Please somebody help me I hear voices!!!

[NJFIAT1981]

It all started with a 1981 Spider. Even though it needed a lot of work I just had to have it.(Voice in my head) It did not make the spousal unit happy in any way, shape, or form. Then I found out about a 81 Spider parts car that required a four hour one way drive in rather foul weather. Had to buy it. (Voice in my head again) The voice in my head just told me I needed a engine stand to pull the engine out of the parts car and rebuild it. (The voice is demanding it be done). The voice keeps saying something about a paint job.
The woman of the house is not amused at all. She does not believe me about the voice. Wants the parts car out of the driveway. The voice wants a set of Panasport rims and told me to get another parts car so the first parts car will have company. Does anyone else hear voice? When do they stop?

[racydave]

I think you have good hearing! But diplomacy! I needed to give my wife just one ride, and after the first group Fiat encounter, she hears the voices too!

[mdrburchette]

Oh hell, you're screwed now. The voices never go away. It happens all so innocently and before you know it, you're way over your head and swimming in Fiats. BUT! When you realize it, do you stop? Well, Nooo. The voices keep getting you deeper and deeper. Case in point: I was minding my own business until someone emailed me about a cute little X19 with 45k original miles right down the road from me. I wrestled with the decision to even go look at it and thought I had beat the voices. I emailed the guy and told him I had too many projects going and needed to save my money to get them going. Thinking of how proud my husband would be to hear I had been strong, I told him about turning the invitation down.....do you know what he said to me? He said "Are you sure? It sounds like it's worth looking at." Now, I don't know about you, but that sure sounded like he just gave me permission to go buy the dang thing, so I went to look at it and I bought it. The guy's going to deliver it in the next couple weeks.

[launieg]

You just need to buy a bigger piece of land. Then you can tuck the "inventory" behind the house and (hopefully) out of sight of those who do not appreciate the beauty of classic cars. I suggest this, but I live on 2.5 acres and at the moment there are seven vehicles (ranging from 1976 through 1988) in the front drive. I don't even have the excuse of having teenagers at home any more! I don't understand what the problem is. I'm a good example of recycling, as I see it. But taking the spouse for a fun drive in a spider is a good way to reduce the objections. Worked for me, although I suspect she'd occasionally like to mention that it is hard to turn around to get out the driveway. You might also suggest that this hobby keeps you out of trouble in other ways...

[NJFIAT1981]

The voice just took me to PepBoys Automotive for an engine stand and some Lucas Oil Stabilizer. I might have to get another part time job!

[dartme]

Well, I think you will like this story. I bought my 1970 spider in july this year( my frist spider was a 1975 I bought when i was 18,32 years ago, long gone ).In september I was looking on ebay after i had the 70 spider just to see what was out there and seen a 1979 for sell as a parts car (because it was not smoged)for $400 so i bid on it(without my wife's knowing) well she came home and seen that I bid on it, I told her it's only $400. needless to say she was not to happy. But then someone bid higher and I said see no problem someone else bid higher..To my suprise she said bid higher ( she got the ebay fever).hehe ok sure,so then she push me out of the way and started bidding. We got the car for $700.With $700 more the car runs great and is my daily driver. life is good....ps i never posted pics of the car i will as soon as my son will do it for me..

[Kevin1]

The voices get louder and more persistent over time. That's normal. Ask anyone on this forum. It's the people who don't hear them you have to watch out for.

[azygoustoyou]

Voices! It gets worst. Now when she tries to talk to me, so does the voice. And we know where this is going. I know which voice I should listen to. It's like playing tug of war and I can't get a word in. And, I can't even take her for a ride to show her what she's missing. I got the car in parts.

[psg]

Just remember nothing compensates for failure in the home. Cars are great.... families are greater. I agree the spouse needs to be co-opted and get her to be a partner in the crime and then the voice will be saying.......,"its my turn to drive" (then you get the second car!).

