UK - Classic Cars Magazine June 2008

[jasongibson]

Oooh there seems to be a certain Fiat Spider featured in this months issue


Here's a few pics from the photo shoot

[ga.spyder]

WOW that is a beautiful car! I would think that is a pretty rare example?I see the 'hood bumps' on there.Was that standard on the early model euro spec cars ,or was it a modification? Nice work!!
Craig

[jasongibson]

WOW that is a beautiful car! I would think that is a pretty rare example?I see the 'hood bumps' on there.Was that standard on the early model euro spec cars ,or was it a modification? Nice work!!
Craig

Thanks, it's a 1973 CS but has a euro spec 1800 engine

they were indeed std then, I love the smaller bumps
Anymore than a handfull is a waste

[mdrburchette]

1973 was the first year for the bumps on the hood. That is a beautiful example! I'm surprised it doesn't sport dual carbs. I think the difference between the US and Euro cars were the side parking lamps on the front being round and completely gone in the rear.

[rlux4]

It may be a black car, but all I saw was green!(envy, that is). If I could only convince my wife of the investment potential of making my car look that good.
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

that is one gorgeous car!

[pope]

The wind resistance on those license plates have got to give you poor gas milage. I can read those numbers from america!
Just kiddin'.
That is one beautiful example of a Spider. Bravo.

[mbouse]

very nice... very, very nice

[spiderrey]

first off, more then a hand full is not a waste. thats an old wives tale. secondly, 73 was the first year for that hood in the U S A. i actually bought a 71 euro model at one of the first best of france and italy shows. it had that hood. i think it had it because of the dual 40 idf,s under the hood. i could be wrong on the reason because i put a flat hood on it and it cleared the carb set up

[mdrburchette]

You're right, Rey. I should have specified USA spec car. It would be nice to know the other changes there were for US vs Euro, especially on the 1608. Did they have beefier cams for the dual carbs?

[spiderrey]

i heard somewhere, someone campared the two and found them identical. and they figured the diff cas in the timing on the cam wheels. means nothing, just what i heard. the only other difference i recall is the smaller front side marker lights and lack of rear side markers.

[baltobernie]

The USA cars have all-amber front parking/signal lenses, and my '73 has front & rear bumperettes. It also has rectangular openings in the grille v. round, but who knows, maybe this is just another mishmash.

A gorgeous car, Jason. Looking at yours, I'm glad I took the time to shave the side markers (she goes to paint 13 May, if my arm doesn't fall off first)

Speaking of the UK, there's a very complimentary article describing the resurgence of Fiat in this weeks' Economist

[perthling]

I believe the 1756 US engines ran different pistons which changed (reduced) the compression ratio from 9.8:1 in the Euro models to around 8.9:1 in the US versions. My Spider still has the US spec engine (with emissions stuff removed) while my two 124CCs have the Euro (and Australian) spec engine. The difference is quite noticeable - the US engine is more torquey but doesn't rev anywhere near as freely as the Euro engines.

As an aside, the US engine is fitted with twin downdraft Webers (40s from memory) as is one of the Euro engines - the other is a single carby as was standard spec for the 1756cc engine.

[So Cal Mark]

I've changed my mind about the car. It has a dent in the right rear bumper. I no longer want it

[spiderrey]

that car is not original. it has parts from different years. can you tell?????????