Fiat 850 Spider - Guigiaro/Bertone - thread

Very well could be, just stitched up different, makes sense considering the parts suppliers were busy with 100 Italian car companies . I don't know much about these seats, didn't even know of them until expertise here, apparently EXTREMELY rare.

Thankful for all of them too.

 

Thanks Mike,
She's parked next to my Ferrari in the stable but boy is she a blast to cruise around town.
Lots of thumbs up. I recently rewired the electrics now all of the gauges and signals all work.
Also, solved my fuel vapor lock issue by insulating the fuel lines and wrapping the headers.
Now she is very reliable. Thought I share that with another 850 lover.

Cheers and safe travels,

Mike
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What's not to love if you've got the drive part dialed in!

 

not the same...

 

Mang,

I love that particular Spider. Or hate it.... I'm not sure.

I had always been looking (although not that seriously) for a 67 since seeing a pic of one in R&T in the mid-80s. I finally found one for sale in the Spring of '15. I was tempted and kicking the idea around. Then I saw the build thread about "your" baby blue 850. I was hooked. So I bought the car and proceeded to 'restore' it.. its still on jackstands 8 months later and taking up space in our shop! The best laid plans....

When your car came up on BAT, I was surprised at what he was asking. It seems very low. A runner just sold on BAT a month before for $13K. I think you got an amazing deal. Also amazing are the comments in the BAT thread. Its hard to read many of the threads now as its the same "I had one 30 years ago" or "But a small block in it" comments over and over again.

Please post some more pics!

 

Post pics of your project too, they are appreciated for sure. So you've got a 'sealed' headlight version? This Fiat was an amazing deal, seller was a nice guy too - we ended up having mutual friends. I got a ton of spares too. Even an extra set of 'sealed' headlights...almost warrants restoring one when you have these. Miura restorers are free to purchase for Miura dollars . I have the front clip and hood, and spare motor, and...for another early car. I was fast and decisive when it showed on BAT and a glitch in his craigslist ad helped me too. I recognized the amazing value and didn't bust the guys nutz to beat on his are you kidding me price?

Like you, I also knew the car and reading the BAT comments just made it that much easier for me to buy it, I knew different. I should add, the seller was really 'hurt' by the comments and felt like it would prevent a sale. He had so much time, energy, money, and knowledge and LOVE in that orchestrated build. He felt crappy reading the comments knowing he had a cherry car. I told him I knew the car and I would be delighted to buy it immediately.
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Here is a pic of mine as it arrived.
But it did't steer very well. Or do anything else very well! Just looked cute. So I decided to rebuild the suspension and get the paint taken care of.

Well... I got sort of carried away! Other projects came up, carbon has been busy, and the 850 sort of has been pushed to the side. I couldn't get a time with the company that was going to strip it. Nor could we figure out how to move it (hint to others... don't take the suspension off a car you plan to paint!) so now it sits in the shop gathering boxes... not dust.... boxes!
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So much potential! The black/red car just sold for more than $16k on eBay, so there may be more incentive to get back on this? Here are some YouTube videos to motivate you.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=aLT0LYR55J0

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q1tGFRaInc4

 

This thread may cause me to have to sleep in the dog house. On a bit of a whim I picked up a 2012 Fiat 500 (not exactly a whim: I've had a motorcycle that I don't ride sitting in my garage for the past year. Seems like motorcycles are a bit like herpes: easy to get, difficult to get rid of. After no takers at a local dealer on consignment and a few failed offers online, I decided to trade it on a "pre loved" Fiat 500 sport/manual.) Now I've got the Fiat bug and am looking at older ones. Maybe an older 500, but the spiders are really calling...

 

I think we need a 850 Spider thread!

 

We've dabbled in the past with mention of these beautiful tiny Italian gems, to be fair, also commonly referred to as the 'crappiest' car ever

...but when they are dialed in and not stranding you, they are an absolute blast to drive around. Diminutive and elegant still.

I'll ask the mods to merge two prior threads that don't name these cars, but contain great information, then please bombard with story. Everyone owned one and had a love/hate relationship, right? Many have great girlfriend stories associated with these cars chicks dig em!

 

Threads merged to a new one!

Mike

 

Thanks Mike, already some good content from years past.

 

Mang,

With the merging of the threads, cool to see you posted the photo of what is now 'your' car two years ago!

As for why the Fiat project stalled, I sort of picked up a new obsession. The Fiat is 'hiding' to the right or the orange 280SL!
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After having looked for a '67 for so long and finding one, of course I kept doing my little google search and I quickly found another. Imagine that! This was a euro version due to the different turn signals. It was in Cleveland and the owner said it needed a new engine. And it was rust free! So I rolled the dice and bought it. Turns out the owner had not seen it since he left his parents house for school... twenty-five years ago. It was not rust free..... And it needed a bit more than the spare engine that came with the red car. So I put it on eBay and it sold to a buyer in Japan. I didn't quite break even. Last photo was sent buy the seller of how it sat in his mom's garage.
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Too bad about the rust, that yellow, that year, looks good. Good story!

The old content here is interesting. I never did acquire that car 2 years ago in the storage shed, ate the deposit. After I factored in clean up and towing, it was not worth it. 'My' car is also the one that got me. Pleased it found its way to me

 

Bertone did a 911 design. Looks like an enlarged version of the 850 spider.
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Indeed! I've known of both cars for a while but never put 2 and 2 together....

 

Those are Porsche 914 "gas burner" wheels?

 

One of my first cars was a Simca 1000 (actually 1200cc) and to my surprise discovered that it was a FIAT design that Simca bought.

Loved it.
Pete

 

Pretty sure they are. Makes sense as those wheels are the most 'Italian' looking of the Porsche lineup.

Looking at the details, this really is a 'Fiat 850 - extra large'...pretty cool. It is from 1966 - the design was new in small or extra large!

 

Was yours this 'fastback' style? Cool look. The 'square/box rear is sporty too.
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I wish. No it was just a boxy 4 door. But a lot of fun for a young driver at the time (now 30 years ago).
Pete

 

Blue
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One more
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