Dear friends,
after completing the book about the Fiat 850 fuoriserie (also with your help), now it's time to quikly move on the next one.
This time it will not be some of new at all, but it's "just" a second edition of a successfull title out of print for a couple of years: Fiat 500 fuoriserie.
The goal is to fix a few mistakes I did in the first edition, move to the new color graphic I've introduced with the "850" and of course try to enhance it as much as possible with new models and brands.
To do that I would ask again your help, being sure you know a lot of very obscure cars that wait to be re-discovered.
The book will include all the Fiat 500 (1957-1975 version) derivatives, meaning all the vehicles having used it as their base as well as the chassis or even the engine only.
Of course, derivatives of NSU-Fiat 500 and Steyr-Fiat 500 are also included.
Period pictures, magazine features and ads are the most welcome.
Of course, this time too I will award the 3 strangest ones with a free copy of the book, posting a poll to chose the winners.
Thank you in advance,
Alessandro.
P.S. I start with the first question: does anybody know something about the "Ikenga" urban vehicle with Fiat 500 engine?
Sunlit (UK) - 1983-1984, Italian-designed GRP sports coupe body for Fiat 500/126. No Pictures :(
Foulkes Impala - the first ever British kit ever to use Fiat 500/126 as a basis. I'll post the picture of it on Sunday, OK?
Devon (Australia) - 1938.
Devon Motors Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Victoria
The Fiat 500 Topolino was sold by the Victorian agent as the Devon 'Nippy Seven' fitted with 4-seater tourer and utility (pick-up) bodies.
A recent one: Cool Car Company 500. I add the brochure and several unfortunately small :( pictures of it. It is said that the company started production in 2003. The cars were available in kit or turnkey form until ~2006-2007.
Some known:
Ferves Ranger
Caprera Ragno
1957 Fiat 500 Ghia-Aigle Spider by Frua
---
Thank you very much for your first contribution.
However, to help you focusing on the actual matter of the book, consider that I will include the 1957-1975 500 only: not the 1936-1954 500 "Topolino". This one would worth another second edition of an old book of mine, but perhaps later.
Later (non-period) convertions of the 500 are also not included in my book, but I'm interested to file some of them anyway at least because usually kit-cars based on the 500 are also based on the 126 and I'll use them for the forecoming "Fiat 126 fuoriserie" book.
Thanks! :)
Maybe you'll post a list of the 500s you already have to avoid waste comments..(?)
Sure! Good idea!
SPORTSCAR
Abarth: 500 derivazione - 500 Record - 500 Record Pininfarina - 595 - 595 SS - 695 - 695 SS - 595/34 - 695 SS Assetto Corsa - 595 LSS - 595 Competizione - 695 Competizione
Giannini: 500 TV - 500 GT - 500 TV S - 590 GT - 590 GTS - 500 TV Montecarlo - 700 4C - 500 elettrica - 590 GT Autostrada - 590 GTS Autostrada - 700 4C Coupè - 500 TV Lusso - 500 TV S Lusso - 500 TV Montecarlo Lusso - 590 GT Lusso - 590 GT S Lusso - 590 GT Vallelunga - 650 NP - 650 Sirio - 650 NP Lusso - 650 NP Modena - 650 NP Modena Lusso - dune-buggy 650 - 500 TV R - 500 GT R - 350 Economy Run - 590 Replica Corsa
Nardi: 500
Radbourne: 500 - 595 - 595/34 - 595 SS - 695 - 695 SS - 650 N - 650 NL
Silfer: 500 con compressore volumetrico
Zagato: 500 Sport
TUNERS
Adolfo Romani
Nicola Albanese
Vincenzo Alloni
Audisio & Benvenuto
Romano Bacci
Gianni Baistrocchi
Luciano Baldazzi
Almo Bosato
Giuseppe Breda
Anselmo Capra
Giuseppe Cellarosi
Gianni Cevenini
C.M.G.
