124 Spider - Jeremy Clarkson, I fear the worst

Looks like the next series of Top Gear will feature Jeremy driving a Fiat Spider.
I hope he's kind.
Back in 1995 along along with a m8 we drove my own Spider down through France to the Monaco F1GP.
On the way back we stopped off for fuel and Jeremy pulled up at the pump next to us to fill up his TVR.
He was as loud as ever, calling across the forecourt to various film crew colleagues etc.
The spider was brilliant on that trip and we managed to get in a lap of the circuit before we left for home :-)
Anyway, here's the link -
http://www.topgearbox.com/2014/news/top-gear-series-22-sightings-spoilers/

124 Spider - Markku Alén

Spotted a post over at OTD pointing to an Italian watch forum.
Turns out that 70's Finnish rally driver Markku Alén not only raced 124's but he was also an Heuer Monaco fan :-)
Here he is getting airbourne in Nigeria in 1974 and also a shot wearing the Monaco (73633).

124 Spider - Hardtop

Arrived today and looks great.
A few minor jobs to do to get it up to scratch but I'm really pleased so far :-)

124 Spider - Abarth style bumper block fitted at last!

This has been a project and a half.
The Abarth style bumper block is fitted to a shaft which is secured to the frame by a 4" bolt.
Problem is that the only way to get the left hand side bolt in (or out) is to remove the fuel tank.
I've still no idea how I got it out in the first place when I removed the daft, 1/2 ton US bumpers.
Anyway, when I was removing the fuel tank I noticed the shield that protects the underside of the filler pipe had seen better days.
By pure coincidence someone was selling a new shield on eBay, in the UK!
Now, to find most parts for the spider you need to look overseas (they were never officially sold in the UK) and even then parts are so rare these days - after all the car is 35 years old.
So what are the chances of that turning up?!
Amazingly it fitted straight out of the box :-)
Of course removing the filler hose from the tank meant cutting off the rusted wire clamp so I need one of those also.
Incidentally, never buy the cheap fuel siphon hose contraption thingy from a well known car and bike parts chain - utter garbage!

 

Gratuitous front end shot for fairness...

124 Spider - Pininfarina Hardtop

Really hope this works out.
Should be here by next weekend :-)

International Mail...

Sometimes it and the internet just work perfectly together.
Looking for an extremely hard to find part for a watch movement and there was one for sale on eBay in Argentina.
A couple of clicks and 1 week later it arrives through the door :-)
All that way for the price of a couple of stamps.
Incidentally the part is a 'setting lever screw' no longer than a couple of mm.
Its for a 1969 Cal 11 Heuer movement.
The early ones were weak and broke easily.
Hopefully this one's good for another 45 years :-)