I put myself back in.
After my 1980 CS2 SCCA E Prepared spider rusted out in the late '90s, I moved on, not really thinking about Fiats at all until I stopped at my local new Fiat dealer. They had an original condition '82 on the showroom floor, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.
You know what happened next, right?

So I'm now the semi-proud, semi- disgusted with myself owner of a 1982 CS2 with FI. It's a one owner, almost completely rust free, straight body with an excellent interior and worn out running gear. The throw out bearing is clicking madly, although the P.O. says the clutch was changed 30k ago, the exhaust smells of blowby, and the cam covers are weeping.
Here's the thing. I like the twincam motor. Set up correctly, it's a beautiful thing to listen to it sing as it rips up to 8000 rpm. But I keep asking myself if it's worth all of the headaches to do a stock rebuild and keep it as original as possible. I have two other viable options.
A) Stick a JDM motor and trans in it. The Honda S2000 has a wonderful 4 cylinder, rear drive configuration making somewhere in the 240 hp range. Customization and install would be a pita, but no more than a rebuild, and fairly comparable in price to a modded fiat twincam with high compression pistons, cams, valves, springs, performance clutch, etc. For comparison, I can get a JDM setup including a running motor with fuel injection, alternator, starter, computers, wiring, sensors, and fuse box for about $3500. I figure another $500 for install parts, and maybe $500 for exhaust, radiator, etc.
B) Go electric. This is getting out of my realm of expertise, but it seems fairly straightforward, if more expensive than the other options, and I do have a friend who works on electric railway cars ( light rail), who says he can do it.
C) Find good running gear (probably from this forum), drop it in, and go. This is the cheapest option, obviously, but it leaves me trusting the P.O. As to condition, etc., and it also leaves me with 30 year old parts and technology.
Any opinions?

A and B will be giving you headaches for a long time, while C gets you on the road quickly and relatively cheaply. If you're not happy with performance, the stock engine can be improved without going insane.

True, but C leaves me with those famous Italian quality parts, that famous Italian engineering, and that 1960s tech.
My '80 was a built 2 liter, 10.5/1, big valves w/ springs, 40/80/80/40 cams, dual weber 40 IDFs, cut springs, Konis, welded 4.30 rear, bumper delete. I still have my 24" extension for reaching the top trans bolts, hell, I still have the competizione hood with the functional hood scoops where the blisters are. I used to be able to pull and replace a motor in 8 hours from running to running. I know these cars. That's a big reason why I'm considering updating the running gear.

Option C is the way to go in my opinion. You may want to consider converting to carbs to impove sound and performance if you want to wind her up to 8000 RPMs Option A. - The S2000 motor or any other powerful JD motor put in the car will require many more dollars to work out all the bugs. For example, you will need a new rear end to handle the added HP. FIAT never intended for an 82' differential to handle that power. The frame will need to be re-enforced to handle the increased HP. Break out your wallet as the number of tweaks to get a modern engine and transmission functioning properly in a Spider may not end for some time. Option C. - I like the idea of an electric car conversion and it does seem to be a pretty straightforward process to complete. I've given this some consideration over the years. However, you will have no real driving range for a fun day out on a drive and you will no longer hear that wonderful sound from the twin cam engine.

I'm not a very good mechanic as i often learn from my mistakes and move forward. However, these engines are pretty durable. Your going to have 30 year old parts all over the car unless you do a complete re-design of all mechanicals. If you are more gifted than me you would find it a lot easier to pull the engine and transmission out. Ship the transmission off for a quality rebuild. Check out your pistons, rings, cylinders/walls, ect to see if a parcial or full rebuild is needed. I still think you are looking at $3K to $4K or more. I know a guy in San Antonio (not me) that is selling a rebuilt 79 on craigs list that needs some work to complete. You may be able to get it at a good price point less salvage value and have what you need to complete the 82 in good form without all the cash. In many cases a whole runnings car can be purchased for under a couple thousand dollars for donor parts.

