Looking for advice (Fiat 124 content)

I stopped at a gas station today and noticed something yellow parked behind it by some trees. Further examination revealed a Fiat 124. I grabbed my wife's smokes at the counter then walked into the shop to inquire. They were very busy, but one guy laughed and said "a customer had two of them. We took the best of both and put it into one car". So I asked what they are doing with this one and he said "probably scrapping it".

I was in a hurry, and had a lot of glare on my phone so I didn't get a good image of the front. I'll go back later and get a couple more.

It looks like the hood and front clip and passenger fender are crunched pretty good. The rest of it seemed pretty solid though- floor pans, rockers, etc. The engine is gone, but the trans is there and the shift lever moved through all the gears. Suspension is on it and felt pretty good. The steering wheel turned the front wheels.

A quick vin search makes this an early 74 I think.

I called a friend to find out how much it is worth in scrap, he said he would offer him $5 a hundred (pounds I guess?). Wiki says the curb weight is 2300 pounds. So it's worth $115 in scrap? I was thinking about offering him $125 and dragging it home to hang on to as a future project.

Would you do it?

Honestly looks like a parts car to me. I would part out the left over bits then scrap the rest to make a little extra $$$.

Unless you have a good source for parts, I would challenge car it.

no way what is left is 2300lb- maybe 2000, but that even seems generous.

Still, someone here did a nice Miata with sheet metal doors- which would be perfect for that. Good engine (if not already one there) and a quickie brooklands winshield and you have a fun challenge car that you can autocross locally.

If it were an Alfa spider, I would help source local parts.

But I'm not that familiar with the Fiat sources.

can't see the pictures here, but I turned this $100 Fiat 124:

into this:

for less than 2 grand in parts and materials, using Bruce's Parts Bin and the Mirafiori Forums

The parts are readily available and Bruce usually had what I needed to me the next day. You can also find cheap parts cars around, which always helps. The problem is that the front fenders, like the rear ones, are welded on, so in order to fix them you don't just unbolt and bolt on a straight one. it'sa bit of a pain cutting them off and welding on a new one. I did both the rear ones on mine:

Turn it into the 124 version of a Fiat 500 Jolly.

This did cross my mind too...

93EXCivic wrote: Honestly looks like a parts car to me. I would part out the left over bits then scrap the rest to make a little extra $$$.

Prepping for the challenge is a good idea! I hadn't though of that.

I was thinking of turning it into a vintage racer, but that would apply too!

I am clueless on sourcing parts, as I know very little about Fiats. I'd be all set if it were an MG!

So a hundred dollar offer would be in order?

alfadriver wrote: Unless you have a good source for parts, I would challenge car it. no way what is left is 2300lb- maybe 2000, but that even seems generous. Still, someone here did a nice Miata with sheet metal doors- which would be perfect for that. Good engine (if not already one there) and a quickie brooklands winshield and you have a fun challenge car that you can autocross locally. If it were an Alfa spider, I would help source local parts. But I'm not that familiar with the Fiat sources.

Hmmm.

It looks like you started with more than this one has. Did yours come with an engine? This yellow one doesn't have an engine in it. But it does have the trans.

Any idea what a core 124 engine goes for? I'd almost be tempted to put a rotary in it

Thanks for those parts sources too- I will study up on them...

Chris_V wrote: can't see the pictures here, but I turned this $100 Fiat 124: into this: for less than 2 grand in parts and materials, using Bruce's Parts Bin and the Mirafiori Forums The parts are readily available and Bruce usually had what I needed to me the next day. You can also find cheap parts cars around, which always helps. The problem is that the front fenders, like the rear ones, are welded on, so in order to fix them you don't just unbolt and bolt on a straight one. it'sa bit of a pain cutting them off and welding on a new one. I did both the rear ones on mine:

I could so rock that top!

BAMF wrote: Turn it into the 124 version of a Fiat 500 Jolly.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/515-fiat-124-spider-vintage-racer/60521/page1/

That might be a helpful thread to read over.

On Alfas, I'd be worried about the lack of front window- doors seem to be easy to source, though. Making a race car changes the needs of both.

And not sure about fender parts. Maybe a good slide hammer plus a hammer/dolly plus bondo will make the front good enough?

Datsun1500 wrote: You can buy a driver for less than it will take to make this a driver and save a lot of time

Very much agreed. 124's are so inexpensive it doesn't make sense to buy one like that. $1500 runners make more sense. I am shopping them right now.

Here is a link to my photobucket for the images...

http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/owensdad74/library/?sort=3&page=1

Chris_V wrote: can't see the pictures here, but I turned this $100 Fiat 124: into this: for less than 2 grand in parts and materials, using Bruce's Parts Bin and the Mirafiori Forums The parts are readily available and Bruce usually had what I needed to me the next day. You can also find cheap parts cars around, which always helps. The problem is that the front fenders, like the rear ones, are welded on, so in order to fix them you don't just unbolt and bolt on a straight one. it'sa bit of a pain cutting them off and welding on a new one. I did both the rear ones on mine:

Datsun1500 and ditchdigger: Thank you for that advice!

I don't have a good feel for what these are going for on the open market. In fact I thought a rough driver would go for three times what you guys said.

So maybe passing on this one is most wise...

I would pass unless its not rusty and you want to get another complete rusty one for parts. I was once offered a complete one for $25, it had sat outside for over 5 years with the top mostly missing so I didn't want it tho.

Ok- more detailed images of the damage:

That might be a very nice Locost donor

damn.. that is one of the rarest too. a 74 CS1. The only year with the "modern" body and the older bumpers

1974, would have had a 1800cc engine (first year). With the front end damage, it's not worth fixing. I'd pick it up for a hundred or so and part it out. The trans as a core has some value, the rear is probably worth $100, the other fender may have some value if it isn't bodged at the bottom rear (even with the front damage), trunk lid (if not rusty) is worth a lot to someone who needs one. I carried four of those damn lids around for half my life and finally gave them to another Fiat geek, then probably could have sold them all for $100 each. If the remaining rear bumper isn't rotted it's worth probably $100-$125 as a rechromable core because you can't buy those one year only bumpers last I knew. Steering wheel and rims are off a Spider 2000 (79-80). I've also seen the front crossmembers get damaged, and the steering idlers and boxes have value also. Sell the parts, or if you pass on the car, post it at www.mirafiori.com. Oh, and if either of the quarter is rot and bondo free...CHA-CHING! They are worth a couple hundred each by themselves.

that reminds me. I need to post my rust free 77 shell on there

tempted to find a rusty runner now