Beschreibung
A very rare original FIAT 500 Jolly
Believed delivered new in Belgium
Living on motor yacht 'Odysseia' in the South of France in the 1960s-70s
Believed only two owners from new
Original soft top
Featured in multiple articles and on Belgian Fleet TV
Presented at numerous Concours d'lgances
The idea of the Jolly is said to have come from FIAT boss Gianni Agnelli, who wanted a beach car that could be kept on his yacht, which is exactly how this one was used and enjoyed. Antwerp-based FIAT dealer Auguste Pauwels sold this FIAT Jolly to a lady owner, Mrs Roels-Lacourt (1911-1993). The car was first registered in August 1959 and is believed to have been owned from new by Mrs Lacourt. Mrs Lacourt came from a well-known Antwerp family, who kept the Jolly on their motor yacht 'Odysseia' in St Tropez and Monaco. Built in 1906 by Ramage & Ferguson in Scotland, Odysseia was used during WWI and WWII by the British Royal Navy! The yacht would become world famous when Richard Burton bought it for Elizabeth Taylor in 1967.
In June 1965 the Jolly was re-registered in the name of Mrs Yvonne Lacourt with the old, short Belgian registration number 'AZ482' (original registration document on file). The current owner, an Antwerp based specialist carrossier, has known the car since the 1970s, when he was young (aged 15 years old) and remembers the Jolly coming into his father's workshop practically every year for resprays and rust treatment, which is only to be expected as the car lived on a boat. The Jolly returned every year from Monaco to Antwerp onboard Odysseia and was brought to the carrossier in Antwerp for tidying up during the winter months. Later on the current owner took over his father's business and in 1983 he managed to buy the lovely little FIAT 500 Jolly.
He has driven the car only occasionally, and it has also been used for videos and magazine photo shoots, etc. In December 2000 the Jolly carried no less a personage than 'Santa Claus' on his way to Mortsel to be greeted by 700 cheering children. Only around 2018 was it decided to restore the Jolly fully while retaining as much originality as possible of course, including the soft top, which is believed to be the original. Following the restoration (in 2019) the car was at last registered in the current owner's name (there has not been any other registration between 1965 and 2019!).
Since restoration the car has been invited and presented at numerous Concours d'lgances where it has, of course, always been warmly welcomed by an appreciative crowd. Only very few kilometres have been covered, the total to date being fewer than 6, 950 from new! The are no confirming service records, but the current owner has known the car since the 1970s when it was still with the first owner and had this low mileage on the odometer, so we can safely assume the figure is genuine.
Features that distinguish this genuine Jolly from a regular FIAT 500 are the key hole in the bonnet and the absence of external welded seams on the front wings. Interestingly, four tow-hooks are fitted to this car, which were used to lift it onto the boat where it was kept.
In 2010 this Jolly was featured on the well-known Belgian automotive television programme FLEET TV with Philippe Quatennens and famous chef Wout Bru also appearing in the report. The car had not been restored at that time and the odometer reading then was 6, 782 kilometres. The original pitted chromework was also clearly visible. In the programme it was remarked that the Jolly cost nearly twice as much as a standard FIAT 500 and that many celebrities owned one, including Grace Kelly, Jacky Kennedy, etc. The car comes with the following documentation:
Old invoice dated 1983
Purchase invoice dated March 1983
Photographs taken during its recent restoration dated 2018
A valuation report dated 1987
The original 1965 registration document in the name of Mrs Lacourt
Fegarbel document dated May 1970
Various magazines and the local newspaper featuring it
Correspondence with FCA Heritage
Today these original Ghia Jollies are, of course, extremely rare in view of the limited number built and because they were highly susceptible to rust there are relatively few survivors. This is a unique opportunity.
This Fiat 500 Jolly on the roads of Provence https:// www. youtube. com/ watch?v=tbKPXqyrN88
NOTICE COLLECTIONS, TRANSPORT AND STORAGE Purchases will only be released when cleared funds are received.
MOTOR CARS & MOTORCYCLES
All vehicles must be collected from the Bonhams|Cars Marquee by 12noon on Monday 9 October 2023. Customers must notify BY EMAIL ONLY to Suzanne Kress , using the button below, no later than 8pm on the day of the Sale.
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IMPORTANT CARS UNDER CUSTOMS BOND
Lots 103, 104, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 119, 124, 134, 145, 150, 151, 155, 169, 185, 186
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