Hi again Folks (since my New Member post earlier) and Thank you for your time....I just wanted to share what I have done with my 124 Spider Classica since buying it in March this year as I noted lots of advice from Brian Goodwin of Good-Win Racing and plenty of useful stuff from you guys then acted upon it with some pretty good results, here goes............
Okay, following the test drive, purchase, watching Youtube test videos and reading up I decided on a plan of action starting with a Performance Air Filter...I fitted a Pipercross but could have easily have been K & N, I read up on the Plugs but kept originals as they do up to 25K whereas alternative NGK's do 20K and Brisk silver 15K with some concerns.... I fitted a GFB Diverter + valve to reduce turbo lag and it does by replacing the in / out plastic piston with a brass piston that gradually opens with pedal movement, I also checked out the Alfa 4c & Bosch coil packs but decided on a set of 500 Madness Red topped High Performance versions from the USA, same coil packs but cheaper and on offer (customs duty though). Next I considered my soft braking and went for EBC Yellow Stuff, easy fit and now I have brakes! Turning my attention to the weedy exhaust note and not liking the Abarth version "noise" I went for a Good-Win Dual Tip that has "That Burble" and only available via "Racing Beat Europe" Importer, took 20 minutes to fit and sounds divine.
Taking the Spider through my local "Biker Bends" I found that although I had gained HP from the Performance Air Filter (3-5 hp) and 2.5 inch bore exhaust (8-11 hp) and could now stop on an old sixpenny piece (ask Granddad) the Spider still seemed to float and wanted to join me later round the bends (understeer) so I decided on going to 17" alloys feeling that BBS Le Mans (18 lbs each) Diamond Blacks wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4's (summer tyres) would look the Dogs, keeping my original alloys as winter gear; This upgrade to 205/45 17 on 7.5 forged alloys with rim protectors should be light and strong, give better inertia and grip and I should then be able to go round corners and bends.............meanwhile whilst I await delivery from "Wheelbasealloys" on order I still want to do some spirited driving within the limits of course, so.........
I ordered a set of "Eibach" Pro-Fit coils from TMC Motorsport (NI), again on offer, reports here and from Brian Goodwin was that they are "The Business", they arrived last week and it took me about 1.5 hours per corner to exchange for OEM coils. The Eibach's have a softened top section and stiffer lower section so gradually soak up movement, they lower the front by 0-08" & rear by 1" and even without the new alloys yet my 16" OEM's are gripping whilst my turn in is superb...
Turning to the "Italian styling".....Sports cars should have leather seats, its the law! so, I ordered and had swapped out the original cloth seats for a pair of Real Black Leather with Red stitching 124 Spider seats ordered from original supplier in Malasia at a great price. I also visited ebay for a set of Real Leather with red stitching stick & handbrake gaiters, fitting in an Abarth Heated Seat Switch from a scrapyard (plugs straight in) whilst I had the center panels out.
Having "Abarthised" my Spider (with your help) I decided to de badge front and rear and re badge "Abarth" so.....I had to get to the badges....
Rear badge was simple, held in place by a bit of sticky pad and two small flexible plastic lips holding the lugs in position, using a dashboard and trim plastic spatula I gently eased up then pulled and the badge popped out, no mess. The front badge.......You cannot gain entry through grill....MGB simple, MX5 easy, 124 Spider is not accessible as there are no screws, so, I lifted bonnet and drilled out carefully the two small rivets in front plastic panel ahead of bonnet mechanism, removed the two plastic pop up plugs one either side engine side of mechanism and slid out that panel revealing another plastic panel which I cut two slots down about 4" apart then bent that panel back,so was able to access the nut that holds the bonnet badge in place. Using a 10mm ratchet cum open ended angled spanner (snap on) with a length of string attached should you drop it! I was able to ratchet the nut loose with my left medium sized hand whilst using the flat of my medium sized right hand to place the ratchet spanner over the nut and hold it there, it was not too tight. Using a long flat ended screwdriver with my left hand once spanner was withdrawn I removed the nut with the fingers of my right hand then pressed down on the nut with flat of screwdriver as I carefully withdrew hand and nut, as if you drop that nut remember to say goodbye as it goes into a void !!
I acquired Abarth front and rear badges from a scrapyard and a pair of "Abarth & Co" with Scorpion and shield original 1949 design quality cover badges, fitted the front Abarth badge and it looked terrible so then refitted front Fiat badge and applied the "Abarth & Co" badge front and rear and they look cool....I replaced the cover panel in engine bay and popped in the two poppers so no sign of entry there Officer !
I found a 124 Spider 3 cm stick on badge at £1.99 and a turbo badge at 99p on ebay and applied them front grill and rear passenger side boot lip and the Spider not only looks great on its lowered springs (that did not need re alignment), it goes well, handles and brakes and leaves many rubberneckers confused as they admire but cannot quite identify what vehicle they are following....
