Category: Blog

Anyone want to test drive a spider in this weather? It’s been barely a month since our last entry, and we are already looking at almost a foot of snow outside the showroom. A real gut punch for those of us hoping for decent driving conditions for a few more weeks. Obviously the Dioniso project will need to stay in the garage until Spring. Luckily our customer also lives in a seasonal environment overseas, so the urgency to ship has passed.

Most of the issues that required sorting in October have been resolved. Now it’s only a matter of waiting for clear roads and sunshine so we can put enough test miles on the car to be comfortable shipping it out.

While it may take nine months to have a baby, it takes longer to give birth to a custom Pininfarina spider. We thought we were close about a month ago, but the special instrument panel is fighting us. Other elements are dragging on a bit too. We have taken our first ride in the car, but it still feels like it needs additional sorting.

Our main concern at this point is the impending winter in Chicago, which will make further testing difficult if not impossible. It all comes down to customer direction, and if Mr. Dioniso will allow the car to be driven with snow/salt on the roads. My guess is that we will take it as far as we can this Fall, and wait for significant road time in March or April when the chill of the air is gone and the salt trucks are parked until next season.

As with any project, customer excitement and anticipation are difficult to balance with the reality of working on an almost forty-year-old chassis. Marrying new design elements with old technology is always a challenge. Hard to tell a patient customer the cake isn’t ready to come out of the oven.

The Dionisio project, which began some eight months ago is now in its final stages. Only fine details and build tweaks remain. A productive visit from the Dionisio family at our Barrington facility last week was all that was necessary to finalize some key elements of the build. Wood for the custom dash along with special order gauges will make a definitive statement in the interior. Real Borrani wheels and a custom exterior graphic will complete the overall look.

We have created something very unique for Mr. Dioniso and his son that we are extremely proud of—meeting the family in person was a great moment. It was a chance for us to all share in the efforts made to build this stunning automobile. It makes a huge difference when we get to meet the end user. Knowing the work is appreciated really makes it all worthwhile.

In an unexpected development, a Series One Roadster Salon Lusso built originally in 2010, took fourth place at the International Falls Annual Car Show against a field of muscle car entries. “We entered the show on a lark. Our Lusso was one of only three foreign cars at the show, so we were really surprised at the attention it received, considering the audience. The top three cars were a 1972 Mustang, a 1969 Chevy Z28 Camaro and a 1917 Dodge Touring, so we were in nice company.” Most people had no idea what the car really was, and assumed it was a 1960’s Ferrari.

This particular Lusso was production number 02/50. Over the years, the owner has upgraded the car each winter, as Roadster has developed new technology. Currently the car has received most S2 upgrades including our second-generation rack/pinion steering system. Unlike some Lusso models that are show ponies, this example has logged the most miles of any Roadster Salon Lusso sold to date. During the relatively short Northern Minnesota driving season, the car is used vigorously on a daily basis.

I am amazed at how nice the car still looks. The fit and finish has really held up over the years and the reliability has been comparable to our newer cars at home. My wife is the main driver, and she really enjoys the curves with the top down. If it isn’t snowing, the Lusso is first out of our garage.

My Dad loved metaphors, slogans and “isms”. One of his favorites was “In life, things never stay the same. You are either getting better or getting worse.” This slogan became his business mantra, as he constantly urged us to improve. Dad wanted every car we build to be better than the one that came before it. To him, anything less meant staying the same—and that was synonymous with failure.

The new Tributo is based on the immensely popular Lusso S2

Roadster Salon is always moving forward, refining our vision. While the original Lusso was mostly a cosmetic exercise, the Series Two was a sincere effort to update the Spider and make it more in tune with today’s drivers and roads. Several years after my Dad passed away, I remember sitting down with our engineers in the conference room, and listing a stock spider’s shortcomings on a legal pad. “The car doesn’t stop. Its electrical system needs to be updated or it will never be reliable. It rattles like crazy. A Spider can’t keep up with traffic. And it steers like an old truck”. The criticism was harsh, but fair.

My Dad always resisted modifying the Spider, because he wanted our restorations to maintain their originality. He worried the car would lose its charm if the changes were poorly conceived or badly executed. His worries aside, I knew our Spiders need more than just better fit and finish. They had to drive better too. Trying to make upgrades using commonly available parts was not an option. It had been tried too many times unsuccessfully. We needed new ideas, designed and fabricated by our own staff. Once we got the engineers on board, the solutions came with comparative ease.

