1969 Siata Spring Roadster, Great Rare Car

Description

I am selling my 1969 Siata Spring Roadster. If you’re not familiar with the Siata, the Spring was built from 1968-1970 in Milan, Italy. It was built on the Fiat 850 chassis and used the Fiat engine and transmission. RARE CAR!!

I bought the car years ago and have pretty much gone right through the car. It has new paint, matching the original yellow paint, I’ve overhauled the coolant system, brake system, rebuilt the carburetor, powder coated the front grill and wheels, re-chromed the front and rear bumpers. I’ve installed new seats taken from a Fiat 850. When I bought the car we found the fuel tank to be contaminated, so rather than drop the engine and transmission to be able to drop the fuel tank, I installed an external fuel cell behind the seats. Since there was no way that area could be used for seating, it made a great place for the tank. This way we could see if the car was going to run before we started dropping the engine, it ran great. I had the Weber carburetor rebuilt, but it likes to run with the choke pulled out some. From some things I saw online, that was not all that uncommon, but I think if I were to keep the car, it was fairly inexpensive to put a new Weber carburetor on the car. The top is okay, but could use to be replaced, because it's a little tight in there, I don't ever have it up. I also have the side windows that drop into place in the doors.

Terms of Sale: By placing a bid on this vehicle you are entering into a legal and binding contract to purchase the above described vehicle. We reserve the right to cancel all existing bids and end the auction early and the item be no longer available for sale. Upon completion of the sale and you are the high bidder, $1,000 deposit is due within 24 hours with the balance paid within 72 hours. Balances can be paid by certified check, bank checks or wire transfer. Buyers are responsible for the transportation of the vehicle and any applicable sales or use taxes due to the appropriate authorities. The vehicle is being sold "as is and with all faults". Vehicle is being sold free and clear of all liens and encumbrances. Buyers should ask as many questions prior to bidding or avail themselves to inspections on-site if they wish.

Here is a little history on Siata I found online:

The Societa Italiana Auto Transformazione Accessori, or SIATA, was founded by Georgio Ambrosini and later assisted by his son Renato. Not unlike Abarth, SIATA was a tuning firm for Fiats. Breaking out on their own, SIATA produced cars basically using Fiat components, although USA engines from Chrysler and Crosley were also used.

SIATA made many great cars. SIATA produced approximately 3,500 Springs between 1968-70, producing as many as 13 per day at one point. The Spring was the biggest selling car that SIATA produced. The Spring was conceived by Renato Ambrosini as a last-ditch effort to inject the company with much-need cash. Using stock FIAT 850 sedan mechanicals and mounting a special body on a slightly modified (narrowed) FIAT 850 floorpan, the Spring was trying to recapture the success and looks of its own earlier mdoel,the SIATA Rallye. The Rallye was an attempt to emulate the success of the MG TD. But alas, the Spring was a victim of its own success.

Selling in Italy and exporting to Germany, France and the US the Spring was oversold by anxious dealers who gladly accepted money down on the cars. The factory could not keep up with the demand - especially because of a 4 month strike, and with irate customers and dealers hounding SIATA at every turn, production ceased, ending a great little car company. Eventually the company ORSA acquired the rights to produce the SPRING under their nameplate and did so from 1973-1976, although I've never found evidence of this car. It is estimated that maybe 10 percent of the original 3,500 Springs survive today.