New Spider Owner

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radgator1

New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

Hello all, I recently bought a 1980 FI Fiat Spider project car. Bought it sight unseen on EBay (which is probably never a good idea LOL) and haven't even gotten it shipped yet. Still working out the details but it looks like the owner is probably going to drop it at my place on his way to pick up another car he bought. I have a couple pics I'll try to link. I don't know much about the car other than that it has 113,000 miles and suposedly was previously well cared for but then just sat for a few years. It has a some rust and will need some work on the interior as well.

The car reportedly was running and had good and equal compression in all 4 but now isn't starting due to possible old gas or maybe fuel pump problem. Owner also stated that when it was running it got up to 195 and fan didn't kick in so it looks like that is another item that is going to need to be addressed.

Anyway, just wanted to stop in and say hi. I'm sure I'll be on quite a bit looking for info and help like most newbies. Glad to be here :D

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Foster48x

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by Foster48x »

Looks like you picked up one of the best year spiders available, the 80 FI :D ! Welcome to the site!

Rick
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by rlux4 »

Hi, welcome to the forum.
If the car still won't start after you clean out the fuel system, check back here for help diagnosing what the problem may be with the L-Jetronic FI system. If you're not familiar with it, it can be a little intimidating, but it's really not all that complicated. I'm assuming that the system is unfamiliar to you, as it was with most of us who now own a FI Spider. There are a couple of components that are tied in with the fuel pump's running, so let us know how it goes after you get the car.
Congratulations!
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
User avatar
ITA124
Posts: 128
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:51 am
Your car is a: 1976 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by ITA124 »

Looks like a non turbo version of one of our Australian members.

What do you think adrians?
Paul


Fiat 124 Spider (Big Red Car. So my son tells me)
Toyota Corolla AE86 (Fiat as a daily driver? Not)
Fiat 128 Rally (Why did I sell this car?)
Fiat 124 AC (An iron ore waffle shaped like a 124. Donated to Sims)
Fiat 128 SL (First fiat)
ROOK1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by ROOK1 »

Welcome! Post some better pics (w/o shutter) when you get the car in your possession and tell us a little about you. There is a lot of support here and many people are willing to make house calls if you are in the same area. Good luck with the new purchase.
NJFIAT1981
Posts: 1490
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:55 am
Your car is a: 1970 SPIDER AND A 1976 SPIDER
Location: New Jersey

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by NJFIAT1981 »

Nice pics. Where are you located? Welcome to the site
CarlosJavier

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by CarlosJavier »

Awesome colors, both interior and exterior. Hope you get it running soon.
radgator1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

Hi all, thanks for the welcoming words. I'm in SoCal in Glendora. I'm a pretty inexperienced home mechanic but have a good space to work in and a decent set of tools. I'm sure I'll be looking for help once I get the car. I have some more pics that he emailed to me but not sure how to get those on the site. I suppose I need to download them to my computer then host them somewhere, then link them. I'll try later. They do show some rust on the very lowest portion of the driver door and on the driver's side rear panal at the junction with the trunk lid. I looks like surface rust mostly. Are these common places for rust?

On a much more distressing note, I haven't heard from the seller in a couple of days which is making me nervous, especially since he has the car and my 500.00 deposit :evil: How hard is it to drop a 30 second email? He has a 100% EBay rating so it seems unlikely that there is a problem but the fact that he isn't replying to email and it was a PO Box I sent the deposit to has me really uneasy.
salspaugh1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by salspaugh1 »

Stay on top of the seller. Don't let this one get away. Hope you have his phone number. I would be calling every hour until I get a response. Welcome to the world of Spiders.


Steve Alspaugh
1981 Spider 2000
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by rlux4 »

Hey, you're right in the middle of the Fiat hot spot! When we meet up for runs it's usually in or near your area. Mark Allison has his shop close to you in Upland. Here's his website;
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/
A while back a few of us met at Steve Eubank's (Fiasco) in Glendora to help him do an engine swap.
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Sure hope it works out getting your car.
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
radgator1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

salspaugh1 wrote:Stay on top of the seller. Don't let this one get away. Hope you have his phone number. I would be calling every hour until I get a response. Welcome to the world of Spiders.


Steve Alspaugh
1981 Spider 2000
Thanks Steve, yeah I got his Ph# but he wasn't answering yesterday. Hopefully he's just out of town or something, but I can't help but worry that he got a better offer from someone local since I know he had it listed there as well. I came in at his full Buy It Now price of 800.00 because it looked like a pretty good deal. I'll keep this thread updated. The sad thing is you are right about not letting this one get away, because if I don't get this car I probably wont get a Spider for a long long time. It was kind of an impulse buy and there aren't many I have found on the west coast for this price in this condition. Hell, I haven't even told the wife I bought it yet but figure there is no point until I am sure everything is okay. Don't need that kind of nagging about getting scammed on EBay LOL.
radgator1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

rlux4 wrote:Hey, you're right in the middle of the Fiat hot spot! When we meet up for runs it's usually in or near your area. Mark Allison has his shop close to you in Upland. Here's his website;
http://www.allisonsautomotive.com/
A while back a few of us met at Steve Eubank's (Fiasco) in Glendora to help him do an engine swap.
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Sure hope it works out getting your car.
Ron
Hi Ron, nice pic!!

I found Steve's email address from the FLU website and sent him an email which he replied to promptly. He told me about totaling his spider which was a drag but also told me about the great local members and about Allisons shop. My house is just a few blocks and a short walk from Steve's.

Well, I need to go try calling the seller. This really ruined my weekend. I don't know why so many EBayers are like this. Biggest gripe has to be lack of communication assuming I haven't been burned, which I still think is the case since he seemed to be on the up and up when I talked to him before and he does have 100% feedback as Buyer and Seller. It would be just my luck that I would be the transaction that he decided to screw the pooch on :lol:
radgator1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

Just called and no answer but then he called me back so everything looks fine!! He just runs a little slower up there in Washington. He hasn't even gone to his PO Box yet to get the deposit money. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better. But there still is the issue of telling the wife I bought another project car (I have a Classic Mini I'm working on as well) so I'm not completely off the hook yet :shock:
Foster48x

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by Foster48x »

Good luck with the wife and glad to hear everything worked out with the seller.

Rick
radgator1

Re: New Spider Owner

Post by radgator1 »

I feel like I'm overspamming my own thread but I got the new pics so thought I'd post them up. Any comment on how bad the rust looks and what I'm looking at to get her is presentable condition would be appreciated. Anyone recognize these AM wheels? Cheap chinese cast I suppose but I like the spoke pattern. Hows the trunk look? Is that JVC amp an After Market addition?

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