Date:         Fri, 5 Oct 2001 13:19:28 -0700
Reply-To:     Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Any Fiat Spider owners out there?
Comments: To: vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Very cool. I had one which chronically smoked from bad rings. No matter what
the bad people say, these can be very reliable cars. Like an old Audi 4000
or 5000, the engine will last forever, but all of the stuff around it has a
tendency to go bad. If you build the engine right and take care of the 1-2
upshift (don't hurt the syncros) the driveline will last a very long time.
Also, two points of clarification-- the FIAT is not the same as the Alfa
Romeo Spider. Two completely different cars. And it sounds like the minicar
was an Isetta/BMW. A nice one will cost you $5000 these days.

Daniel Snow
PhD Student
UC Berkeley

'82 Vanagon Diesel
'78 Puch Maxi Luxe Moped
'72 Motobecane Mobylette Moped
'01 Xootr Scooter



>From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Any Fiat Spider owners out there?
>Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 12:57:47 -0400
>
>I recently traded a used Bus engine for a '76 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible
>(also sold as an Alfa Romeo Spider).  Yes, I guess I'm a glutton for
>punishment.  But after having VW busses as my daily drivers for years, the
>prospect of owning a car that could actually get out of its own way (almost
>as much horsepower as a Westy and 1/4 the weight) was a lure too great to
>pass up.  (Of course, the fact that I got the car for practically nothing
>didn't hurt either!) So it's not going to replace my VW's but will
>certainly
>be a neat toy to tool around in for short trips, etc. when I don't need the
>features of my Westy or my Crew Cab.  Boy is it fun to drive!
>
>I was surprised, upon discovering a Fiat BBS, to notice some contributors
>who were also VW enthusaists; I even recognized a couple of customers of
>mine!. There are indeed some similarities between the vehicles. Generally
>low parts prices;  widespread part interchangeability between models/years;
>few local parts or repair specialists, hence heavy reliance on the
>internet;
>quirky design (i.e. rear-engined Fiats, or even air-cooled older ones);
>quirky operation (the heater controls on the Spider are as
>counter-intuitive
>as the ones on my Vanagon!).  Of course, many differences too.
>
>Since there were Vanagon owners on the Fiat board, I wonder if there are
>any
>Fiat owners on the Vanagon list - in particular, listmembers who either
>have
>used Spider parts or know of a local junkyard that does.  I would be
>particularly interested in trading either new VW parts, or a credit at The
>Bus Depot, for used Fiat parts that I may need.
>
>- Ron Salmon
>   The Bus Depot, Inc.
>   (215) 234-VWVW
>   www.busdepot.com


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