Greetings from west Michigan

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kmead
Posts: 1069
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:24 pm
Your car is a: 1969 850 SC 1970 124 SC 85 X19
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Greetings from west Michigan

Post by kmead »

Good day. My name is Karl Mead and I am a Fiat junkie.... :) I must confess however that I don't own a Fiat Spider however. :oops:

Mike Bouse pointed this forum out to me yesterday when I was helping him reinstall his braking system on his wife's 124 Spider.

A bit of an introduction. I have been a Fiat owner since 1980 when I bought my first X1/9 (a very rust bound '76) in Vermont when I was 19, sadly it was a very troubled car and in the course of moving around New England was consigned to a junk yard as a rust heap a few years later. I had fallen in love with Fiats a number of years before when one of the carpenters working on our new house drove to work everyday in 124 Sport Coupe and later when my step mom bought a 1978 X shortly after I learned to drive. My second X came along in 1983 with early '80 carbureted example.

I sold that car before I moved out to California so for a few years I round myself without a Fiat. After living there a while I did get to meet a number of people that had them and eventually found a few to own. I really enjoyed the car culture and the many people I met like Merkel, the Rear Engine Fiat Club and the car night crowd. My first acquisition was a 1969 124 Sports Coupe that was a bit on the funky side. Not long after I bought a one owner 1969 850 Sports Coupe. The '69 124 Coupe departed not long after, but was replaced a few months later by a 1970 124 Sports Coupe, which I bought from the daughter of the original owner. After I graduated from Art Center in Pasadena I got a job back in Vermont. Before I moved I wanted to get a west coast X to take with me, I found a cheap example around the corner from my apartment and added it to the collection that would make the move from coast to coast. Three of my sisters flew from the east coast and the three Fiats were driven and towed (the 850) back to Vermont.

Since then I have moved to Michigan and used them as summer time daily drivers until 4 years ago when I last parked them for the winter. Things piled up behind them and they haven't been out to play since.

I am a member of the West Michigan Chapter of FLU and enjoy attending events though my VW Golf doesn't do a very good imitation of a Fiat Brava or trick anyone in the club. The hope is that the 850 will make it out for the 28th St Cruise in August but we will see.

Looking forward to interacting with you all over the time. Thanks and have a great day.

Karl
Karl

1969 Fiat 850 Sports Coupe
1970 Fiat 124 Sports Coupe
1985 Bertone X1/9
mbouse

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by mbouse »

kmead wrote:Good day. My name is Karl Mead and I am a Fiat junkie.... :)
Karl
Hi Karl, and welcome to the site. Here, we all understand and are sympathetic to your malady...in fact we ALL resemble that remark.

we welcome your comments and questions even if you don't currently own a Spider... we have a way of changing that. :wink:
So Cal Mark

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by So Cal Mark »

welcome, as Mike said, maybe we can help inspire you to make them all drivers again!
msrmd

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by msrmd »

I can't get over thinking about those three lonely Fiats just waiting for Mike to come over and help you get back in shape :!:
Welcome :D
pope

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by pope »

Karl,
Good to meet you on Saturday. I too cant wait to drive that 850 sometime. Welcome
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by rlux4 »

Hello and welcome to the forum Karl. You've already gotten past the worst part of the Fiat experience: you've met Mike Bouse! :lol: Kidding, Mike.
Good luck getting a Fiat running to drive to the Fiat gatherings.
BTW, you lived in California and left it? You must be a very sensible guy.
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
mbouse

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by mbouse »

if i am the worst that could happen during his fiat experience.... just imagine the BEST that could happen! :mrgreen:
racydave

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by racydave »

Hi Karl, hope to see you at a WMF outting soon.
User avatar
kmead
Posts: 1069
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:24 pm
Your car is a: 1969 850 SC 1970 124 SC 85 X19
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by kmead »

Thanks all. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be among such a welcoming group.

I don't expect too much difficulty in getting the cars running, its getting the crap out from behind them thats the issue. Of course one never knows what evil lurks in the depths of the garage... (mice, condensation etc etc)
Last edited by kmead on Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Karl

1969 Fiat 850 Sports Coupe
1970 Fiat 124 Sports Coupe
1985 Bertone X1/9
jprisbe

Re: Greetings from west Michigan

Post by jprisbe »

Hi Karl,

You and Sherri coming to Fiats Up North?

You know the kids are welcome too.
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