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  • Exterior: Metallic Blue
  • Interior: Tan
  • Engine: 2.0 liter twin cam inline-4
  • Transmission: 5-speed manual
  • Mileage: 104,625 km (64,868 miles)
  • VIN: ZFAAS00B6C5001202
  • Price: SOLD
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1982 Fiat 124 Spider 2000

This is a solid low-mileage little injected Spider that was recently retired from daily driver status. It has been well-maintained and had lots of money spent on it, but it has some cosmetic and mechanical needs at this time. It's an ideal basis for a fun and doable project.

This car is in Oakland, CA.

The Model

The Fiat 124 is one of the all time great affordable sports cars. It has a perfect combination of a sophisticated but robust mechanical specification, Italian soul, and of course the timeless and beautiful Pininfarina styling. Parts availability remains extremely good, and the cars are a pleasure to drive. The specification is quite modern, with disc brakes all round, twin cam inline-4, and five speed gearbox. Later examples such as this one, are equipped with fuel injection.

History

This particular car is a four owner car and is owned by an enthusiast who has owned three Fiat 124 spiders before this one. The car was in Arizona for some time before coming to California in 2002 when its third owner purchased it. The third owner spent approximately $5800 on the car including rebuilt front suspension (upper and lower control arms and steering links), trailing arms, timing belt, tune up, front and rear wheel bearings, rear brake calipers, new clutch, new throttle cable, new canvas top, reupholstered center console, wood steering wheel, and burled walnut wood inserts. The current owner purchased the car in May of 2007 and used it on and off as a daily driver, accumulating about 5000 miles since then. She has continued to maintain it properly, including fitting a new gearbox, new muffler, new switches to actuate the fans, and much other work.

The car is fundamentally an unrestored 65,000 mile example that has seen some restorative work including new paint about ten years ago. It was originally sold in Canada so it is equipped with a metric speedometer so the indicated mileage of 104,630 is in kilometers. Its current owner has maintained it well, though it is currently offered as a project car because I believe it has a blown head gasket. It runs roughly when cold, but once up to temperature, the car operates well. It seems to be using coolant, and periodically runs hotter than normal. The current owner has too many cars (six) and would like to move on to something else rather than continuing to troubleshoot the periodic overheating.

Condition

Cosmetically, the car presents well but is showing its age in places. The paint job was a fairly good job and still has good luster, though there are a few dents about the car (see photos). The car is fundamentally and structurally rust-free; the only corrosion is surface corrosion around the dents etc. The body is straight. The top is a high quality canvas affair and the rear window is pretty clear (there are a few marks from the rear seats). The chrome has moderate pitting on the windscreen frame and light pitting and scratches on the bumpers. The rubber is in very good shape. The wheels are the original alloys and are in good shape with no curb rash, though they could stand to be repainted. The emblems on the wheels are in good shape, and the rear trunk badge is missing though a new one is included ??? The lights, glass, and lenses are in good shape.

Fiat interiors were never particularly durable, and this example shows various indications of wear throughout. The driver’s seat has a small hole in it, and the dashboard has a lot of cracks. The carpets are in good shape but are dirty. New visors have been fitted and are superb. The reupholstered center console is nice, and there is no radio. The replacement wood panel around the shifter is loose and shift boot has a hole in it. The dashboard lid also fell off, but is included with the car. The instruments are in good shape and function properly, with the exception of the clock. The clock keeps time but the adjuster knob is missing so you can’t change the time displayed. The other switches work properly, as do the various electrical systems including the lights and heater blower.

The engine compartment and trunk are both original and in fine unmolested shape. The engine compartment is dirty but would respond well to a bit of attention and detailing. The trunk is complete, with spare, full carpet set, and battery cover. The car also comes with tools in their original roll, top boot, service manual, and a few extra parts such as the quarter window handles (they have fallen off the windows as they seem to do in all Italian cars). The car also comes with maintenance records back to 2002, as well as its original keys.

The car is a pleasure to drive. It handles, runs, shifts, and stops beautifully. The engine still feels strong, and the car handles very well. It is wonderfully balanced and has a nice coherent feel that is difficult to find in 124’s, especially those that have been disassembled at some point, and then reassembled. The brakes are very strong, and the gearbox performs properly. It is an old open car, so there are some rattles.

This is an opportunity to acquire an excellent platform for a full restoration, or the car could simply be driven and restored along the way. Most importantly, the car is structurally sound and free of significant rust. Alternatively, the car could be used as a parts car, though I frankly am too attached to it and think it’s too nice for that. It has been enthusiastically owned, and properly maintained with less regard for cost than is usually accorded to these lovely but affordable little cars. This is a not a distress sale. I have done my best to represent the car honestly, but please contact me with questions and concerns.

Photos