Romeo Ferraris
Leo Garavello
Vincenzo Gattafoni
Gigetto Giraldi
Luciano Gozzoli
Sergio Lanini
Piero Lavazza
Angelino Lepri
Santino Marettini
Garage Massimo
Armando Montagna
Ruggero Poggi
Giovanni Saccone
Stanguellini
Jacopo Trivellato
Mauro Urbani
Renzo Vaccari
Gianni Varese
ZM (Edoardo Zen)
COACHBUILT
Allemano: 500 cabriolet
Auto Mirage: Pick Wick
Baldi: Tilly - Betty - Frog
Boano: 500 Spiaggia
Brütsch: V2N
Canta: 500 Coupé - elaborata
CAP: Scoiattolo - Super Scoiattolo
Caprera: Ragno
FART: Breack
Ferrario: Lucertola
Ferves: Ranger - Cargo
Fissore: Mongho 650
Francis Lombardi: spider - 500 Utility - 500 Giardiniera Camioncino - Coccinella - 500 My Car
Frua: 500 spider
FV: Venturina
Ghia: 500 Jolly - 500 Giardiniera Jolly - 500 Jolly Thailandia - 500 Ziba
Ghia-Suisse: 500 spider
Hölbl: Adria TS
IMP: 700 GT
Mantelli: 500 berlina
Mastri e Mondini: 500 Sport Rally cabrio
Monterosa: 500 spider.
Moretti: 500 coupé - 500 Giardiniera - 500 Furgone - 500 Camioncino - 500 Giardiniera boxer - 500 Spider - 500 Coupé - 500 D elaborata - 500 S - 590 SS Coupé - 500 elettrica - Minimaxi
OTAS: Crazy-Car
Pininfarina: 500 Abarth coupé
Piazzi: Bikini
Savio: 500 spider - Spider Elegance - Albarella
Scioneri: 500 elaborata - 500 Special
Siata: 500 Spider
Siata-Auto: 500 spider
Sibona e Basano: Decathlon
TPLV: Torpedo Blue Green
Vignale: Mickey Mouse - Gamine
Viotti: 500 coupé - 500 coupé Bonetto
Willam: 500
Zagato: Zanzara
Zanella: Erina
FORMULA
Ambivero
Amilcar
Balestra
Bartoli
Biraghi
Bonetti
BU-MA
CCM
Corsini
Cosme
CRM
De Rui
GMS
LAB
Marsengo
Mascheroni
Melesi
MIG
Miragliotta
M.Z.
Oleari & Gibertini
Ol-Ga
Patriarca
Renzini
Repetto
RGB
SAAV
Santandrea
Sofia
Stylauto
Tatuus
Thiele
Tinarelli
Vargiù
Vigezzi
OTHERS
Bandoli: 500 Fuoristrada
Giannini: 500 Camioncino
Moto Guzzi: V90 prototype
Savio: 500 pick-up.
Steinwinter 250 - 250 L
Vignale: 500 camioncino
This may be out of range but still:
QuoteThe cute and cuddly Impala was the first UK kit to be based on the Fiat 500/126, arriving at the end of 1981 from Foulkes Developments. With Moke-like styling and very diminutive dimensions, it enjoyed a brief popularity. It was cheap, at £627 all in, and it was practical too, with four seats and full weather equipment. A restyled version with round wheel arches which appeared in 1984 was not enough to sustain interest in the model; it vanished soon afterwards, taking a prototype 126-based ??? 2+2 coupe with it.
Picture and information: http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=9305.0
Quote1981-1911 Foulkes Developments Ltd, Dartmouth, Devon
The Impala utility kit car was very first British kit ever to use the Fiat 500/126 as a basis. It had a simple one-piece fiberglass body on a ladder chassis with optional weather equipment. Early ones had squared wheel arches, post-1984 ones round arches. Foulkes' prototype Ford-based ??? 2+2 coupe of 1987 was stillborn.
Source: Beaulieu encyclopedia of the automobile
Christmas is passed, but the gifts for me are once again arriving... :D
This is for the 126's
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=7184.0
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=8529.0
http://artecontemporaneaenuovetecnologie.blogspot.com/2009/12/se-negli-anni-sessanta-e-settanta-si-e.html
and this is a modern convesrion, so not to be included, but just for the record:
http://www.fimea.it/produzione/trazione/500.htm
Cassella's conversions:
http://www.antoniocassella.it/
Jamos 650 TR?
Peter Steven's Simpatico
Fiat 500 by Occhiello
Zero Engineering from London UK
(http://www.fiat500.ch/pics/modelle/zero/zero_01_gross.jpg)
Weinsberg Fiat
Ciceri Junior 500 GMS 1965
MZ Junior 500 1966
Wow, a real flood! :o
Quote from: Allemano on January 31, 2010, 11:24:46 AM
Jamos 650 TR?
I know it exsists, but a few more info are really welcome.
