Last night, George B and his wife came to take a look at the Fiat. I had a huge amount of interest in the car, George was one of the first people to contact me and he just happens to live a few miles down the road so he was the first to make it over to inspect it. After looking it over, he decided to pull the trigger. He paid me my full asking price. After firing it up, I drove it one last time up onto his trailer. George is a long-time Fiat fan and has restored several 124 Coupes. He’s going to be retiring soon and is planning on putting all his newly found free time to good use restoring this Spider. It was sad to see it go, but I can’t wait to see it once he’s done!
This past March, I decided to give myself a deadline for completing the restoration of my 1974 Fiat 124 Spider. If I didn’t have it done by the end of the summer, I’d list it for sale here on Barn Finds. Well, I managed to get a little work done on it, but between losing my workspace and with a baby on the way, I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m not going to get it done before summer officially ends. So, it’s time to find a new home for it. It’s definitely a project, but it’s a great little car that has a lot going for it. It’s currently sitting behind the Barn Finds HQ in Boise, Idaho and I’m asking $2,500 or best offer. You can contact me with any questions or offers via email or the form below!
I purchased this little Fiat while still living in Wyoming, during my college days. It only saw use when I was home visiting my folks during the summers. Prior to me purchasing it, it had spent most of its life in Casper but jumped around between there, Denver and Sheridan, Wyoming. I have paperwork from the previous owner, which includes receipts for much of the work that they did to it during their ownership.
At some point during its time with the previous owner, the original engine was replaced by a brand new 2.0-liter block. A local shop did the work to install it. While putting the engine together, they installed a fresh 1.8-liter head. The combination equates to a nice boost in power and makes for a great driver. The engine runs very nicely, with a lovely exhaust note. It’s due for a new timing belt, as it’s been about 5 years since it was changed. There’s a small oil leak at the oil filter housing, but it looks like it might just be the oil filter seal. It starts right up and idles great, even after sitting for long stretches. I drove it around the block just a few days ago and there weren’t any odd sounds. The brakes felt great and it shifted through the gears as it should. I didn’t get on it, as I didn’t want to risk damaging anything. I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving it long distances at this point, but it will drive onto a trailer without any problems.
The car’s biggest issues are mostly cosmetic. The paint is pretty bad and the interior needs lots of work. I have all of the trim and parts that came off the car. Obviously, everything Fiat that I own goes with it, including a set of original Fiat steel wheels, a pair of later style lower quarter extensions, a spare windshield frame with windshield, spare chrome time, and a spare trunk lid. I also have the original bumpers and seats, although they are in need of restoration. To make this car look its best, a new paint job is probably in order. The previous owner repaired rust in the floors, their work isn’t pretty, but it’s welded in and has held up well. I replaced the rear fender lips, as those were showing rusty when I got the car. I cut out the fender lips and welded in new ones. I haven’t found any other rust issues, but there might be surface rust hiding in the hard-to-see places. Overall, the body is pretty straight, although there are a few dents and dings here and there.
We had a set of fixed back rally buckets sitting here in the garage and since the original seats needed new covers, I decided to mount the rally buckets. The seating position is a bit high with these seats, but they do hold you nicely and I’m happy to include them with the car if you want them. If you don’t, I can reinstall the original seats for you. I tested the gauges and they all work except for the clock. I’m not sure if the fuel pump relay is bad or if something is unplugged, as the fuel pump doesn’t come on when you turn the key, but I wired a switch in the trunk to turn it off and on.
Clearly, this one’s a project that’s going to need work before you can really enjoy it, but it’s already a runner that you can drive around the block, which is definitely a plus. I would have loved to finish restoring it, but I’ve owned it for over 10 years and it still isn’t done, so it’s time to move it along. I have a clear title for it, a folder of receipts for the engine, and a repair manual for it. Hopefully, the next owner will finish and enjoy it! I’m definitely open to hearing offers, so don’t hesitate to message me with offers or questions.
Contact to buy; https://barnfinds.com/my-1974-fiat-124-spider-sold/
