Apologies for the essay, but this car warrants a full explanation.

400+ build photos available and, as can be seen in them, this has been a genuine 100% ‘full nut & bolt’ rebuild.
Only listed now, due to a potential change of plans; there is only a short window of opportunity here.

Having retired from stage rallying in my (recent years) BMWs, I bought this car in April 2017, with the intention of preparing it for some historic motorsport use and/or clubnight autotesting.

This 124 Spider was professionally converted to RIGHT HAND DRIVE upon import to the UK in 1990, with a RHD steering box + idler from a 124 Coupe.
These cars were never sold with RHD, however, the factory prepared the shells for a bolt-on parts install from the RHD coupe version.

As with all other components on this car, the steering box and idler have been stripped/checked/reconditioned/replaced as required.

It’s a fantastic 99% completed project for somebody to easily finish off, thousands of £s have already been spent.

Professionally rebuilt & very much upgraded engine, with brand new everything, including H/C pistons, fast road Kent cams/verniers, recon’ genuine Weber twin 45 DCOEs, H/C oil pump, H/C water pump, all new hoses, etc, etc.
Now running, but never driven.
New Sachs clutch installed.

All parts are receipted and the head was fully reconditioned/re-shimmed, etc; the block was decked & rebored by Drakes of Bradford, who also installed/shimmed the cams.

Gearbox stripped/inspected/fettled with new selector parts installed.
Fully reconditioned propshaft.

Freshly built/adjusted LSD axle installed, with larger disc brakes; the original axle is included.
The LSD isn’t a ‘push on’ plated type, it’s a Torsen (Quaife) gripper style, which is very friendly for road or circuit use.

 

April 2017:

I bought this car from the previous keeper in Nottingham, on the day that it passed its MOT test with no advisories.
I inspected it on the MOT tester’s ramp and, while all seemed reasonable, it was obviously in need of some TLC.

I drove it over 100 miles home from Nottingham.
It drove perfectly up to 100 MPH and I never drove it again; it was immediately stripped to a rolling shell and sent to the body shop for the required repairs, which transpired to be very, very significant.

Preparation:

Given the fact that it had just passed the MOT test, the amount of welding & replacement panels that it required was quite alarming.

It spent several months at the body shop, having the bodywork repaired and restored to an appropriate standard, which, including the replacement panels, cost several thousand pounds and didn’t even include preparation for painting.

However, it was very comprehensively inspected + professionally repaired and now sports a very strong and solid body, in absolutely every area.

I’ve prepared several motrsport cars over the years and I always do them in a correctly ordered fashion, so I transported the rolling shell home from the body shop to completely strip the remainder and paint the ‘hidden bits’, while it was 100% bare, which I did…..

Prior to sending it back to the paint shop for a proper exterior re-prep and paint - which I didn’t.

Covid lockdown landed.

I purchased 8 litres of twin pack Fiat Cha Cha Blue and used 3 litres to paint the whole of the underneath, interior, engine bay, wheel arches etc (which all look great) and there were 5 litres left to paint the exterior.

I decided to paint the exterior at home during Covid; I didn’t prep’ it fussily, given my intensions and if it was to be a ‘road car minter’, it would definitely need re-finishing + a blow over.

I wasn’t fussy about the exterior panels when I painted it, as my priority was the areas that needed paint prior to re-fitting the legs & drivetrain.

It only needs a ‘flat ‘n’ polish’ + my intended vinyl scheme for my purpose.

The paint work finish on the outer body is not of road car or show standard, I basically just blew it over with a few gun fulls.
There’s plenty of the expensive twin pack paint left, for somebody to reprepare the outside and spray it to a good standard.

The doors (& bonnet) were repaired with new lower sections welded in and if you want a nice road car, these would need to be properly prepared + repainted too.
It looks lovely underneath and in the engine bay/arches/interior/etc.

Plumbed throughout with proper Aeroquip/alloy screwed fittings and fully re-wired with an internal fuse/relay rack. Most of the wiring retains the factory colour coding, wherever possible.

All HP fuel lines are installed with proper screwed fittings to MSA spec.

 

Here’s an honest, but far from complete list, for anybody who cares to make a sensible offer.

 

1979 RHD Fiat 124 Spider.                               
Full bare shell restoration including replacement panels.
Original style chrome bumpers painted matt black.
Brand new (£400!) original style front indicators. 
New arch liners + side trims.  
Hardtop to factory Abarth rally spec.                      

Modified front X-member (WCXM type).                        

Wheel stud + nut conversion.
New 14” genuine Minilite wheels and tyres.
Steel sump pan guard.                               
New heater radiator.                              

New wiper motor and linkage.                                 

New rear light electrics.                                             
New front lights.                                                       
Propshaft full refurb inc new centre bearing.
Fully rebuilt/re-bushed suspension F&R.      
New AVO fully adjustable dampers F&R.                                
LSD axle C/W big rear brakes & adjustable panhard rod.       

New Bosch high performance 5 year warranty battery. 
Brand new brake M/C, calipers and discs.                        

 Engine:                                                                         

 

Fully rebuilt and only run on stands.                                       
Brand new Kent fast road cams & verniers.                                              

45 DCOE Weber carbs/manifold/twin cable linkage.         

Head valve/port/refurb + cylinder rebore.                               

H/C pistons.                                                             

All brand new engine internal parts, uprated oil pump, new water pump, all new shells and bearings; refaced flywheel.
New Facet red top fuel pump + Malpassi Filter King.                             
New Sachs full clutch + cable.
New high capacity/flow radiator + new header tank.
All new engine coolant hoses.  
Powerflow 2” custom made exhaust system.                  

All of the original (fully working) Bosch fuel injection system is available to be included, as are the original axle & original steel rims/tyres x 5, with 4 ‘hub caps’.

 

The car has covered 0 miles since rebuild and doesn’t have any seats or belts fitted.

 

 

Needs:

Front seats & belts. (Original front seats& belts are included, but need significant attention.)
Horn & washer bottle/pump.
Tracking and spanner check + other minor adjustments.

Exterior paintwork improving if it’s to be used as a road car or show car, some of the chrome work around the hood and windscreen is pitted too.

There is absolutely nothing else that requires professional attention.

 

This is a very genuine opportunity to buy an extremely rare RHD Fiat 124 Spider, that has had all of the hard work done and is uprated to an exceptional standard.

 

I’m not interested in any daft offers.
You won’t find a better shell and it’s RHD.
The engine is expected to produce a very driveable 150ish BHP; it won’t be lairy and it won’t rev stupidly, it’s likely to be quite thirsty with the Webers fitted tho.

 

I have £20K+ & a monumental amount of time in this project and it has to be a sensible offer to take it away.
I’ve seen tatty imports go for £7K and LHD minters go for £20K+.
I’m not desperate for the sale or the space; I simply have the opportunity of an alternative (Lotus Sunbeam) stalled project, that a friend is selling.

An online folder with many more pics is available for any interested parties.

You really can’t buy a car like this without viewing it.

Delivery (via my trailer) is possible for a reasonable cost, but I would need cleared funds, prior to delivery.

Located in LS29, Ilkley, West Yorks, between Skipton & Leeds.