Worst First Car Ever on Bring a Trailer? 1970 Fiat 850 Sport Spider

[@davidcockrill7115]

No, no, no! I owned a 1969 Fiat 850 Spyder that was remarkably reliable. I drove it from El Paso to an old stage coach stop that was 50 miles East of that town and back with no problems at all. I worked on the car for fun. I pulled the engine out with my bare hands, cleaned it, inspected it, and made minor adjustments just for the experience of working on it. I was just trying to get the most power out of the little 4 cylinder engine. I drove it for years. My only mistake was push starting it when the engine was frozen and I broke the cam. If I had waited until the temperature had risen above freezing, the motor would had been perfect. It was designed for Mediterranean weather and I was using it in Kentucky during winter. I loved that little car. I never ran out of gasoline. I sold it because I owed my brother some money. I always regretted my decision because he would have waited for me to pay him back. My bad choice.

[@bidnerds]

Wow! Why haven't you gotten another one?

[@dangooch5267]

The tail lights were almost the exact height of most car bumpers! I used to sit on someone's hood and push it with my feet while a friend started it!

[@Butchfrazer-l9t]

lots of misinformation on here.... it was NOT a $1200 car when it first came out... and it is NOT a "micro car" (i have owned several of those--would you call a VW a micro?).... in the Navy i bought one NEW, a 1968 Coupe, drove it for 3 years---NOTHING WENT WRONG (and i got NINE (9) sailors inside it and drove it around on the Base! Currently i just bought a 1972 Fiat 850 Sport Spider.and both of us are happy... and as you know (or should know) even "brand new cars" driven off the car lot break down (today more than in the past)

[@dangooch5267]

Yikes! I had a 69 850 Spider I got in 74 for a few hundred over a thousand. I had the usual problems with that long fan belt and burned my valves trying to get water out of the tank, which caused me to burn out my starter, but It was fun otherwise. I used to jump a certain RR track raised up just right! I even rewound the cable spool on the passenger window when it got tangled. Not easy with one hand through the openings in the metal behind the panel! I still remember filling it up for less than $4!

[@twentiethcenturyboy6328]

My experience with my 1971 850 spider is completely different from what you guys are claiming. The secret to maintaining your Fiat is to perform preventative maintenance. Remember these little cars have points & condenser, has a mechanical fuel pump and a counter clockwise push rod engine. But maintained properly, these little 903 engines will carry you a long ways as they’re extremely reliable.

[@bidnerds]

What kind of preventative maintenance would stop the fuel pumps from failing 3 times in less than a year? Asking fro a friend.

[@twentiethcenturyboy6328]

@@bidnerds Replace it with an electric fuel pump. Although I’ve never had any issues with the mechanical fuel pumps on my 71 850 Spider or my 74 X1/9. Perhaps there were some defective or poorly designed mechanical fuel pumps that you obtained?

[@bidnerds]

@@twentiethcenturyboy6328 Many years ago.

[@dennisjump8655]

They are not a daily driver. They have to be maintained properly (you can't skip oil changes, etc.) They are a fun, good looking two-seater designed for the European market, which probably didn't translate so well in the American. The '72 was the first car I ever owned, and yeah, it broke down a lot. It sure was fun when it was running good though. I'm restoring one right now and can't wait to get it back on the road. A lot of people love these little cars! BTW, my next car was a '69 Olds Toronado; front wheel drive, 455 with 4bbl carb, a monster. Loved it too. Best car I ever owned.

[@bidnerds]

That was JP's first car too. We don't think we'll see him restoring one anytime soon.

