Hi guys,
Well... Today is officially day 1 of my Spider hunt!
I recently sold my summer toy (Mazda Rx-8) and am in need of a little bit of fun...
I was scouring through Kijiji ads, and saw a 1978 Spider, and have been on this forum ever since!
Today I'll be looking at a '78 and '79 spider...
CAR #1
The '78 -
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... 200124917#
Only issues he claims are:
1) Passenger side door became misaligned when his body shop guy re-welded the floor... Needs to be looked at
2) Interior needs a refresh
3) speedometer doesn't work
4) Reverse light cover is missing
Pro's:
1) Color combination I was looking for
2) Inspected, and has been driven quite regularly without issues
3) Quite a bit of money spent on making it reliable... Engine wise
When I asked the ever important rust question, he said ...
"No visible.. Since the repaint there hasn't been any bubbles, but there IS some body fill"
(Painted about 4 years ago)
CAR # 2
The '79 -
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z192438109
Only issues he claims:
1) Top is starting to get rough
2) Seats are both broken (the frames of the seats)
3) Not inspected... But will pass without question *apparently*
Pros:
1) PO owned a body shop... And apparently there is not even a SIGN of rust (we'll see!)
I'll be bringing a jack and stands, magnet, and a large flat headed screwdriver (Shock tower grime removal)
I've created a sort of 70 point inspection for Fiats, and will use that to base my decision
Feel free to comment, and wish me luck!
(Look forward to participating in the forums... The amount of information, and quality of people on this site is unmatched to any car forum with which I've ever participated!)
On the Hunt!
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billstyer
Re: On the Hunt!
Hi Swifty!
Welcome aboard! I would be a little suspicious of a car that had broken seats. Did they rust apart? If so, what happened to the floor pans? Since you've been here, you've probably figured out where to look for issues. Good luck in your search. Wishing you many happy years of driving and tinkering.
Welcome aboard! I would be a little suspicious of a car that had broken seats. Did they rust apart? If so, what happened to the floor pans? Since you've been here, you've probably figured out where to look for issues. Good luck in your search. Wishing you many happy years of driving and tinkering.
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narfire
- Posts: 3959
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
- Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
- Location: Naramata B.C.
Re: On the Hunt!
Hi there from the other side. Good luck in the hunt. These cars are fun to drive and easy to work on,plenty of parts and knowledge here to keep the car sorted. Both look good from the pics but if they were ever daily drivers,I understand Nova Scotia uses salt in the winter much like Vancouver used to, lift the carpets and poke around also the shock towers are susceptible to the salt/water mix.
Happy hunting let us know how it turns out.
Chris
Happy hunting let us know how it turns out.
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
-
NSDave
Re: On the Hunt!
Hi Swifty,
If you've been looking for awhile, you already know that both of those cars have been listed for quite some time... Owners may be ready to consider other 'reasonable offers'
. Joseph of European Auto (Bedford) may know of other local cars for sale.
Re. the seats...As bill mentioned, if they broke in large part because they were rusted, then they were wet. For a long time; means stored outside, leaky top, wet carpet, rusty floor. Have a good look, sounds like you've got a solid approach with your checklist.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Dave.
If you've been looking for awhile, you already know that both of those cars have been listed for quite some time... Owners may be ready to consider other 'reasonable offers'
. Joseph of European Auto (Bedford) may know of other local cars for sale. Re. the seats...As bill mentioned, if they broke in large part because they were rusted, then they were wet. For a long time; means stored outside, leaky top, wet carpet, rusty floor. Have a good look, sounds like you've got a solid approach with your checklist.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Dave.
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swifty2k
Re: On the Hunt!
Thanks for the comments!
Talked to Joseph from European Auto... He knows both cars quite well, and has given me some pointers
Dave,
Once I get something drivable, consider a road-trip a definite must!
Andrew
Talked to Joseph from European Auto... He knows both cars quite well, and has given me some pointers
Dave,
Once I get something drivable, consider a road-trip a definite must!
Andrew
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NSDave
Re: On the Hunt!
I'd like a good road trip too. A get together with other owners would be useful too, I don't know much about Spiders, or how an interior that's all together is supposed to look 
! Hardware for a boot cover? I don't even have a boot cover, what does the hardware do 
?
