New Fiat owner from Nova Scotia, Canada!

[mattysmith440]

Hi all. Picked up a 1975 Fiat Spider a couple months ago for $600. Has 94000 miles on it and was in "decent" shape. Wasn't running but apparently ran "a few months ago". Well a thorough cleaning of the tank, a new fuel filter, and some fresh gas and the old thing came to life! Let it run for a good 20 minutes, and seemed to run very smooth! Since then I have the thing Completely stripped. Gonna do a full on restoration. What are some upgrades you guys would consider for the fiat? I've got the fog lamp kit ordered to lose the front bumper, as well as a front spoiler, Timing belt and tensioner, new carpet, some rear wheel arches since that's the only bad spot on the car in terms of rust. I have a new complete engine gasket set. It is pretty stock as far as I can see. One thing I want to get rid of is the stock carb and the hideous air intake. Any thoughts on the gear reduction starters? The higher amp alternator? Fiat 500 front brake upgrade? Basically looking for info from you folks who have experimented with some upgrades, both performance and cosmetic ! Thanks guys and gals, and hello from the land of snow!

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! You will find plenty of knowledgeable and friendly people here.

Here is a thread on how to post pictures directly to the forum:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21014

And here is another picture-posting thread:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 12&t=23084

And here is a link to a map of Spider owner’s locations. Many forum members have listed their locations.

https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=191825

Pete

[baltobernie]

Hello Matty, and Welcome! Those of us south of the border remain grateful for your hospitality on 9/11.

Before you start your restoration, a thorough inspection underneath the body (and the dashboard ) is in order to realistically assess the condition of the car. Many, many times we see guys run out and buy wheels, tires, engine parts, etc. only to discover their car has fatal corrosion, massive electrical, or major powertrain issues. While we've seen TV shows where a rusted hulk is restored to glory, most of the time a Fiat Spider and a typical Spider owner are not candidates for such a resurrection.

Having passed this test, you'll then have to decide if you want to perform a "rolling restoration", where you get to drive the car in-between projects, or a full-on resto which does not. If you opt for the Rolling, I'd suggest you first address safety and reliability issues, which includes hoses and belts. If, for example, you decide to upgrade to bigger brakes one or two years from now, all you'll be discarding are some inexpensive brake hoses you've bought. A small price to pay for the joy of driving the car for two seasons.

Good "bang for buck" (leverage for Loonie?) performance items start with de-smogging, then proceed with intake/exhaust improvements. If you have an otherwise healthy engine (as determined by a cold and warm compression check), upgrading the exhaust to an early 4-2-1 manifold, and the intake to an early single-plane type + an aftermarket 32/36 carb will bring immediate and noticeable improvements. Of course this implies you have valves and ignition within spec.

I'd look at upgrading electrical items only if the OE components are failing. Bon chance

[mattysmith440]

Hey Bernie thanks for the reply! I actually have the car stripped already. Everything except suspension parts. I think Illucked out with a Fiat that was cared for. The wiring all seems to be in tact (I checked and made sure everything electrical worked while I had the car running) and the car has about a 1/4 inch of undercoating on it. Peeled some away and all checked out fine . There was a bit in the reach wheel arches but I have the replacement panels for them. I am definitely leaning towards the carb (maybe duals) and header and exhaust. Just want the thing to breathe better ! I've got the engine and everything else out of the engine bay, blasted it down to bare metal as someone had put a coat of black in there. It will be a full resto, not a rolling one. Wanna get it all done before I put it on the road! No corners will be cut. Going with a lot of new OEM parts. Where do you guys recommendbuying oparts? I haven't found a canadian dealer so I have been using international auto, Allison automotive, and Midwest bayless.

[baltobernie]

Must be the climate ... you Canuks have a propensity for Full restorations . Probably 'cause you can't drive Spiders for half the year!

The 32/36 will deliver very nearly the power of twin 40's on an otherwise stock motor, for a third the price. The dual manifold (known as a "waffle" manifold due to the casting marks) is made of Unobtanium; very pricey. In what condition is/was your engine? Are you planning on rebuilding the internals? I may be inviting flames, but the EFI 2-liter motor in later cars is a wonderful thing. Ditto the electronic ignition. Don't get me wrong; I too have a carb'd 1800, and it runs pretty well. DC Fiats sponsors several road runs every year, and apples-to-apples, the EFI 2L cars are noticeably quicker, as well as more comfortable in daily use. If you were stateside, it'd be a no-brainer; this motor is very plentiful. I'm just sayin' ...

