1978 124 Spider general help needed

[kensmith]

I just purchased a 1978 124 Spider. I am looking at what I need to check mechanically. The car has 140,000 miles on it. The brake master cylinder leaks. The car seems to run good, shifts good with no grinding of gears. Steering is a little loose but goes straight without pulling. Slight shimmy above 30 MPH. Shocks? Probably bushings? It also needs a new vinyl top, any recommendations on where to get one? Also carpet kit? I'm sure I will be posting much more as I discover things as I am new to Fiat cars. So please be patient with my dumb questions. The car is a red-orange with tan or beige vinyl interior. It has a bad black vinyl top and I was thinking maybe a tan top to match the interior would be better? I also would need a tan boot to cover the top when down or do most not even use the boot? All electrical works other than the turn signals which I am guessing needs a new flasher or fuse. Thanks in advance for any help!

[So Cal Mark]

there are several suppliers of tops, boots and upholstery. You can do a search and find recommendations from various vendors. I've had good success with World Upholstery. A boot will cost as much as a top, but they sure give a nice finished look to the car.
Your shimmy is probably wheel balance if it occurs within a 10mph range.

[TulsaSpider]

Welcome! You have come to the right place! After that many miles and those many years. Most every system will need to be checked and probably replaced. Brakes, steering, hoses and belts. Timing belt is the most urgent unless you know for a fact it has been changed very recently. Make sure you do a good search on your issues there are lots of good posts from past problems. But don't be afraid to pose new questions! Post pics! !

[wikkid]

Welcome! There's a lot of info here and on the web generally for 124's, and if you spend a good few sessions searching, browsing and reading up on them, you'll get a good idea of the issues people have had to deal with.

[baltobernie]

The steering can be adjusted, and most aftermarket manuals give clear instructions on how to do this. You or your mechanic can/should go over all the suspension items to keep you from getting stranded, or worse. Remember tires on these cars often exceed their useful life with years, not tread depth.

If you're handy, you can make your own carpet set by using your existing pieces as templates. They are all flat pieces.

[kensmith]

I have seen some vinyl tops, boot, and carpet kits on Ebay for a very reasonable price. They are new and come with a 5 year warranty. Thoughts?