Hey Guys!
I just got my first Fiat this past weekend! Purchased the car for weekend drives and for teaching my fiance to drive manual. It's a '77 Spider with the 1800. The car has 127,000 miles on it. I've posted some images from Photobucket-- you may have to click on them to get the full un-cropped version.
The car's in decent running shape, but will definitely need a little work here and there to be roadworthy. Right now it needs a brake fluid bleed and alignment. From what I've heard the brake bleed requires the suspension being loaded during the proceedure-- weird.
The headlights only work with the high-beams setting selected and the column lever pulled towards the driver-- so I'm guessing there's a short somewhere.
Rust on the frame is minimal, but there's quite a bit of rust on the doors. Luckily for me someone replaced all the interior leather and the wood trim and badges are in good shape.
Very excited to get her on the road and start doing some cruising! I'll likely focus exclusively on restoration at first-- but a set of high compression pistons, a hotter cam, and a better carb setup might be in the cards for the future.
The car seems to have been painted in the "adriatic blue" color.
Cheers!
New '77 Owner in DC Area
- 4uall
- Posts: 4145
- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
- Your car is a: 1980 Fiat Pininfarina Spider 2000 F.I.
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Hello & welcome to the greatest place on earth
Jay
Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE
https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6
FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY
Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE
https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6
FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY
- aevansgatech
- Posts: 346
- Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:51 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Nice find! I like the blue color and the interior looks great
1979 Spider 2000 (gone)
1984 Pininfarina Azzurra (for sale)
1982 Spider 2000 (here to stay)
1984 Pininfarina Azzurra (for sale)
1982 Spider 2000 (here to stay)
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Just a little advice, and by the way, if you resize the photobucket images to 700 X xxx or thereabouts they'll fit nicely.
Don't get carried away with pistons and stuff too quick. These are good little motors stock but your 77 was burdened with all sorts of smog gear and if it hasn't been removed yet that's where to start. Search the forum for suggestions "de-smog" and so forth. Big improvement for no $.
Next up is an early 4-2-1 header and downpipe. The original one on your car is very restrictive, the early one makes a big difference. I have a 76 and I can vouch for the boost.
Then look for a carb upgrade. I've got a 34 ADFA which is sweet, but there are other choices as well. Plenty of opinions and advice on here. Another simple and effective up grade.
If and when you do the clutch a lightened flywheel also makes a big improvement and they aren't expensive.
Before you start pouring $ into it check out the shock towers carefully for structural rust. Its the kiss of death so find out now rather than later.
Oh, unless your PO spent big bucks, your "leather" is vinyl. Looks really nice by the way.
Good luck and keep posting.
Don't get carried away with pistons and stuff too quick. These are good little motors stock but your 77 was burdened with all sorts of smog gear and if it hasn't been removed yet that's where to start. Search the forum for suggestions "de-smog" and so forth. Big improvement for no $.
Next up is an early 4-2-1 header and downpipe. The original one on your car is very restrictive, the early one makes a big difference. I have a 76 and I can vouch for the boost.
Then look for a carb upgrade. I've got a 34 ADFA which is sweet, but there are other choices as well. Plenty of opinions and advice on here. Another simple and effective up grade.
If and when you do the clutch a lightened flywheel also makes a big improvement and they aren't expensive.
Before you start pouring $ into it check out the shock towers carefully for structural rust. Its the kiss of death so find out now rather than later.
Oh, unless your PO spent big bucks, your "leather" is vinyl. Looks really nice by the way.
Good luck and keep posting.
-
- Patron 2020
- Posts: 3466
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
- Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
- Location: Baltimore, MD
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Hello and Welcome! Good advice from all of the Replies.
The DC area is home to the largest collection of Fiat Spiders outside of SoCal. You'll find dozens of owners at every event. For more info, including membership: http://www.dcfiats.org No secret handshake, no dues, just several hundred owners that love these exquisite little roadsters.
The DC area is home to the largest collection of Fiat Spiders outside of SoCal. You'll find dozens of owners at every event. For more info, including membership: http://www.dcfiats.org No secret handshake, no dues, just several hundred owners that love these exquisite little roadsters.
