Greetings and HAPPY NEW YEAR from Lafayette, Louisiana. Nice that I was able to find a fiat forum!(Seems that there are forums for everything now. Ive been a frequenter of watch colleting forums for years now). Anyway, I have a 1979 fiat spider (reference the only current picture I have), automatic transmission, carb, burgandy interior, 94k original miles that ive owned since 1985(since high school). My grandfather was a mechanic and my dad worked with him when he was younger, so I was able to keep it on the road without much problems and with the help of International Auto Parts. Oh sure there were problems, like a faulty magnetic pickup, head gasket leakage, two timing belts failures, rebuild carb, couple water pumps, blown up distributor cap, automatic radiator fan problems, pollution control valve malfuntion, alternator problems, replaced tie rod ends & sway bar bushings, crossmember failure, electrical issues, you know the usual stuff. So much history with this car I could write a book. Sadly it hasn't even been started in at least 7 years or so. Damn I miss tinkering with it! Long story short, it was parked in my grandfather's garage after I started having some brake & transmission problems. Had another vehicle so it just sat there. Unfortunately it was exposed to some moisture in the garage, so it has some minor rusting on the replaceable body panels on the back of the vehicle and the rims a little, but nothing serious thank goodness, and a rat decided to make the engine compartment its home for a while but glad it wasn't inside the vehicle. I rescued it about 5 years ago and brought to my house where it sits comfortably waiting for rejuvenation. Problem is that my better half thinks its a heap of junk(and she constantly is on my butt to get rid of it), so it may be a while before restoration commences.
Now that I got the background story off my chest, my first question to the forum is since it has been so long since the last run, what precautions do I need to take before I try to fire it up again? My first guess would be to clean out carb really good, pump out gas tank and replace w/new gas, replace oil & filters, gas lines, etc., and maybe get a new radiator(or flush the hell out of the current one and see if it works) & timing belt for starters? Or is this gonna require a very thorough engine overhaul prior to starting, ie replace rings, gaskets, etc? When it last was started it had sat about a year and fired up with some carb priming and a new battery, no problem at all, but 7 years is a long time! Any insight is appreciated and I look forward to posting any progress I make in the next few years with it. Also, where the heck can I get one of those vent window latches, you know, the ones that glue to the vent window? I lost the one on the driver side many years ago and have had zero luck finding one since.
Mike
