New guy seeking info & guidance

[psylens]

Hello,
I just bought a '79 spider - it is my second one: i had one in '88 that i loved and always wanted to get another. I finally found one that i could afford, but it needs a lot of attention. It's got doors from another year (not sure which, but definitely earlier) but they mostly work. Fortunately the engine runs well, tranny shifts fine, body seems pretty straight and i have found no cancerous rust anywhere. The previous guy welded in new rear wheel wells to get rid of what little rust it had.

It needs a paint job, and lots of interior work, and probably some tightening of mechanical things here and there (i hear some noises that mostly sound like something loose). I've been poking around this site for a few weeks since before i bought this one, just reading up on interesting threads. I do have some questions about random things, like what should the interior look like with all the proper panels and do-dads that go into it. What are good, inexpensive seats i can put in this... what's the best way to repair/replace cracked dash and console and so on... I'm not looking to restore it to original condition, just get it all tight and clean and something my wife will be proud to take a sunday drive with me in - without breaking the bank.

Anyways - thanks to all who put time into this - this is a great resource.

Jesse

[NJFIAT1981]

Hi Jesse,
Welcome to the site
Something sounds loose? Get that bad boy up on a lift and find out what it is before you go tooling around. What does the noise sound like and where is it coming from? If you post pics I'm sure there are plenty of people here that will point you in the right direction. Check in the parts for sale section for needed interior parts. Good luck, George

[swede]

Maybe this local guy can help you. . . . .
Pics utside his workshop: http://fiatclassicclub.se/forums/album.php?albumid=31

Aspen Import Auto
1707 W. Baltic Place
Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-934-8679/800-FIAT-911
Fax: 303-934-2849

[mdrburchette]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Many people have had good luck with dash caps. They are the inexpensive way of tidying up the dash and console. If you post questions in the appropriate sections, you'll get all the help you need. Some don't visit the introduction section and your questions may be able to help others.

[psylens]

Interesting - I had my spider towed there this afternoon after having a failure this morning. He suspects my oil pump failed due to the oil pan getting banged, and oil didn't get to... the 4th cylinder rod, or something like that. He seems like a good guy - been working on these things almost 40 years. I am sure he will point out any obvious deficiencies while working on it and getting a good chance to look at the undersides. I'll have to rummage around his yard at some point to see what i can get to improve my interior.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Maybe this local guy can help you. . . . .
Pics utside his workshop: http://fiatclassicclub.se/forums/album.php?albumid=31

Aspen Import Auto
1707 W. Baltic Place
Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-934-8679/800-FIAT-911
Fax: 303-934-2849

[psylens]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Many people have had good luck with dash caps. They are the inexpensive way of tidying up the dash and console. If you post questions in the appropriate sections, you'll get all the help you need. Some don't visit the introduction section and your questions may be able to help others.

I've heard about these dash cover things that are super easy to install, but haven't found them. I'll keep digging and post in the right sections if i can't find them.

Thanks!