Barchetta Ultimate Covid Online Shopper

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Barchetta Ultimate Covid Online Shopper

Hackair

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Joined
May 31, 2020
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Location
Surrey, Canada
Hello everyone,

Well, it seems that I have somehow joined the Fiat army unintentionally. :D

So with all this time on our hands while being safe and staying at home I've gone and placed myself in the running for the winner of the online shopping contest if there is one.

Somehow I found myself on a Japanese car dealership that sold cars for import to North America. And I found a gem.

The more research I did, the more I was intrigued by this beauty. It took me a couple of weeks but I finally clicked the "purchase" button and ordered the car. After another few days of questions and answers from the dealership, I went to the back to wire my hard-earned cash to places unknown. What a crazy leap of faith. Even the bank teller warned me that once she clicked the enter button, my money was gone for good. Man, I thought long and hard about this, but nodded and told her that it was only money. :slayer:

The dealership was fabulous and always answered my obscure questions and was very prompt at handling the required documents and such.

Where we stand right now is that as far as I know the car is on a ship and has stopped at then left Hawaii for the west coast of North America sorta. Its first stop is in Mexico on June 11, then it must make quite a few stops up the west coast before reaching Vancouver Canada, where I'm at. ETA July 8th, 2020.

Then all I have to do is patiently wait as Canada Customs examines the car and someone will recommend what modification I have to do to meet Canadian safety regulations. I'm assuming that I will have to install some sort of electrical magic to make the headlights or maybe to foglights into Daytime Running Lights. Then possible buy new rubber for her as it may not be DOT approved for North America.

So here is what she looks like now! Planned improvements include changing the wheel color to gray or silver and possibly removing the racing strip. Although the strip is kind of growing on me.

Cheers to all and I'm looking forward to chatting with other Barchetta owners and the entire group about this lovely looking example of Italian engineering.
 

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Looks great!

Weren't you tempted to ask them to offload it in Hawai'i, and go join it there? :D

Or perhaps drive it all the way up to Vancouver from Mexico? I'd love to drive up the West Coast in my B (have driven from San Diego to Seattle in other, more mundane machines, but only one convertible - a POS rented Sebring! :eek:)
 
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Of course, I was tempted. The Pac Coast Hwy is fabulous. The only problem is that I would have had to import the car into whichever country it landed in. Then again into Canada. Too complicated for my tiny brain.
 
Well, it finally arrived, safe and sort of sound.

Customs clearance complete. Now I just have to fix a few things before getting it inspected and registered in my name.

List of things to "fix":

1. Tires. Surprisingly they are DOT (Canada) approved, but the sidewalls have seen better days, all cracked and old. They appear to be at least 10 years old. Yokohama's ordered. Not lost on me is the fact that I'm taking off Italian Pirelli's and replacing them with Japanese Yoko's. Since the car came from Japan.

2. DRL's I have ordered LED rings to install around my low and high beam headlights. In the mean time and maybe to pass inspection, I'm trying to wrap my head around somehow bypassing the Fog Light switch and getting power for them from something that is on with the key. IE: cigarette lighter or radio. Not very electrically savy though so may enlist some help.

3. Airbag warning light on. Will check the wiring connection under the drivers seat first. I've ordered the OBD cable set so that I can try and reset faults with that.

That's all I think I'll need to pass inspection. It seems in great shape for being 15 years old.

Happy summer driving everyone!
 

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Hi,
I am a new owner too.
I have a 95 Barchetta
I am from Brașov, România.
 

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