Hey!
Hey!
Hey Guys -
Great site! This site has already been such an amazing resource to me and I don't even have the car yet.
I have wanted a Spider ever since I was a kid. Over the past few years, my wife has been been no less than 100% completely against it. Every time I would bring up the subject, she would shoot it down with 15 reasons why owning a Spider would be impractical, and quite simply, a horrible idea. When I showed her some pictures on Saturday of this Spider I wanted to look into, she went off into the same routine but even managed to bring some of my friends onto her side this time. I called and made an appointment to see it on Sunday anyway. I did not tell her. On Sunday morning, my wife asked me to head down to the Jersey Shore area to visit one of her friends with her. I agreed...as long as I got to go somewhere first. After taking the monster of all detours, we pulled in front of a house with a red 1981 Spider in the driveway. My wife was not pleased. Nevertheless, I got out of the car and she followed. I inspected the car and took my wife on a test drive. By the end of it, she was begging me to buy it. Oh how I love when a plan comes together...
Now I'm just hoping it makes the 100 mile drive back home on Sunday. I figure the purchase price was manageable enough to satisfy a childhood dream (even if it does wind up in flames on the side of the NJ Turnpike...though i completely hope that does not become the case). I am far from a mechanic but would love to learn and work on the car as much as realistically possible. At this point, I am just expecting the worst and hoping for the best. It's all upside from here...
Great site! This site has already been such an amazing resource to me and I don't even have the car yet.
I have wanted a Spider ever since I was a kid. Over the past few years, my wife has been been no less than 100% completely against it. Every time I would bring up the subject, she would shoot it down with 15 reasons why owning a Spider would be impractical, and quite simply, a horrible idea. When I showed her some pictures on Saturday of this Spider I wanted to look into, she went off into the same routine but even managed to bring some of my friends onto her side this time. I called and made an appointment to see it on Sunday anyway. I did not tell her. On Sunday morning, my wife asked me to head down to the Jersey Shore area to visit one of her friends with her. I agreed...as long as I got to go somewhere first. After taking the monster of all detours, we pulled in front of a house with a red 1981 Spider in the driveway. My wife was not pleased. Nevertheless, I got out of the car and she followed. I inspected the car and took my wife on a test drive. By the end of it, she was begging me to buy it. Oh how I love when a plan comes together...
Now I'm just hoping it makes the 100 mile drive back home on Sunday. I figure the purchase price was manageable enough to satisfy a childhood dream (even if it does wind up in flames on the side of the NJ Turnpike...though i completely hope that does not become the case). I am far from a mechanic but would love to learn and work on the car as much as realistically possible. At this point, I am just expecting the worst and hoping for the best. It's all upside from here...
- kilrwail
- Posts: 1100
- Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:49 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
- Location: Perth, Ontario
Re: Hey!
Congratulations! You've proven that you're clever. Now you must demonstrate persistence as you come to grips with the joys of Fiat ownership. Good luck!
_____________________________________________________________
Peter Brownhill
1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider - original owner
1977 Porsche 911S - track car
2022 Ram 4 x 4 - hauler
PCA National Instructor and Motorsport Safety Foundation Level 2 Instructor
Peter Brownhill
1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider - original owner
1977 Porsche 911S - track car
2022 Ram 4 x 4 - hauler
PCA National Instructor and Motorsport Safety Foundation Level 2 Instructor
Re: Hey!
i echo Peter's comments and wish to add resourcefulness. You've demonstrated some of that by joining a forum. there will be other resources you will need along the way...tools, friends, other documents from other sources...
but, on the right track you are! gotta have a car. it is all better after that.
when can we see pictures?
but, on the right track you are! gotta have a car. it is all better after that.
when can we see pictures?
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- Patron 2022
- Posts: 4211
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
- Location: Granite Falls, Wa
Re: Hey!
Hello, welcome to the group. Congratulations on you excellent plan. The next thing you need to do is get at least a couple of manuals for your car. They're all a little different, and each is better in some areas than others, so more than one is a good idea. The good news is that these cars are not difficult to work on, and you'll get plenty of help here when you need it.
Ron
Ron
-
- Patron 2022
- Posts: 1807
- Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:31 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider hers 1972 Spider his
- Location: Hydesville, CA (NorCal)
welcome
Welcome to the forum. If you have any issues this forum is a great source of help. Most common problems have simple solutions and most likely someone has an answer for you. I have found cars easy to work on an relatively inexpensive to maintain.
One more tip, when my Dad wanted to buy a sports car and my Mom wouldn't let him, he started threatening to buy a Harley Davidson. Suddenly the sports car seem like a good idea.
One more tip, when my Dad wanted to buy a sports car and my Mom wouldn't let him, he started threatening to buy a Harley Davidson. Suddenly the sports car seem like a good idea.
Trey
1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
- Tappy
- Posts: 721
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:22 pm
- Your car is a: 124 spider 2000 1979
- Location: Belgium ; Centre Of Europe
Re: Hey!
congrats Seems like you handeled that wery well. Now the trick is to let her only drive on special occasions like her birthday wedding anneversary etc in no time she is goin to want one of her own
FineItalianAutomobile Technology
pls don't see what i write , read what i mean
pls don't see what i write , read what i mean
- Europa
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 6:02 am
- Your car is a: 1983 Pininfarina Spidereuropa
- Location: Ft. Lauderdale
Re: welcome
Welcome to the forum. This site has been invaluable for me.
Trey, your tip is similar to my story. Except in my case, I was looking at a Victory or a Royal Enfield bike!htchevyii wrote: One more tip, when my Dad wanted to buy a sports car and my Mom wouldn't let him, he started threatening to buy a Harley Davidson. Suddenly the sports car seem like a good idea.
1983 Spidereuropa
Verde Scuro
Verde Scuro
Re: Hey!
Thanks for the warm welcome guys. I know I will be filling this board with some ridiculous questions for a while...but hopefully I will be able to pay back all the assistance in time. Thanks again.
Can't wait to pick up the car. I don't want to jinx myself...but it's set to be in the mid-80's and sunny all weekend. Thinking whether my first stop should be a local mechanic for a simple oil change/tune up just to be safe.
Can't wait to pick up the car. I don't want to jinx myself...but it's set to be in the mid-80's and sunny all weekend. Thinking whether my first stop should be a local mechanic for a simple oil change/tune up just to be safe.
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- Posts: 5754
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:49 am
- Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport
- Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Re: Hey!
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your purchase! Make sure you ask the PO about any previous maintenance. You may be lucky enough to not have to replace the timing belt any time soon.
1972 124 Spider (Don)
1971 124 Spider (Juan)
1986 Bertone X19 (Blue)
1978 124 Spider Lemons racer
1974 X19 SCCA racer (Paul)
2012 500 Prima Edizione #19 (Mini Rossa)
Ever changing count of parts cars....It's a disease!
1971 124 Spider (Juan)
1986 Bertone X19 (Blue)
1978 124 Spider Lemons racer
1974 X19 SCCA racer (Paul)
2012 500 Prima Edizione #19 (Mini Rossa)
Ever changing count of parts cars....It's a disease!
Re: Hey!
WOW!! Had the most fun in years this weekend. The weather was so perfect that I was too busy driving to remember to take a picture. The previous owner put on only 300 miles over the past 3 years and my wife and I basically put on that much this weekend alone. It is amazing how many people love these cars and nobody is short on compliments. Ahh...so nice to finally own one.