The arrival in the US of the new Fiat 124 Spider and Sport Coupe in the fall of 1968 was a major event. The Spider in particularly was a major blow to the increasingly obsolete British roadsters, with its lively DOHC four and a top that was a revelation.
R&T did an analysis of both models as well as a road test.
It took almost two years for these models to be US certified. The firs impression was “refined”, but the 1.4 L engine’s torque was was found lacking. This engine was just too small for American taste, and of course would be replaced in due course with a 1.6 and then a 1.8 L version. Much better…
Nevertheless, it was still faster in acceleration than the 1.8 L MGB. And it sounded much more refined.
The Spider’s 5-speed transmission was better suited than the coupe’s standard 4-speed, which left it rather buzzy at highway speeds (4400 rpm at 68 mph).
The modern chassis allows for both a refined ride, even over bad roads, thanks in part to their very rigid bodies. These are both traits that Italian car makers espoused, and contributed to their positive reputation in this regard. And of course the handling was “outstanding” too.
The four wheel disc brakes were excellent, and the passenger compartment came in for lots of praise too.
Who would have imagined back then that the 124 Spider would become such an evergreen?
When I was around twenty years old, I knew more Fiat 124 owners than I know Camry owners today. Which says something about the popularity of these cars in California in the Seventies, and also perhaps about my friends.
Have had my 1980 with fuel injection for well over 25 years. Runs well and looks great from 10 feet. Always garners a smile and frequently leads to long conversations with people who had one or knows someone who had one. Tough little engine in this car that enjoys the revs. And yes, the convertible top design is fantastic. I can put top down or up while sitting in driver seat.
I lusted after a 124 Coupe for years and actually went to look at one around 1984 in Reston VA. The guy was a pilot out of Dulles. Red (of course) and only about 30k miles, in absolutely mint condition. The owner was a real fanatic, it even had a real Nardi wood wheel and MG Mitten accessory wood shift knob, cocoa mats, the whole shebang. He wouldn’t move off his $3500 price, which was above my budget at the time, so I walked and have regretted not owning a Fiat 124 coupe ever since.
The coupe always truck me as a more affordable Alfa GTV, and in reality they drove much one too, with a screamer 1.8 dohc and super direct steering. It was a very sorted and spirited car to drive, not to mention its elegant and timeless styling, especially the 1st gen 4 headlight version, the earliest 2 headlight models and the last of the 4 headlight versions were not as pretty imo.
A friend of mine had one of these in the early ‘70s. He liked it. Except: if it was 17 degrees F or colder it would not start. We lived in Madison Wisconsin, where it gets that cold all the time in the winter (actually, in Wisconsin that’s not even cold, it’s just a bit nippy). So he soon got a winter beater.
If he had a place to garage it, should have lasted a long time.
four words to strike fear in the heart – “timing belt” & “interference engine”. a major part of my late twenties…
Everybody loves the Spider, and for good reasons, but it’s the Coupe I always lusted after. Personality and passable practicality in a pretty wrapper. Depending on the day I could prefer the second series shape over the first; the third series is just that, despite the useful improvements to the interior or the upsized twin cam. Compare this take on the first series pair and a later test by Car and Driver of a desmogged five speed 1756cc third series Coupe; performance was actually quite improved, but with two pretty major caveats… Extremely poor fuel economy for “1.8 liters” and an inability to handle stop-and-go with any sort of decorum:
Car and Driver Sept. 1974 test
As an early 20 something doing my Uncle Sam duty in mid-’60s Germany, I’d cast off my 4 wheeled sofa GM persona for a more European attitude towards handling, & fuel economy. Thus, after hooning about the cobblestones in my then girlfriend’s Fiat 770, & later purchasing a Fiat 850 coupe, which met it’s demise with a headlong screeching stop by the front bumper of a rather large Lastwagen (truck); upon return to the shores of USA, I bought a ’68 Fiat 124 Coupe, wanting a back seat. It won out over choice #2, a BMW 2002 that was 200 bucks more expensive. I found employment as an outside salesman that required many miles of daily driving. In 3 years, I put 88,000 miles on the thing. Mechanically, It seemed fairly reliable, but required a costly timing belt change at around 40K, & may have leaked some fluids, which I ignored. The big BUT, of course was the body that was stereotypical of “Fix the rust again Tony”, The shiny green paint turned matte around year 2, & no wax “buffed it right out”. The final death knell involved the disassembly of the rear differential which when reassembled, created a noticible driveline vibration that Tony said was “normal” because unless the gear teeth were replaced in the exact same position as before(impossible) it “might’ hum a bit. Uh-huh.
So, I got fed up, & bought a ’72 Opel Manta seeking good German engineering. Uh-huh. Well, it at least had a bolt-on air conditioner. The Fiat sat in the driveway for two more years ’til I sold it “for parts” to another Fiat enthusiast. He brought a trailer, but decided to crank up mine just see what would happen. After connecting the jumper cables………….IT STARTED RIGHT UP! Whoda’ thunk it. He ingored the trailer, & departed with the half-flat tires providing the traction. OH,….I later married the fraulein who got me Fiat-ized. The marriage outlasted the 124 by 27 years, with very little rust visible.
They really impressed me as a kid and I never lost the love for their clean design, especially the coupe. Was GM, er, inspired by it when drafting the Vega? Wouldn’t be the first or last time it cribbed from the Italians’ work.