Proudly, the Lusso S2 has become our most valued effort. It is a rolling showcase for Roadster Salon’s exclusive technology, and made the Spider a safer, more contemporary driving experience. We’ve spent countless hours and thousands of miles behind the wheel of our Lusso development vehicles, detailing how they behaves under a variety of road conditions. When compared to a stock Spider, the current Lusso S2 is a dream concept. It is far beyond the fit, finish and performance capabilities of an original Fiat Spider. Yet, further improvements were still possible. The Tributo is our next step.

What is a Tributo, and how does it differ from a Lusso S2?

The idea for the Tributo came to us about a year ago, when a creative customer suggested doing a themed version of the Lusso S2. A true Italian car enthusiast, he correctly noted the DNA running through the veins of all Spiders originated from vintage Ferraris and Maseratis. Our customer wanted to “pay tribute” to those classic roadsters from the 60’s and 70’s. He wondered aloud if some of those design elements could be merged with the basic Lusso platform. We loved the premise. I saw it as an opportunity to take the Lusso to an even higher level of custom design and performance.

Once again, the yellow pad came out. But this time, not only to outline areas where performance could be improved. We took the lid off and re-imagined the entire car. We quickly realized that it’s much more difficult to improve something that’s already very good, versus something with obvious flaws. Roadster Salon’s team was up for the challenge and focused on refinement, detail and aesthetics.

To suit the taste of both luxury and performance-oriented customers, we decided to build two different versions of the Tributo. A Maserati themed version and one inspired by Ferrari. Each have their own unique personalities.

For the Maserati Tributo, our first area of attention was the interior. Our design team’s focus was to upgrade it cosmetically while also making it more functional and luxurious. The directive was to keep these improvements within the context of a Maserati inspired theme. The new Tributo incorporates an entirely new dash design. It features custom white-faced LED gauges with a GPS tracked odometer and speedo, plus a real Maserati jewel-like clock as a binnacle centerpiece. The entire package is trimmed with hand stitched Maserati sourced leather.
Next on the agenda was performance. Early in the process, we decided to include exclusive technology planned for a future Lusso S3 into the Tributo. The decision was aimed to bring newly developed engineering improvements to the market immediately, rather than waiting for a revision scheduled for next year. Consequently, the Tributo features our Generation II rack and pinion steering system, second generation structural chassis bracing, and a Maserati inspired multi-piston braking system. The Tributo’s suspension and drive line has also received some subtle tweaks beyond the current Lusso S2. An improved automatic transmission and power steering are available options.

The cherry on top is a choice between real Boranni wire wheels or custom scaled and adapted Maserati alloys. Each car is finished exclusively in a color from Maserati’s factory color chart with more extensive paint preparation and better finishing than a standard Lusso S2. For a limited time, the Tributo Maserati package will be priced at $15,995 (plus the cost of a base Lusso S2).

Roadster Salon Spider Tributo Ferrari

Our Ferrari inspired Tributo is similar in concept to the Maserati version. However, this second themed model has more emphasis on sport. It is designed for those seeking a slightly harder edged car, with even sharper reflexes. As expected, interior and exterior colors are from the factory Ferrari color palate. The Tributo Ferrari will also have a non-functional version of the custom hood found only on the Spider America. Gauge faces can be black or yellow in addition to white. A Ferrari inspired dash arrangement differing in detail from the Maserati version will be included. Stiffer suspension settings and a shorter throw five speed transmission is also standard.

Orders for both models are being taken now for Spring 2019 delivery on a first come basis. Learn More.

After years of only servicing our own restoration customers, Roadster Salon has expanded our service capabilities to help customers who are currently being turned away from their local Fiat-Alfa-Maserati franchised dealer service departments. “Unfortunately, in nearly all cases these dealers are only trained on the new models by the factory. They have zero interest or expertise in working on the vintage models. That leaves owners of older Fiats and Alfa Romeos out in the cold.”

As an FYI, we can also service newer Fiat models including the Abarth and 124. Roadster Salon now offers labor discounts to Italian car club members. Call about our appointment schedule, as we anticipate longer lead times until staff is ramped up to accommodate demand.

Managing multiple projects at the same time requires a great deal of coordination and a little luck. This year, the testing of late stage projects has taken on quite a bit of headwind. From relentless rain to the seemingly unending grip of Winter, Mother Nature has not done Roadster Salon any favors this year. Virtually every project has fallen behind. With the weather not breaking until early May, frustration with our lack of ability to road test has put the entire staff on edge.

Timing concerns with the ability to take delivery overseas over the Summer has provided some flexibility on the Dioniso build. While originally planned for an unveiling during July, the delivery date has been pushed back to September to coincide with the Dioniso family’s travel plans. Engine and Mechanical phases continue with the body work completed and interior progressing. With the revised time line, interior assembly will be pushed back to August. This will give us time to attend to other projects while keeping the Dionisio build on schedule.

