Hello from Cleveland II

[ScottG]

Greetings from Cleveland!

My first experience with a Spider (or any FIAT) came during a test drive of a maroon '74 Spider advertised as 'clean and reliable' that I drove to Cincinnati to test drive. On that beautiful, sunny afternoon late last summer I became smitten with the car and decided while driving the five hours back to Cleveland to make the owner an offer. After a bit of negotiating, the car was mine.

Of course the day that I returned to pick the car up was overcast and plagued with some of the summer's worst thunderstorms. With my wife following in our Crown Vic, I drove this 'new' little ragtop through one downpour after the next along US 42 and Interstate 71. Within an hour of departing Cincinnati, I came to learn all about FIATs! The windshield wipers quit working (yes, they worked when I test drove the car!), the top began leaking like a sieve (it looked good and tight on a sunny day), and the low oil pressure warning light started blinking at me in a nasty, mocking fashion. By the time I got home, I was tired, wet, smelled of the 94 octane gasoline fumes that the defroster blew into the cockpit in copious amounts and feared that I may have ground the engine to bits!

That said, it's a great car! It's been in Ohio its entire life and seems to be generally rust free (as advertised). The previous owner was an electrical engineer and worked the kinks out of the car's electricals. Best of all, she starts every time! Since bringing her north, I've replaced the oil sending unit for the idiot light with a mechanical gauge (the pressure's a bit low but from what I've read here it's enough to keep things lubed), learned to drive her only on dry days with the top down, and the windshield wipers seem to have healed themselves! As for the gas fumes, I'll deal with those in the spring!

Anyways, thanks for having me here. I cut my teeth on Flathead Fords and small block Chevrolets (gotta love 'Brand X') so I'm a bit perplexed by this little 'foreign job' but I love her quirky Italian nature and look forward to learning from all of you here on FiatSpider.com!

Scott G.

1974 FIAT Spider 124 Sport
1966 Chevy Caprice Sport Coupe (Ol' Yeller)
1970 Pontiac Bonneville 455 Convertible (Ol' Rusty)
1968 Ford Mustang (J-code 302/4 spd) (Oh Crap!)
and a bunch of others not worth mentioning

[mbouse]

Hello, Scott G and welcome to the site. I am absolutely positive that your first experience in this car was not one all that different from many of our collective experiences. Yes, we drive in the rain!! nothing a self respecting Corvette collector would do, or most Alfa Romeo owners for that matter. British varients of sports cars could not handle what you put your little Spider through.

Of course, as soon as you dry out, and shake off that nervous feeling of sliding off the road, you will have to take some pictures and post them.

Cleveland, huh? Well my invitation extends to you (see the other post re: new member from Cleveland) if you are willing to become a FIAT LANCIA UNLIMITED member. please visit http://www.flu.org for information... and... or send me an email at mbouse@chartermi.net Lots of good things happen to the members of FLU; and lots of folks participating here will attest to that.

I will be driving smack dab thru the middle of Cleveland at lunch time July 10, with about 15-20 other FLU members on our way to the annual meeting. I hope you can join us.

[mdrburchette]

It sounds like you've been duly initiated into the club and it seems you're not a bit intimidated. We're all here to support and welcome you.

[rlux4]

Welcome Scott. Good story about your first drive as the new owner. Glad you could keep a good attitude about it.
Let us see what she looks like.
Ron

[ScottG]

As requested, a few pictures of the FIAT.





As for FFO '08, I'd love to go but my wife and I just brought daughter number one home from the hospital so I probably won't make it. I will be looking for local events, however.

Scott G

[pope]

Scott,
This is a good time in your marriage to put your foot down and be the man your suppose to be. Or it will be "yes dear" from now on. As for your daughter...bring her along. She'll fit nicely in the small back seat! LOL

As for your low oil pressure, read this. And make sure the oil pan is not dented in on the bottom, from hitting the road.
http://www.fiatspider.com:16080/f08/vie ... f=9&t=1187

good luck

[mbouse]

Looks like some custom dash work has been done. love those wheels too.

nice looking car, have fun with it!

[mdrburchette]

It is a beautiful car. Danno needs to take note of the wooden sunvisors. Wasn't he thinking of making some like that?

[Danno]

It is a beautiful car. Danno needs to take note of the wooden sunvisors. Wasn't he thinking of making some like that?

Good spot, D. I definitely need closer pictures of those. I need to see how they are mounted!!!!!

[pope]

Those visors will also work as a rudder or oars incase you get flooded.

[ScottG]

This is a good time in your marriage to put your foot down and be the man your suppose to be. Or it will be "yes dear" from now on.

It's not an issue of being the man "I'm supposed to be..." It's about being the only man in the house (ha ha!). I know my place and it's in the garage (with occassional access to the basement)!

As for the dash, the previous owner did some respectible work with walnut but I must admit I'm not a big fan of the result. He finished the dash pieces in clear polyurethane (gloss) which is a bit too shiny and yellow for my taste. The kitchen cabinet type drawer pull on the glove box isn't too swift, either. Sometime in the future all of the wood trim will be replaced with a darker species to match the mahogany gear shift knob and finished with semi-gloss or matte lacquer.

Also, when I next get out to the garage I'll snap a few pictures of the wood sunvisors so you can see how they're mounted. Like the dash they were also a product of the previous owner and, while I'm not a big fan of hard surfaces right at eye level, they are currently serving a purpose and will be around for awhile.

Thanks for the nice comments on the car. She's far from perfect but has a unique personality and is great fun to drive! I can't wait for summer...or any sunny day over 45F for that matter!

[pope]

A garage is a very good dog house sometimes.

Not laughing at you, but with you...a Fiat built by a cabinet maker. Does the glove box have a slide-out shelf? All kiddin aside, that car looks great and love those rims.

[mbouse]

As the father of four beautiful girls, and married for 30 years to the same loving wife......

I fully appreciate and understand the garage escape zone. NGA (sorry Denise, just the way it was).

[mdrburchette]

No apology needed, Mike. I have my own garage to escape to. Everyone needs a little "me" time.

[Danno]

It is a beautiful car. Danno needs to take note of the wooden sunvisors. Wasn't he thinking of making some like that?

Good spot, D. I definitely need closer pictures of those. I need to see how they are mounted!!!!!

After almost a month I am STILL waiting!!!!! Maybe I didn't say please! So PLEEEEEEEAAAASE!