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Thanks, looking forward to it, this car's a total mystery to me at this point so I'll be relying on everyone's expertise!4uall wrote:Hello & welcome to the greatest place on earth
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Thanks! I think the color was a repaint, looks like there's an old layer underneath. Paint code is for "medium blue" but i think it's Fiat Adriatic Blue...aevansgatech wrote:Nice find! I like the blue color and the interior looks great
Interior is in great shape, all gauges work, original leather trime and wood in good shape, canvas top is redeemable... big surprise for a 38 yr old car!
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Cool, thanks!Exit98 wrote:Just a little advice, and by the way, if you resize the photobucket images to 700 X xxx or thereabouts they'll fit nicely.
Will do, from a brief visual look, I think the POs removed some already. It's a pre cat model but I noticed what looks l like a cat underneath... maybe a resonator tube?Exit98 wrote: Don't get carried away with pistons and stuff too quick. These are good little motors stock but your 77 was burdened with all sorts of smog gear and if it hasn't been removed yet that's where to start. Search the forum for suggestions "de-smog" and so forth. Big improvement for no $.
Ok, I had heard a lot of people switched to the later FI 4-2-1 and DP, the earlier downpipes are even better? Might do that this winter, the header is pretty darn rusty anyways.Exit98 wrote: Next up is an early 4-2-1 header and downpipe. The original one on your car is very restrictive, the early one makes a big difference. I have a 76 and I can vouch for the boost.
Will have to see which unit it has. I was thinking an A/F wideband sensor might be good for fine tuning... runs smooth but smells a little rich.Exit98 wrote: Then look for a carb upgrade. I've got a 34 ADFA which is sweet, but there are other choices as well. Plenty of opinions and advice on here. Another simple and effective up grade.
Haha, clutch is good now but I am planning on teaching my fiance to drive it, so hopefully she won't burn it out! I'm running a stage 3 unsprung clutch and lightweight flywheel in my DD, throttle response improvement was dramatic.Exit98 wrote: If and when you do the clutch a lightened flywheel also makes a big improvement and they aren't expensive.
Looks good there... little floorboard rust but not much otherwise, running boards and towers look good.Exit98 wrote: Before you start pouring $ into it check out the shock towers carefully for structural rust. Its the kiss of death so find out now rather than later.
It's real actually, I'm pretty sure. Smells good and good texture at least! Lucked out that the old owner spent some scratch.Exit98 wrote: Oh, unless your PO spent big bucks, your "leather" is vinyl. Looks really nice by the way.
[/quote]Exit98 wrote: Good luck and keep posting.
Will do, thanks for all the great info! Just bled the rear brakes this past weekend, PO had replaced but apparently didn't know the suspension had to be loaded to bleed em. He also replaced a ball joint on the front suspension. Alignment soon and then i should have her out on the road again!
Gonna get it to reliable driver status before doing anything too crazy, but i would like to eventually get it to 125+ at the crank, won't take much to have fun at 2200 lbs!
Last edited by InfinityAero on Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Funny you mention that, the car has a dcfiats.org sticker, so i won't even need to buy one looking forward to doing some club stuff, never had a car "cool" enough to have an associated owners club beforebaltobernie wrote:Hello and Welcome! Good advice from all of the Replies.
The DC area is home to the largest collection of Fiat Spiders outside of SoCal. You'll find dozens of owners at every event. For more info, including membership: http://www.dcfiats.org No secret handshake, no dues, just several hundred owners that love these exquisite little roadsters.
-
- Patron 2020
- Posts: 3466
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
- Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
- Location: Baltimore, MD
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
We always have a big turnout at the Rockville car show; usually 15-20 Spiders, coupes and sedans. October 17 this year.
Another popular event is the Crab Run, October 31 this year. Details for both on the web site. I hope to be far enough along with my suspension rebuild to attend both events.
Another popular event is the Crab Run, October 31 this year. Details for both on the web site. I hope to be far enough along with my suspension rebuild to attend both events.
Re: New '77 Owner in DC Area
Awesome, I hope to put about 500 miles on her before winter and a similar teardown, so hopefully I'll be able to make both!baltobernie wrote:We always have a big turnout at the Rockville car show; usually 15-20 Spiders, coupes and sedans. October 17 this year.
Another popular event is the Crab Run, October 31 this year. Details for both on the web site. I hope to be far enough along with my suspension rebuild to attend both events.