Both BMW and fiat made these but they were different cars.

> From: Zoltan <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
> Reply-To: Zoltan <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
> Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 12:32:34 -0700
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Any Fiat Spider owners out there?
>
> I think that was not a Fiat but a very rare collectible BMW with a bike
> engine, one of the first cars made after the war.  They are a fortune today.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stan Wilder" <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 11:19 AM
> Subject: Re: Any Fiat Spider owners out there?
>
>
>> Way back in 1965 I had a Fiat. It was the one that had the front and only
>> door that swung out in front of the car. The steering column swung out
>> when the door opened. It had narrow rear wheels. It was a real neat
>> little vehicle. I made a nifty profit when I sold it, got it for $35.00
>> sold it for $50.00 the same week.
>>
>> Stan Wilder
>>
>> On Fri, 5 Oct 2001 12:57:47 -0400 The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>> writes:
>>> I recently traded a used Bus engine for a '76 Fiat 124 Spider
>>> Convertible
>>> (also sold as an Alfa Romeo Spider).  Yes, I guess I'm a glutton
>>> for
>>> punishment.  But after having VW busses as my daily drivers for
>>> years, the
>>> prospect of owning a car that could actually get out of its own way
>>> (almost
>>> as much horsepower as a Westy and 1/4 the weight) was a lure too
>>> great to
>>> pass up.  (Of course, the fact that I got the car for practically
>>> nothing
>>> didn't hurt either!) So it's not going to replace my VW's but will
>>> certainly
>>> be a neat toy to tool around in for short trips, etc. when I don't
>>> need the
>>> features of my Westy or my Crew Cab.  Boy is it fun to drive!
>>>
>>> I was surprised, upon discovering a Fiat BBS, to notice some
>>> contributors
>>> who were also VW enthusaists; I even recognized a couple of
>>> customers of
>>> mine!. There are indeed some similarities between the vehicles.
>>> Generally
>>> low parts prices;  widespread part interchangeability between
>>> models/years;
>>> few local parts or repair specialists, hence heavy reliance on the
>>> internet;
>>> quirky design (i.e. rear-engined Fiats, or even air-cooled older
>>> ones);
>>> quirky operation (the heater controls on the Spider are as
>>> counter-intuitive
>>> as the ones on my Vanagon!).  Of course, many differences too.
>>>
>>> Since there were Vanagon owners on the Fiat board, I wonder if there
>>> are any
>>> Fiat owners on the Vanagon list - in particular, listmembers who
>>> either have
>>> used Spider parts or know of a local junkyard that does.  I would
>>> be
>>> particularly interested in trading either new VW parts, or a credit
>>> at The
>>> Bus Depot, for used Fiat parts that I may need.
>>>
>>> - Ron Salmon
>>> The Bus Depot, Inc.
>>> (215) 234-VWVW
>>> www.busdepot.com
>>>
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