I loved it so much that I got the idea that a brand new Spider would be even better and traded for a brand new light blue ’78. It was nice, but never seemed to take a wax shine like the ’75 and just never made me quite as happy as my “first love.” Go figure. Sold it before long.
Then life kicked in, but over the years I’ve owned more than I can remember, most of them being mid-70s. I even bought a used 131 once to pull the motor for my current Spider and dumped the rest of it in a field behind the house (who knew it would become such a rare species??)
Then there was a time that between a wife who felt I should drive something more family oriented and reliable, having a job truck, and kids I went for a long time without one.
Don’t remember what changed, but one day I realized what was missing in my life and the search was on. Since then, they’ve come and gone, but I’ve never been without one, even if it wasn’t driveable.
Right now I have seven Spiders and 2 Simcas (a whole ‘nuther story but Fiat connected). The breakdown is two ‘69s, two ‘77s, a ’78, ’79 and ’81. My “daily driver” is one of the ‘69s, a rusted out, noisy, smelly and sad representative of a proud Italian line, but it has been reliable for the past 3 years to always start and rarely strand me. It’s twin (both are French blue) is my current project (which will appear in a thread near you soon.) The white ’77 will run with a little coaxing and I thought it was going to be the next project but the brakes require a complete overhaul and the entire electrical system is non-functional. The ’78 is that beautiful dark maroon that has oxidized to looking brown now. It’s motor froze up after sitting for 3 years so it is currently out of the car and waiting for me to get the courage to attempt an actual motor rebuild. The blue ’77 is a repainted body without engine and tranny that I bought for 50 bucks and trailered home when selling a yellow ’78. The blue ’79 is a freebie that a guy gave away rather than see it go to the crusher. I only had to ask for it first and drive to Alabama to get it. Have no idea what it needs (other than to be pulled back out of the field and put under better cover.) And the ’81 was a project that got shelves when this guy decided old English cars were his new love. I bought it and a pick-up truck full of parts, including the rebuild FI engine, for $400 and a trip to Tulsa.
I have also accumulated lots of used, NOS and useless parts over the years and have stuff stacked to the ceiling out in an old barn that serves as garage, woodworking shop and storage.
What can I say? It’s an addiction. I would never consider myself a mechanic, but I have learned how to fix a lot of things thanks to this disease and am looking forward to learning much more.
Ok, time to head out to the garage and work on OK69 (the ’69 that I bought in Oklahoma).
Oh, me??? I’m getting to be an old fart at 55. I’m a born-n-bred Arkansas hillbilly living up the Ozarks (northwest Arkansas) and have met some really neat people in the Roamin’ Chariots club/group. Looking forward to seeing all of them again some day soon. And I almost made it to the midwest FreakOut a few years ago but my wife had to have her gall bladder taken out that weekend. (That was back when I had a wife.)
And now..... the herd:
My daily driver (it looks much better than it really is)
My dream project (about 98% original, thread coming soon)
first one I bought online and drove home (oh, the stories)
a guy said first responder could have it for free, only had to drive to Alabama and trailer it home (another story)
was my daily driver until the engine locked up on #2 & #3 (after extended storage)
the engine for this one is gathering dust in the barn, not comfortable with fuel injection yet
don't have a picture of the 7th one, but it's metallic blue with NO drivetrain
