General Information
Year
1972
Make
Fiat
Model
124 Spider
Color
Orange
History
I purchased my first car while a student in high school. It was a 1968 Fiat 850 Coupe.
When I sold that car to go to college, I then purchased a 1968 124 Sedan, and latter upgraded to a 1972 124 "Special" Sedan with the DOHC engine. During Summer internships, I entered both the 124s in several SCCA autocross and TSD road rally events, and found them all to be fairly competitive and exceedingly fun to drive at-speed.
Some time later, the "new" 124 Special was involved in a head-on collision (no injuries), so I used my insurance settlement check to purchase my first (of 3) 1972 Fiat 124 Spider. This would prove to be my favorite Fiat model, and firmly established my life-long relationship with the brand. All told, I have owned over a dozen Fiats.
When purchased, my '72 Spider was completely stock, but I made many small performance improvements over a period of years. Wheels and tires were among the first changes, along with performance brake pads and high-intensity driving lamps mounted inside the front grill (two circular cutouts in metal mesh).
An Abarth exhaust system from my old buddy, Al Cosentino (Daytona, FL), added the very same throaty tone heard in the new 124 E-barth.
Removing the chrome bumper/brackets, flat-black hood and trunk lid, front lip spoiler (from J. C. Whitney!), and a new set of fat, RWL BFG rain tires completed the Abarth "look", even though the engine, suspension and tranny were essentially in their stock configuration.
When I sold that car to go to college, I then purchased a 1968 124 Sedan, and latter upgraded to a 1972 124 "Special" Sedan with the DOHC engine. During Summer internships, I entered both the 124s in several SCCA autocross and TSD road rally events, and found them all to be fairly competitive and exceedingly fun to drive at-speed.
Some time later, the "new" 124 Special was involved in a head-on collision (no injuries), so I used my insurance settlement check to purchase my first (of 3) 1972 Fiat 124 Spider. This would prove to be my favorite Fiat model, and firmly established my life-long relationship with the brand. All told, I have owned over a dozen Fiats.
When purchased, my '72 Spider was completely stock, but I made many small performance improvements over a period of years. Wheels and tires were among the first changes, along with performance brake pads and high-intensity driving lamps mounted inside the front grill (two circular cutouts in metal mesh).
An Abarth exhaust system from my old buddy, Al Cosentino (Daytona, FL), added the very same throaty tone heard in the new 124 E-barth.
Removing the chrome bumper/brackets, flat-black hood and trunk lid, front lip spoiler (from J. C. Whitney!), and a new set of fat, RWL BFG rain tires completed the Abarth "look", even though the engine, suspension and tranny were essentially in their stock configuration.
1972 Fiat 124 Spider (Orange)
Modifications
Interior
The interior of a 124 Spider needs absolutely nothing. But I added an aftermarket stereo and additional speakers so you could listen to great tunes, at speed, with the top down.
The dashboard and upholstery take a beating in the 124 Spider (especially if you keep the top down as often as do I). But they hold up pretty well. I never had a dashboard crack (like the Alfa Spider), but seams in the seat bottoms were subject to failure.
The dashboard and upholstery take a beating in the 124 Spider (especially if you keep the top down as often as do I). But they hold up pretty well. I never had a dashboard crack (like the Alfa Spider), but seams in the seat bottoms were subject to failure.
Exterior
The car was bone-stock when I purchased it, but then the transformation began (more photos coming).
