Shop Manual for 1978 Spider

[cdnclipper]

Hello Fellow Fiat Enthusiast,

I live in (Langley) Vancouver, Canada. I picked up a 1978 Fiat Spider last weekend. The body is in pretty good shape; mechanically there are a few issues. It has high CO readings ( 2.55% driving =F ; 2.3% idle =P) F= failing Aircare; a horn that randomly honks and a cooling system that needs a burp.

The question; Can anyone recommend a good shop manual for an empty nest mid life determined apprentice mechanic???
Should my wife be contacting her long lost uncle who used to work for Fiat in Torino, Italy??
Are the shop manuals on cd any good?
The more pictures, drawings, step by step the better.

Great Site,

Love My Fiat

[mbouse]

hey, i'd love to try a manual on CD. if anyone has any experience with those... give a shout.

I personally prefer the Brooklands and the reproduction Fiat shop manual that IAP sells. i also recommend not settling for just one manual, since not one will be explicitly clear in all areas.

if you wife has an uncle, on the other hand, that contact would be great to make as well..

[cdnclipper]

Hi Mike,

Manual came in mail today and will make for some easy reading.

Thanks for everyone and their posts... learning lots/ very informative.

Langley Cruise-In this weekend, check out the site its' a big event North of the Pacific Northwest.

http://www.langleycruise-in.com/

It needs spiders.

Clipper

[cutchaguy]

Welcome in! I have looked at Clymers and Brooklands shop manuals. This novice really likes the Brooksland manual as well. I got mine from Powell's bookstore in Portland, OR. The have an online sales site and it got to me in good time.

[rlux4]

Howdy Clipper, welcome to the forum. Don't hesitate to come to the aggregate knowledge available here on the forum. You'll find plenty of people who are willing to help when they can. A really good knowledge of our cars comes from three fronts: the forum, the manuals, and doing the work ourselves on the cars. Good luck with yours.
Ron