Hi from Virginia

[davebdave]

Hi All,
We just acquired a 1971 124 Spider. The car belonged to a close friend (Luca) who completely dissembled the car in order to put it on a rotisserie for a show quality restoration. After tearing the car down he rebuilt the engine, re-did the Dash, and refurbished many random parts. Sadly he passed away far too young before he could finish it. I now have his 124 and plan to reassemble the car and have it professionally painted. I can do mechanical work but body work is out of my skillset. Fortunately the car has only a little rust on the rockers behind the outer trim pieces.

My wife Tee is from Italy, as was Luca, and we are Italian car enthusiasts. In addition to the 124 we have a 1966 Fiat 500, and a 2017 Fiat 500C Abarth.

I'll try to figure out how to post pictures,
Dave

[davebdave]

Here is the car when Luca picked it up



Here is Luca stripping the 124



Here is the Dash he re-covered, replaced the wood and custom cut aluminum bezels for the instruments



Here is the rebuilt engine



Here is the car the day we brought it home.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Where specifically in Northern VA are you? I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley area, but made it up to DC fairly often.

I'm looking forward to your pictures of where you pick things up from where Luca left off.

-Bryan

[2000spider]

Welcome I grew up in Alexandria, but moved out to wonderful Winchester years ago. No place better to drive with the top down, around the curved roads in the Valley. I have a 1981 2000, but in Alexandria I drove a 1972 850. My brother is still down that way has a 1979 124.

[Site Owner]

Just as a fun little FYI for you Virginia folks - Virginia is the home of this web site (and still is) The web site FiatSpider.com was "born" here in Virginia almost 24 years ago! It all started with the 1983 Pininfarina pictured in the header.

Evan

[davebdave]

Virginia site, that's cool. Feels like home already.

Dave

[SpiderParts]

Dave: Welcome back to the vintage side of DC Fiats--both you and Tee! If there is anything that Carl and I can do to extend Luca's vision for this car, let me know. John

[davebdave]

Dave: Welcome back to the vintage side of DC Fiats--both you and Tee! If there is anything that Carl and I can do to extend Luca's vision for this car, let me know. John

Thanks John, we are looking forward to bringing the car on a Fiat run in the not too distant future.

[riverdadd]

welcome.... central VA here.... near Natural Bridge... I have a few early parts cars ... let me know if I can help out

RD

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Hi RiverDadd,
I bought and sold a lot of Fiats where I grew up (Lexington) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, so who knows, maybe you have a Fiat that I had at one point, or vice versa. Most of my 124s were early to mid 1970s spiders and coupes.

-Bryan

[riverdadd]

hello 18... very well possible as my first car was an X.... that was where the small bore bug bit. Back in the day i would by 3 spiders for 500.... restore or part out. there was always a fiat in the penny saver ( pre internet). so really too many to count but at least 18!!

cheeers from VA.... we are prepping for remnants of Laura!!

[riverdadd]

I also had some 124 coupes, a 128 sedan or two, a 128 sport coupe, (that was a neat little car) even a Brava...back in the day!!


those 128 sedans would go thru anything. if only the tin worm wasn't so hungry!!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

cheeers from VA.... we are prepping for remnants of Laura!!

I don't know if you were around that area during Hurricane Camille in August 1969, but one of my first memories was of riding in the backseat of my dad's brand new '69 spider to see the flood damage. I grew up in that car, and it's the one I have to this day.

My brother (also in Lexington) also had a few Fiats, and I think most of them (or their parts) ended up with Midwest-Bayless in 2012.

-Bryan