I'm the proud owner of a derelict 1981 Fiat 124 Sport Spider (Pininfarina).
I'm relatively young (28 years old), and definitely new to the Fiat scene. My grandfather had three things that he loved - his beige 1951 VW Beetle, his red 1976 Fiat 124 Spider, and my grandmother. I'd like to restore a Fiat Spider in his memory.
I took a quick video of it when I bought it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE0u6bN41rg
- Engine runs well (no smoke, sounds smooth)
- Brakes are shot (needs calipers, pads, brake lines, master cylinder, rotors)
- Body needs lots of work - rust around the rear wheelwells, paint looks like the Salt Flats
- Interior needs lots of work - scuffed seats, no rear seatbelts, dash is chewed up
- Electricals are all corroded
- Tires are cracked to all hell... I'm surprised it still holds air.
- Ignition doesn't work, there's a set of wires that I click together to get it to start.
- Gauges don't quite work - speedo is stuck at 7mph, gas gauge flips from 50% to 0% to 50% every second
- Steering wheel is crooked
- Some missing fuses
My goal for 2011 is to get it up and running 100%, to the point that I'd be confident enough to drive it 900 miles to my parents' place to show my Dad. Pure function, no aesthetics.
My goal for 2012 is to restore it 100%, inside and out (repainted, upholstered, shiny).
As for my capabilities/knowledge:
Strengths:
- I've built a Subaru engine from the bearing races up to the full assembled engine, and have experience with suspension and alignment.
- I'm an Industrial Designer by profession, so I expect to fabricate custom parts for this Fiat if necessary.
Weaknesses:
- I am starting from scratch when it comes to anything electrical.
- I don't know the first thing about bodywork.
- I'm quite intimidated by brakes (which according to Murphy's Law, means that yes, brakes were the first things to go on this Fiat).
I'm looking forward to perusing the website, and asking questions only when I can't find answers in the compendium of knowledge that you guys have accumulated over the years. I know my way around car forums so don't worry - I won't ask questions that have already been asked before.
Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Cheers
