New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

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Raze

New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by Raze »

So this is my first post here, My name is Jeff and I'm a bit of a car nut, I frequent Grassroots Motorsports and Classic Mostorsports forums (how I got hooked on the idea of getting a Fiat). As such My buddies and I put together an 86 XR4Ti first as a GRM $2008 Challenge car and well we went overboard and kept going so now it's a dedicated track/autox toy. I think I can blame my entire car addiction on GRM/CM, their magazines don't help matters either as they're full of ideas anyone with a basic garage can do, such an enabler. Onto the story!

Well after looking for the better part of a year, and passing on an 850 which proved to be too much of a wreck and unsafe to dolly I was close to giving in when my wanted add on CL landed me an email from a father/son 72 Fiat Spider project who had bought and thought it was previously amateur restored 6 years ago. The transmission popped 4 years ago and it sat in their garage until last year when they put a reman in from IAP (got the paperwork $$$!). By this time though the son was in college, father didn't have the time to deal with it and wanted it gone, same sad story. I checked the engine it's a 125BC000 ~ 1608 with some sort of Weber, don't know yet as I'm still learning a lot about the mechanicals on this thing, feel free to chime in if you recognize it. The chrome bumpers were removed and the fascia filled and smoothed before the restoration respray (original color), but I have all the bumpers and they're really nice (no rust) for 38 year old's and the chrome is still good. I'm planning on putting them back on sometime down the road. I plan on a complete rewire and need to sort the miss but it runs and drives!. Anyway, time for some pics:

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Anyone know what type of wheels these are? They are at least 2 piece as those little black rivets are indeed real fasteners.
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As I dig into the car, I'm finding it's more original (good upkeep / garaged) and less restoration at least the body, the dash is custom and the header is an alfa romeo (or so I was told but don't recognize it), there is some rust in corners but minimal, but the underside has been under body coated at some point in life and the pans are fantastic. The only parts that need help are the bottoms of the door. I've only found about 4 spots of bondo and it was to fill dents, two of which were on the hood, no real rust repair.
Last edited by Raze on Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:55 pm, edited 5 times in total.
velozi

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by velozi »

Is that my car?!? I am also in Atlanta with a red Spider.

We'll need to meet up some day. Have fun with your project.
Raze

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by Raze »

I'd really like to bring it to a Cars and Coffee before this winter, we'll just have to see how it goes as far as engine work, plus I've got to keep the XR4 up for autoX
mdrburchette
Posts: 5754
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:49 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by mdrburchette »

Welcome fellow southerner and 72 Spider owner! Looks like you've got a nice car to start your obsession with. I hope you'll try to make it to the annual Italian Car Day in Atlanta. I believe it's held at the end of September. If I get my 72 cleaned up in time, I'd like to attend.
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!
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kmac33
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:19 am
Your car is a: 1974 Spider
Location: Lilburn/Stone Mountain Georgia

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by kmac33 »

Raze,
Welcome to the forum :!: Where in Atlanta are you located? I'm in Lilburn/Stone Mountain. I just finished a complete "nuts and bolts" restoration/resto-modding of my 74 Spider (yes it's red :roll: ), so am now pretty comfortable taking apart and putting back together every part of these great little cars. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need help with your project or want to see just how obsessed a Spider can make you (my restoration became a little extreme :) ).
Kevin McMullen

1974 Fiat Spider - Restoration Complete! But the mods/refinements continue
1980 Fiat Spider
2013 Subaru WRX
Raze

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by Raze »

I'm over in Dunwoody, my In-Laws are over in Stone Mtn, and I know a fella over there in Stone Mtn who's working on an 850 and a 500, I would actually be quite interested in seeing your car, I have some rust, mostly corners and edges, but the doors are going to need some help and while I have a welder I'm afraid all I've ever done is stick welding so this MIG has me a little nervous, especially since I haven't gone to a bottle yet, just flux cored wire which I'm pretty sure will be crap when doing sheet metal repairs. PM me when you get a chance, I won't be available the next couple weeks but my primary goal is to get this car running to the point I can take it up to Petit LeMans and then to Italian Car Day the first two weekends in October, it's got a misfire right now and it's down on power, but I don't know if the PO timed it right when the put on the new timing belt.

-Jeff
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ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by ga.spyder »

Hey Jeff,
Welcome to the forum.I live up in the Ga. mountains in Blairsville.There seem to be more and more of us showing up here! Dont go look at kmacs car.It will discourage you!! Seriously,he has a beautiful car.We have a lot of stuff planned for the next couple months.I'll contact you for a ride/picnic in the coming weels.
I am a big fan of CM/GRM myself.one of the editors,Andy Reid is a FLU member w/ a 69 Spider.I took him around the track in my car during the Mitty.I will be taking my car to Petit LeMans,see you there.
Craig
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !
md88plt
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:57 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider
Location: tennessee

Re: New to Fiats, 72 Spider in Atlanta...

Post by md88plt »

Welcome. My first Spider was a 72 and it was a great car. It even survive the rust recall by Fiat back in 1982.
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