[narfire]

I hear voices as well,however the "domestic financial advisor" voice seems to be louder. I've got away with this one calling it a mid life crisis, and explaining at least you know where I am at nights and can find me on weekends. This way I still have a house to live in.
Giving her a ride does go a long way,perhaps a restaurant helps too.
Good luck
Ps.. Launie...seven vehicles? all fiats? Next time I'm in Victoria I'll make a trip to Sooke. Besides a neibour moved there a couple of years ago to build some houses on 5 acres he bought, been meaning to stop in sometime.

[mbouse]

I hear voices as well,however the "domestic financial advisor" voice seems to be louder.

at my house it is the "throttle control" voice that i fear the most. it also sounds the same as the "volume control" voice.

[speedracer]

All these stories sound familiar!

I didn't hear the voice at first. I bought my spider because it looked cool, was small enough to fit in my garge, and cheap enough so the wife wouldn't kill me! I didn't know anything about them really, but I always loved Italian cars, Ferrari's especially, but that wasn't ever going to happen, so I said to myself, "hey, the Fiat is red, Italian, and starts with an F, close enough"!

So I started having some fun with it, driving it, polishing it up all the time at the park and a guy stopped and told me I should put it into a show. "A show" I said? "Yeah, people will love it". Well apparently they did, it won 3rd place peoples choice trophy! To say I was floored when I went up to the podium to recieve the trophy would be an understatement! There was everything there from Camaros to Cudas to Chevelles and yes, a couple of Ferrari's, but so many people came to the lil red Fiat to tell me a story they remembered from long ago about the one they owned or one about there best friends spider, and my favorite, the one about the first time he "did it" in a spider and the seat back broke!

Well, the voice is screaming at me these days, "make it better, faster, cleaner, more original, spend more money on me"! I can hardly stand it anymore! Oh well, I've heard worse voices...

[launieg]

Ps.. Launie...seven vehicles? all fiats? Next time I'm in Victoria I'll make a trip to Sooke. Besides a neibour moved there a couple of years ago to build some houses on 5 acres he bought, been meaning to stop in sometime.

No, I wish I could buy more, but two is all I can justify, the '81 as the driver and a '78 I picked up for $50 last fall, intended for parts (but drives nicely, unfortunately). Then there's the '76 chev Silverado to haul stuff like hay and lumber, the wife's 88 Camry and matching '89 parts car, my son's 89 535 (since he got transferred to Edmonton) and my 86 Renault Alliance (due to my ancient history with French cars, and it's my winter daily driver). So not as exciting as having 7 fiats but I love all orphan cars and would own a personal car lot of all kinds if I could. (But my favorite by far is the spider.)

Do come by anytime. I wish I knew more fiat owners in Victoria. Not even a club gathering where I can take the spider. The English car guys, the hot rodders, the muscle car guys, and the VW gang are the organized ones in Victoria.

[NJFIAT1981]

Just an update. Finally took the wife for a night out in the spider. Loves the car and thinks it was a great purchase. Wants to know when it will be finished. Wants to know what I'm buying next (parts). Yeeeeehaaaaaaa!!!!! Daughters just kept saying "This is so cool"
The voices are still here and they seem a bit confused. Don't know what to do first. I think the front end and shocks are next. We shall see.

[NJFIAT1981]

Update:
New shocks,Ansa muffler, Hi-stack air filter, and all mechanical work completed. Was ready to start on the body and paint. I was looking at Spiders online and found a one owner 1980 2000 FI Spider with 46,902.2 original miles. The voices in my head struck again. Said I should go to NYC and look at it. Also told me to bring along a trailer just in case.
The seller was a a true gentleman. Spent a couple of hours showing me the car. Voices made me buy it and trailer it home.
Interior is in excellent condition. Runs great. The clock even works and keeps time.. Minor cosmetic issues. My daughter advised me she had to have one after riding in mine.
I will be changing the timing belt, hoses, fluids, filters, tires, water pump, thermostat, and a few minor items. Will post photo's asap