1966-85 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe and Spider

Although the “Fix It Again, Tony” reputation of these cars will not die, at least they’re cheap to repair

by Donald Osborne

1979 Fiat 124 Spider

Reviewing the Fiat 124 when new, Car and Driver wrote, “The Fiat 124 Sport Coupe costs $1,400 less than an Alfa 1750 GT Veloce and $2,300 less than a Porsche 912. Within the limits of sanity it handles just as well, it has way more useful room inside, and it even has better acceleration than the Porsche. Do we have your attention?” Indeed, both the Fiat 124 Sport Coupe and Spider were impressive sports cars when they were introduced in 1966. Almost 40 years later, these 124s still offer loads of style and a spirited driving experience, and both models can be enjoyed on a jug-wine budget. Based on the 124 sedan, the coupe used the same platform, allowing it to be a true four-seater. It boasted a clean, elegant, factory-built body with a large and airy greenhouse. Pininfarina built the Spider on a shortened version of the sedan chassis, with 5 1/2 inches removed from the wheelbase. This certainly enhanced its looks, but rendered the rear seating area...