1970 Fiat Spider BS1 Restoration – 2005 -2011
Fiat Publicity photo
The 124 Sport Spider is a 2+2 convertible sport car that was marketed by
Fiat from 1966 to 1982. The bodies were made and assembled by Pininfarina
during the entire model run, from introduction at the November 1966 Turin
Auto Show. The majority of the cars were exported to the United States
however this was a rare european one. Introduced for 1967, the Sports Spider
and the Fiat 124 Coupé were related to the 124 saloon in name and through the
use of much of the mechanical running gear and, in the case of the Coupé, a
shared platform. However, the Sports Spider utilised a shorter platform along
with a shorter wheelbase. Fiat designed and manufactured the Coupé in-house
while the Spider's monocoque was designed and produced by Italian carozzeria
Pininfarina — at the time Pininfarina's most successful commercial venture.
The engine used in the Spider and Coupé was a double overhead cam, with an
aluminium cross flow head. It started in 1966 with a capacity of 1438 cc
progressively increasing to 1608 cc in 1970. This family of engines was designed
by ex-Ferrari chief engineer Aurelio Lampredi and in one form or another
remained in production into the 1990s giving it one of the longest production runs
in history. The double overhead cam version was the first mass manufactured
DOHC to utilise reinforced rubber timing belts, an innovation that would come into
nearly universal use in the decades after its introduction. Its family powered race
cars such as: FIAT 131 Mirafiori, Special T, Lancia Beta Montecarlo and Delta
Integrale1600 was powerful for its capacity at 108 hp.
The Suspension was conventional by unequal length wishbones and coil over damper
at the front and by coil sprung live rear axle at the rear which was located by a Panhard
rod and two pairs of forward extending radius rods to aid braking and acceleration
and to
control axle wind-up.
In 1969, the Spider was one of the few affordable cars with 4 wheel disk brakes,
double overhead cams, intermittent wipers, steering column mounted lighting controls,
radial ply tyres and a 5 speed manual transmission. Its convertible top could be raised
and locked in
place in 15 seconds.
An early special version was the group 3 124 Spider Abarth which incorporated
such
things as an independent rear axle, hard top, different seats, interior etc. and only came
in 3 colours.
1970 BS #021861 - #022588
Our car is one of 727 worldwide how many survive today?
The Restoration
What to do with a box of bits? A longstanding AM Cars customer brought us this Fiat
to have a look at. The car had been dismantled and hadn’t been on the road since 1979.
Whilst it is a little different to the usual Quattro restorations we agreed to take a look.
New front wings (made of three pieces)
Sending the shell to be shotblasted it revealed the extent or lack thereof of the Italian metal.
Shot blasting the floor reveals holes – lots of them
We then started to fit new floors, wings and doors.
Whilst a lot of work it demonstrates what can be achieved.
One floor in – Flintstone special at this stage
We put the body on its side to gain access to the floor
The body was then sent for preparation and painted a glorious Ferrari Yellow
The interior was retrimmed in leather, the hood in mohair, the dashboard in
wood and new chrome parts were imported from Germany for the exterior.
The mechanics, rebuilt engine and gearbox and rebuilt suspension where put
back in together with a new loom and period Blaupunkt stereo for that final touch.
Interior in progress
The car is now ready for many summers worth of motoring.
Just a sunny day needed for a photo!
More Images of the restoration
(click on image to enlarge)
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