In 1963, after Fiat’s wildly popular 600 series had sold more than 1.5 million copies, Dante Giacosa – the company’s chief engineer – was ready to introduce its encore, the 850. The first body style was the sedan, designed in-house. One year later, the pretty Spider arrived – styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone – along with a Sport Coupe by Boano. While mechanically not far off the 600, the 850 convertible was a looker, while the sedans were … cute. Here on eBay is a 1970 Fiat 850 Sport Spider with an asking price of $8000 or best offer. The car is located in Glendale, California.
Maintaining the rear-mount configuration of the 600, Fiat gave its new 850 a variety of engines, beginning with an 817 cc four-cylinder designed to dodge emissions controls in the US, and culminating in the 52 hp, 903 cc four installed after 1968 in both the spider and the coupe. Fiat designated these slightly more powerful models by appending “Sport” to their names; thus, the Spider became the Sport Spider. This example has had a complete engine rebuild aimed at goosing performance, with high-compression pistons, a high-torque starter, a rebuilt radiator, and several new parts. The engine runs well. The gearbox is a four-speed manual, and the car’s independent suspension does wonders for handling. The Spider and Coupe received front disc brakes, though the sedan made do with drums all around. With a curb weight of 1600 lbs, the Sport Spider is lively and fun.
This photo is very dark, but the interior appears decent. The car does have its original wood-rimmed steering wheel – these can be expensive if a replacement is needed. The dash should have woodgrain trim and Veglia instrumentation. No photos of the underside are posted in the listing, but from the few shots of the body, the panels appear to be in good nick. The front bumper is dented slightly.
When the Spider first arrived in the US, it wore faired-in headlamps shared by the Lamborghini Miura, but US regulators soon passed height requirements and deemed glassed-over units unsafe. Consequently, Fiat had to “frogeye” the headlamps, ruining Giugiaro’s sleek frontal styling. Those early examples enjoy a value premium. But later cars with their larger engines are fun and good-looking enough. Given the narrow dollar gap between good and poor condition, and given the various mechanical quirks that a Fiat can throw your way, it pays to buy the best. The “best” will cost low five figures, while slightly needy early Spiders can be had for mid-teens. Today’s example shows promise; is it worth a call?
Unfortunately, a close look at some of the photos show rust spots bubbling their little heads up on various panels. That was one of the curses of the 850 Spider, and, in fact, all too many Fiats.
The Spider was a wonderful design. Giugiaro got it just right, and even the raised headlamps of the later cars don’t do all that much harm to the looks. I admit to preferring the earlier lights.
Like so many Italian powerplants, the tiny lump in the Spider thrives on hop-ups. The result won’t challenge Corvettes, but it doesn’t have to. The Spider is quite nice to drive even when dead-stock, and a few extra ponies make it feel even faster.
A shame about the corrosion. That may be only the tip of the brown iceberg, or can be remedied fairly easily. I suggest an in-person look.
These are so doggone cute as to be almost irresistible in good condition.
So many were left out in the rain. Sometimes with the top down. Pulling up the carpet, you might see the ground! Finding a rust free body is the hard part, as the rest of the parts are easy to find!
looks like it’s missing the all important under engine pans that help in keeping the engine cool, and yes, the metal maggots just love the Italian tin as seen in this one
$7k for the engine rebuild…. Good money after bad here?. I would expect sellers to provide clarity with minimal shadow in their photos. What happened here.? Rust, yes ,is the issue here and remediating all of it therein will certainly exceed the Fiat’s value and place appreciation value well behind the curve for quite a while. Very fun cars, but this one appears to be untenable at the sellers price. I hope someone can obtain it at a reasonable price.
A neighbor had some college buddies visiting one summer weekend when I was a teenager.
We pulled and rebuilt the engine from an 850 in one day using a chain and a tree branch.
You remove the rear panel, and then walk out the engine with one hand on the headers, and the other on the water pump. Just support the oil pan with a rolling jack. The engines aren’t that heavy!
Had a 67, 850 for a few years. Bought it brand new with a factory hard top for $1750. Thats not a mis- print. A fun driver but children made it impossible to transport a family.
There were a bunch of years in my life where I was looking to add one of these to my fleet… I had a chance to drive one when I was in college and I thought it was a blast. So for the next couple of decades or so when I heard one was for sale in the area I would go look at it. Every single one turned out to be much more of a project than I wanted due to rust. It didn’t help that I lived in the northeast. Unfortunately, at this point, that time is now passed. I did however get a chance to own several of its replacement… the X1/9.
And 7 grand for an engine rebuild for that?… Who did they have do it, a Ferrari shop…
Started my “forever” job at IBM on today’s date at the Fishkill mfg plant.. The Plymouth dealer in that town sold them… I was so tempted to buy one of the little beauties… My cousins husband that owned a 67 1800s convertible, yes one of those, advised against it.. I ended up selling my 63 s22 comet convertible that my brother had given me and bought a 69 AH Sprite. Was fun for a bit til I blew the clutch trying to drive it like a corvette.. That was the start of my life of swapping cars all the time. After that my first new car was a 71 pinto 4 sp. Sold that to my sister in law and got a 70 mgb in 71.. Still enjoying playing cars with my 02 530 msport, 93 525 bimmers and 96 gt mustang convertible… Still lust after the 850s.. Gorgeous little cars still
So cool and so rust prone. Weren’t these recalled/bought back for rust issues?
These are cool, but I prefer the coupe. Which is even harder to find.
Russian steel or some such, as I recall
Great pictures! I can almost make out some car-like figures in that darkened phone booth.
I have a 73 that’s restored and the engine is rebuilt. Mine is much better than what is being offered and still don’t feel it’s worth 7k. I would settle for 4 because it is complete and has a bunch of all important spare parts.
Nice
My dad lusted after this exact model in the early 70’s and wanted to own one very badly. Sadly, when he was in the position to buy one, my mother said ‘Absolutely Not’ in no uncertain terms, so he had to settle for a strippo 128 sedan that met with approval. $2,000 out the door at the local Fiat dealer. Unfortunately, living in a rust belt state at the time, the poor thing went from showroom to junkyard with severe, irreparable unit body rust damage in just three years. A real shame. I learned how to drive a stick in it, and although it was grossly under-powered, it was relatively satisfying to drive day-to-day. Fiat memories…
one of the several cars I liked for ability to stretch back in driver’s seat’n pull up’n over the “rain preventer” (ahhh – new england spring/summer/fall).
Abarth hada few speedy bits I’d swap into these…
Never saw a ‘…glassed over…” head lght on these, sounds like a +.
Had forgotten the oe ‘headers’ but they sure did. Nothing I see like it today (miata close?) wish there were~
914, karman ghia, mr2, X 1 / 9, etc…
Series 1 up till 68 had the same glassed over headlights as a Lamborghini Miura. The glass is expensive since it’s the same as the Miura. From 69 on done away with the glass.
The United States covered headlights are clear glass, but you can buy the fluted glass covered headlights. The fluted glass covered headlights are expensive!
Check this out
Beautiful 1967! The best year to have with the covered headlights and low back seats! That is a non-USA version 1967 in the photograph.
Another fix it again Tony rust bucket and I doubt anyone will disagree with me.
Wasn’t a bad car when newish but the tin worms probably got into the chassis too.
Which would make metal repairs costly and they would have to be dead nuts on in order to make the car road worthy
The wood trimmed steering wheel was never wood in the 850 spyders, but plastic that looked like wood. There were 3 engine displacements. 843 cc 1967, 817 cc for emissions 1968 – 1969, and the 903 cc 1970 – 1973.