I try and buy most of my parts from IAP, as they support our local club with events and giveaways. You should check with your countrymen to determine which vendor(s) they prefer. Duties and customs can be expensive.

[kilrwail]

Matt - Welcome to the forum and the addiction. I have used Vick, IAP and AutoRicambi, all of whom will ship via the postal service, to avoid the dreaded brokerage fees. Believe it or not, you can get some parts at NAPA, like brake pads, rebuilt calipers, ignition points, timing belts, etc.

And you should listen to Bernie - he knows his stuff!!

[4uall]

hello & welcome to the greatest place on earth

As a fellow Canadian I have used all of the vendors you have mentioned however, my personal favorite is http://www.autoricambi.us/ The key for me was to avoid the ridiculous custom & brokerage fees from UPS, PUROLATOR, FEDEX etc. I always use USPS and avoid these charges by indicating antique auto parts on the labels

If you ever need steel parts these Canadian guys come highly recommended http://alfaparts.net/fiatspider.html

I have also used good old Canadian Tire and found numerous Fiat parts

[mattysmith440]

Thanks again for the replies everyone , starting to fall for this site already ! And Bernie you are definitely right with the only being able to drive the spiders for half of the year, that's if we are lucky! I would say more like 4 months. As for the engine swap, I would definitely be looking into but just not yet, I will see how the 1800 runs before I decide to swap/rebuild. I do have the head off it and will be replacing most gaskets on it, but don't wanna dig too deep quite yet until I know how she runs! One thing I do want is better daily functioning tho, I don't want to spend 10 minutes trying to get the damn thing started every time Itake it for a run! II'm assuming the old carb that was on it has seen its day for sure, so I will be looking into the 32/36 option. One good thing is have tonnes of paperwork from the original owner who seemed to keep the thing well maintained. 4 oil changes per year, most only have 250-400 kms in between. As well as all receipts for regular maintenance work performed at a very reputable local auto shop "European Auto".
With the 5 orders I've receivedfrom the US so far Ive only had the luxury of paying duty fees once I will have a look at this autoricambi you guys speak of as I still have a lot to order for the ol girl.
I don't like to settle for anything that could look just a little better so here is a list of things I will be purchasing:

All new weather stripping throughout the entire car
New vinyl roof
New carb/carbs/chrome air filters
Tires/rims
Seatbelts
Wood dash panel kit/new clock
Header/exhaust
Fiat 500 brake conversion for the front
All new emblems/chrome bezels/side markers
Headlights/retaining rings/chrome rings/wire upgrade
Steering wheel
Both console covers
New dash or dash cover (anyone use the cover?)
Trunk carpet
Billet coolant reservoir
Windshield washer bag
Distributors less ignition
Lightweight starter
Higher amp alternator

I'm sure I could keep going, but you guys get the point. I want a beautiful, great functioning, reliable fiat.
I am going to try out this uploading pictures thing see if I can get a couple snaps up for you guys!
Have a good day everyone !

[baltobernie]

I've had good luck with a dash cover; just make sure you prep both surfaces with acetone and coarse sandpaper before final gluing.

The canvas convertible tops are a nice upgrade over vinyl, IMO.

[mattysmith440]

hey bernie, quick question, did a single plain intake come original on the 75? thats what is on mine now. or is there a difference between an older one and the one on mine? also the 4-2-1 header, would that be the abarth style black header and downpipe on autoricambi ? thanks again, and sorry for all the questions but this car is new to me as of now. hopefully soon enough ill be able to help answer question to the newbies!

[baltobernie]

I think 1975 might be too late for the single-plane manifold. Here's the definitive answer: http://files.meetup.com/533614/Artigue_FIAT_124_MM.pdf.

Regarding exhaust manifolds, I was speaking about the OE Fiat cast iron ones. Early Spiders had two cylinders each going into each of the downpipes. Later models dumped all cylinders together before proceeding to the twin downpipes. Spider exhaust possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Search the forum for ideas.

ps Your car may be the exception, but many Spiders have undergone multiple "restorations" throughout their lifetimes. Don't rely on Model Year to identify components; lots of cars have parts from different time periods.