Best of luck,
Dave.
! Hardware for a boot cover? I don't even have a boot cover, what does the hardware do ?Best of luck,
Dave.
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swifty2k
Re: On the Hunt!
Gentlemen,
A great experience yesterday... Three very different owners, and three very different cars.
(Photos to come!)
The first car I saw was a last minute thing... The well respected Fiat mechanic told me about another car for sale in the area I was shopping, so I had a look.
Unfortunately, the owner didn't have time to 'prep' the car for summer (we spoke about an hour before I arrived)...
So the car wouldn't start, and it was parked in a dark, underground storage space.
Which is a shame, because the car looked (Remember - Dark) like a decent car... It fuel injected, and apparently the motor ran quite well...
Unfortunately, I couldn't make out the rust patches, or hear the engine run (Dark, and a no start) ... So that car is out of the running
for now
The second car I saw was the green Fiat
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z192438109
This thing was a true Canadian car... ergo - rust
The floor had a hole, the fenders were toast, the hood and trunk were beginning to go... Lots and lots of it!
The interior was finished. The seats were not only turned a little into the middle, but you could have tea with the passenger on the center console... They were THAT bad.
The top needed replacement, the car was smoking like a chimney, oil everywhere....
Not for me
Finally (And after about 5 hours of driving)...
I saw the 78' with the heart transplant
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z200124917
Certainly the best of the three...
The rust was limited to a minimal amount around the wheel arches, a couple paint bubbles, and the classic strips of cracked paint between the rear of the top, and the trunk... Floors had been redone, some cut and re-weld on the body (to be expected), and finally a 4 year old paint job... That looked quite good
The top was new, and the interior was decent... Definitely workable
The only issues here, are when the new top was installed, the boot cover doesn't exactly sit right... The top almost doesn't sit low enough for the boot cover to completely sit.
Interior needs a new piece of wood over the console.. But really, minor stuff
The engine ran really well, and pulled decently (From my limited experience)
Transmission had no pops (see- Fourth gear issues) and provided smooth shifts.
Something of concern was a slight whine in the rear end...
It wasn't incredibly loud, so I'm uncertain if its the whine people mention quite frequently, but compared to old datsuns, etc... It had a bit of a whine
As I drove it, it seemed to fade away... Although that could certainly be my ears getting accustomed to the noise.
Things broken or not working:
Washer pump
Radio (lots of static)
Right rear reverse light bulb and cover
Please feel free to provide questions, concerns, and comments!
Photos to arrive later today...
(Thinking of putting an offer on the third one)
A great experience yesterday... Three very different owners, and three very different cars.
(Photos to come!)
The first car I saw was a last minute thing... The well respected Fiat mechanic told me about another car for sale in the area I was shopping, so I had a look.
Unfortunately, the owner didn't have time to 'prep' the car for summer (we spoke about an hour before I arrived)...
So the car wouldn't start, and it was parked in a dark, underground storage space.
Which is a shame, because the car looked (Remember - Dark) like a decent car... It fuel injected, and apparently the motor ran quite well...
Unfortunately, I couldn't make out the rust patches, or hear the engine run (Dark, and a no start) ... So that car is out of the running
for now
The second car I saw was the green Fiat
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z192438109
This thing was a true Canadian car... ergo - rust
The floor had a hole, the fenders were toast, the hood and trunk were beginning to go... Lots and lots of it!
The interior was finished. The seats were not only turned a little into the middle, but you could have tea with the passenger on the center console... They were THAT bad.
The top needed replacement, the car was smoking like a chimney, oil everywhere....
Not for me
Finally (And after about 5 hours of driving)...
I saw the 78' with the heart transplant
http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z200124917
Certainly the best of the three...
The rust was limited to a minimal amount around the wheel arches, a couple paint bubbles, and the classic strips of cracked paint between the rear of the top, and the trunk... Floors had been redone, some cut and re-weld on the body (to be expected), and finally a 4 year old paint job... That looked quite good
The top was new, and the interior was decent... Definitely workable
The only issues here, are when the new top was installed, the boot cover doesn't exactly sit right... The top almost doesn't sit low enough for the boot cover to completely sit.