Rob Baird commented further: “I think it is critical our customers understand time lines on custom builds are only broad estimates. There are just too many variables to hold to exact delivery dates. Take in context, Roadster Salon is one of the only high line restoration and engineering shops on the planet who have fixed pricing rather than billing for labor hours expended. Our staff is on salary. They are purposefully not incentivized for working quickly. We don’t want quality to suffer.”

Some projects amass labor logs that literally exceed one thousand man hours. If we billed a customer for literally every minute we spend on a build—the cost would be astronomical.

While Winter’s grip has lasted much longer than anyone cares for, Roadster trudges on. Very frustrating to be looking into May still wearing your parka from Eddie Baur. Pleased to report a stunning result from the body shop, with the Dioniso spider receiving some of the best paint work we have ever done. As shown in the photos, the meticulous attention to detail given to our mechanical and interior work is also reflected in our exterior treatment.

Operations Manager Rob Baird explains: “You can paint a car for $2500 or $25,000. While the quality and quantity of materials used is certainly important, the key to a stunning paint job is all in the details. Preparation, execution and finish work are all critical. It all comes down to how much time you want to spend. How many hours were allocated to carefully sanding and blocking each panel? Was the car painted horizontally or vertically? Like all the best shops, Roadster uses at least two coats of primer, and multiple coats of paint and clear in every project. But to get a show quality mirror finish, days must be spent wet sanding and cutting the paint after it leaves the booth. No way around it.”

During the paint phase, other work is also being done concurrently at our facility. Engine and transmission building by famed artisan Roberto D’Avola takes center stage while the chassis is at our body shop. “I started building motors when I was a child in Italy with my brother. It is still my passion. I spend weeks building a single engine and I sign every one personally,” D’Avola said enthusiastically. Rob Baird added “Roberto is a trues craftsman. Over the years he has developed so many tricks Undercarriage component fabrication by our engineering department and other mechanical work are all in progress simultaneously. Now that the Dionisio Family has selected the leather, construction of the custom interior can also move forward.
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In the last six weeks the groundhog saw his shadow, and the nasty Winter continues. Inside work is all that is possible at this time of the year, and Roadster uses this opportunity to focus on the mechanical, body and interior stages of our projects. Once the Dionisio car was fully stripped, the chassis was media blasted. Higher end builds include the paint stripping of the undercarriage as well as the exterior and tub. Exposing areas of concern is always our first priority. Since we don’t have X-ray vison, we simply can’t trust what we see on the surface. We simply won’t know what may be lurking underneath the paint unless it is removed.

Luckily, this chassis was from a Southern climate. Previously undercoated cars can be a mixed blessing. While the material does protect against rust to a degree, it also can hide oxidation—especially if it was not applied properly or when the car was brand new. We have seen many examples that looked solid at first glance–but were a basket case once the undercoating was removed. The Dioniso undercarriage was very clean and without issue.

As shown in the photos, our Dionisio starting point presented few challenges for our body shop. While it is true to some degree that anything can be fixed with time and money, it certainly makes for a more efficient project when a project is based on a solid platform.

While all Roadster Salon chassis are carefully vetted before being eligible for our restoration program, about 25% of our customers provide their own. Typically, these are spiders that belonged to other family members and have sentimental value. “We see spiders that have been stored for years and are too far gone to save economically. But some customers insist that we move forward, regardless of rust concerns. If directed to do so, we can restore a car that has been sitting at the bottom of the ocean.”

After careful consideration, a particular vintage shade of Ferrari Fly yellow was finalized for the exterior color. Leather samples are still being discussed. So far, the creative dynamic established between Roadster, Mr. Dionisio in Europe and his son in California has been a bit of a model of cooperation. Like all projects, the devil is in the details. Some of the fine points of the build are still being debated—but we are making progress. Fortunately, the initial build sheet provides a solid platform to work from. It isn’t necessary to make final decisions about trim or interior finishes during the first stages of the build.

All mid-level and higher restorations require the complete disassembly of the chassis. This includes having all mechanical components and trim removed and the car stripped down to the bone. This is an arduous task. According to Senior Technician Ken Zeuchel, the process of removing all components and meticulously cataloging each item can take weeks or even longer. “The key is whether the particular build is being done to an original standard—or if the project’s goal is to update the spider using our exclusive contemporary technology. Obviously if the car is one of our fully re-manufactured models, there is not a whole lot left of the original car that is retained other than the tub.”

Production Tech Errol Reid calls this the “Piranha phase” because nothing is left but the bones when he is done. “It may seem to be a little random, but we have a system for how these cars are taken apart. It can cause big problems later if we are not careful removing everything. I learned this the hard way.” Once the car is completely stripped of its components, work on the body begins in earnest.