow, non-emissions style timing cover and cleaned up coolant/brake canisters for it.

On tap for this car:
-Stock steel wheels + hubcaps (currently looking for a set)
-Coolant flush + a new timing belt cover
-Mechanics will be moved to another body

[Zulu]

Fiat 2


Immediately after the purchase of car number two.


"Before": Abarth Chromodoras, pinstriping removed, visors removed, no bumpers.

On tap:
-Mechanics will be moved to Fiat 3, a red rust-free body. The front left control arm ripped apart under mysterious circumstances, which lit a fire under that project.
-Going for the "Abarth" look. Black hood/trunk, metal dash, no radio console etc.

[Zulu]

What is this? It is under the dash on the passenger side and was mounted to the side wall poorly by the PO. A huge bundle of wires connect to it, and I have not been able to figure out what the heck it is. Does anyone know?

[htchevyii]

I did an internet search and all that i found was some Jag owner tring to figure out what the heck it was.

[redek]

Any pictures of the inside?

[124JOE]

and the huge bundle of wires goes to that,but the other end of the wires goes to???

[Zulu]

Here is a shot of the inside:



And here is a shot of the plug/wire bundle. The bundle goes up and joins a bigger bundle of wires behind the dash. I didn't trace it any farther than that when I had the dash out, as it got too complicated.

[Zulu]

Update: I tried running the car this evening with the "magic box" unplugged, and everything functioned fine. There was only one difference: with the box plugged in, the door alarm buzzer sounds when the key is in the "start" position. When the box is unplugged, it does not. (I have the door alarm on, by the way).

And this thread might be referring to what was originally connected here: http://fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13881

[Zulu]

I installed shoulder belts in Fiat 1 this morning. I used what I believe to be stock '78 belts. They have dual retractors and were made by Klippan. I used a bolting point located on rear fender and then the stock mounting points. They do not interfere with the top mechanism, and they retract and extend beautifully.

Fender attachment


Buckle


I don't know what I am going to do when I move my mechanicals to Fiat 2, as it does not have the fender mounting points or the ones behind the rear seat.

[Zulu]

I am searching for a set of stock steel wheels, old-style hubcaps, and beauty rings. I have these 14-inch alloys to trade, but so far I haven't had any luck. Question: did the cars come from Italy with beauty rings, or were these added after by dealers/owners?

[manoa matt]

Zulu, I replied to your wanted post regarding the wheels. http://fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=15969
Matt

[Zulu]

Matt:

Sorry, I keep forgetting to reply to your PM. I am going to keep looking, as I am hoping to find a set closer to me for a cheaper price or a straight trade. If I can't and you still have yours in a couple weeks, then I would like to buy yours.

Zulu

[WYSpider]

What brand rims are those?