Hey all,

I'm a noob in this forum, but happy I've found it as you guys might be able to help or at least point me in the right direction.

Anyway, after spotting a wee Barchetta in a showroom I just had to have one. Hence, I've bought myself a Riveria model (Black body, red roof and leather interior). But, you see, I live in Finland and the weather, which you can understand, is generally not suitable for top down motoring here. Hence, I'm trying to find a good source for Barchetta hardtops.

So some questions for you:
1) Are there any manufacturers that still produce them?
2) What are the models available?
3) Do you have any recommendations where to watch (I've already been looking at ebay.de, but there's only one available and the seller isn't willing to ship it)
4) Do you have any recommendations regarding the best model and questions to ask when I do happen to find one that's available?

Thanks folks and big'up yourselves!

merv said:

So some questions for you:
1) Are there any manufacturers that still produce them?
2) What are the models available?
3) Do you have any recommendations where to watch (I've already been looking at ebay.de, but there's only one available and the seller isn't willing to ship it)
4) Do you have any recommendations regarding the best model and questions to ask when I do happen to find one that's available?

Thanks folks and big'up yourselves!

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Welcome.

You can never tell what Fiat will have in stock but there was also a Wiesmann hardtop which can be seen here, both are probably unavailable?

You might want to look at at www.barchettaparts.com

or click here for the hardtops

Is doesn't matter about question four as LRB will say red no matter what the question.

Hi Merv and welcome to the forum

Zem is right, Red now what's the question??

I don't believe that there are hardtops being produced any more, I may be wrong but I understand that FIAT and Weismann are the only people who produced them - however I am sure that someone will be along soon to correct me! In my humble opinion the Weismann is by far the best looking but are also rare as hens teeth!

eBay.de tends to turn up most of the hardtops, this site has had a few in the past;

http://search.stores.ebay.de/321aut...sooZ2QQfsopZ3QQftsZ2QQsaselZ335058529QQsofpZ0

DTR in London have them in from time to time, would probably cost a bit to ship it to Finland but you might want to give them a try.

Post up some piccies of your car, we would all be interested to see it!

Thanks loads for the superdooper help. Much appreciated.

Zem, I'll check the links you gave every so often. Also, I'll keep hounding ebay.de until one turns up. LRB, I'll take your advice and take preference for the wiesmann variant.

Cheers for the advice guys, and it's great to be part of the forum. I'll stick up some pics of my car at some point, but I've noticed that others have similar models already posted.

Oh, and guys, speaking of accessories. I'm also going to get some roll bars. Any recommendations for those parts? I've heard that there are some that fit nicely into the existing windstop holder and there are others that potentially require drilling or the likes. Do you guys have roll bars? If so, do you also have a windstop fitted?

Tank'e ver much

I have to say that I don't like the roll bars, I think they look :yuck: - but each to their own!!

As far as I know all of the roll bars available sit on the bulkhead and need to be drilled into place (which needs careful attention as the fuel tank sits under the bulk head).........

I don't believe its possible to have both a windstop and roll bars, due to size and mounting points I think you can only have one or the other.

Save your money on the roll bars and buy a set of Eibach springs, they lower the car and tighten it up in corners. Once you have fitted the new springs get yourself a strut brace, then a set of drilled/grooved discs and after that and induction kit! Once you have fitted the above come back and ask what next!!!

Heheheee, I'm reading you loud and clear LRB =)

I don't fancy going through the process of drilling to fit anything to the LB&B B (i.e. Little Black and Red Barchetta). So, if they don't simply slot into place, I'll not be putting roll bars onto the little beast.

I've been seriously considering to get the strut brace. Plus, I was thinking I'd change the exhaust too. But, these will have to wait until after I get the hardtop. I wanna be able to drive the car as much as possible, and don't want the softtop to suffer too much from the less than desirable weather here.

In any case, you can all be sure I'll be spamming for your help when it comes to the mods I make.

Cross your fingers for me in the hunt for the black hard roof.

LittleRedB said:

I have to say that I don't like the red Bs, I think they look :yuck: - but each to their own!!

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Totally agree

LittleRedB said:

I don't believe its possible to have both a windstop and roll bars

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Yes you can - as long as you have the wind stop that's mounted somewhere near the seat belts and not on the bulk head

WELCOME!! to the forum and the crazy world of barchetta,s , and all the fun that comes with them.

Just hope you have plenty more money to do all the super mods.

Welcome Merv, it doesn't matter what others have posted it's always good to look at other members cars so piccy away

I can check eper for availability and part No but as Fiat sold the soft top for £1200 I would hate to see the price of their hard tops new

Don't get drawn in to lowering etc just take your time enjoy the B then change what you don't like as time goes by at your own pace. I'm sure that Robot who lives in Norway uses his car day to day (well did do ) with only the soft top so I'm sure you will be able to cope. Just make sure that you don't touch the rear window or fold it down when it's very cold or you could split the rear window.

Wow, thanks for all the support guys. I truely am delighted to have found this forum =)

Alan, thanks for the sound advice you've already given. I sure will take my time with the mods. I've spent several thousand € in just two months trying to fix the car. I had to replace the wiper motor, the variator and some relays. Cost around 2200€ in total. Oh, and 24€ for wiper blades . I think that the exhaust heat shielding will need to be replaced at some point soon too, but I reckon I'll just change the entire exhaust system when the time comes.

But no regrets when it comes to spending, I just love my little B and can't wait to get the hardtop and a few other mods. It's funny that Zippy (my car's name) is one of the few cars in this city that turns everyone's head. Usually, people don't know what type of car Zippy even is. Fabulous little fellow indeed.

Hi Merv and welcome to the forum.

Alan.D said:

I'm sure that Robot who lives in Norway uses his car day to day (well did do ) with only the soft top so I'm sure you will be able to cope.

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I'm using it every day again I've done about 2500kms since I crashed, so I'm sure I've done more than doc this year

It doesn't really get too cold here on the southwest coast of Norway - better ask Unclechuchu as he lives further up norf. But the few days of sub zero temp we get here it works fine after I've poured some luke warm water on it to be able to open the doors

Robot said:

Yes you can - as long as you have the wind stop that's mounted somewhere near the seat belts and not on the bulk head

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You sure, I have the windshield that sits on the seatbelt mounts and there is no room for fitting roll bars.............anyway, Merv has already figured out that they look :yuck: so will not be fitting them!!

Merv how long have you owned the B?, the first post suggests recently although I suppose it depends on the interpretation. Your latter post suggests a while.

Hey Alan,

I've owned my B since March 2008. I bought it in Germany and transported it to Finland. In fact, I just got my official registration plates last Friday (i.e. two days ago). So I've only owned it a very short time.

But, as you probably noted from my recent posts, the car hasn't come in the best of shape. Actually, I'm a little disappointed that I'm not better versed with cars and therefore didn't notice the problems before purchasing the car. The heat shielding issue, for example, only became apparent after my local Fiat garage fixed the VVT and wiper motor. The morning after the repairs Zippy started with the tune of a rattlesnake. Obviously, I thought that Fiat had really messed something up with the VVT, but they said it was the exhaust heat shielding and they fixed it (or so they say) but didn't charge me. But, if I need to fix that again, I'll change the exhaust.

In short Alan, I've only had Zippy a short while. He's cost me more than I predicted in both purchase price and maintenance.:bang: But, I still love the little fellow. :worship:

I've just been out cruising with my dog as we had some nice weather today. =)

LittleRedB said:

You sure, I have the windshield that sits on the seatbelt mounts and there is no room for fitting roll bars.............anyway, Merv has already figured out that they look :yuck: so will not be fitting them!!

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You look :yuck:

I'm sure I've seen pics of both a wind stop and roll bars together; I wondered about the same last year and I'm quite certain that I found some pics that I posted. I'll have a look-see through my old posts.

merv said:

He's cost me more than I predicted in both purchase price and maintenance.:bang: But, I still love the little fellow. :worship:

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Sounds about right Welcome to the world of B ownership

merv said:

Heheheee, I'm reading you loud and clear LRB =)

I don't fancy going through the process of drilling to fit anything to the LB&B B (i.e. Little Black and Red Barchetta). So, if they don't simply slot into place, I'll not be putting roll bars onto the little beast.

I've been seriously considering to get the strut brace. Plus, I was thinking I'd change the exhaust too. But, these will have to wait until after I get the hardtop. I wanna be able to drive the car as much as possible, and don't want the softtop to suffer too much from the less than desirable weather here.

In any case, you can all be sure I'll be spamming for your help when it comes to the mods I make.

Cross your fingers for me in the hunt for the black hard roof.

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Hi Merv, welcome to the forum. If your car is a post 99 modl you might find fitting a strutbrace is a problem. I have bought 2 and neither fitted right.

It was this thread. Sadly the pic doc posted was an eBay link, so it's a goner

This can be mounted to the head rests, so there should be enough room for the roll bars.