﹒Engine and running gear overhauled, and fully resprayed and re-trimmed
﹒Ready to use example of one of the all-time classics
The background
Fiat’s Nuova 500 is undoubtedly one of the world’s most iconic automotive shapes. Like other people’s car icons such as the Beetle, Mini and 2CV, it enjoyed a long life, and like the Beetle and Mini in particular was so beloved that its maker saw fit to grant it another life in the form of a modern supermini – and the modern 500, while bearing little relation to the original beyond styling inspiration, has itself become one of Europe’s most popular small cars.
The Nuova 500 though was intended to replace Dante Giacosa’s original 500 “Topolino”, which had debuted in 1936. The Nuova was another Giacosa design, but even more clever than the original, packaging four seats into a rear-engined design powered by a tiny 479cc parallel twin, later upgraded to 499cc, and each giving the 500 its name.
The car made its debut in 1957 and persisted until 1975, selling nearly 3.9 million units in that time and spawning several variants along the way, from the Giardiniera estate to versions modified by Carlo Abarth and the remarkable “Dolly” beach car with its wicker seats and canopy roof. The 500L you see here though stood for “Lusso”, offering customers a better-appointed version of their tiny city cars. The 500L was built between 1967 and 1971.
This 500L was supplied new in 1969 but the most relevant history has occurred in the last couple of years, which is when it was comprehensively restored to the condition you see today. Most notable of the work was a full repaint in a lovely period cream colour, with any bodywork issues rectified at the same time. The wheels were also restored and repainted in two-tone, new centre caps sourced and new tyres fitted. All exterior brightwork was either restored or replaced.
Inside the car was reupholstered in the original red, with new carpeting, roof lining (where applicable!), a new sun visor, and a refurbished steering wheel. The compartment at the front where the fuel tank resides was also restored, and the tank itself refurbished and repainted. There’s a spare wheel present, and a new battery too.
It also gained a mechanical overhaul. The engine was reconditioned and given a compression check, and the crankcase given a fresh coat of paint. The cylinder head and valves were restored, the carburettor overhauled, a new clutch installed, and the car gained four new dampers, a new steering linkage with front arm bushes, and the half-shafts from the gearbox got new boots. The braking system was completely reconditioned at the same time.
The car has recently been imported from Italy so carries a NOVA (Notification of Vehicle Arrivals) document and is currently waiting on its V5 registration document from the DVLA. The seller says the car can be delivered up to 100 miles from its current location in Chelmsford free of charge, with deliveries further afield to be agreed with the buyer.
Clearly benefiting from the recent restoration, the 500L’s interior looks wonderful from the photos provided. With plenty of exposed cream metalwork the red retrim and contrasting black carpets look spot-on for the era of the car and neatly justify Fiat’s use of its “L” badge on this particular car.
The seats and door cards appear to be in fantastic condition, as does that black carpeting, protected further by floor mats, while the charmingly austere dashboard isn’t showing any signs of age either, and the horizontal speedometer is in good condition yet pleasingly retains its original patina. The same can be said of the steering wheel, which is in good condition but hasn’t had its original character restored away.
The dashboard layout is simple with only a handful of switches, while the pedals look like they’d need a slim pair of shoes to operate but otherwise look good! There’s a stereo integrated into a unit below the dashboard. Items like the ashtray on the dash, and the door handles, door pulls and window winders have all been gently restored. The fold-back roof looks good too, clearly another recipient of the restoration, and seems to seal tightly against the roof when closed.
It’s not unusual to see old 500s in Italian cities even today, but they’re rarely as tidy as this one. The contrast of the red fabric roof and wheel rims against the cream paintwork sets it off a treat, and the photos show a car whose bodywork is in excellent condition. Corrosion can be a problem on cars like this but the seller assures us that there is little to be found – you can judge the condition of the sills and underbody from the photos provided.
The neat two-tone painted wheels with their chrome caps all look great, while the new tyres fitted to them are a reassurance. Elsewhere on the car the lights and brightwork all appear very good – several chrome items were replaced during the restoration, as were several exterior badges, so it’s no surprise they look much as they would have done on the day the car was built in 1969.
Visually the car’s engine bay appears to be in excellent condition. There are no signs of corrosion on the metalwork surrounding the engine, and the engine itself, from the freshly-painted block to the ancillaries, pipework and belts, all seems to be in the kind of condition you’d expect given a recent restoration.
While we have not sampled the car ourselves, the comprehensive engine overhaul should also mean there’s little to worry about mechanically. Several major components were given attention during the restoration work, so the 499cc parallel twin should potter along quite nicely on its 17 horsepower! As with the engine, much of the running gear has been restored and replaced with this 500L, so it should drive as smoothly as it runs.
Once popular as everyday transport, Fiat 500s are now increasingly popular today as classics. It’s not difficult to see why; quite aside from their iconic status, they’re also inexpensive to run and maintain, easy to store (few other classics are so small!), and almost universally beloved – few cars are as likely to raise a smile from pedestrians when you’re out on the street, and they’re always a hit at shows too.
Throw in the fact this car has recently enjoyed a comprehensive restoration and it’s a 500 you can use pretty much out of the box too. Left-hand drive is little barrier to enjoyment in something so small (you’re not going to be overtaking much anyway!) and the excellent body and trim should make every journey feel like a trip across Turin in 1969.
** The photos in this listing have been provided to us by the seller **
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
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NO RESERVE! - 1969 Fiat 500L
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