Description
- 66, 486 miles from new (107, 000 kms) warranted by history
- Excellent condition
- Complete history and restoration file
- Restored body and interior
- Designed and built by Pininfarina
Our Fiat 1500 Pininfarina Cabriolet was delivered new to the UK and first registered on March 15, 1965. It has subsequently had 4 owners, including the current owner since 2011.
The car is in excellent overall condition, thanks in particular to the restoration of numerous components. The white bodywork was restored in 2014. It is combined with a red soft top changed in 2003, rust-free chrome and a restored dark red leather interior. All elements are in impeccable condition, which is rare for a 1965 model.
Mechanically, our model is in perfect working order. Its 83-hp in-line 4-cylinder engine, combined with its 5-speed manual gearbox, still offers excellent feel and the beautiful original sound. Regular maintenance and extensive work have been carried out on this model, which can be consulted thanks to a restoration file and invoices. Its mileage of 66, 000 Miles (107, 000 kilometers) is justified by the history file. In 2021, it benefited from a complete overhaul of the brakes, electrical wiring, a new windshield seal and a full anti-corrosion treatment. The last overhaul was carried out in December 2023. The Fiat 1500 Cabriolet is the perfect starter classic to enjoy La Dolce Vita!
History of the model
In the late '50s, Fiat launched a number of coupé and cabriolet models, such as the 1200 Granluce and 1200 Trasformabile. Respectively a small family car and a small sports coupé, these two models gave birth to the Fiat 1200 Cabriolet. Presented at the 1959 Geneva Motor Show, it uses the 1200 Granluce's 63 hp engine and a lightweight body, like the 900-kilogram 1200 Trasformabile. Light but not very powerful, the 1200 Cabriolet is the epitome of the Italian roadster, reaching speeds of 145 km/ h.
Launched in the summer of 1959, the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet is a derivative of the 1200 Cabriolet, equipped with an O. S. C. A. engine. Founded by the Maserati brothers, OSCA produces sporty engines directly descended from Maserati know-how. An agreement was reached between Ernesto Maserati and Dante Giacosa, Fiat's chief engineer, to install a 4-cylinder, twin-cam, 1, 491 cm3 engine developing 90 horsepower. This enabled the 960kg 1500 Cabriolet to reach 170 km/ h. Aesthetically, the 1500 Cabriolet stands out for its new grille and wider air intake. Interestingly, the 1500 Cabriolet is designed and built by Pininfarina, and only sold through Fiat.
In 1960, the 1500 Cabriolet received front disc brakes to replace the drum brakes installed previously. Unsuited to sporty driving, this change in brakes delivered improved performance, leading to the 1500 Cabriolet becoming the 1500 S Cabriolet in July 1961. The following year, the 1500 S gaveway to the 1600 S, presented at the 1962 Turin Motor Show. The increase in bore allowed the engine's displacement to rise from 1, 491 to 1, 568 cm3, and its horsepower to increase to 100. This evolution can be recognized by the air intake on the left-hand side of the hood.
The 1200 Cabriolet, still on the market, was replaced in 1963. The new model, the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet, was presented at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. It took the name of its predecessor, now the 1500 S. It featured a new, wider grille and retained its fixed spoilers. Mechanically, it had a 1, 481 cm3 engine developing 80 hp SAE, derived from the 1500 sedan, with a Weber twin-barrel carburetor.
In spring 1965, the 1500 Cabriolet inherited a new 83-hp engine directly derived from the 1500 C sedan, and a 5-speed gearbox. A new emblem appeared on the grille, specific to Fiat sports models: a red disk encircled by a laurel wreath. The 1500 Cabriolet was produced until 1966, with no fewer than 20, 420 examples built.