As a car-loving kid growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, these always struck as one of the prettiest designs out there. I never got my hands on one, although I briefly owned a Fiat X1/9 (lol, at 6’3″ and 200 lbs I looked like Dino from the Flintstones).
A good friend bought the “new” Spider, made by Mazda with a Fiat engine. He loves that thing and I think it pays great homage to the original Spider.
I’m not so much a fan of the first AC Coupe. The bug eyeded front end made it look a bit dated even when it was released. These cars should have come out with the 1.6 litre engine from the 125 from the beginning. The BC with the smooth 4 headlight front end and the 1600 with 110 DIN horses (20 more than the standard 125 due to the twin carbs) was everything the first one should have been. The handling was softened but the can be easily fixed.
My first car was a 125S but in hindsight I should have got a 124 BC instead. One of the best looking coupes in my opinion
My brother owned an 1800 CC coupe and I’ve driven all 3 versions. His fie rgmost part was quite reliable but the bodywork was always an issue.
The spiders look nice but apart from a brief ride as a passenger in one, I don’t have much experience with them as they were never sold new where I am.
A friend is handing down his red 1978 Spider (40k miles) to me. I have yet to pick it up 1.5 hours away. I’m in Michigan. Its been sitting in his garage for about 12 years. He is the original owner and he said he only drove it in the summer. Since its been sitting that long, I was told that I should not try starting until I have changed the timing belt. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
I realize that there are other things to check like the condition of the engine oil, fuel lines, battery. I have seen the car briefly but did not look at it in detail. Fortunately, his garage has a mechanic’s pit and the car is actually on it. Hopefully, this would help checking the underneath. I’m open to thoughts and suggestions including best online store to get parts from without breakinfg the bank.
We gave our 1974 Spider to our Son & Daughter in law 2 years ago in West Branch, MI in 2021. I have done all the work on it since 2008. Yes, I would not start it until I change the Timing belt, as you have no record of the age or miles on the belt. You probably have a 1756 single carb engine. You drain and replace the oil with 15W-40 Shell Rotella oil. Yes, Diesel oil ( just read any Fiat Spider Forum, which you should join ). You can pull the Hi-Tension Ignition wire off the Distributor and ground it, to s l o w l y turn the motor over using the alternator pulley and fan belt tension to see if the motor is free. There are several great parts web sites ( Auto Ricambi & Vick’s come to mind ) Just don’t drive on salty Michigan Roads!
Parts are available from Midwest-Bayless, Vick Autosport, and Auto Ricambi US. Timing belt is absolutely the very first thing to do if the old belt is intact and the engine turns freely by hand. I wrote up that belt procedure in the Articles section of the Lancisti forum, and while that’s oriented towards the Lancia Beta application, it’s pretty much the same engine and general procedure for Fiats.
Googling “fiat 124 spider forum” will turn up other forums for shop-talk with other enthusiasts — of which there are still many, ranging from old hands who’ve owned/maintained them since they were new, to young bucks just getting into the hobby — and the Mirafiori site/forum have been around since forever.
Just saw this stunning example today on Facebook.
When I was growing up, my folks had a blood-red ’71 124 Sport Coupe BC-series (the first coupe facelift, introducing the Fiat Dino-esque 4-headlight front end among other updates), which was the only car my dad always said he’d give his left one to get back. Had to give it up as my sister and grew too big for it to remain practical as our main family car, so they upgraded to a metallic mint-green ’79 Fiat 131 Brava wagon.
I have a 1972 Fiat spider convertible I would like to sell to somebody who would fix it and make it nice again I have all parts for it and if you’re interested my phone number is 603-391-8000
I purchased my 1973 124 Spider in Royal Oak, Michigan (where I continue to live), that same year when I was 22 years old for $4,500. It is British racing green, with a black canvas top and tan interior. Always stored it in the winter and hardly drove it in the rain. Raised two kids, whom when they were little I could place in the rear bench seat.
I have entered it many times in the Ford Greenfield Village Motor Muster event, held annually in Dearborn, Michigan, the third weekend in June for classic cars built between 1939 through 1977. Out of over 800 participant vehicles it is the only Fiat 124 Spider.
Back in the 70sand80s my dad owned a Fiat shop in North Seattle called Bob’s foreign cars any specialized in Fiats and I bought two 124 sports coupes and made one good one out of the two the one I kept was a 1969 it had a 1634cc in it but I put a balanced and blue printed 2000cc in it and I made a intake manifold that took 4 single one barrel Weber carbs and for a extra boost I had a 50 shot of NOS and I would go to Cruz night in Everett and race it a few times and would BLOW away small block Camaros a mustangs it was fun but after about 5 years of doing that the poor car started pulling it self apart the firewall and the transmission tunnel had about a 1/4 inch crack in it and the rear end was starting to twist it self apart from the rear torsion bars so after highschool I parked it that was 1984 I worked on it here and there and in 1991 I got it back on the road again but it wasn’t all Fiat anymore I beefed up everything with metal plates and braces and put a Buick 3.2 v6 and a automatic transmission in it it was a ton of work and if I had another one I would love to do it again with a v6 out of grand AM with the dual turbo on it and a Ford 9 inch rear end bcuz I broke the one in the car 3 time’s in 1 year in in 1995 I let a friend use it and he parked it behind a dump truck when he stopped for lunch and half way through his lunch the truck driver came inside to say he just back over someones little red car in the parking lot AND he literally back over my car from the front to were the dual tires were in the trunk of my car and the rest was FLAT yes the car was DEAD and I mean DEAD if I find a nother one for cheap I would buy it for sure