Quote from: Paul Jaray on January 31, 2010, 11:30:19 AM
Peter Steven's Simpatico
Fiat 500 by Occhiello
Never seen... if are not today's funny conversions, please, tell me something more.
Quote from: Allemano on January 31, 2010, 11:39:14 AM
Zero Engineering from London UK
Is it somehow related to the 126-based Car-Craft Zero, as far as you know?
Quote from: Allemano on January 31, 2010, 11:44:18 AM
Weinsberg Fiat
I don't list them because they are "official models", I mean, like a 2300 S Coupé Ghia or a Giulietta Spider Pininfarina.
Quote from: Paul Jaray on January 31, 2010, 11:45:06 AM
Ciceri Junior 500 GMS 1965
MZ Junior 500 1966
They are already in my list.
Well, if it's only the beginning...
I PM you the links I have!
Here's the Simpatico:
http://www.mixe.demon.nl/simpatico/
It's not very old, but not modern: Barchetta\Simpatico (1992-1996)
This is the Occhiello restyling, dated 1991:
It seems Caprera made an elaborata version on basis of the 500 L
Wasn't there also a Caprera LEM? It must have looked the same as the Ragno S but with a less powerfull engine and without bucket seats.
And perhaps the Sibona-Basano Tse Tse. Although it was presented without an engine on the 1964 Turin motor show, I believe it was intended to receive (and perhaps it did) a Fiat 500 engine.
I bumped on some specific names of Fiat 500 based cars, but I don't know if they are correct:
Francis Lombardi Spider => 'Costa Azzurra'
Siata-Auto 500 Spider => "Student"
Giannini 500 Camioncino => 500 "Baby"
Wasn't there also a company called FAS (Fabbrica Autoveicoli Speciali) that made a version of the Scoiattolo.
First based on a 500 F and later on a 126 basis?
This sounds strange... I know very well the Scoiattolo, but it was made first by CAP (Carrozzeria Arrigo Perini) on 500 base and then by Scoiattolo SpA on 126 base.
Where have you found info about "FAS"?
this is said to be ISO-something. Maybe a prototype and probably with 500's engine... ???
Quote from: Arunas on February 03, 2010, 03:38:30 AM
this is said to be ISO-something. Maybe a prototype and probably with 500's engine... ???
I agree. A friend of mine has already got in touch with the current owner and is investigating a little deeper. This would be another interesting subject...
In "Auto Italiana" from 1965 has been an article about a special preparation of a Fiat 500 by Benito Minghelli and Antonio Gorbettini, two mechanics from Parma. They put the engine from a Panhard PL17 in the rear of a standard looking Fiat 500, and thus they were able to reach 180 km/h on the autostrada...
I made a translation of this article for the Dutch Panhard club (#146, April 2004), but I'm afraid the photocopy of the article that I used has got lost...
Quote from: als15 on February 03, 2010, 02:54:06 AM
Where have you found info about "FAS"?
I found it in the Dutch book 'De Fiat 500 & 600' by Jan de Lange
The "FAS" name is also mentioned in this forum (but it's in Italian so I can't really understand it.) http://www.cinquino.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6961#404065
'FAS' and 'Scoiattolo SPA' might be one and the same company.
In the same book, there is written that there was a company called "C.A.F." that made 2-tone + chrome strip 'elaborato' versions of the 500. But no further info is available.
I just ended a call with a friend who is the real Scoiattolo-guru and he explained me that is probably a translation misunderstanding. On the back of some brochures of the "Scoiattolo" brand there is written "Fabbrica Autoveicoli Speciali", but this is not a brand name: in Italian it just means "Special Vehicles Factory" and means that they, the "Scoiattolo" are a firm making special vehicles. Unfortunaltely, this mistake has been reported by some book authors...
Also CAF on my opinion is probably just a misspelling of CAM, which actually made the kind of visual tuning you are talking about.
Included?
I also bumped on this one. I do not know which company is responsable for it (perhaps Francis Lombardi?), and I can't find it back in the current edition of your 500 Fuoriserie book.
Nice convertion. I'll check if the rear part do match with the Lombardi Utility could be a special version of the same car. Have you a bigger picture?
Quote from: Arunas on February 03, 2010, 04:39:21 PM
Included?
Already, but thanks anyway! ;)
Barchetta 595 by Simod Design:
http://www.simod.co.uk/barchetta_595.htm
Thanks, but it's actually a 126, despite to its name. ;)
It seems that not so many 500s await still undiscovered...