Well, Option A is out, or at least will need a different donor if I elect to go that way. I went to pick up a transmission and clutch from an ad in the classifieds here, (Thanks, Kevin!) and found out that he is neck deep in a Honda S2000 to spider swap, and is having major clearance problems.

2500diesel wrote: A) Stick a JDM motor and trans in it. The Honda S2000 has a wonderful 4 cylinder, rear drive configuration making somewhere in the 240 hp range. Customization and install would be a pita, but no more than a rebuild, and fairly comparable in price to a modded fiat twincam with high compression pistons, cams, valves, springs, performance clutch, etc. For comparison, I can get a JDM setup including a running motor with fuel injection, alternator, starter, computers, wiring, sensors, and fuse box for about $3500. I figure another $500 for install parts, and maybe $500 for exhaust, radiator, etc.
B) Go electric. This is getting out of my realm of expertise, but it seems fairly straightforward, if more expensive than the other options, and I do have a friend who works on electric railway cars ( light rail), who says he can do it.
C) Find good running gear (probably from this forum), drop it in, and go. This is the cheapest option, obviously, but it leaves me trusting the P.O. As to condition, etc., and it also leaves me with 30 year old parts and technology.
Any opinions?

As far as Option A is concerned, consider a Nissan SR20DE. It's a terrific engine (I've had a Sentra SE-R since 1993 and know them well) that is much less expensive than an S2000 motor. It's also tunable for another 20-30hp at relatively small expense, and SR20VE variants come with around 190hp out of the box, though all those are FWD. Most of them are FWD but I believe (not certain) a FWD block can be used in a RWD app, though some accessories like the distributor will have to come from a RWD motor. And in any event RWD SR20DETs are not too hard to fine, though their popularity with dorifto types makes them more expensive. You can use a gearbox from a '90s 240SX, though at typical power putputs the OE Spider gearbox may work fine.

David

Some good points made here, especially about the rest of the car being 30+ years old.
David, if I was to put in a non Fiat motor, I would do it for maintenance and reliability reasons as well as (Since I'm doing it anyway,) more power. That means a distributorless ignition, coil on plug, fuel injected, computer controlled motor. Also, if I was going to the trouble to adapt a FWD motor to a rear drive car, I'd use a Toyota setup, a mid 2000's Corolla or Echo. The 1.5l in the Echo is rated 108hp, the 2.0l in the spider: 102.
Right now, I'm going to throw this '77 transmission and clutch in, and drive it. Once I see how that engine performs, I'll have a better idea of what to do. I think the biggest time suck will be having the flywheel resurfaced. I'll pull it this weekend, and send it out to the machine shop on Monday.

So the trans is out. Covered in motor oil and with the input shaft bearings so far gone the shaft was actually wobbling. The clutch actually didn't look bad at all, but I have the new parts, no reason not to use them. I'll get the flywheel off to the machine shop in the morning, and get a new bearing for the end of the crankshaft ordered. The replacement trans, hereafter called the "new" trans, is from a '77, and has the sending unit that the '82 trans is missing, so I'll tie it up out of the way. New seals went on the new trans without issues, so next weekend or the following, I should have it back together.
Of course, the more you look, the more you find, right? Although the four flex lines to the calipers have been replaced, I think that and the tires are the only rubber on the car that's not original. The lines from the reservoir to the master cylinder are rock hard, and the fuel lines in the engine bay, the under spaces, and the trunk are all the original braided hose. Obviously it all has to go before the car goes on the road. Still, I have to admit that it felt good pulling that transmission, brought back a lot of memories.

2500diesel wrote:So the trans is out./so next weekend or the following, I should have it back together.
.

RIIIIIIGGGGHHHTT !!!
So, best laid plans, and all of that trite garbage. Actually, I'm not all that far behind, tha trans is ready to go back, as soon as the correct new pilot bearing arrives. The incorrect bearing goes back to M.B. tomorrow (sigh). It was on the schedule for this weekend, but that's life. In the meantime, I've replaced all of the fuel lines from tank to fuel rail, and put a new rear main seal in.
As things have worked out, option C is the way to play this one. I have enough FIAT parts I never got around to throwing away (including an old 2.0 complete motor), that I'd be foolish not to use what I have, and this car has a higher value if I stay original than if I resto-mod it.

