New to the Forum - Old to Fiats!

[Martin124]

Hello to all. I joined the Forum a couple of days ago and thanks to RRoller123 I am now able to upload some pics.

My wife and I have recently bought our Spider from my sister who has owned it for the past six years. It really should have been mine in the first place! I mean, after all, I found it for sale, and simply because she had the money to buy it and I didn't, meant that I had to wait all this time! As the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait, and it is finally mine. Sorry, OURS.

Around 12 years ago, the car had been carefully restored locally as a Father and Son project. The work that Doug and Wayne put into it has proven the test of time. The car is still going strong, paint work is good apart from a few stone chips on the bonnet (also known as a hood) and the interior is still immaculate. They had found it for sale at the side of the road shortly after being imported from the US. The importer had used it as "filler" for a shipping container of Mustang parts and didn't particularly want the car. I have come to know Doug and Wayne quite well over the years and I know that every part of the car was meticulously reconditioned.

I have had a long standing affair with Fiats. I'm not sure how it started, but the Spider is my fourth Fiat. I started with a BC 124 Coupe when I was 21, then a CC 124 Coupe at 26 and have owned an X1/9 for the past 10 years. The Spider is the pinnacle of these but I still love my X1/9!

Today the weather was kind to us at last (we are just coming into Spring) and we were able to take the Spider out for a spin. Just fantastic!!

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! I too loved my 79' X1/9. Actually the best car I ever owned. Seriously.

[Exit98]

Wow, she's a beauty.

I thought you maybe reversed the negative but googling Balgownie Estate revealed that you hail from the land of Oz. Have you been to the Grand Prix in Melbourne?

So what's the panel under the instruments and steering wheel? Also the custom console looks very nice.

[Martin124]

Thanks for the comments. I chose the interior pic of the car for the novelty value of having the steering wheel on the other side! It looks perfectly normal to me of course.

I went to a practice day at the Melbourne Grand Prix a few years ago. There really is nothing like the sound of F1. I try to get to a legendary race in Australia each year at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. The main race these days is for Aussie V8s but there are some sensational support races of historic cars and GT class cars. It's a great event where we can camp out at the track and be in the thick of it all. The start and finish are at the base of a mountain so the drivers are either climbing or descending. It needs to be seen to be believed - video doesn't really do it justice but have a look at this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGnc8meASEQ

The panel under the steering wheel is for the ignition and the choke knob. I think it has come from an Australian delivered 124 Coupe (Spiders weren't offered by Fiat in Australia). I'm not sure what you mean about the custom console as I didn't do the original restoration of the car. I'll have to ask Doug about that.