Where is the FIAT?

“De kahr e dun” was the message my father received from our wacky FIAT-obsessed Italian mechanic.

Interpreting that as “The car is done” we grabbed the checkbook and drove out to Kettle Cove industrial park to pick up our newly-restored ’79 Spider.

But as soon as we rolled up we knew something had been lost in translation… because the car we were looking at did have a fabulous black paint job on it, but it did not have a roof, heater, air intake, cooling fan, chrome trim, bumpers, or working lights.

But did I mention the paint looked good?

Apparently the spray-job was what Nino DeMayo was referring to when he said “dun.”  We got a tour of the undercarriage which we were pleased to see had been coated with anti-rust spray, and the inside edges of the wheels were gleaming with new brake components.

Our convertible’s still got a long way to go, but at least it’s better off than this old 190E it was sharing a parking lot with:

No seats, but it’s bringing a new meaning to the term “green transportation” …yes, those plants in the bottom left are indeed growing from the carpet.  And this car is parked on pavement, not in some field where it might be reclaimed by vines.  Never seen anything quite like it.

Anyway, Nino says the car will be done for real on Monday.

“Ness tiime, all dun”

Sure hope so, the nights are still long and the sun has been shining… I hate to think of the precious few convertible months going to waste.  I almost forget what it feels like to be behind the wheel of that thing.

Meanwhile, the tach on my motorcycle decided to stop working this morning… godamit.