Wanted   Do you have a passion for antiques and collectibles - and writing?   The Wayback Times invites you to submit freelance articles for use in print and on our new web site.   E-mail your text submissions to The Wayback Times.   Articles published in The Wayback Times since 1995 have covered a wide range of interests, from Golliwoggs to toy VW collecting, and from collecting insulators to hunting old books.   Most authors of our online selection of articles have included their e-mail addresses and they are always delighted to hear from other collectors.

Ad Rates / Articles / Classified Ads / Editorial / Home / Links / Showtime   Wayback Wheels - Vintage Car Talk   The Fiat Spider   By Aaron Neilly Finally, it's that time again.   Time to cruise around with the top down and park at the beach for a picnic with your pride and joy (automotive, in this case); time to try and track down that hard to find part for your rare classic that you totally forgot it needed since it's been in storage for six months.   Yes, it's almost summer, and it's time to start driving something a lot more interesting than the old winter beater.   Convertibles have always been popular vehicles in times of warmer weather. The carefree feeling of driving down a winding road on a summer day with the wind in your hair and the sound of your car running through the gears is second to none - a feeling that Fiat made possible with the introduction of the 1500 Cabriolet in 1960.   The 1500 Cabriolet, known as the "Spider" in North America, was a small two seater, but designed with practicality in mind. The trunk was larger than many sedans, plus it had adequate storage behind the seats for a full set of golf clubs.   Power came from a very capable hemispherical head 1481cc 4 cylinder engine designed partly by the Maserati brothers, attached to a five speed fully synchronized transmission which would propel the little sports car to just over 100 miles per hour. While being a very lightweight car, Fiat gave the Spider more than ample stopping power by using servo assisted brakes, with discs in the front, and lightweight aluminum drums in the rear.   Although it's an impressive little car mechanically, the Spider's true appeal comes from its elegant, yet sporty lines which could only have come from Italy. Early advertisements featured scantily clad models in front of the car with the tag line, "The second best shape to come out of Italy.”   Fiat sought the help of Italian styling firm Pininfarina for the 1500, and the end result was nothing short of beautiful. Pininfarina was famous for their styling work on several Ferrari models (including the 500 Mondial, and the epitome of the classic Ferrari lineup, the 250 GT). The dashboard was colour matched to the car's exterior with a few chrome accents, and seemingly more switches, pilot lights and instrumentation than a fighter jet. Having said that, it's one of the best looking dashboards ever installed in a car.   Although close to 80,000 Spiders were produced between 1960 and 1967, less than 100 of them are known to survive today, and most of those are in Europe. As far as being a "practical classic,” the 1500 isn't a fantastic candidate, but for a one-of-a-kind car that has the styling of a vintage Ferrari and is nearly as much fun to drive (just at slightly slower speeds), it's a great option - if you can find one.   As far as purchasing a 1500 Spider, these aren't cars for those who are mechanically timid. Two popular acronyms for Fiat are, "Failure in Italian Automotive Technology" or my personal favourite, "Fix It Again, Tony!”   But having said that, if a car has been well looked after, it can be just as reliable as something more traditional.     Most parts for 1500s are still available (usually from Europe, however), but many maintenance items such as oil filters, brake parts and tune up items were shared with other vehicles, so some are quite easy to find at your local parts store.   Interestingly enough, an industrialized version of the 1500’s engine was used in Cockshutt tractors in the late '60s and early '70s, making oil filters and ignition parts readily available. The main issue with these cars was rust, (it is said the Italians invented rust but later sold it to the Japanese, who perfected it) this being the reason so few examples still exist.   The 1500s are a joy to own, a joy to drive, a real conversation starter, and, like most sports cars, they look really great in red. The best part about owning one? You can say you have a rare Italian sports car, designed by Pininfarina.   Aaron is a certified mechanic who spends a lot of time in, under and around almost anything with wheels, especially if it is of vintage persuasion. You'll find him at many of the popular rally races in Canada and the USA - or in a garage somewhere. He can be reached at bandicoot.rally@gmail.com       Return to top of page   This Is Livin' Publishing © 2009 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster