So after making the 12 hour journey back to Wyoming to visit family for the holiday, one of the first things I did upon arriving back in town was to check on my 1974 Fiat 124 Spider. Now those of you who have been following us for a while already know I’ve had this little secret hiding in a garage for a while now. She runs and drives, but isn’t quite ready to make the journey all the way back to Boise. Having done a considerable amount of work on my little Italian, I know how much goes into keeping these cars on the road. I also know how fun they can be and just how rewarding it can be to keep them going. Obviously when I saw these 124’s that Chuck F sent in, they spoke to me. At just $500 for two cars I couldn’t resist talking about them! Have a look at the duo here on craigslist in Elberton, Georgia.

When I first bought my Fiat I had a lot of people tell me I would regret that decision. Everyone told me I wouldn’t be able to keep it running and that parts would be impossible to find. I also heard that I wouldn’t be able to work on it myself and that when it did run it would be terrible to drive. With their great Pininfarina styling, I figured it was well worth the risk and I have to say, I’m glad I did it! These are amazingly fun little cars to drive, with great brakes, respectable handling, decent power, a brilliant soft top, and that great sounding Italian twin cam motor. For the money, it is hard to find something better.

There are only a few real drawbacks with these cars. First and foremost is rust, which is a never ending issue. Mine was quite solid when I bought it, but there was some rust hiding under the paint and in the floors. It wasn’t particularly difficult to find replacement sheet metal, but replacing metal is always a major task. The second negative has to do with parts supply. It isn’t a matter of not being able to find parts, as there are actually a number of great parts suppliers. The problem is the expense. Compared to any other popular ’70s roadster these cars are spendy to restore. Which brings me to the last issue – they don’t have considerable resale value. That isn’t really an issue for those who simply want a great car to drive on a budget, but it makes it nearly impossible to justify restoring cars in this kind of condition. Of course that could change in the future. I’ve already seen values go up considerably since buying mine.

I’m doubtful either of these Fiats will ever be fixed again, even by Tony. They are so far gone that it would make more sense to buy a solid car and just use these two for parts. The seller claims the white car has a complete engine and that it turns over, so it might be worth buying them just for the motor. If the black car were more complete it might be an easier sell, as it is a pre-70s example with the round front markers and smooth hood. These are the most desirable of the 124s and aren’t particularly common by Fiat standards. If I needed some major components and these cars weren’t so far away I would be tempted to pick them up simply for parts. If your in the Atlanta area and need parts for a restoration or have been looking for a great labor of love, these would definitely be worth taking a look at! All I know is if it weren’t snowing here in Wyoming, I’d be out cruising in my 124 right now!