Vehicle Description
Between 1966 and 1974, the venerable and enormously successful 124
served as the mainstay of the Fiat line. Thanks to the
sophisticated monocoque chassis employed by the standard saloon, a
sporting version of the 124 was a natural evolution. Shortly after
the debut of the sedan, Fiat introduced two sporty 124s. One was a
handsome four-seat coupe designed in-house by Mario Boano, and the
other a beautiful little two-seat roadster penned by American-born
designer Tom Tjaarda, working for Pininfarina. At the time,
American buyers had a huge appetite for sports cars, and Fiat was
eager to get in on the success enjoyed by popular roadsters like
the MGB, Triumph TR4, and Alfa Romeo Duetto. The lovely little Fiat
had a leg up on the British competition thanks to its standard
four-wheel disc brakes, double-wishbone front suspension,
five-speed gearbox, and the fabulous twin-cam four-cylinder engine
designed by the legendary ex-Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi.
With names like Lampredi, Pininfarina, and Tjaarda behind it, the
Fiat Sport Spider certainly didn't lack street cred. Even as Fiat
shifted production to the 131, the 124 Spider remained a fixture in
the lineup for years, growing in displacement and output along the
way and enjoying a steady following of loyal fans who fell for its
Italianate charm, nimble handling, and gutsy twin-cam engine. It
sold well through numerous evolutions, outliving the original 124
sedan by several years. In 1979, a final bump in displacement
accompanied a name change to "Spider 2000." By October 1981, Fiat
ended the production of the Spider after fifteen years. Yet
Pininfarina still sensed plenty of demand, and since they had the
infrastructure to continue building bodies, they took over full
production, marketing the car in America as the Pininfarina Spider
Azzura through late 1985, with about 3,000 vehicles reaching our
shores. However, due to its low-cost, entry-level nature when new,
considerably fewer than that number survive today. This exceptional
1984 model is one of the finest examples of the Pininfarina Azzura
we have ever encountered. A highly-original two-owner car, it was
sold new by Aurora Imports in Seattle, Washington, in June 1985 and
spent most of its life on the West Coast. Registration certificates
show the original owner, Mr. Hiawatha Davis, enjoyed the car
sparingly for several years, before carefully storing it in his
garage in about 1990. The Pininfarina remained quietly tucked away
for the better part of twenty-four years when, in 2014, it was
purchased by the most recent owner. A successful entrepreneur,
Classic Car Club of America Master Judge, and experienced concours
judge, the new owner put his eye for detail to good use and began
the meticulous process of refreshing this highly original and
well-preserved Azzura. Handily, his business interests included
automotive repair and restoration, and his company handled the task
of carefully refinishing the Spider in its original shade of Rosso
Vivo to better-than-new standards. They sorted numerous details to
bring the Pininfarina back to near showroom condition. Fiat and
Pininfarina Spiders have long been grassroots-level enthusiast
cars, and as such, very few, if any, have enjoyed this sort of
cost-no-object attention. The quality of the paintwork is superb,
with beautifully smooth finishing and straight panels. Detailing is
excellent all around, including the correct Azzura badges, original
lenses, and Vitaloni mirrors. Chrome and black rubber US-spec
bumpers are in good order, and the proper, original Cromodora alloy
wheels were recently refinished. In 2015, the owner fitted a new
Robbins cloth convertible top in the correct tan color to complete
the outstanding cosmetic presentation. The two-seat cockpit is in
fantastic order, with original tan leather and vinyl trim on the
seats, door cards, and dash. It features the correct three-spoke
steering wheel and wood shift knob along with factory electric
windows and air conditioning. The original carpets are superb, and
the wood dash trim houses excellent Veglia instruments and
switchgear. Documentation includes the original warranty booklet,
the first five years of registrations, and numerous receipts from
the refurbishment work. Also included is a factory tool roll in
excellent condition. Mechanically, the Pininfarina is in fine
order, thanks to an extensive post-slumber refresh. Bosch
electronic fuel injection feeds the Lampredi twin-cam for reliable,
flexible running in all conditions. Documents show the previous
owner resealed the injectors, rebuilt the brakes, replaced the rear
dampers, and tended to numerous other minutiae to ensure the car
was in top running condition. Underhood presentation is clean,
honest, and original, reflective of the car's charmed existence in
the hands of just two meticulous owners. Already a rarity compared
to its Fiat-badged sibling, very few Azzura Spiders survived the
years so lovingly well-preserved. Considering the quality of the
finish and detailing, this represents an exceptional value in the
world of Italian sports cars and is ready for regular enjoyment
either on the road or in AACA or other enthusiast club events.
There is little doubt that this is one of the finest examples of
Pininfarina's delightful Azzura Spider available today. Offers
welcome and trades considered For additional details please view
this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6623-1984-pininfarina-spider-azzurra/