Fiat 124 Spider purchase; 2 good options

[Moody]

Wow, thanks a lot for all kind replies. So many votes for the first one
I'll listen to you guys and visit the first one first. If I like it, I'll buy it.

Thanks again. If there is anything very important to look at when inspecting the car, please let me know.

[RRoller123]

3 things to start the inspection with: rust, rust and rust. These cars can act like a sugar cube in a cup of hot coffee, unfortunately. But there are many out there with minimal rust. Crawl all around under the car and closely inspect everything. Check the shock towers, floor pans, wheel wells and structural boxes running down each side in particular. Check the crossmember for cracks. Someone will chime in, but I think there is a good buyers guide available from one of our regular vendors? Worth reading and studying closely.

[Redline]

Adding to that, take a magnet to check any suspicious places. Feel the inside lip of all wheel arches; they should be clean, sharp metal without any bulging. Take a flashlight and look deep down into all internal spaces. Looking deep down into the darkest recesses in the trunk, behind the wheel wells, you can feel a lot better about the car if you see dry, clean metal. Look for original spot welds where panels join inside. There are lots of little clues you can find on the status of the body.

Etc.

[SoFlaFiat]

The first one is better and has a hardtop too.

Mike

+1

And the price is so much better!

[mscafide]

And Holland has real car inspections, the rusty runners we have in the U.S. would not be allowed on the road.

[Moody]

The seller of the first (light green) car doesn't answer his mails anymore, so I *guess* it's sold. Too bad!
Second one is a bit too expensive I think. But it's still an option, since I like the colour and the fact that it's in a super shape.

There is 1 new interesting option:

'68 1995cc red


More photos: http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/auto-s/fiat ... -rood.html

Nice car? I think I can buy the red one for €7.500 (the yellow one is €11.000). Good deal?

It says that they replaced the motor with the 1995cc engine in 2000.
Is the European 2,0 liter engine better/faster/more unique than de 1,8 liter engine from the yellow car?
Should I go for 1,8 or 2,0 engines or is the 1,6 engine also a good one? I've read that 0-60 times differ about 5 seconds (10s vs 15s).

Thanks again!!

[81SPIDERMATT]

ok new favorite .... that one ..the red one ... it is red ... don't know how to write the word red and make it look like I am drooling when I say it ......... rrrreeeeeeeddddd

[Daniel]

Nice car? I think I can buy the red one for €7.500 (the yellow one is €11.000). Good deal?

Is the 2,0 liter engine better/faster/more unique than de 1,8 liter engine from the yellow car?
Should I go for 1,8 or 2,0 engines or is the 1,6 engine also a good one? (all European models)

Thanks again!!

It's hard to say if the prices are fair without seeing the cars with that being said they both look clean in the photos
I'd bring the car to a reputable mechanic and have him over look the car for you if your not sure what to look for.
Make sure there isn't rust in the shock tower and under sides of the car, check the compression of the engine, take
the car for a long drive 20 mins or so to see if it heats up/ over heats. If you take it to a shop and they lift the car
you and the mechanic car get a better view of the condition of the suspension, floor boards etc.

About the engines, the older cars had smaller engines as they progressed through the years so did the displacement
1438cc (1967-69) 1608cc (1970-73) 1592cc (1973-74) 1800/1756cc (1974-78) 2000/1995cc (1979-85). The Horse power
varies some from model changes. Fiat mixed up the carburetors and exhaust manifolds over the years some of these
changes provided better performance then others. The larger engines have more torque so your acceleration will be a
little better over the smaller engine.

[redcars]

I REALLY like the red one if it is as good as it looks I would go with it. As has been said have it looked over real good and if it passes go for it.

[Daniel]

ok new favorite .... that one ..the red one ... it is red ... don't know how to write the word red and make it look like I am drooling when I say it ......... rrrreeeeeeeddddd

it's really RED! to funny...

[Moody]

Ok, I made an appointment with the red one guys

Can anyone tell me which engine this is??




It seems to be an 1995cc engine, but is it an "US market" or an European engine?

And what about the rims. Are these original?



New photos of this car are available: http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/auto-s/fiat ... -rood.html

Seems like a piece of candy which I need to steal before it's too late

[perthling]

Hard to tell from the photos, you really need to provide the engine number which should be found above the oil filter.

The colour doesn't appear to be original for the year (looks like a candy red which wasn't part of the early seventies palette IIRC. And, no, the wheels are not original, it would have had either 13x5" steel rims with a stainless steel hubcap, or cromodora 15x5 or 13x5.5 rims (6 or 8 spoke probably).

[Daniel]

from what i notice, the valve cover is a 2L/2000 the distributor is from a 1438 this engine has been changed around.