82 Fiat spider - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 08-07-2010, 08:57 AM

An old friend called last night to tell me his daughter has a 82 Fiat spider for sale. I was dubious that they had built them that late but wiki'd it and found production stopped in june 82. He said it was not rusty though did not sound too certain and said with a new battery would run, but it needs restoration.

Should I be interested in such a car?

My first reaction was no.

Mike D · #2 08-07-2010, 09:07 AM

"He said it was not rusty though did not sound too certain and said with a new battery would run, but it needs restoration."

"I don't care who you are, That's funny right there", Larry the cable guy.

Ummm, Tom, that is exactly the same thing which was said about the first FIAT back in about 1903.

So, if you're interested in buying a 30 year old car, last of it's model year to boot, why not a Yugo? At least they are biodegradable (and will usually dissolve while you are moving in the car) and will merely appear to be an eccentric as opposed to being in a FIAT and being the object of pity.

Your first reaction would be the wise one.

#3 08-07-2010, 09:12 AM

I actually saw one driving down my street yesterday and was wondering about parts availability. I remember test driving a new one in about 1981 with a girlfriend. She ended up buying a BWM 320i. If I was looking for another hobby, I might be interested, but only if I thought I could make it correct.

Honus · #4 08-07-2010, 09:36 AM

Fiats were fun back in the day, but finicky. I'm guessing that a 30-year-old Fiat will be super finicky, but that's just a guess.

For that type of car (inexpensive true sports car), MGB is the only way to go, IMHO. It was the best of its type when new and you can get every single part for it, from the smallest screw and washer to an entire new body shell. Some people like the early Bs, but my preference is for the 1970 through 73 models.

alabbasi · #5 08-07-2010, 10:04 AM

A friend of mine is into these cars. I think that they look fantastic and are certainly more refined then then MGB that I had.

It will be a fun car to own but parts will be hard to come by and in typical Italian fashion, there are going to be some silly things on this car that will make you scratch your head, such as welding the fenders on.

If you already own a miata, then you're already getting the roadster kick.

The Swede · #6 08-07-2010, 10:27 AM

We had a '79 when I was in highschool and college, used as a summer/3rd car. I used it to commute from Minneapolis to Madison, WI when I was in college. Drove well at 70mph on the interstate, but it was no fun in the rain.

iirc, we had to replace the headgasket at around 40k miles. It had some electrical glitches, aux fan went kaput and the blower motor worked intermittently.

For a top-down, summer car why not? In 60k miles, the biggest repair we did was the headgasket. If you can get it running and safe on the cheap and it isn't rotted out, go for it!

kerry · #7 08-07-2010, 10:35 AM

Neighbor down the street drove one for years. Every time I saw it I thought, "That thing should have died years ago, why is it still running?"

Palangi · #8 08-07-2010, 11:20 AM

Speaking as someone who used to work for an Italian industrial company, I say, never buy anything made in Italy unless it contains alcohol.

t walgamuth · #9 08-07-2010, 01:15 PM

Now that's the kind of answer I expected to get!

Phil · #10 08-07-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honus

Fiats were fun back in the day, but finicky. I'm guessing that a 30-year-old Fiat will be super finicky, but that's just a guess.

For that type of car (inexpensive true sports car), MGB is the only way to go, IMHO. It was the best of its type when new and you can get every single part for it, from the smallest screw and washer to an entire new body shell. Some people like the early Bs, but my preference is for the 1970 through 73 models.

I had an MGB and 2 Fiats. The Fiats were more refined but I found that for best performance I had to clean the plugs and set the timing about once a month but that took lest than 20 minutes. The MG was a lot of fun but you had to stay on top of the SU carbs. I think they are both good cars but you just can't think of them as a car that you just drive and don't think about, there not a Toyota.

Honus · #11 08-07-2010, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil

... I think they are both good cars but you just can't think of them as a car that you just drive and don't think about, there not a Toyota.

No doubt about that.

On the other hand, the 3 MGs I had back in the day were good, economical transportation. Technologically, they were old-timey even for their time. They needed almost constant tweaking, but few expensive repairs. Very few. Got 30 mpg as well.

Two things I believe are overblown: Lucas electrical systems and SU carbs. I'll take Lucas over Fiat any day. And once SUs are set up properly, the are trouble free, in my experience. If an SU does require work, it is much, much easier to repair than a Holly or a Weber.

I do agree with Phil's comment about the Fiat being more refined. One thing MGs ain't and that's refined.

panZZer · #12 08-07-2010, 04:28 PM

T if you go there ,you're gonna get sucked in the weber side draft scenario and soon have learned the Dellortos were-are the way and on with the search for the right set of emmissions model's with the right progression holes, and power jets........... and so on............and so forth

Then again, It might have them already in place

I have lots of Dellorto info I can forward you if you send me an email address.

compress ignite · #13 08-07-2010, 04:43 PM

T,

Run Away...
Much cheaper ways to enjoy Masochism.

There Is (Can be) NO 30 year old Fiat without "Terminal Rust".

If you must have a European Convertible...Take out an add in CR in Hungary
searching for a Trabat (Have someone cut the top off with a Wizz Wheel)
'Bound to be a much Safer Vehicle that Pollutes Less.

panZZer · #14 08-07-2010, 05:04 PM

Whut thu hell izu Trabat? My vote would be for a TVR Griffith 500. , Rover V8 -Theres a debate starter. And a cool british plastic wrapper that wont rust.

mpolli · #15 08-07-2010, 05:33 PM

I think they made them even later than that, as Pinafarina's. I had a couple of FIAT's and the parts were cheap. The engines and trans are bulletproof, and that car will have Bosch FI on it. Weak points are the body and the electrical. Miata is the exact same car, but built better.