"Pininfarina" Spiders

[CARIBOULH@domain.elided]

I wish to add just a bit of infromation to Scott Fisher's excellent nutshell 
version about Alfa and Pininfarina.

Specifically, Scott had written:
<< One source of potential confusion when you refer to a "Pininfarina
 Spider" (at least in the U.S>) is that the Fiat Motor Company, in the
 early 1980s, elected to import their Spider and X 1/9 cars into the U.S.
 under the name assocated with the designer and coachbuilder that had
 made those two respective vehicles.  Since Pininfarina had styled the
 Fiat Spider (and Bertone the X 1/9), "Pininfarina Spider" may, in the
 U.S. at least, refer to the Fiat-derived convertible.  >>

Actually, the truth is that Fiat imported the 124 Spider into the US 
beginning in 1968 (and ending in 1982) and the car was both designed and 
coach-built by Pininfarina. Much like the Alfa, Pininfarina assembled 
complete bodies for Fiat and then sent the cars over to one of Fiat's plants 
for installation of drivetrain, electrics, etc. Fiat 124 (and later know as 
2000) Spiders wear the same Pininfarina "f" crest on the rear quarter panels 
(this crest denotes ASSEMBLY by pininfarina) and have the pininfarina script 
logo on the glovebox door (this type of logo denotes DESIGN by Pininfarina). 

Further complication arises from 1983 to 1985 when Pininfarina took over the 
ENTIRE assembly of the car (body, mechanical, electrical, etc.) to avoid 
losing it's production when Fiat left the US market in 1982 and stopped the 
contract with Pininfarina for it's assembly. During this period, Pininfarina 
was responsible for the complete assembly, manufacturing, marketing, 
distribition, warranty, etc. of the car. In the US, Pininfarina was 
recognized by the DOT as a vehicle manufacturer and assigned it's own VIN 
code sequence for these cars. The cars were sold everywhere in the world 
legally as PININFARINA Spiders complete with Pininfarina hood, trunk and 
fender badges (at this point Fiat had absolutely nothing to do with the car). 
So, if someone says they own a 1983, 84 or 85 "Pininfarina Spider" they are 
correct!

Best Wishes,

Caribou Imports, Inc.
NOW... the largest Fiat parts supplier in the Western U.S.
visit us on the Web at:
www.caribou.cc
NEW ADDITION to our Web site: check the Autotraders nation-wide database of 
Alfas or other vehicles for sale OR list your own car for sale FREE. Courtesy 
of Caribou Imports!

------------------------------