1k: Saved From The Crusher: 1972 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
The Alfa Romeo…whoa…this isn’t an Alfa…this is a Fiat…right…the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was designed by Dutch-American designer Tom
Tjaarda and built by Pininfarina starting in 1966 and
ending in 1985. The 124 Spider was upgraded as the years went by for
performance, emissions, and safety, but
the same basic chassis, suspension, and engine was retained for the
entire lifespan. Today, a used 124 Spider is an affordable way to get
into an Italian car with a sweet sounding all-alloy DOHC engine mounted
up front. Find this 1972 Fiat 124 Sport Spider offered for $1499 at a junkyard in Sacramento, CA via craigslist.
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If you’ve ever considered buying a car from a a junkyard, it can be a dauting experience. Missing title and no keys are common, but today’s car adds a layer of crusted oxidation to the mix. This Fiat isn’t so much rusty, as it is rust.
The inside of this Spider is really chewed up and looks like its been home to a few critters over the years. It will need more than a good descuzzing to get it liveable, but with over 200k 124s produced you should be able to find parts (new or used). With any luck the 1.4 liter inline-4 cylinder engine will work to put out 90 horsepower without needing to be rebuilt.
See another pick from a pick-n-pull? tips@dailyturismo.com
This is the $500 parts car to go with the silver Spider from a couple of weeks ago.
There are not many of the small bumper 124 Sport Spiders around. This one is definitely a project – but appears to be a nice restoration candidate. As long as the shock towers are not damaged it would be worth the effort to restore this car instead of parting it out never to be seen again. There are plenty of parts for these cars available – Auto Ricambi, Midwest Bayless, International Auto Parts, Allison's Automotive, Spider Point, Vick's Auto Sports – to name a few. There is even a comprehensive forum for the 124/2000 Fiats – FiatSpider.com.
Dee Kay — I agree that this car looks to be restorable, and a lively enthusiast forum like fiatspider.com is key to picking the right vintage car for a project. Much more lively enthusiast base than say a Saab 99.
-Vince E-i-C.
If the doors open and close and can't be pulled up and down enough to break them off of rusted A-pillars then it's restorable, if you can't see through the floors or the trunk then it's economically restorable, it's the right year pre-bumper, pre-serious-smog, and for us Californians pre-1976.)