One challenge for enthusiasts seeking an Italian classic of a certain age is finding one that has remained rust-free throughout its life. This beautiful 1980 Fiat Spider 2000 ticks that box as a one-owner survivor that has never seen inclement weather. It needs nothing but a new home, offering the new owner the option to fly in and drive this gem home. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Araknid78 for spotting the Fiat listed here on eBay in Portland, Oregon. Bidding sits below the reserve at a mere $202 with plenty of time remaining for those who view the Spider as a must-have to make a play for this classic.
Fiat has a long history of collaborating with various companies for vehicle design and body manufacturing. It turned to Pininfarina to pen the lines for what became known as the 124 Sport Spider, which later underwent a model designation change to the Fiat Spider 2000, with the first cars rolling off the line in 1966. This Spider emerged in 1980, and is a one-owner survivor that presents nicely in Cherry Red with a Beige soft-top. Its condition is first-rate, with no significant cosmetic shortcomings. Rust can be a major issue with these cars, but this garage-kept example has never been exposed to the conditions that might cause problems. It is rock-solid, with no past or existing corrosion that might cause headaches. The new soft-top looks excellent, as does the chrome and glass. One change I would probably make if this car were to find its way into my garage would be to swap the springs. Compliance with American headlight height regulations forced Fiat to fit longer springs than those found in European models. Fitting Euro springs would give the Fiat a lower appearance and would also improve handling. That’s a win/win in my books.
Rust issues aren’t the only problems facing Italian classic owners; interiors are also prone to significant age-related deterioration. However, that isn’t an issue with this Spider. The Beige interior trim shade mirrors the soft-top, and its condition is excellent. There is no evidence of significant wear or other problems, and no visible UV damage. Color-matched mats protect the carpet, and the timber dash fascia is spotless. This interior doesn’t feature power windows, which were part of that year’s Limited Edition package, but the chunky wheel and the AM/FM radio/8-track player should make life on the road pretty pleasant.
From Day One, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider featured one of the company’s sweet little DOHC fours under the hood, with the capacity climbing to 1,995cc in 1979. The company added fuel injection in 1980, allowing this Spider to place 102hp at the driver’s disposal. Buyers could select a three-speed automatic transmission, but this Fiat comes with a five-speed manual for an engaging driving experience. The seller states that this gem has a genuine 28,000 miles showing on its odometer. They don’t mention verifying evidence, but since it is a meticulously maintained one-owner classic, there may be Service Records to eliminate any potential doubts. Otherwise, it is a turnkey proposition with no identified mechanical problems.
This 1980 Fiat Spider 2000 is a beautiful classic that would suit enthusiasts with a passion for Italian sports cars. Its presentation is extremely impressive, and its rust-free status and known ownership history are both reassuring. It has only attracted four bids, but the listing statistics suggest that figure and the price will climb considerably as the auction runs its course. That begs the question of a potential sale price, and I believe that this beauty should easily top $15,000 before the hammer falls. Would you be interested, or is that figure too rich for your blood?
Memories. The first car my girlfriend, soon to be wife, and I bought together was one of these. 1985 or 86. Fun car, fun times. Ours was white and blue with the 5 speed. 100 or so HP with the stick in a car that small was more than enough to be irresponsible. 😀
No shortage of issues including a fuel leak in the cabin and losing 2nd gear did our little car in. But we traded it on a 88 Mustang LX 5.0.
We recently bought a clean Lexus SC430 and my wife frequently says she didn’t realize how much she missed convertibles. Very different cars though.
Fun to look at – sometimes fun to drive. They are temperamental when it comes to maintenance but overall not a bad “Coffee and Cars” driver for someone looking for an entry level Italian auto. There is a reason it has such low mileage – especially on a convertible!
You are spot on about the euro springs correcting the stance on this gem. That would, unfortunately, put the klieg lights on modern giant trucks burning holes in your skull.
The issue with lowering these Spiders is the engine is tall and the oil pan hangs low… I have a protection plate on mine and it’s not lowered… yet I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve dinged it at railroad crossings and less then perfect roadways… even had to do a weld repair on it once. Lowering is great for the track or autocross… but in the real world, not so much.