Yep, if you don't mind I'll post here all the 500 and 126 derivate I'll found, so they will be ready for your next book!
Quote from: Paul Jaray on February 04, 2010, 08:23:03 AM
Yep, if you don't mind I'll post here all the 500 and 126 derivate I'll found, so they will be ready for your next book!
I think is a good idea, because the wide part of West-European kit-cars and similar conversions was both made on 500 and 126 and hence I'll include these cars in the both the books.
Camioncino 500 by Coriasco
Quote from: als15 on February 04, 2010, 02:16:07 AM
Nice convertion. I'll check if the rear part do match with the Lombardi Utility could be a special version of the same car. Have you a bigger picture?
No that's all I have. It is present on page 134 of the book 'Fiat 500' by Jiří Fiala (ISBN 978-80-247-2933-6)
Is the comment from jrpola referring to the picture I posted?
Here are some pics from my old 500.
A restoration that got out of hand, that ended op with body modifications, custom paint, etc...
It must still be in the Netherlands somewhere.
Please let me know if you see it... ;D ;D
Quote from: 75america on February 04, 2010, 04:21:23 PM
Is the comment from jrpola referring to the picture I posted?
No, I don't think so: jrpola is a very close friend (the Scoiattolo-guru) and I can imagine which car he is referring to... You will see it in the book. ;)
Good suggestion, however: I can't miss it!
Quote from: metalshapes on February 04, 2010, 04:43:45 PM
Here are some pics from my old 500.
A restoration that got out of hand, that ended op with body modifications, custom paint, etc...
It must still be in the Netherlands somewhere.
Please let me know if you see it... ;D ;D
Thanks for your contibution, metalshapes, but sorry: I won't consider it unless it's something contemporary to the 500. I mean: real "fuoriserie" are the ones made during the car production period (1957-1975) or in the very few years later. Modern modifications are just for fun, but we cannot give them a "historical" value...
Quote from: DynaMike on February 03, 2010, 06:22:12 AM
In "Auto Italiana" from 1965 has been an article about a special preparation of a Fiat 500 by Benito Minghelli and Antonio Gorbettini, two mechanics from Parma. They put the engine from a Panhard PL17 in the rear of a standard looking Fiat 500, and thus they were able to reach 180 km/h on the autostrada...
I made a translation of this article for the Dutch Panhard club (#146, April 2004), but I'm afraid the photocopy of the article that I used has got lost...
Have you got any extra information about this conversion, Alessandro?
This one was quite popular and was featured several times on Quattroruote.(for example on issue #123)
Quote from: als15 link=
quote]
Thanks for your contibution, metalshapes, but sorry: I won't consider it unless it's something contemporary to the 500. I mean: real "fuoriserie" are the ones made during the car production period (1957-1975) or in the very few years later. Modern modifications are just for fun, but we cannot give them a "historical" value...
Quote
No, I dont think it has historical value either, but that car was ( is... ) near to my heart.
And I thought that maybe one of the Dutch Autopuzzlers might come across it at some point...
Quote from: als15 on January 31, 2010, 12:00:41 PM
Quote from: Allemano on January 31, 2010, 11:44:18 AM
Weinsberg Fiat
I don't list them because they are "official models", I mean, like a 2300 S Coupé Ghia or a Giulietta Spider Pininfarina.
It's not clear to me if you are interested in the following cars but according to the -apparently highly unreliable- book 'De Fiat 500 & 600' by Jan de Lange, Weinsberg made also the following
prototypes with Fiat 500 technique:
- '02' : A boxy cabover model with FWD
- 'Tipo 10': A 3-wheeled vehicle with a Giardiniera engine in the back. This model was presented in1962 in Frankfurt (...but there was no IAA in Frankfurt that year...)
I have no photografical evidence of these cars.
No, we can definitely say that the book is not reliable... :P
Those cars were not made by Weinsberg, nor actually by NSU-Fiat itself...
The reality is that in the post-war period Fiat open in Neckarlsum a "Forschungsabteilung": an advanced design and research center, where a lot of interesting prototypes was made in a sort of "friendly competition" with Turin.
Of course, the Forschungsabteilung was located in NSU-Fiat facilities and I can suppose that sometimes exploited Weinsberg (which at that time was participated by Fiat) as a body protoshop. But I've got no evidence that Weinsberg has been involved in these prototypes.
