I don't know where to start

[leif-amber]

Here's my story, I bought a 73 fiat spider. I believe the engine size is 1600? from a junk yard that claimed it was totaled for 300 bucks without a title. I applied for a surety bond and got a bonded title from the state. My husband looked at the car and all that was mecahnicaly wrong with it was it was out of time and the brakes had been literally wore down to the point that the rear rotars were going to break in half at any time. The car kind of got put on the back burner for a while because I found out I was pregnant and a 2 seater convertible is not the kind of car you think often about taking a baby out in. Now I'm ready to get back to fixing it up (I'm tired of driving to work in the "family" car), but I have no idea where to start. The dash is cracked, the clear coat is peeling off the paint, theres a dent in the drivers rear side and the whole heater is missing, plus the car has sat in storage for 3 years and I feel really confident that that was not the best thing for the engine...any suggestions on what I should do first and anything in general about making it look great or where to find good replacement parts? The car is in really good shape considering where I bought it and I've seen some on the road that looked a lot worse.

[jacksplace]

Apparently you're bent on doing something with this machine but you didn't say if the engine starts and runs. If you haven't tried that yet, I'd suggest that you change the oil, drop A LITTLE Marvel Mystery Oil (or maybe WD-40) into each cylinder (through the spark plug holes) and see if it turns over. If it starts and runs then "Bob's your uncle". You've started to bring it back!

[jacksplace]

I guess I neglected to say that if it starts and runs then the next thing to do is to change all fluids.

[So Cal Mark]

Jack's right-see if the engine will turn over and start first. Then you can assess the rest of the drivetrain. If it starts, I'd run it on jackstands, through all of the gears and listen for noises and check for leaks. At the very least all of the rubber-belts, hoses, brake hoses and fluids should be replaced. Timing belts are important, you have an interference engine as well as the flex joint that attaches the driveshaft to the transmission.
If you're not familiar with the car, I'd suggest you buy a shop manual and read through it. For any car that has sat that long, you're going to have to service every system

[leif-amber]

it runs, we replaced all the plugs, wires etc. It does need the oil changed agian, but we have changed it now and then and started the car every few months.

[mbouse]

get it to run reliably, get it to stop effectively. get it to steer accurately. worry about how it sounds legally.

first safe, then reliable, then legal.

then and only then do you start worrying about how it looks and smells.

[leif-amber]

The engine sounds great, it shifts great (I was thrown for a loop with reverse after we got it, never had a car where you had to pick up on the shifter to go into reverse before). If it hasn't been started for a while its hard to start the first time, then does fine. We put new rear brake rotars on, turned the front, new pads, a new caliper, new brake master cylinder and new brake lines. Mechanically the car is great, its cosmetically that I need some help with. I want to do the work myself, but I don't know a thing about body work or painting. As for the dash, I'm trying to decide if I should replace the whole thing or try to cover it. The drivers side window is off track and I guess I'm going to have to take the door apart to fix it. The seats are perfect, the top is good to great condition (the handles are a little rusted), the door panels are perfect as is the carpet. The car is in good condition, but the things that need to be worked on are so overwhelming that I just don't know what to let a professional do for me or where to start on what I can do myself. Should I work on the inside or the outside first? Where can I buy something like a chilton's manuel?

[racydave]

you just need to spend a few hours with it every chance you get. Dont worry about appearances yet, you need some wheel time to sort out the mechanics. You could make do without a heater core and fab repairs to cowl, bypass hoses to heater. Find and repair your water leaks. Make sure all lights, horn, and wipers work. Have a qualified person check your ball joints and suspension. Inspect all rubber lines, hoses, belts, since rubber will deteriorate. Body work and paint are best left to an expert, the paint costs alot, Ill let a painter do it! {but I always help} most of all, enjoy your project.

[nickfury]

1973 very good year for the spider check and make shure the front end is sound ie. ball joints, steering arms, bushings etc etc I have just replaced much of the front end on my 80 spider it was very easy, also replaced the weel bearings while i was at it. I got all the parts from bruces for very reasonable price i felt!! thanks to the internet there is a very large fiat community and a deep pool of info on these beauties.
enjoy your 73
Dave

[Jim DeShon]

Sounds like you are making progress. It sounds in better shape than mine. My motor is in pieces and has been for years. Work keeps taking me away from the things I want to do [must do something about that] ! Don't get discouraged ! Just have fun with it and enjoy the time you have to do the things you love. ...J.D.

[Spyderbuddy]

just got the timing back in order and the rear brakes redone next is the front brakes got to put kits in the calipers. got the slotted and feodo brake pads to go all around car is running great and is still a joy to drive