Great sounding exhaust

[courtenay]

Where I live, the "beholder" is the Insurance Corporation of BC which will give me Collector Car insurance at a rate about $500 less than the regular rate. The "hook" - the car has to be original, or with modifications that are period correct. They do recognize, for example, that 13" tires that result in the same overall wheel diameter as the originals cannot be found, so will allow tire and wheel combinations that match the original diameter. So my Rotas, which are essentially Panasport knock-offs are OK.
So - apart from the fact that I like the look of the original bumpers, there's a big financial incentive for me, at least, to maintain what the Fiat designers intended.

[bradartigue]

Where I live, the "beholder" is the Insurance Corporation of BC which will give me Collector Car insurance at a rate about $500 less than the regular rate. The "hook" - the car has to be original, or with modifications that are period correct. They do recognize, for example, that 13" tires that result in the same overall wheel diameter as the originals cannot be found, so will allow tire and wheel combinations that match the original diameter. So my Rotas, which are essentially Panasport knock-offs are OK.
So - apart from the fact that I like the look of the original bumpers, there's a big financial incentive for me, at least, to maintain what the Fiat designers intended.

Similar here in the Banana Republic of Louisiana, if you register Antique then you pay no taxes on the car but must keep it reasonably stock and sign an affidavit. If you register hot rod or modified then you pay very little taxes and can go hog wild. Difference is I pay about $130 a year in insurance, hot rod about $400. This applies to my FIATs and my Porsches so it does not discriminate by brand as regular insurance does.

No bumper tax = $1,200.00 per year here, same as the Miata.

[bradartigue]

whatever happened to "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" ?

Hey guys I am absolutely kidding about all of this. My preference is for the cars to be dead stock, but that's my preference. I started loving these cars in the mid 80's when they were starting to be cast aside as junk, and enjoy the monumental efforts of everyone in getting them looking good and on the road.

Every year I have the opportunity to speak with and attend a car show with Tom Tjaarda, who designed our cars. If you ever want to meet him then come to Concourse d'Elegance in Baton Rouge every spring. Tom will be there, I'm fairly certain, until he cannot make it any longer. One of the comments he made to me was that the Spider was his favorite design, it had the greatest influence, the greatest appeal. This in the midst of Ferraris and de Tamasos he designed.

So here's the whole deal - personalize at ye peril! Stock Spiders are so nice, bumpers and all.

[RoyBatty]

Hater be hatin'

Seriously though, I know what you mean Brad.
But I just can't stop tinkering with my Spider!
Just got done with a two hour stint in the driveway changing out the front springs to a set I found that was cut down by
1.5 coils.
You realize of course I did this to regain the "stock" height at the front AFTER removing the front bumper.
So I guess it's a wash.
Mission accomplished.

[divace73]

I alway thought it was 'Beauty is in the Eye if the beer holder'.........

[4uall]

"Cannnnnnnnnnnnnn you feeeeeeeeeel the looooooooove tonight?" - Elton John

ps the garage replaced my resonator and now she sounds awesome and has more pep when accelerating