New member from the Bay Area

[mtihc]

Hello everyone! Am just joining and wanted to say a quick hello from the San Francisco Bay Area. I own a 1977 Spider 124 and am looking forward to having some exterior restoration done soon. Looking forward to chatting with you all.

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! Love Palo Alto. Used to do business in Los Altos Hills, beautiful area.

[mtihc]

Thanks RRoller123! Yes it is beautiful here...great weather and nice neighborhoods. I just wish it wasn't so damn expensive!

[RRoller123]

It works in your favor if you have been there for a few decades like our rep was. He lived a few houses down from Carlos Santana.

[mtihc]

Wow! I was at a stop light next to Mark Zuckerberg once...does that count? Ha!

[RRoller123]

It all counts in cyberspace. True story though. He used to say that he could hear Carlos practicing once in awhile, although he tried to keep it down not to piss off the neighbors. Had cocktails there once and he said that Carlos was a really nice fellow. Good neighbor easy to get along with. Makes sense when you see interviews with him.

[steve8462]

i have heard that the "medical marijuana" helps to mellow the folks out there on the left coast.

[surfingfreeman]

Hi Mtihc
If you're in need of a good mechanic, there is Joe's Fiat in Redwood City been wrenching on them for 40-years and a very nice/funny guy, I recently had him do a full engine rebuild etc etc. I thought Carlos Santana lived in Mill Valley/Marin????

[RRoller123]

He may, I am going back well over a decade.... I am now long out of the Hi-Tech business. Our rep at the time was an ex-SF 49er, and man oh man did his card open doors for us. I never had so much fun in business as when we went West! Some times I really miss it.

[surfingfreeman]

Sounds like good times!

[mtihc]

surfing,

I've had my Spider for 10.5 years and Joe worked on my car several times. At one point a few years ago he seemed more interested in doing major repairs and restoration projects more than fixing some of the minor things I needed help with at the time. I agree that he did great work and was likeable, but I started going to Joe's Foreign Car for my repairs instead. Also in Redwood City on Woodside Road near the Atherton border. He does excellent work. He just rebuilt my transmission in June and I couldn't be happier with it. I'm surprised Joe's Fiat is still there. I remember him telling me several years ago--maybe in 03 or 04--that he was putting either the business or just the building itself up for sale. Is he still on...was it 5th in Redwood City?

[surfingfreeman]

How funny "2-Joe's" working on fiats in Redwood City. Glad to know there is another fiat mechanic in the area. Yeah Joe is still on 5th and very busy. Funny I drop by joe's all the time and he helps me with minor repairs "gratis", most recently my exhaust was falling apart and he would weld it up just to keep things together until my new system came from Mark Allison. I am 45 now and when I was 5 years old my dad had 2 fiats I only got mine a couple of years ago, anyways I have great memories of going with my dad down to Joe's. Glad to hear you had a good transmission rebuild.
Mike

[mtihc]

Mike,

I'm glad to hear Joe is still there in RWC. I think he was just encouraging me to do some work on my own--which I appreciate. At the time, though, I just needed it fixed and decided to go somewhere else where my money and business seemed more welcomed. Regardless, I would gladly go back to him if I needed to. Do you know if he does restoration work? It seems like I remember him saying he did, but I could be wrong. My '77 is WAY overdo for a paint job...time to get a few estimates.

Also, do you have any association with the Fiat America club based in Redwood City? I've looked at their website and Facebook page, but don't know much about it.