Thank you for your time in reading my rantings which I hope can assist or entertain you, the costs have been £14900.00 for the Spider with a years tax and full tank of Premium unleaded, around £1250.00 for all the mods, fitted by myself except seats which Auto Trim, Ivybridge, Devon kindly did for a great price. The BBS Le Mans alloys and Michelins will be some £3000.00 when they arrive but actually the OEM 16" alloys looking back would have and do do the job, just 17" does it better. So whilst the "Abarth" is the top spec 124 Spider, in my opinion.....Fiat could have produced my Classica with above mods at a couple of thousand pounds more and had a fantastic little true sports car rather than ditching it after only two years, oh, and the Sat Nav.......I bought an SD card off ebay removed the small black plastic oblong cap in lower center dashboard panel, slipped it in and got Sat Nav. Now, if only we could get Brexit done........Cheers
Okay, following the test drive, purchase, watching Youtube test videos and reading up I decided on a plan of action starting with a Performance Air Filter...I fitted a Pipercross but could have easily have been K & N, I read up on the Plugs but kept originals as they do up to 25K whereas alternative NGK's do 20K and Brisk silver 15K with some concerns.... I fitted a GFB Diverter + valve to reduce turbo lag and it does by replacing the in / out plastic piston with a brass piston that gradually opens with pedal movement, I also checked out the Alfa 4c & Bosch coil packs but decided on a set of 500 Madness Red topped High Performance versions from the USA, same coil packs but cheaper and on offer (customs duty though). Next I considered my soft braking and went for EBC Yellow Stuff, easy fit and now I have brakes! Turning my attention to the weedy exhaust note and not liking the Abarth version "noise" I went for a Good-Win Dual Tip that has "That Burble" and only available via "Racing Beat Europe" Importer, took 20 minutes to fit and sounds divine.
Taking the Spider through my local "Biker Bends" I found that although I had gained HP from the Performance Air Filter (3-5 hp) and 2.5 inch bore exhaust (8-11 hp) and could now stop on an old sixpenny piece (ask Granddad) the Spider still seemed to float and wanted to join me later round the bends (understeer) so I decided on going to 17" alloys feeling that BBS Le Mans (18 lbs each) Diamond Blacks wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4's (summer tyres) would look the Dogs, keeping my original alloys as winter gear; This upgrade to 205/45 17 on 7.5 forged alloys with rim protectors should be light and strong, give better inertia and grip and I should then be able to go round corners and bends.............meanwhile whilst I await delivery from "Wheelbasealloys" on order I still want to do some spirited driving within the limits of course, so.........
I ordered a set of "Eibach" Pro-Fit coils from TMC Motorsport (NI), again on offer, reports here and from Brian Goodwin was that they are "The Business", they arrived last week and it took me about 1.5 hours per corner to exchange for OEM coils. The Eibach's have a softened top section and stiffer lower section so gradually soak up movement, they lower the front by 0-08" & rear by 1" and even without the new alloys yet my 16" OEM's are gripping whilst my turn in is superb...
Turning to the "Italian styling".....Sports cars should have leather seats, its the law! so, I ordered and had swapped out the original cloth seats for a pair of Real Black Leather with Red stitching 124 Spider seats ordered from original supplier in Malasia at a great price. I also visited ebay for a set of Real Leather with red stitching stick & handbrake gaiters, fitting in an Abarth Heated Seat Switch from a scrapyard (plugs straight in) whilst I had the center panels out.
Having "Abarthised" my Spider (with your help) I decided to de badge front and rear and re badge "Abarth" so.....I had to get to the badges....
Rear badge was simple, held in place by a bit of sticky pad and two small flexible plastic lips holding the lugs in position, using a dashboard and trim plastic spatula I gently eased up then pulled and the badge popped out, no mess. The front badge.......You cannot gain entry through grill....MGB simple, MX5 easy, 124 Spider is not accessible as there are no screws, so, I lifted bonnet and drilled out carefully the two small rivets in front plastic panel ahead of bonnet mechanism, removed the two plastic pop up plugs one either side engine side of mechanism and slid out that panel revealing another plastic panel which I cut two slots down about 4" apart then bent that panel back,so was able to access the nut that holds the bonnet badge in place. Using a 10mm ratchet cum open ended angled spanner (snap on) with a length of string attached should you drop it! I was able to ratchet the nut loose with my left medium sized hand whilst using the flat of my medium sized right hand to place the ratchet spanner over the nut and hold it there, it was not too tight. Using a long flat ended screwdriver with my left hand once spanner was withdrawn I removed the nut with the fingers of my right hand then pressed down on the nut with flat of screwdriver as I carefully withdrew hand and nut, as if you drop that nut remember to say goodbye as it goes into a void !!
I acquired Abarth front and rear badges from a scrapyard and a pair of "Abarth & Co" with Scorpion and shield original 1949 design quality cover badges, fitted the front Abarth badge and it looked terrible so then refitted front Fiat badge and applied the "Abarth & Co" badge front and rear and they look cool....I replaced the cover panel in engine bay and popped in the two poppers so no sign of entry there Officer !
I found a 124 Spider 3 cm stick on badge at £1.99 and a turbo badge at 99p on ebay and applied them front grill and rear passenger side boot lip and the Spider not only looks great on its lowered springs (that did not need re alignment), it goes well, handles and brakes and leaves many rubberneckers confused as they admire but cannot quite identify what vehicle they are following....
Thank you for your time in reading my rantings which I hope can assist or entertain you, the costs have been £14900.00 for the Spider with a years tax and full tank of Premium unleaded, around £1250.00 for all the mods, fitted by myself except seats which Auto Trim, Ivybridge, Devon kindly did for a great price. The BBS Le Mans alloys and Michelins will be some £3000.00 when they arrive but actually the OEM 16" alloys looking back would have and do do the job, just 17" does it better. So whilst the "Abarth" is the top spec 124 Spider, in my opinion.....Fiat could have produced my Classica with above mods at a couple of thousand pounds more and had a fantastic little true sports car rather than ditching it after only two years, oh, and the Sat Nav.......I bought an SD card off ebay removed the small black plastic oblong cap in lower center dashboard panel, slipped it in and got Sat Nav. Now, if only we could get Brexit done........Cheers