[@RobSweigard]

Now for the rest of the story. Listening to you guys was like listening to politicians. Some truth and lots of nonsense. In 36 years of ownership of a 1971 Fiat 850 Spider I have some firsthand experience. Yes I have pushed the car out of a number of intersections due to a porus braid covered rubber fuel line that seemed to let air into the fuel at the most inoportune times. I have rebuilt the motor completely, and did extensive metal repair on the body. Other than changing the axle boots every 10 plus years, the transmission/transaxle has been untouched. It is like driving a legal (as mentioned in the video) go kart, and takes turns like a dream, and probably would take them at speeds that you wouldn't even logically consider. The comments from onlookers never stop such as "I love your car" "Beautiful car" countless thumbs up head nods, waves, and stares. Even at the ridiculous cost of fuel a full tank is only 4 gallons. You can do 60 to 65 MPH on the highway comfortably but you will find hills are a serious threat. I am not sure there is another car that is more fun to drive. The value of these cars is slowly going up because old technology is becoming more incompatible with modern mechanics who can't diagnose these with a scan tool. You have to scan your brain and incorporate your imagination, such as "are you kidding me, that couldn't possibly be the problem". These cars are attention grabbers, a rolling dream, and an absolute challenge somedays. Drive the dream with your eyes open ! ☺♥†♪♫ 1-27-2024

[@bidnerds]

So, they're mostly reliable as they burn to the ground in the background?

[@RobSweigard]

@@bidnerdsMechanical products tend to wear out, and repairs will at some point be required. My experience with fires in this car were both due to oxy-acetylene welding during the restoration process. One was a hose, and one was wiring in close proximity to the red hot metal. On a seconday note someone suggested in this video that the car may come up for sale again, and that is dead on. It looks like this unit is for sale at the moment, with a video on youtube.

[@bidnerds]

Oh good pick up! Can you send us the link? Is it on another auction already or just a listing somewhere?@@RobSweigard

[@RobSweigard]

@@bidnerds Michael's Motor Cars has a few video's that indicate it was purchased from Florida and is for sale. It appears to be the same car. The videos are older than yours, so maybe it was the one sold in the auction. Update: Although there are at least 3 different licence plate numbers in the videos, it appears they are all from the same dealer. It may have been a reserved bid, or buy back. Time has a tendency to prove all things.

[@jamesbassett1484]

Lots of misinformation. This car was based on the FIAT 850 sedan, a basic economy car, as the karman Ghia was bassed on the VW Beatle, and the Renault Caravelle was based on the Dauphine. Neither Renault nor FIAT developed a strong dealer network like VW did and these caars wore poorly maintained and repared and then consigned to the dust heap of history. However, my "72 850 Starts every time, has gotten where I was going, under its own power, and is driven every day. It was not designed for freeways but is a fun reliable around town car, at fifty-two years of age with its original engine. It's nice on back roads. too.

[@bidnerds]

Love it! Keep driving.

[@stevethefishingsanta7771]

Mine got 50 miles to a gallon. It was so rusty you could see through the floor. My top a-arm pulled out of the body when I made a sharp turn.

[@bidnerds]

LOL, could you go 50 miles without something breaking?

[@stevethefishingsanta7771]

@@bidnerds yes I drove mine for approximately 2.5 years before I sold it to my sister, and she drove it 6 months untill she traded it for a bigger car

[@davidmorais2394]

I’ve just bought a fully restored (almost concourse) 1966 AR Guilia 1600 Ti

[@davidmorais2394]

It’s a very charming drive. Makes little Alfa race noises but moves like a beetle!

[@bidnerds]

How many miles have you had to push it?@@davidmorais2394

[@stevethefishingsanta7771]

I owned 3 850's 1 driver and 2 parts cars

[@bidnerds]

Sounds legit. What's the longest amount of days the driver ran in a row?

[@stevethefishingsanta7771]

@@bidnerds only 1 time did it leave me stranded, when the top of the a-arm pulled out of the body. Went and bought extra long bolts and big washers and bolted it back together and drove it another year. One time my car stopped on the side of the road and I took the top of the carb apart with my pocket knife. Got it back going in about 45 minutes. Loved my 850, wish I had one now with the price of gas.

[@stevethefishingsanta7771]

@@bidnerds all of the cars I owned were rust buckets. Floor pans rusted out bad in those cars. Was told the metal was cheap and the salt air coming across the ocean started the rust process

[@MH-fb5kr]

not built for comfort or speed

[@bidnerds]

or reliability, or safety, or prestige, or shall we go on?