The Type 10 "Pully" (named after ing. Puleo, which was the designer) actually arrived very close to production. Also the brochure was already printed, but at the end of the day somebody was worried about handling and stability of a three-wheeler and the project was deleted just before start of production...
Quote from: als15 on February 05, 2010, 12:58:59 PM
No, we can definitely say that the book is not reliable... :P
I will never trust that source anymore. >:(
But we don't give up our search in finding Fiat 500 based cars (from other sources) ;D
Carrozzeria Fissore presented at the 1965 Turin Motor show the 'Aruanda'. It was designed by the Brazilian architect Ari de Rocha.
The Aruanda project was based around a shortened and lowered chassis of a Fiat 500 and used a Fiat 500 familiare engine.
Quote from: 75america on February 05, 2010, 02:12:05 PM
The Aruanda project was based around a shortened and lowered chassis of a Fiat 500 and used a Fiat 500 familiare engine.
Nice indeed! :)
But, please, can you tell me where have you found that is based on the 500? Quattroruote 12/65 reports that it was just a mock-up without engine. Nevertheless, size and architecture match with the 500 Giardiniera base...
And perhaps have you a higher resolution picture? Quattroruote only shows the back... ;)
pictures courtesy of one of our members... ;)
Quote from: als15 on February 05, 2010, 02:50:09 PM
But, please, can you tell me where have you found that is based on the 500?
I found it in the book 'Carrozzeria Fissore' by Paolo Fissore (page 87-90).
But as with my other sources, I do not know if this info is correct.
In the same #123 issue of 4R that covers the Panhard powered Fiat 500, there is mentioned a list of entries for the 'Mostra delle vetture de Competizione" held in Turin from 26/02-6/03/1966 in the Musea dell'Automobile.
In that list, there are present 2 potential Fiat 500 derivates that are not present in your book.
- Giannini 500 F turismo competizione: This is a car that I also can't find back in the Giannini book by Enzo Altorio. Or is this the same car as the 500 TV (S) / 590 GT (S)?
- C.A.S.E.A. 875 Monza: I don't know if there is any Fiat relation, but for me that counts also for the Marsengo 875 Torino prototipo which is included in your list.
About the names Giannini used.
I suppose 'TV' stands for Turismo Veloce, 'GT' for Gran Turismo, 'GP' for Gran Prix, 'S' for Sport, 'L' for Lusso, 'R' for Rally and 'EC' for Economica.
But where are 'MT' and 'NP' standing for?
Quote from: 75america on February 07, 2010, 02:45:36 AM
- Giannini 500 F turismo competizione: This is a car that I also can't find back in the Giannini book by Enzo Altorio. Or is this the same car as the 500 TV (S) / 590 GT (S)?
I will double check, but "Turismo Competizione" is usually an Abarth name. I think the journalist did a little mistake and it was actually a Ginnini 500 TV.
Quote from: 75america on February 07, 2010, 02:45:36 AM
- C.A.S.E.A. 875 Monza: I don't know if there is any Fiat relation, but for me that counts also for the Marsengo 875 Torino prototipo which is included in your list.
For sure it had the 500 Giardiniera engine, which was mandatory for the Formula 875 Monza. Unfortunately, it is part of those cars of which I only have a single name, or a single picture... not enough to tell a story on a book. Perhaps I'll include them anyway, but the risk is to list something wrong or not verified enough...
Quote from: 75america on February 07, 2010, 02:45:36 AM
About the names Giannini used.
I suppose 'TV' stands for Turismo Veloce, 'GT' for Gran Turismo, 'GP' for Gran Prix, 'S' for Sport, 'L' for Lusso, 'R' for Rally and 'EC' for Economica.
But where are 'MT' and 'NP' standing for?
'R' is just "Rinnovata" (Renewed) as the standard 1972 Fiat 500 version; 'EC' I've nerver seen while 'ER' is "Economy Run" and was used for the 350 cc reduced displacement version which was supposed to have a minor fuel consumption. 'MT' means "Monoalbero in Testa" (single on-head camshaft) and was for an experimental 1000 engine. 'NP' is actually less techical and was for "New Production", used when avv. Polverelli took over the firm by the Giannini family.
Quote from: als15 on February 07, 2010, 06:42:48 AM
Quote from: 75america on February 07, 2010, 02:45:36 AM
About the names Giannini used.
I suppose 'TV' stands for Turismo Veloce, 'GT' for Gran Turismo, 'GP' for Gran Prix, 'S' for Sport, 'L' for Lusso, 'R' for Rally and 'EC' for Economica.
