General 1972 Fiat Spider Sport 850 Soft Top Compartment Mystery Imprint

[cliftonparker]

I'm a. new owner 1972 Fiat Spider Sport 850 that I am doing some restoration work on and there is a mystery imprint in the soft top compartment. I've asked several people who deal with vintage Fiats and parts, but no one seems to know what it is from. You can see the imprint to the left of the convertible top frame and it's the same on both sides of the car. What goes there??

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Was there a hardtop available for this model?

 

[cliftonparker]

Hello,

Was there a hardtop available for this model?

Yes, I have it but it needs restoring. Not sure what part would go there regardless.

 

[the green vanper]

Yes, I have it but it needs restoring. Not sure what part would go there regardless.

Perhaps some kind of mount...

 

[cliftonparker]

Perhaps some kind of mount...

Still a mystery. lol

 

[PuntoHowTo]

If I had to guess I would say the car's original roof has been replaced with roof from an earlier/later model and so the mounting is different. As the current roof brackets overlap the imprint you would have to remove what was there to bolt something else in, therefore the only logical solution is someone has changed the roof at some point.

 

[cliftonparker]

If I had to guess I would say the car's original roof has been replaced with roof from an earlier/later model and so the mounting is different. As the current roof brackets overlap the imprint you would have to remove what was there to bolt something else in, therefore the only logical solution is someone has changed the roof at some point.

The current roof bolts into the oval shaped plate which is the area not in the circle. So do I have the correct roof now??

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Not that it’s the “wrong” roof just slightly different to one that has been fitted in the past.

It could have been changed a couple of times over the years and has a period correct roof now, but either way the impression suggests something else has been fitted

 

[cliftonparker]

Not that it’s the “wrong” roof just slightly different to one that has been fitted in the past.

It could have been changed a couple of times over the years and has a period correct roof now, but either way the impression suggests something else has been fitted

Thanks for your input. I'm just not going to worry about it.

 

[timmycm850]

Hi All.

My 1973 car that came to the UK from South Carolina in 1989 that I then purchased in 1991 had some inertia reel lap belts with a long metal plate a very similar size the the indent you show, not sure it was the safest way to do it so when I fitted belts during the restoration I used static 3 point belts and had mounts welded in.

Might be what your looking at.

Tim

 

[cliftonparker]

Hi All.

My 1973 car that came to the UK from South Carolina in 1989 that I then purchased in 1991 had some inertia reel lap belts with a long metal plate a very similar size the the indent you show, not sure it was the safest way to do it so when I fitted belts during the restoration I used static 3 point belts and had mounts welded in.

Might be what your looking at.

Tim

I’m in SC also which is where I got my car. The 3 point self belts make sense as I just pulled up the carpet to discover holes for a roll bar so I’m assuming mine my have been raced at sound point. Wish I could find out the history of it.

 

[Red71Spider850]

Look like that's where the hardtop bolts to