| 3/1/04: I took delivery late on Friday. Saturday was gloomy -- not a Spider day, but adequate for demonstrating to the doubtful wife that my new toy actually works. I spent most of the day surveying, staring and fondling, and making to-do and to-buy lists.
I also replaced a battery cable, transplanted the shift knob from my long-gone 74 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, tightened some screws, removed a dead alarm speaker, discovered that there was a CD slot with a Creedence Clearwater disk behind the flip-down radio panel, and cleaned some engine grime.
Sunday, as its name promises but too-seldom delivers, was sunny -- the long awaited top-down Spider day. I thought it was a perfect day to go for a long solo ride. After a few shifts and some fast curves, I realized that I was thinking with the wrong vocabulary.
This was much more than "going for a ride." It's certainly way beyond "transportation" and "traveling" and "going somewhere." I was enjoying the thrill of DRIVING, a thrill that most people don't know exists, and even fewer get to experience. Spider owners are very lucky people.
5/15/04: I showed Spiderman at a car show for the first time, and took home a First Place award for best of all cars made in the 1970s. There was a wide range of vehicles -- but very few sports cars -- and the Fiat drew lots of attention. On 6/6 it won an "Award for Excellence" trophy at another show; on 7/18 it won a second-place trophy in the sports car class at a show, and on 9/26 it won a first prize over all!
Spiderman spent the winter of 2004-05 with other tomato-colored cars at AutoSerra in Valhalla NY, getting new engine mounts and carb tweaks. Bunkmates included three Ferraris and a tiny Fiat 500 -- not much bigger than a grocery cart at Costco
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In November 2004, Spiderman got a new ragtop, gorgeous Haartz "Stayfast" cloth from Bayless. On the day I picked up the newly topped car from the installer, it rained.
Photo bove was taken on 11/7/04 at a Fiat/Lancia Unlimited tech session hosted by Expert Auto Service in Stamford CT.
I took the train home, and left Spiderman at the shop for ace mechanic Joe Magnifico to work on. Joe's gorgeous pre-124 Spider (1200?) is the fourth car from the front in the photo.
Danny O'Donnell of Fun Imported Auto and Toys ("FIAT") spent a lot of time under a Spider showing us the things that can wear out.
Tim Beeble, godfather of FLU's Northeast Coast Chapter, provided organization, munchies, and excellent weather.
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| Fiat gathering at Lime Rock race track, Fall 2006. |
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| Spiderman at Firestone in Spring 2007 for new ball joints and general front-end rebuild. |
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| Not mine, fortunately. |
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