If you lower it don’t forget the euro bumpers.
EVERYBODY’S headlights will be blinding whoever’s driving this at night. .
These are great cars, fairly easy and simple to work on. Fun to drive, reliable when you realize that they just need a little bit of maintenance. This car for sale appears to be in great condition. The convertible top appears to be out of shape, because the rear support bar has to be repositioned, easy fix. With only 28k miles this car looks like a great find.
I was wondering about that ‘flat spot’ on the top…
Good catch, and yes, easy fix.
Nice little car, I personally believe the odometer has rolled once based on the scratched steering wheel and the ware on the brake pedal. Its one to watch and see if bidding cracks the reserve
I don’t agree. I’m not seeing much wear on the pedals. This is some scuffing on the map pocket from shoes scraping on entry and exit. Not clear why the driver’s carpet is so unkempt looking. I sort of wonder why the rear insignia is missing on such a clean car. Also, I noted that the front bumper is slightly askew, as if it bumped into something like a tree on the right side. No other damage shows and all of the gaps look very good. It’s certainly better than the last one that appeared here last week for a ridiculous price.
I had a girlfriend back in the early 80s who had one of these in tan. It was a nice ride. My buddy had a 73 that he bought new and it was a fun ride but with the smaller engine size (1.6 or 1.8) and carbureted, as I recall.
Looking at the Ebay listing, there appears to be a significant ding (or possible rust) on the driver’s side just ahead of the rear wheel opening… Wouldn’t be a del breaker for me, but it would be a significant expense to get it repaired properly.
I owned a 1969 Spider. Drove it all over the USA. Timing belt slipped twice necessitating engine repair. So I traded it in on a 70 Chevelle. Looking back, that car was tiny. Lucky I was not killed in it. At the time I owned it I thought I was a mean motor scooter.
Didn’t we all.
Signed,
A former ’69 Spit Owner
These are great little sunny day drivers. Much more modern and usable than their. British contemporaries. They’re a little more complicated to maintain than say, an MGB, but they can be reliable with proper care and maintenance. The key to enjoying a Fiat or Alfa is to either be a good mechanic yourself, of find a competent, honest independent repair shop that knows older Italian cars. Otherwise, you’re much better off buying a Miata.
As an owner of both a Fiat Spider and an MGB, I can’t disagree that the Fiat is more modern… however I don’t think the Fiat is any more complicated to repair than a ‘B… in fact, I’d ague that some things are easier on the Fiat. I’ll use the rear brakes as an example. The ‘B has drums. the Fiat has discs… personally, I’d much rather service disc brakes than the more mechanically complicated (IMO) drum brakes…
I think ‘Luckless pedestrian’ called it. Same rusty damaged on the passenger’s side, troo. And there’s a crease in the RF fender and a scuff along the body ridge. I’d guess that somebody (almost) scraped past a garage door. or a parking-lot encounter hard enough to wrinkle the bumper, too.
I vote – – – with no evidence – – – that the odometer would read 128k miles if it had six digits. Too many asterisks for the claimed mileage (top, trim, scuffs).
Nice write-up Adam. Thanks for the acknowledgement. I love these cars. I’ve had a 1969 and and a 1978
Anyone who has the $$ and drives this car around the block is going to have to expend great effort to say no to the deal. Ferrari and Lamborghini are at the top. This Spider is at the bottom. Does Italy offer much in between?
I had two 1969 Sport Coupes -20 years apart. Just change the timing belt every 20K miles. Best bang for the buck. Don’t like soft tops. Cheaper than an Alfa. No rust but they were both AZ cars. DOHC, 4 wheel discs, 5 speed. Had the first Pertronx electric ignition on mine. Prototype. Got rid of the crappy points.Revved it to 7k rpm on evey shift, Never a problem. If you like soft tops buy the Fiat. As good as an Alfa Spider but way cheaper. Especially on parts which are easy to get.
20k mile belt changes are a bit paranoid. 30-35k is typical, and even that’s conservative. By ’81 Fiat/Lancia owner’s manuals were saying to inspect (not even necessarily change!) the belt every 50k miles, and since the engine and cam sprockets hadn’t changed, I reckon that extension corresponds to improvements in belt manufacturing technology.