My new old Spider

[cartoonstrips]

Hello!
I brought home this 1976 Spider last week. The body is decent, the interior is quite nice - I'm happy with it.. except..

The previous owner's son was in the middle of putting in wiring for a stereo (power, speaker and component wiring going from front to back) (no, the stereo stuff was not included)
Anyways - some wiring is pulled out, some is disconnected - it's a mess that I need to figure out (I hope I can)
The key is busted off in the ignition switch.
The engine compartment has been tampered with recently - hopefully nothing serious, I need to see what's missing (I know the air cleaner box is gone)

Should be fun - hope I'm up to the challenge. I'd like to see if I can get the engine to run (at least to turn over at first), perhaps drive it for while before I really make a project out of it and attempt a restore.

I'm sure thankful for internet resources such as this forum and all the members.
Pictures here: http://www.cartoonstrips.com/spider1.htm

Jamie
http://www.cartoonstrips.com

[kilrwail]

Welcome to the forum Jamie. It looks as though you have most of the pieces necessary to build a whole Spider - especially a sense of humour! We will gladly help you with the rest if you like. Good luck and thanks for the early "before" shots.

[rlux4]

Hi Jamie, welcome to the forum.
If you haven't already done it, you're going to need some maintenance manuals. Brad Artigue has an excellent Fiat maintenance and modification manual he's put a lot of work into and make available to us for free here:
http://www.artigue.com/?page_id=30
He's got great wiring diagrams also, but I see that unfortunately for you 74-75-76 aren't among them.
Did you get this car on impulse, or is it something you've wanted for a while?
Ron

[NebraskaSpider]

heh...funny cartoons

[cartoonstrips]

Thanks for the welcome !
also thanks for the link to Brad Artigue's manual - I just printed it out (kinda messed up the printing - half the odd pages are upside down in my "manual")
My first urge to get a small car was a little over a year ago, at the grass strip where I keep my airplane, the owner of the hanger had a King Midget. By the time I got the bug to get it, it was already set to be auctioned off. I went to the auction with the means to pay up to $1200 - perhaps no-one else would want it and it'd go cheaper, I thought.
Before I could get my bidding card out of my pocket it was at $2800 already - and it ended up going for $3500 plus 10% buyer's premium.
I suppressed the small car bug until I ran across an ad for a MG Midget for $250 including trailer - I went to get it and found out I'd need a trailer to haul the trailer - my mistake.
Then I found this Spider on Craigslist, it was close enough to look at - so I did, and picked it up.
Now my small car bug is satisfied - I just need to do the work so I can drive this neat little car.
Since first looking into this Spider, I've learned to love the car and the history of it - and am going to be a very proud owner - Looking forward to driving it.
Thanks again,
Jamie.

[mbouse]

well, i think i know what you are doing this winter.

welcome to the site