Restoration Page

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I started fixing cars when I was 16, in June 1987. The first object was a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle. This became a special car with JPS features. But I never drove it, all the bling bling was too much for me, so I sold it in 1993.
Second was also a Beetle which I bought (august 1987) for the special bodyparts for my first one. I turned it into a black beauty. I used it a lot, I even drove to Finland to my girlfriend (now wife). In 1997 I sold the beetle, with pain in my heart.
During the two beetles it was time for a new twist. So in 1988 I bought a very rare Bruvo dunebuggy. Dutch builders From the Dutch factory of Bruin en de Vos. Only 400 were made. In 1992 I sold it, this car I also never drove because I bought a nice black buggy...
Also in 1988 I bought this beautiful black Ruska Sprinter buggy. This car I sold in 1994 after using it lots of summers, even to the Dutch islands. Unfortunately I don't have pictures from that period.
In 1987 my father and me bought a 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. This car was perfectly fixed, however also this car I never drove, since the car looked too good to drive and (more important) I wanted more power than 55 hp.... In 1999 I traded this Karmann in for the red spider below.
A friend of mine owns a Fiat 1981 Spider (the red one on the right picture). I liked his car very much, so in June 1997 I bought a beige (avorio) 1981 Spider (left picture). I fixed the car completely, even painted it myself. In June 1999 I sold it to a friend of mine.

We became very into spiders, so a red 1978 carburetted spider in April 1999 followed. This I sold in June 2000.

In may 1999 a 1981 beige Turbo spider followed (left picture, taken in Corfu Greece).  The TURBO car was nicer to drive than a normal aspired fuel injected spider. So in Oktober 1999 I took the opportunity to buy another 1981 black Turbo (right picture). This black Beauty I drove myself.

In July 2001 I sold the black turbo, in Januari 2002 I sold the beige turbo.
 

In June 2000 I sold the red spider, and immediately bought a 1982 azurblue metallic fuel injected spider. One year later (after fixing) I sold it in August 2001.
In November 2001 I bought a red 1979 spider. The 1978 and 1979 spiders lack power because of the emission-equipment from the US. So I tuned the engine. I took the emission-gadgets, the manifold and the ADHA carburettor of. I installed a 1800 manifold and a ADFA carburettor. The power gain was amazing, about 20 hp more and much better torque and acceleration. During the restoration I renewed the front suspension, break system, interior, exhaust system and other components. The car was repainted and got a complete antirust treatment. Oktober 2002 I sold it.
After owning a TURBO after a normal aspired fuel injected car, I wanted even more power. So I searched for (in my opinion) the most exotic spider of all, the PININFARINA SPIDER VOLUMEX.

I wanted a metallic black Volumex, with its history known, which needed restoring and therefore an affordable price. After one year of searching (I started this search end of 2000) I saw a good deal via the webpage of the German spider club www.fiatspider.de. It was a Volumex from 1984, number 35 out of 500 ever made. It needed some attention (paint, interior and mechanics). In January 2002 I sold the beige TURBO spider (to get some cash) and picked up the Volumex in the neighbourhood of Munich, Germany. After driving 950 kilometres and back the spider found a new home and the restoration could begin.

I also tuned the engine a bit. Guy Croft advised me what to do: I upgraded the inlet and exhaust camshaft, free flown the head and intake system and put a fuel pressure regulator in the car. It lead to approximately 150 hp.

In April 2002 I bought this 1978 carburetted spider from Germany from a guy who tried to fix it himself. You all heard the story: he became too afraid of the job after dissembling the car. All the boxes with parts was too much for him, so he sold it. Bad for him, good for me.

Also this car I tuned a bit. I replaced the manifold and carb for a 1800 manifold and a Holley 5200 carb. I also installed a 1800 head. The car even became more drivable then a fuel injected car! June 2003 I sold it.

In December 2002 I bought a 1981 fuel injected spider, also from Germany. The car never had an accident before. It came with all the bills from 1988 of on. Also included were several items: users manual, towing instruction, service adres book, Fiat service letters, and the original instructions on how to use the clock!The new owner wanted the spider to be painted light blue. It became a beautiful car with blue interior from the white spider. In April 2004 I sold it.

The next spider I bought (February 2003)from Germany. It was restored in four months in the first months of 2003.

It was a white fuel injected spider from 1981. It had a blue interior and almost NO RUST AT ALL.

I fixed the spider for a friend of mine. He chose a not original fiat colour, but it turned out to be a beautiful choice as you can see on the right. In May 2003 he drove it to Austria.

The black spider I sold to a guy of which  I bought his old spider from, June 2003. This spider was a 1980 blue fuel injection. The spider was mechanically and cosmetically okay. Downside was rust rust and more rust...But after fixing 10 spider, rust was no problem. For an antirust treatment I use Mike Sander fett. Autobild.de tested 20 products, this is the best of them. The new owner wanted the spider to be painted light grey. It became a beautiful car. In May 2008 I sold it.

I bought the old spider from the new owner of the light blue spider, April 2004. I turned it into a red beauty with some Abarth features, with Abarth wheels and bumpers. I sold it in June 2010.

 

In December 2008 I bought a red 1978  spider body. I plan to make this a normal carburated spider.

THIS CAR IS FOR SALE. Email me when you are interested. Tell me which colour you like, and I paint it for you.

In March 2009 I bought a blue 1981 spider. I plan to make this a normal aspired f.i. spider. I still have an Argenta engine with about 120 hp at stock.

THIS CAR IS FOR SALE. Email me when you are interested. Tell me which colour you like, and I paint it for you.

After so much spiders I wanted something new. So In February 2010 I bought a green Ford Mustang fastback, from 1965. Good and pure condition, perfect base for restoration.

Soon a 1967 Mustang Convertible followed, October 2010. I am set for the next 4 years...

 

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