Not so new from Colorado

[303Spider]

Hi everyone,
I have owned a 79 fiat spider since 2009 (my first car!). Over the years I've used this website as an awesome resource to help me from minor gremlins to major issues!
Long story short on my car, it was originally brown with a hole on the convertible top and floor pans to match as it seems most do, but it was an awesome car for an 18 year old, I always had dreams of fixing it up, but had no car knowledge. Funny how life turns out, as I went from landscaping a body shop owners house to then shop grunt/mop boy to then paint prepper.

At this point, I stripped the whole car down and restored it from the ground up and painted it candy apple red, unfortunately, it did not have a garage spot and was hailed on, fast forward 4 years and I'm moved into my first home and looking to rework it from scratch again!!

Cheers to you all!
Dart

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Interesting story, Dart, and good luck with that rework. I've painted a couple spiders myself, but it was so long ago (1980s) that I'm sure the paint formulations and VOC emission rules and all that stuff has changed enough to make me doubtful that I could paint a car correctly these days.

-Bryan

[303Spider]

Hi Bryan,
I think youd be suprised how similar it is! The painter I learned from started painting in the late 80s and he has always attested that the painting technique really hasnt changed over the years, aside from wanting your overlap closer to 75% instead of 50%. I havent sprayed lacquer based paint before but even solvent to water based products really arnt much different as long as you follow the technical data sheets.

[wetminkey]

Yo! 303Spider!
Colorado,...where? There are a couple of us on the forum from northern Colorado, but I only know of three.
If you haven't already, try acrylic urethane base coat/clear coat,...damned easy to apply, extremely durable finish, and always looks magnificent. Best of luck!
Todd.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Hi Bryan,
I think youd be suprised how similar it is! The painter I learned from started painting in the late 80s and he has always attested that the painting technique really hasnt changed over the years, aside from wanting your overlap closer to 75% instead of 50%. I havent sprayed lacquer based paint before but even solvent to water based products really arnt much different as long as you follow the technical data sheets.

Thanks Dart and Todd, you've given me renewed confidence to give a paint job a go one of these days. However, when I mentioned this to my wife, the response was something along the lines of, "No way in %$#*& are you going to paint a car in our garage." So you see, my main challenges may not be with the paint.

-Bryan

[wetminkey]

So, again,...WHERE in Colorado are you at, Dart? Welcome to the forum.

[TeeCee]

Glad to see activity here. I just bought a 82 spider 2000. I've been working with all the wiring under the dash, possible only by buying a schematic of the wiring. I have everything figured out and working except my temp gauge. Any ideas or tips? I've got to get a book on this car, any suggestions?
I look forward to learning as much as I can cause I'm going to need it! Thanks everyone!

[303Spider]

So, again,...WHERE in Colorado are you at, Dart? Welcome to the forum.

Sorry for the late reply! I'm from the west side of denver, wheat ridge originally now Lakewood. When you say northern Colorado is that fort collins?

[wetminkey]

Cool, Dart!
The three forum members that I know of from Colorado are focodave and 81SPIDERMATT, both from Ft Collins,...and me, of course, from Ault (20 mi E of Ft Collins/16 N of Greeley). I'm a 'regular' here, and check it pretty much daily. I believe that there may be another member (perhaps two) that have joined, but I never see posts from any of them,...
Man, Denver continues to 'morph'! I lived 1970 - 1973 near Aurora,...it was a bit different back then.
Best of luck with your car! And welcome to the forum.

[CentFiat]

Hey Colorado People.

So good to see all these Fiat enthusiasts in Colorado. I am in Denver, pretty close to the city center. Been working on my 124 for a number of years and it is getting closer. Once we get passed the isolation periods, it would be great to meet up with you all.


Cheers

Rich