The car guy brotherhood

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Picked up this '70 Fiat 124 yesterday, seller's wife thanked me generously for taking it away. It had been in a neighbor's garage for 30+ years when the owner passed away and he was asked to take it as the neighborhood car guy. He also has a few old Corvettes (confirmed 68+ cars drive like trucks and quality went way down, also 68 is an oddball year with unique stuff so don't get one) and a 2 door Chevy Nomad. After loading the car on the trailer we talked for a half hour about all the cars we've had, details about them, ones sold too cheaply, missed opportunities, etc. It was just comfortable, natural and fun.

The communities around our cars, all of them, Porsche being a little unique, deeper, is definitely a contributing factor in the passion for them. That said, one Fiat community on FB was as welcoming as any 911 group, so I should be in good hands.

[Racerbvd]

I may Still have a few Fiat parts.

[herr_oberst]

That's not the pink Fiat that you showed us a while ago!

I like 124's. Just don't have the nerves or temperament to take one on.

[Bill Douglas]

Ohhh, nice car!

[speeder]

Doesn't look too rusty in that photo, that would be the real deal killer for one of those. They are cute cars, I had a girlfriend with a new one in San Francisco back in 1980. It was fun.

[VINMAN]

I had a green 124 for a while in the 80's.

That was before a cement truck backed over it in front of my house...

.

[L8Brakr]

If the body/frame is solid, I'd start searching the intra-webs for guidance on a VTEC Honda and matching transmission swap.....

Add a couple of Recaros, and enjoy!

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by speeder

Doesn't look too rusty in that photo, that would be the real deal killer for one of those. They are cute cars, I had a girlfriend with a new one in San Francisco back in 1980. It was fun.

Please clarify: when you say " it was fun " was that the car or the girlfriend ? 😁

[rwest]

I had an 124 Coupe many many years ago. Had to replace the starter- I remember that the Haynes manual actually said something along the lines of it being a miserable job- Haynes usually doesn’t comment on how hard a task is, so I knew It was going to be bad. I had so many extensions and knuckles on my ratchet and finally got it replaced- turned out just to be a bad battery! Won’t make that mistake again. Don’t know why, but car went to the dismantlers.

Cool little car though, reminded me of a top hat.

Good luck Shaun.

[BK911]

Never pulled the trigger on a fiat, but was close on a few.
Agree with the brotherhood.
Car specific is great, but general gear head stuff is AWESOME!!
Good luck and have fun!

[Googam]

Always had a soft spot for Fiat's. !st one was 69 Spyder. Drove it thru 2 winters. Took a road trip from Syracuse to Paw Paw Mich. Coming out of the Canadian Hwy, it rained & the brakes failed @ the first traffic light in Windsor. Glideded thru the intersection. Camped out in it twice at Watkins Glen. Rusted out eventually. Had a 128 Coupe. Going around a corner the left from tie rod broke. Never stopped so fast. Next a 124 Sedan. Loved it, seemed fast as hell. Sold it 2 years later for what I paid. Last one & the worst. A 1980 Fiat Brava sedan. Drove like it was one stilts. Luckily I had a real Fiat mechanic. And his name was Tony.

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

That's not the pink Fiat that you showed us a while ago!

I like 124's. Just don't have the nerves or temperament to take one on.

Why? they're easy cars to work on, and parts for most of them are inexpensive and widely available.

I've got an '81 Turbo that my dad and I got when I was 14 that's been getting a body-and-paint resto.

[Z-man]

After yesterday's church service, a fellow car enthusiast and I started up some car talk. Two more guys joined in. While we favored different marques (Porsche, BMW, VW, Subaru), it was similar to your conversation Shaun: natural and organic.

Same thing happened last week with my new neighbor who has a BMW 6-series, but wants to get into the track stuff like what I do. He peeked into my garage to check out my Cayman S.

My co-worker who lives in CA is a former desert racer. We are known for derailing any given meeting to discuss all things car and racing related.

Car guys are everywhere - and the true car nuts appreciate all marques and venues of cars.

It is truly a brother hood that permeates all of society...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by rwest

I had an 124 Coupe many many years ago. Had to replace the starter- I remember that the Haynes manual actually said something along the lines of it being a miserable job- Haynes usually doesn’t comment on how hard a task is, so I knew It was going to be bad. I had so many extensions and knuckles on my ratchet and finally got it replaced- turned out just to be a bad battery! Won’t make that mistake again. Don’t know why, but car went to the dismantlers.

Cool little car though, reminded me of a top hat.

Good luck Shaun.

I also had a 124 Coupe.

I changed the plugs once and said screw this after that.

That 4th plug against the firewall took like an hour to do, needed every knuckle and extension in my toolbox just to get to it.

[911 Rod]

Yes. Gearheads attract each other.

[monoflo]

Viva la Difference!! Always been a car guy --find all things automotive of interest!!

[GG Allin]

If you squint, you have a nice Ferrari 275 GTS barn find.

[Bill Douglas]

A friend Geoff Askew was pretty funny. His whole family had them, and multiple ones of them. Their house looked like there was a Fiat Spider convention going on.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

If you squint, you have a nice Ferrari 275 GTS barn find.

I've done plating for a few 275s so I know them well and have to admit the similarity was a small contribution toward buying it. I will do a side marker delete and add in Ferrari front indicators which are cheap and plentiful originally being mounted on many other cars in the 60s.

The boattail rear end I don't have the time nor talent to English wheel sloping, rounded rear corners. It's too bad because the trunk lid has a perfect curve to join to create a 275-esque rear end.

though not 275, I may try to see what 911R tail lights look like in place of the blocky nondescript lights there now. My sense is they won't work with the angular rear of the Fiat but would with a boattail.

First I just want to get it running though. It is fun to dream.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Z-man

After yesterday's church service, a fellow car enthusiast and I started up some car talk. Two more guys joined in. While we favored different marques (Porsche, BMW, VW, Subaru), it was similar to your conversation Shaun: natural and organic.

Same thing happened last week with my new neighbor who has a BMW 6-series, but wants to get into the track stuff like what I do. He peeked into my garage to check out my Cayman S.

My co-worker who lives in CA is a former desert racer. We are known for derailing any given meeting to discuss all things car and racing related.

Car guys are everywhere - and the true car nuts appreciate all marques and venues of cars.

It is truly a brother hood that permeates all of society...

This is a nice story, thanks for posting Z.