Is my search over?

[4babycar]

Ok, many of you know that I have been searching for a donor body to resurrect my 81 spider. Well, today I found a potential candidate no more than 30 minutes from my house in a barn! It even meets one of my main requirements being that it does not run nor drive so I am not butchering a viable car to fix mine and the body appears to be rust free in every area that I could check! My question to the collective wisdom is this, I have a 81 FI that I am trying to resurrect; I will be taking the motor and transmission and interior and transferring them to the donor car. The donor car is an 78 (01/78) and has the 1800 with a small bump hood. Will the 2L FI fit outright? I believe that I have read that the hood will have to be changed but I am not sure. I can use the hood from my 81 but it would require painting. Does anyone have a feel for how difficult the wiring change will be? Are there any other hic-ups that may expect?

Thanks for all your advise - Michael

[So Cal Mark]

the wiring is completely different, you'll need your entire harness. The problem will be with the rear lights though. You'll have to incorporate the 78 light harness into the 81 harness.
If you change the crossmember, the 2l will fit. The two potential contact points are the cast throttle cable bracket on the plenum and the distributor. The small bump hood won't clear the cable bracket unless you change the crossmember

[4babycar]

Mark- Thanks for you quick reply
For the rear lights, is it just a matter of re-working the connectors/patterns? I have not compaired and contrasted the wiring diagrams...... yet.
Just to be sure, if I swap the engine and the cross member from the 81 to the 78, the small bump hood will/should fit?

Road trip? Please?

[So Cal Mark]

if you change the crossmember you should be okay, but it's close. Of course, to use a late hood on a 78 takes a few mods also since the hood stay arrangement is completely different
The 79 and later lights use a different size opening in the rear valance. To use the later lights in a 78 will take some body mods. Your best bet is to adapt the 78 rear light harness to the main harness. It shouldn't be that tough

[4babycar]

Thanks again mark.

I am trying to work through the budget items to do this..... I know that I would need the supplies to mod the harness, rental on a engine hoist, a new flex disk, new engine mounts, timing belt and bearing. What else would I need to buy? I am assuming there are some suspension bits that will need to be replaced since i will have to remove the front cross member. What am I missing and what are some items that I should do whilst the engine is out? What other specialty tools will I need outside of the engine hoist and spring compressors?

[mbouse]

ummm.... i am gonna have a '80 body you can HAVE on 11/14/2009, mfg date: 06/79. you just gotta come and get it.

it will not have doors or trunk lid or hood. suspension, drive train, exhaust, and interior will be removed. at this time, the only place i see sheet metal issues are the battery box and the front quarter panel where some one opened the driver door too far.

shock towers look good, 'c' channel under the driver's feet looks a little banged up. to my knowledge, the wiring is intact.

we are planning a pick-a-part party on the 14th.... if you are considering getting this shell I need to know before then.

[4babycar]

Mike - I sincerely thank you for the offer and if you were a bit closer I would take you up on that but the cost of me getting to you and back would approach the cost of the car that I am looking at. Again, thank you.

[mbouse]

i knew that. but, what' a guy to do with a perfectly good,salvagable shell ?? the parts I NEED will be salvaged for my own restoration project... many more will be shared with others, leaving a shell.

the wife and the neighbors will frown on using the shell as lawn decor, so i gotta look for a willing recepient.

[katsi]

I just gave away a 79 shell this past weekend.

[mbouse]

maybe i could mail this shell to you, Michael... would that help?

har har har

not easy getting rid of something as nice looking as this... but what other alternative do I have?

[amsiegel]

the wife and the neighbors will frown on using the shell as lawn decor, so i gotta look for a willing recepient.

Fill it with planets and flowers and it will make a nice center piece to the yard.

[mbouse]

right... what was your phone number again? i want my wife to be able to call you directly and fill you in on her reaction to this suggestion.

[racydave]

Would make a great play vehicle for the grandkids! I would prefer a 850...

[4babycar]

Mike - how many 41 cent stamps do you reckon it would take to mail it here? What about piece by piece....... hmmm that is an idea! If you happen to run across anyone headed to the east coast, maybe you could strap it to the top of their car. Again, thanks for your thoughts and I DO, VERY SINCERELY, WISH YOU WERE CLOSER!

I do like the play car idea of Dave's, it sure beats the body lines on that Little Tikes Crazy Coupe! (Which is the #1 selling "Car" of all time)

[amsiegel]

right... what was your phone number again? i want my wife to be able to call you directly and fill you in on her reaction to this suggestion.

What it would look good. You can even do some topairy plants that look like 2 people sitting the the car. Some brightly colored flowers in the back sit and engine compartment. You would be the talk of the town.

I think it was confucius that said "Ones man junk car is another mans flower pot".