Possible purchase

[StarckMad]

I'm looking at purchasing a 1974 Spider. It's a local SoCal car. I'm looking at it on Saturday. Owner says the ignition switch problem is what caused it to be put out of service. Any suggestions as I look at it will be much appreciated! I'm looking at this as a project to learn more about restoring cars. Thanks!

[baltobernie]

http://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/buyspid.html

http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/200 ... uide1.html

[StarckMad]

Thanks balto! Read both articles and now feel better armed. Thumbs up!

[RRoller123]

The ignition switch is common wear failure part, and as long as it didn't lead to a bunch of burned wiring downstream, it is a pretty easy part to replace, and parts are readily available!

[phaetn]

Rust is the enemy. Almost everything else can be fixed with enough time, effort, and a few $, apart from a bent unibody. Look for rust on the shock towers, especially, as that's a stress point, as well as the rocker panels (prevents the car from sagging), floorboards, etc. Check the usual stuff: brakes, shifting ok (doesn't pop out of gear), engine ok. It's normal that you'll see some oil around, but you don't want it burning a lot (some puffs of blue smoke are common under certain conditions) or burning coolant.

If it is a fixer upper, it's not free to get parts, but they are plentiful from a few key suppliers and are much more reasonably priced than buying components for a new car. You can do many things yourself if you're willing to learn and get your hands dirty and have time and patience.

I have a '74 myself -- a great year: last of the small bumpers and first with the 1800 engine with a 4-2-1 header and single plane intake. It really has all the right bits. It's also easier to work in the engine bay than in later years once they start adding more emissions stuff and fuel injection. It's not as big as the 2.0L but it's easy to add more power if you want it.

Good luck and feel free to post some pics.

Cheers,
phaetn