Stuff you learn doing research on Spiders

[bradartigue]

I've been studying to a nauseating degree the microfilms from all of the Spider years, and there are lots of facts buried in there that tell the story of the cars. Some trivia:

FIAT started using the "turbo" rim on "special edition" cars in November 1980 (1981 MY).

The last modification made to the FIAT Spider by FIAT was a "new ignition cable system" introduced in October, 1982

After motor 1195818 you have a "new E95 starter." Congratulations. No idea what this is.

Spares # 1956391 was the first to get a plastic washer bottle. (edited - I originally typed "body")

All to be published...but fun stuff indeed. You start to realize - some of this was planned! April 1978 is the changeover to the rounded top/flush handles on CS1 bodies BTW...

[vandor]

> Body 1956391 was the first to get a plastic washer bottle.

That's the spares number, not the body (VIN) number!

[toyfiats]

I've been studying to a nauseating degree the microfilms from all of the Spider years, and there are lots of facts buried in there that tell the story of the cars. Some trivia:

FIAT started using the "turbo" rim on "special edition" cars in November 1980 (1981 MY).

I wouldn't take anything as "fact" just because of the existence of something stated in the microfilms. I was the registrar of the "Anniversary Edition" Spiders for a number of years, although I turned all my documentation to an owner in Australia (who will hopefully resurrect the database at some point) so I'm going from memory. I personally looked at at least a dozen different cars, some highly original with low miles and original owners, as well as tracked down at least 200 others. Not one had the "turbo" rim (if you are referring to the Cromodora CD134) originally fitted. All were fitted with the 14" version of the Iron Cross wheel (Cromodora CD-19), as shown on the factory one-page brochure. While the VIN #s of the cars do not correlate to the LE #, I've seen single digit and 9xx LE models, and all had the same wheel.

[divace73]

I know an owner of a LE edition in Australia, makes me wonder if it him???

I wonder if the whole CD134 'turbo' wheel came from the brochure??

[bradartigue]

> Body 1956391 was the first to get a plastic washer bottle.

That's the spares number, not the body (VIN) number!

Oh yes, sorry, "Spares" - VETT. I'm not saying its right, I'm saying the research is interesting. I sympathize with the mechanics and dealers more and more. FIAT clearly states that to order a part you have to have the part number - and supplementary the spares number and the body number. The superseding and crossing is nauseating. The "california" and "usa" and "special" coding are all over the place. By 1979 the stuff was nutty and the books/films were cheaply put together.

[bradartigue]

I've been studying to a nauseating degree the microfilms from all of the Spider years, and there are lots of facts buried in there that tell the story of the cars. Some trivia:

FIAT started using the "turbo" rim on "special edition" cars in November 1980 (1981 MY).

I wouldn't take anything as "fact" just because of the existence of something stated in the microfilms. I was the registrar of the "Anniversary Edition" Spiders for a number of years, although I turned all my documentation to an owner in Australia (who will hopefully resurrect the database at some point) so I'm going from memory. I personally looked at at least a dozen different cars, some highly original with low miles and original owners, as well as tracked down at least 200 others. Not one had the "turbo" rim (if you are referring to the Cromodora CD134) originally fitted. All were fitted with the 14" version of the Iron Cross wheel (Cromodora CD-19), as shown on the factory one-page brochure. While the VIN #s of the cars do not correlate to the LE #, I've seen single digit and 9xx LE models, and all had the same wheel.

You mentioned the LE, not me. You're making the assumption - incorrectly - that I am referring to the LE or to anything other than what I said. 13" Turbo Wheels are noted as being part of a "special edition." I assume this is the turbo given the turbo wheels, and they are 13" wheels. There is another reference to 14" wheels but it looks like a cheap insert into a paper version of the book. I never stated that an LE had turbo wheels and know of none that did, the two I had had 14" iron cross wheels as you describe.

VINs never correlate with Spiders. Turbos and LEs were seemingly selected at random and fitted with "special" parts.

[SoFlaFiat]

All I can say is, good on you Brad! It has been said many times but I'll say it again, your contribution has been invaluable to many of us! Including those of us who mod our cars!!
Your time spent is much appreciated!!

[bradartigue]

Sooooo.....

Spider Special Editions - Modification 988 - was the LE. The microfilm is hard to understand and the parts data sheets are worse, but FIAT knew which cars were 988s...as opposed to the turbo. The LE rims microfilm shows the turbo wheel but has a notation for 988, which you then flip through and finally there is a picture of the IC in 14" spec. Painful.

The Turbo had no official designation in the parts books. Turbo Spiders were fitted in the USA...and the warranty work went to Legend, not FIAT. It is well known that Legend installed all the Turbo bits, but they also modified the distributor by removing a spring and installing a limiter, a device that FIAT noted as not suitable for the non-Turbo cars. So if you have sluggish acceleration on a de-turboed Spider, it may be this limiter device. See http://www.artigue.com/wp-content/uploa ... 551-50.pdf if you are interested.

I do think I figured out the microfilms though...my eyes hurt...my brain hurts from how they did things. Who ever dreamed up the system...

• Sometimes you use the body number or VIN to identify the part
  Sometimes you use the body number or VIN and spares number
  Sometimes you go by the date of manufacturing
  Sometimes you go by the motor number

No matter what you do you get the part number by using one or more of the numbers above, then figure out from the microfilm it is superseded - and the successions are all written in Italian - whew.

If you figure it out though you can get a pretty accurate reflection of what parts your car had when new. Kinda neat. First time I've ever gotten to a "parts matching" reference for a Spider!

[adrians]

So if you have sluggish acceleration on a de-turboed Spider, it may be this limiter device. See http://www.artigue.com/wp-content/uploa ... 551-50.pdf if you are interested.

Whew, I just raced out and checked the springs on my dizzy, ( ex turbo now standard F.I.), luckily its got two springs no limiter !

Again, Brad thanks for the good information and advice to the forum.