Interior needs a new piece of wood over the console.. But really, minor stuff
The engine ran really well, and pulled decently (From my limited experience)
Transmission had no pops (see- Fourth gear issues) and provided smooth shifts.
Something of concern was a slight whine in the rear end...
It wasn't incredibly loud, so I'm uncertain if its the whine people mention quite frequently, but compared to old datsuns, etc... It had a bit of a whine
As I drove it, it seemed to fade away... Although that could certainly be my ears getting accustomed to the noise.
Things broken or not working:
Washer pump
Radio (lots of static)
Right rear reverse light bulb and cover
Please feel free to provide questions, concerns, and comments!
Photos to arrive later today...
(Thinking of putting an offer on the third one)
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MNspiderman
Re: On the Hunt!
jack up the side of the car and see how the door opens and closes. That should tell you "sorta" how soft the frame is.
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narfire
- Posts: 3959
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
- Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
- Location: Naramata B.C.
Re: On the Hunt!
Whine in the rear might just be U-joints. Was there any "clunk" at start up?
If the other cars have been on the market for a bit,perhaps give the FI fellow a chance to get the car sorted or at least get it out to some natural light. Might be something simple to get it running,but then again if its been sitting for awhile the fuel tank could be rusted and that will pooch the fuel pump quickly.
Good luck
If the other cars have been on the market for a bit,perhaps give the FI fellow a chance to get the car sorted or at least get it out to some natural light. Might be something simple to get it running,but then again if its been sitting for awhile the fuel tank could be rusted and that will pooch the fuel pump quickly.
Good luck
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
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swifty2k
Re: On the Hunt!
No clunk at start up...
It started cold without hesitation, and I restarted it a few times once warm with the same results
It started cold without hesitation, and I restarted it a few times once warm with the same results
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swifty2k
Re: On the Hunt!
Here are a few photos depicting some of the issues on the third car:
This is visible on both sides... (Two of the three cars I looked at had this issue)
Rust bubbles
Electrical cables to no where
The reverse light cover and bulb
Again, any enlightenment to these issues will be greatly appreciated!
This is visible on both sides... (Two of the three cars I looked at had this issue)
Rust bubbles
Electrical cables to no where
The reverse light cover and bulb
Again, any enlightenment to these issues will be greatly appreciated!
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narfire
- Posts: 3959
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
- Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
- Location: Naramata B.C.
Re: On the Hunt!
I might have a rear lens as may others on the forum. Parts are generally not an issue. Rust bubbles... if just bubbles,again grind.. prep and paint. Wires to no where.. not sure about that one any relays in the area not hooked up? The crack at the seam.. mine has that as well,but not quite as bad. I believe Jim up in Campbell River had used a type of paint that had some flexibility in it,if thats the right description, and filled in that point and hopefully won't be an issue. I guess thats the 78 you looked at. Any word on the FI closer to home? Any car in that price range will have issues,just depends how handy you are and the time factor..
Good luck
Good luck
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
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swifty2k
Re: On the Hunt!
I can be handy... I've got a nice, large garage... Fully outfitted
But really I'm looking for something I can daily drive until winter, and throw some work into it then
But really I'm looking for something I can daily drive until winter, and throw some work into it then
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2ndwind
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:17 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider
- Location: Cincinnati OH
Re: On the Hunt!
Swifty,
Excellent research thus far. I have more than just cracks between the top and trunk. Mine are more like open wounds but the rest of the body has a few minor bubbles and the chassis is solid. I too bought a driver to tinker with occasionally. The white one seems pretty good. I would encourage looking, again, at the one that didn't start, as suggested already. I hope your check list includes a receipt for recent timing belt change and for transmission rubber donut change. Carry on, you are making great progress.
Excellent research thus far. I have more than just cracks between the top and trunk. Mine are more like open wounds but the rest of the body has a few minor bubbles and the chassis is solid. I too bought a driver to tinker with occasionally. The white one seems pretty good. I would encourage looking, again, at the one that didn't start, as suggested already. I hope your check list includes a receipt for recent timing belt change and for transmission rubber donut change. Carry on, you are making great progress.
Steve
1982 Red Spider 2000
1919 Old Town Sailing Canoe
1982 Red Spider 2000
1919 Old Town Sailing Canoe