78 Spider Owner

Blast · Post by **Blast** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:16 pm

Hello Everyone,
I recently joined this site, and wanted to say Hi. I owned a 73 Spider in 76, and had some great times in it. I was in the Air Force stationed in Las Vegas at that time, a Spider and Vegas, need I say more. I'm in my 50's now, and wanted to relive the past a little, so,I bought a 78 about a year and a half ago off ebay. It looked great in the photos, but had a lot of issues when I saw it in person. But I was determined, and it had exactly what I wanted in a Spider. Pretty blue color, mags, chrome bullet mirrors, luggage rack, and few other particulars. Fourth gear was out, it handled like a cluncker, and had aluminum patches in the floorboard to name a few problems. I gave 3k for it, which now seems way too much, considering what I've seen sale for that amount recently.

I bought it in South Carolina, and hauled it to Louisville Ky., and began driving it. I put less than 100 miles on it, when one day after returning home from giving a friend a ride in it, the floor on the passenger side started filling with antifreeze, that is when I determined this is not how I wanted it to be, and decided to restore it.

I made a huge mistake of stripping all the interior out, before realizing I didn't have the time and money to repair and replace everything at one time. I have almost forgot how it went back together, but I have started putting the old stuff back in and plan on doing a long term rolling restoration instead.
Blast

rlux4 · Post by **rlux4** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:38 pm

Well Blast, you've hit on the problem so many others have encountered: No picutures during dissasembly. Not to worry though, when you need it, help is here to get things back together again.
Quite a few of us here had a Spider in our youth and yearned for another in later years. Hope you can get things road-worthy so that you can enjoy the Spider experience again.
Ron

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:14 pm

welcome to the site! You'll find lots of help here if you need it while reassembling your car. We'll be happy to help you get it back on the road

Hutch · Post by **Hutch** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:21 am

Welcome aboard. I just joined recently as well. Are you still in Louisville?

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:39 am

Welcome!

kristoj · Post by **kristoj** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:38 am

Welcome to the forum! I'm a few hours north of Louisville (actually quite a few up in NE Ohio). Rolling restoration is the way to go not just from a cost perspective, but also from an enjoyment perspective. Who wants to have theri car down for an extended period of time? Plus, the winter months give you an opportunity to take on some of the larger projects when your car would be off the road anyway. Don't be shy about posting questions. You'll find plenty of knowledge here.

Blast · Post by **Blast** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:29 am

I recently moved across the river to Clarksville, Indiana. If theres anyone near here, give me a shout. I would like to see other cars, and talk Fiat. One day, I hope to go to a Fiat meet. As a matter of fact, I wish this site had a user name by state section. New members could see just how many other Spiders are close by. It seems to me, that pooling resources is a huge advantage, just like this site does on a international level with Spider information, we could do as individuals in a certain area.
I recently seen on ebay, three NOS door handles and a single one from the same seller. If I had two other owners close by that wanted one, we may have shared the cost of three, and saved almost 50 % of what one cost. I'm sure there are a lot of Spider buddies who do this type of thing, people who have meet and become friends. It would be nice if there were like small chapters you could join in your own neck of the woods, so to speak. If someone knows of this already being in existance, let me know, because I'm relatively new and didn't know.
Blast

Hutch · Post by **Hutch** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:48 pm

<-------

This guy is in Louisville.

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 1:10 pm

Maybee next spring we could have a regional meet-up? Somewhere inbetween. Or somewhere on the river?

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:49 pm

hi-ya and welcome. Please post some pictures as soon as you can.

Blast · Post by **Blast** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:20 pm

I hope this works. I just set it up. Hasn't been tested, but here goes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xblastx/

Hutch · Post by **Hutch** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:33 pm

racydave wrote:Maybee next spring we could have a regional meet-up? Somewhere inbetween. Or somewhere on the river?

I'm up for that. Not sure what is in between us and Indy. Any ideas?

Blast · Post by **Blast** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:38 am

Abosolutely Racydave! That should give us time to get these Spiders down here roadworthy. The longest trip I've chanced in this car to date is maybe 15 miles round trip.

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:48 am

WE can figgure out something between now and spring! Maybe a winery?

78 Spider Owner

78 Spider Owner

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