1967 Other Makes 1000 OT Spider

Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

014178

Clear

Gasoline

You are viewing a very rare 1967 Fiat-Abarth 1000 OT Spider. The beautiful bodywork was penned by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro while working at Bertone, and is considered one of the finest-ever examples of small sports car design. The drivetrain was installed by Carlo Abarth & Company, and features a bespoke crankshaft, connecting rods, camshaft, valve springs, and carburettor jetting. The OT Spider was offered by Abarth only for the 1967 model year. Fiat did not import these to the U.S., and the few cars that made their way here were either imported by one of the historic Abarth marque specialists such as FAZA, John Rich Motors, or Abarth Sales Corporation, or were privately imported. Many were raced, most rusted away, and very, very few remain, especially in this condition. I bought this car from a Fiat-Lancia collector in the American west. He did extensive repair to the body: new OEM-style floor pans, seat tracks, cross member, and paint. It was originally bright red and was thoroughly repainted in a rich, darker red appropriate to high-end Italian sports cars of the period. While very nice, the paint does have a few scratches and there are a few tiny spots where the paint is bubbling. This could indicate poor surface preparation or the beginnings of rust. Because of the extensive repair work, the body can generally be described as “rust-free”: the floors, doors, rocker panels, chassis rails, jacking points, fenders, inner fenders, and trunk floor are all clean, with no apparent rust. The battery box has been reconstructed, and there is some light, superficial surface rust in spots. Overall, the body is excellent. The engine is a genuine Abarth AB202B. It starts and runs well enough, but has uneven compression in the cylinders, and emits a lot of oil smoke when accelerating. In short, it is tired and needs a rebuild. However, the oil pressure is excellent. It has all the correct Abarth bits, including a finned alloy Abarth sump, an alloy generator pulley, oil pump pressure relief valve, and belly panel to accommodate an Abarth exhaust system. The car runs, drives, and stops well (other than the smoke). The exhaust system is excellent, and the charging system, clutch, and transmission operate as they should. However, the 2nd gear synchro is a little weak and will “crunch” slightly when the gearbox oil is cold. Once warmed up, the transmission shifts beautifully. I was told that the windshield wiper motor doesn't work, but I have not confirmed that. The car comes with an extra wiper motor. The water pump has a noisy bearing, but the car comes with a new water pump. The radiator was professionally restored, and the car runs at the appropriate temperature. The heater works well. Here are some additional highlights of this outstanding car: comes with 2 Bertone factory steel hardtops (need restoration) cloth (not vinyl!)soft top nice chrome bumpers correct, original Abarth badges correct, original Abarth steering wheel and horn button correct, original Abarth rear valance panel correct, original shift knob correct, original side view mirror (very rare!) seats reupholstered in the correct, original pattern, including perforated vinyl on the seat backs the floors are covered with professionally made wool carpets with bound edges Bertone floor mats Bertone door sill plates Cromodora wheels Marchal headlights rare, original European market front turn signals correct, original floor jack both window regulators work as they should all glass is in good condition The negatives: the engine probably requires a rebuild the soft top installation is incomplete some weatherstripping requires replacement the original Fiat build plate is missing (OT Spiders never had an Abarth build plate) the rubber trunk floor mat is cracked odometer not working - no way to determine correct mileage The early, covered headlight Fiat-Abarth 1000 OT Spider is a wonderful, low-cost way to acquire a rare, coachbuilt Italian sports car. In 1967, Car and Driver magazine said, “The Fiat-Abarth OT 1000 Spider is an excellent example of Abarth's work and an excellent little car.” This very clean example would be a great addition to any European sports car collection, and is available for inspection by appointment. Please contact me through eBay or at 973-366-1410 with your questions. I encourage you to inspect the car in advance of placing a bid, and look forward to personally showing the car to you or your mechanic / agent. Since this is a 44 year old car, no warranty is offered or implied. It is sold “as is”, “where is”. The buyer is responsible for arranging shipping. The winning bidder is to submit a minimum $500.00 deposit via PayPal within 3 days of auction end, with the balance due within 7 days. Balance can be paid by wire transfer, cash, or check, but the title will be transferred only when the bank verifies the funds. The car must be removed within 30 days of the auction unless other arrangements are agreed to.On Sep-01-11 at 06:56:07 PDT, seller added the following information: Additional information: I checked the area behind the chrome script "Fiat-Abarth" on the nose of the car. It is difficult to access and therefore was not refinished when the car was repainted. The mounting stud holes for the script are original, which means the body was built as an Abarth from new. Fiat 850s do not have these holes.