Prospective owner need mechanic

[Surfbeamer]

Hi. i am a potential future owner ... living in Southern Cal. i would like a 1974 Spider but it seems more economical to enter with the more common smog year models >1975. Any recommendations on a Fiat mechanic that can do a mechanical / smog inspection on 1977-78 Spiders in Corona, California area.
Id like them to tell me where the engine/ smog issues are and what it takes to fix $$$.
What should I expect to pay for this inspection?
Thanks,

[johndemar]

This sites moderator, Mark Allison, can't be much more than 20 miles from you.

[calvinconrad]

Allison Automotive is in upland. pretty close to you.

[Surfbeamer]

Great to know. Thanks for the info.

[Surfbeamer]

As a follow up, i would like opinions on the car I am considering buying. Here are the details:

1978 Fiat 124 Spider

The very good:
body, no rust on frame, in trunks or on body (one dollar size rust thru in drive floor pan at drain), doors/windows/trunk mechanical, electrical , top and cover, oil and radiator fluid, brakes, engine (no obvious noise, even cylindr compression at 130 to 140 psi), radiator.

The good:
paint (fading but will paint anyway), seats, drives straight and smooth. Pretty clean engine bay.

The bad:
1. Stock carburetor is in the trunk, new carburetor is not the right one. High idle, 5 hoses not connected - no place on new carb. Think I will start by rebuilding old carb. I am going to need help figuring where the new hoses go.
2. Rides like a boat, excessive softness over speed bumps and seems to have excessive body roll. Steering is a much heavier than a 1981 spider i test drove. Probably shocks, then maybe springs.
3. I live in CA, and Im nervous about smog ... Probably needs a new catalytic converter. Dont get me wrong living in CA is also the very best .
4. The radiator fan didnt come on. I switched the wires to the temperature sensors on top of the engine and that seemed to work. Inexpensive sensor replacement.
5. Tires showing cracks. New set alround
6. Muffler hanging low, actually worn half of rear passenger side brake cable away. If new cat is needed will have shop raise muffler.

The ugly:
The paint color
Door panels were cheaply recovered. Maybe something to salvage underneath.
Cheap tan carpet job. No or inadequate floor carpet backing or what ever its called.
Drive front bumper is slighly compressed. need new rubber. also bumper sits 2 inch closer to body, need to figure out if I can pull out or if I need to replace the absorber.
Dash cracked
Console cracked and damaged
Lousy lap seatbelts, need to find original style replacement. No shoulder guide for seat belts.
Seats cheaply recovered. Should this car have an adjustable heat rest, its recovered as just one piece.
No signs or rear seat belts ... Not sure it there should be.
All door seals and winsow seals are deteriorating

Will thats about it. Aparently a 2 owner car. originally brown, then red and now awful lol. The price is right and I can do most of the work, just a little worried about CA smog.

Let me know if you have any words of wisdom.

Thanks

[dmwhiteoak]

If the funding allows, find the one that does not need so much and that you fall in love with. Unless you get it real cheap and have already fallen for it.

[Surfbeamer]

I should proof read ... sorry for all the typos ... fat finger and all haha.

I love the Fiat 124 Spiders and this one has great potential ... Price will be well under $1k. I believe all the "ugly" things I mentioned are cosmetic and fixable. Im excite to repaint it ... I like the stock Fiat orange color. I know a painter and shop and I can do the prep myself, so a $3k job will be <$1k. The engine seems strong and I should be able to fix how it rides. Also this will just be to cruise around my beach town. BTW, forgot to mention it has 92k miles, not low but not very high. The big X factor is smog ... Im prepared to put in a new carb and CAT, perhaps a few emission sensors and valves, but if it need a new or rebuilt engine I will probably regret buying.
Just the parts on the car are worth what I will have into it for smog .... i wont invest till its passes smog. No good having a pretty car if you cant drive it
All-in I figure the car without the upholtry improvements will be $3k, probably another $1k to $1.5k for interior upgrade. The upside is it will be done the way I like and Know what has been done. I plan on keeping in the garage too.

[baltobernie]

... The big X factor is smog ...

All the more reason to check with Mark. Most of the smog pieces are NLA. He has salvage items and CARB equipment.

I agree with you that the items you've described are all fixable. Most everywhere else, we've got rust and corrosion problems to contend with. The wallowing you mention does concern me; usually it's the other way 'round, with the shocks freezing up. Make sure there's nothing structural amiss. You should be able to place a floor jack at the pinch weld midway between the axles and jack the entire side of the car up with the door still able to open and close. These are tough little cars, but the bits you can't see can kill the deal, not to mention you.

There's an absolutely original early orange Spider in your neighborhood that will make you weep. Still has the dealer license frame

Some owners of "big bumper" Spiders intentionally collapse the struts to move the bumpers closer to the body for appearance purposes.

There's a guy in NJ who has crafted a nifty harness strap cage. I'll PM you details.