scissor jack storage in trunk

[gmichaud]

Might sound like a stupid question, but here goes: How is scissor jack safely stored/held in place in the spider's trunk?

[narfire]

On the passenger side is an area beside the fender and the hinge/spring. Collapse the jack to just about the lowest point. The end with the ratchet handle attatchment should fit into a steel bracket closer to the rear. Jack will sit in a cradle as well on a slight angle. Now that it is sitting there, there is a short rubber strap that usually will hold it in place. If no strap perhaps make something from a cross section of an inner tube or something but make sure it is in there securely, mine broke free once and a couple of corners later I had a couple of small dings in the fender where the jack had hit the inner fender.
Chris

[mdrburchette]

Picture might help:

[narfire]

Thanks Denise.. a picture is worth 123 words
Chris

[gmichaud]

Thanks for the response. Finally, there won't be a jack bouncing around in hte trunk this summer.

[bradartigue]

Picture might help:

Where did that jack come from?

I don't think that it is a Spider jack; they all had a groove in them at the top, you'd put the jack in between two factory indentations with the rocker seam in that groove, it kept the car from falling off the jack.

Also I think I have a service letter about one of the colored 128 jacks totally recalled by FIAT because it isn't safe to use. I'll look for it tomorrow - no reason to have a crap jack for a 128 in your beautiful 124...

[ventura ace]

Picture might help:

Where did that jack come from?

I don't think that it is a Spider jack; they all had a groove in them at the top, you'd put the jack in between two factory indentations with the rocker seam in that groove, it kept the car from falling off the jack.

Also I think I have a service letter about one of the colored 128 jacks totally recalled by FIAT because it isn't safe to use. I'll look for it tomorrow - no reason to have a crap jack for a 128 in your beautiful 124...

Mine looks similar (1970 spider). I guess it's possible that someone switched it out in the years before I owned it, but I doubt it. I did swap out the jack handle, because the ratchet in the old one quit working. I think the old handle was blue, like the jack:

[mdrburchette]

I've got a few jacks out of early model 124s and they are all the same. One is a little darker in color, but the same design. It's all for show anyway. I'll call roadside assistance if I get a flat.

[kilrwail]

Sorry to be slow in jumping in on this - it's been snowing! Here's the correct mounting and the correct original jack and tool kit for my '78. I suspect the OP's '79 is the same. There's a bracket with a hole in it in the upper left to accept the business end of the jack. There are two grooves in the bracket under the tool kit for the rails of the jack. Note that there is no slot in the top of the jack. Black is the original colour. The dust is aftermarket

[gmichaud]

Wow! Ask a question on the FiatSpider.com site and sit back to await a wave of answers - both text and images. I'll have no excuse not to secure the jack correctly come spring. To kilrwail of Ottawa: Snowing, huh...I feel your pain. -20 degrees Celcius in Winnipeg today. Expecting warmer this weekend, but spring is still not around the corner.

Thanks again all,

Gil

[narfire]

...I feel your pain. -20 degrees Celcius in Winnipeg today

At least there are no bugs When is top down driving weather in your parts anyway
Chris

[bradartigue]

Nuts then, what am I thinking of? I have two of these jacks with the space in them for fitting around the sill. Same exact jack with a different "top". Maybe they came out of another FIAT but since I've owned only 124s...weird. Maybe I got my Alfa and FIAT jacks mixed up 15 years ago...

[kmead]

I am pretty certain my 124 Coupe jack does not have an indent as it fits into a rectangular pocket under the car and not relative to the sill.

Perhaps the Coupes and Sedans used a different jack as they were intended to interact with the bottom of the car differently (the Coupes and Sedans have very similar floor pans).

[gmichaud]

When is top down driving weather in your parts anyway???

April to October (last year November was great and took her out often).

In Winnipeg, we may not drive the Spider from November to March, but with so much sun in summer, it is easy to make up for it.

GM

[kilrwail]

Last year my first day was March 6 and the last was Nov 10 - both pretty chilly. Generally I count on one day in March, then it will be mid-April before we can regularly get out. After Hallowe'en is always dicey, but sometimes we get lucky.

Brad, while my jack doesn't have a slot, my jacking points do have fences on each side to keep the jack positioned correctly. Do yours have that feature?