Thanks to Midwest Bayless for saving my weekend!
They had sent the wrong pilot bearing, and I thought I would have to delay the trans reinstall for another time, but they overnighted the new part (At no charge) so I can get it back together this weekend if it doesn't rain and no one has any emergencies.

So Friday afternoon I set out to install the new transmission.
LOL

I had seen that the pilot bearing in the end of the crank was slightly off square, cocked, if you will, and I believe that this is what killed the trans bearings. The PO (Also the OO, Original Owner), told me he had changed the clutch "About 30,000 miles ago", and the old clutch is in great condition, which would lend credence to his comment.
So, job one; remove the old pilot bearing. I used a slide hammer with a puller jaw bolted to it, got the edge of the jaw through the center hole in the bearing, and commenced to smackin' that thang! Eventually, it gave up.
Okay, new bearing has been in the freezer for a few hours, see if it'll pop in.
Nope.
Big socket and a dead blow hammer?
Nope
It just kept going in crooked, so I stuck the bearing back in the freezer, and had dinner.

Saturday morning, I commenced to work on an idea I had the night before. I went out to the shop, grabbed a 6" long, 3" thick piece of wood (Cherry, if it matters.) centered it on the wood lathe, and made myself a bearing installation tool. Nothing fancy, just cut one end down to the thickness of the inner race of the bearing, and put a flat shoulder on the cut end to cushion the bearing. This kept the tool centered on the bearing, and let me really whack the sh*t out of it without worrying about deforming the bearing.
Went right in. BOOYAH!
Next; the new clutch. I had a buddy coming over to help with the trans install (Hi Dave!), but he had been delayed due to a low tire on his Ducati, so I ran some errands, and grabbed B'fast.

So, clutch.
Open the boxes of new clutch parts and . . . umm, where's the clutch centering tool?

So.
Three auto parts stores and a flea market later, I set out to make my own clutch centering tool.
Once again, I fire up the wood lathe. Love that frickin' thing!
This time, I used a piece of 1" whitewood dowel rod. Whitewood is very soft, like Poplar, or Aspen. I turned down one end to the diameter of the inside of the pilot bearing, and turned the section behind that to the diameter of the clutch plat hole. I used the old pilot bearing, and old clutch plate as a template. Since Whitewood is soft, I was even able to pound it through the old clutch plate and groove the wood.
A bit of adjusting, and a few test fits, and Bob's your uncle, one clutch centering tool.
Worked a treat.
Then; disaster!

Well, ok, maybe not disaster, but the final hitch in the day. I had been replacing all of the rubber lines under the hood, fuel, vacuum, brake, and had intended to replace the rubber line from the heater pipe to the intake heater for the F.I. during the week, figuring that the access would be better from below. However, I dropped the ball and forgot it til the last minute.
So I pulled the old line, forgetting to drain the coolant, and, well, when it was all over, the area under the car had to be hosed off, and I needed a shower.
Got the line in.
So I called it a day. Our neighborhood puts on a party at the local church every year, sort of a combination bake sale, block party, and dance club, so I consoled myself with cotton candy and cupcakes.

So. The trans is in, all hooked up, and working, as far as I can test it. See, when I replaced the brake reservoir hoses, and filled the reservoir, only to have the master cylinder leak. Badly.
Since I couldn't take it out, I backed it up, ran it forward, seems to work.
Since this is the first time I've had it running long enough to heat it up, I let it run to operating temps, so I could see what needs doing before I get too deep into it. So far;
The short t-stat hose leaks, the exhaust gasket has failed, and is bubbling and smoking, the radiator looks like it's going to start whistling like a teakettle, the master cylinder has failed, and the center brake line at the splitter needs replacement.
So far.