On Fri, 5 Oct 2001 20:41:34 -0500 "Max Wellhouse" <maxjoyce@ipa.net> writes:
> = Stan: My dad liked wieerd foreign cars up in Iowa while I was growing
> up.&= nbsp; I
> remember one of those cars you described, but I thought it was
> called an
> Isetta. His was a late 50's or early 60's= model.
>
> Max
> ----- Original Message -----
> = From: "Stan Wilder" <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
> To: <<= A href="mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM">vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>=
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 1:19 PM
> Subject: Re: Any Fiat Spider= owners out there?
>
>
> > Way back in 1965 I had a = Fiat. It was the one that had the front
> and only
> > door that = swung out in front of the car. The steering column swung
> out
> >= ; when the door opened. It had narrow rear wheels. It was a real
> neat
> > little vehicle. I made a nifty profit when I sold it, got= it for
> $35.00
> > sold it for $50.00 the same week.
>= >
> > Stan Wilder
> >
> > On Fri, 5 Oct 2001= 12:57:47 -0400 The Bus Depot
> <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
> &= gt; writes:
> > > 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.&= nbsp; (Of course, the fact that I got the car for
> practically
> &= gt; > 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
&= gt; > > need the
> > > features of my Westy or my Crew Cab.&= nbsp; 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
> &= gt; > 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.
> > >
&= gt; > > - Ron Salmon
> > > The Bus Depot, Inc.> > > (215) 234-VWVW
> > > www.busdepot.com
> > >> > ________________________________________________________________
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>
>