"Try a different car" she said

carl

carl

True Classic
Was having a chat with my wife over lunch today, telling her how a friend was worried what I would do with my time since I sold one of three Fiats I own last week and another one, the spider, might already be sold to a good friend. I said I don't know as I have done more spiders and Xs than I can't count and nothing feels challenging at the moment (I still have the Fatat but it's sort of all done and needs no more work). She said "what about some other, non-Fiat". This kind of caught me off guard as I would expect her to say something like " good, now you can do all the stuff around the house I want you to do and by the way, give me all the money you made off those two Fiats as the grandchildren are costing a fortune".

Hmmmm. I explained that I really liked working on my brother's BMW 2002 "roundy" years ago but they are way too expensive now. Also had a couple of NA Miatas but those are too modern for me to tinker with. More importantly, why did she say what she did....why is she being nice to me?

I need to think about all this. And then take a nap.
 
Its a trap!!!.....🤣😀

Nope, im just teasing you, just take advantage of the offer before she changes her mind!!😁
 
You need to get into trucks, so you can haul your cars and car parts around. Mid-70's into mid-80's F150's are still fairly cheap to get into, are carb'd if you'd rather stick with that, and are useful as all heck. Plus, they are probably going to appreciate soon. I sold my new-ish (2006) truck a couple years ago (for about what I paid for it 7 years prior), after I built this thing:

IMG_3608.JPGIMG_3609.JPG

Motoring freedom at its finest!
 
Did you record what she said or get it in writing? Otherwise the next time it comes up she will deny it ever happened. o_O
 
What about a kit car? That will keep you busy!

I remember years ago I found online a countach kit someone built the bodywork from a home made wooden mold. Now if you fancy a challenge I don't think you could top that. Seems to me that is serious amounts of time

I always fancied building a kit car but now I live in Spain that is basically impossible to get one registered, so I have to live that one vicariously.
 
I agree with the kit car. How about a goblin ? I have been pondering doing one now that I am almost finished with the spider.

odie
 
I always wanted to build a Meyers Manx but they have become "in" and now cost a fortune.
Of course, the wife will deny we ever had this conversation. Now she wants me to get a job at Home Depot since I "know all about tools". My daughters used to call me a tool. Motorcycles are the best for projects but the wife says I can't ride them anymore so what's the point.
 
My thinking is, you've become a committed SOHC guy. At a couple years behind me, age wise, you should consider doing what you "need" to do.

You admitted to being a bit tired of the 124 spider. Parts availability and prices for Fiats makes them attractive to us. You have a stash of parts. We have a stash of parts.

Now, think what a challenge it will be to start over.

You told us a good story about a good wife being nice to the guy who lives in her garage. She probably won't actually mind Carl being Carl.

You "need" another x19 or 128 ( hot up a yugo?).
 
Yes, Ernie, I'm done with spiders (for now?). They just feel too old to me. Now what do I do with all my spider special stuff like rollbar, Ansa muffler, IDFs....etc?

I dearly love working on 128s but don't enjoy driving them that much which is weird since I love driving my X. I have thought of Yugos as a Friedmanworks project....could I get one down to 1200-1300 pounds? That one on the vid above looks like my 84 GTI.

Of course put a 1500 in it. I have had 128s with rear disc conversion but actually that just overbrakes the rear so drums should probably stay on it. Who knows.

I actually want to stay with Fiat (Yugo..shudder) because I have an extensive knowledge base, I know who to get parts from, I know the forums (and who to listen to and who to ignore on them). I'm not really interested in starting all over with another brand.

By the way, just like Fiat owners, Yugo owners think their cars are worth way more than anyone else thinks they are worth.
 
For something different, a first-gen Scion xB has a lot to recommend it. Parts still readily available, Toyota engineering and a near-bulletproof motor, ridiculously practical but still cute, and a large enthusiast community not much less insane than the Fiat crowd.
 
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