But where are 'MT' and 'NP' standing for?
'R' is just "Rinnovata" (Renewed) as the standard 1972 Fiat 500 version; 'EC' I've nerver seen while 'ER' is "Economy Run" and was used for the 350 cc reduced displacement version which was supposed to have a minor fuel consumption. 'MT' means "Monoalbero in Testa" (single on-head camshaft) and was for an experimental 1000 engine. 'NP' is actually less techical and was for "New Production", used when avv. Polverelli took over the firm by the Giannini family.
Thank you very much for these 'translations'
About the EC / ER. I think that we are talking about the same car. The following picture was taken on the 1974 Turin motor show:
Indeed! And your picture adds another little tile to the huge "fuoriserie puzzle". Thanks! :D
What about this one?
Found in 4R # 162 (06/1969 p92-93)
Interesting indeed and unfortunately forgotten in the first edition. :-[
For sure I will include it in the new book.
A picture of the Stylauto 875 Monza:
(Only some text about this car is present in the current edition of your book)
Most likely these are prototypes not fuoriserie...
Yes. :)
The first one is a side-study for the 500 Giardiniera in order to avoid re-engineering the engine from vetical to flat and the second is a prototype made by NSU-Fiat in the early Fifties for a microcar supposed to be powered by a 125 cc scooter engine. Somebody (personally I don't agree) says ing. Giacosa has copied it in styling the 500.
Quote from: als15 on February 12, 2010, 11:09:08 AM
Yes. :)
The first one is a side-study for the 500 Giardiniera in order to avoid re-engineering the engine from vetical to flat and the second is a prototype made by NSU-Fiat in the early Fifties for a microcar supposed to be powered by a 125 cc scooter engine. Somebody (personally I don't agree) says ing. Giacosa has copied it in styling the 500.
Thanks for info! :)
Some Junior 500 and Formula 875 stuff:
- An additional Ciceri GMS Formula Junior 500 photo
- Another Patriarca Junior 500
- 2 pictures of a Prinoth Baby Junior "P" equipped with Steyr Puch 650TR mechanicals
- An additional Repetto Formula 875 photo
- A picture of a Sanctis Formula 875
+ 2 unknown Formula 850 / Junior 500 cars
+ the IMPALA burro 500 a British kit-car that was made between 1981 and 1984 (pic of prototype + production model)
All pics from this and previous post can be found at http://www.fiat500.ch
Quote from: 75america on February 13, 2010, 12:49:03 PM
- A picture of a Sanctis Formula 875
Thank you very much. By the way, I think that the 500 website where you got the pictures did a little mikstake with the last one: it's a De Sanctis Formula 850 and not a Formula 875 Monza; I'm quite sure for two reasnons: De Sanctis never made F.875 and, looking the picture, the rear wheels are different from the fornt while for the 875 the stock Fiat 500 Giardiniera rims were mandatory.
You're the expert ;D
- Why not include the E.S.V. 1500? It might be made by Fiat itself, but isn't it a Fuoriserie?
- On the excellent website about Pietro Frua by Stefan Dierkes, there is mentioned a 1958 Fiat 500 S Savio Spider "La Vibilia" that is designed by Pietro Frua, but no photographic evidence is present. Did he made a mistake and does he mean the Mario Revelli di Beaumont designed 1957 Savio 500 Spider (present on p.78). Or is it really a different car?
-There are 2 typos present on p79. Alabrella (in photo caption) / Alabarella (in text) => Albarella
1972 Daco Formula Monza.
Fiat 500 engined?
Quote from: 75america on February 16, 2010, 03:44:31 PM
1972 Daco Formula Monza.
Fiat 500 engined?
Indeed! Have you any more info about that and/or the opportunity to send me a higher res scan?
Thanks!
Quote from: als15 on February 17, 2010, 08:33:43 AM
Indeed! Have you any more info about that and/or the opportunity to send me a higher res scan?
Thanks!
Unfortunately, no more information available.
And the original picture is only about 3 cm large, so the picture I posted is already the highest resolution scan I can offer you.
Quote from: als15 on January 29, 2010, 04:56:13 AM
P.S. I start with the first question: does anybody know something about the "Ikenga" urban vehicle with Fiat 500 engine?
Yes I do. :)
I took contact with David Gitters, the man who was responsible for the Ikenga projects.
As stated on his website (http://www.dwij.org/dwij/auto.htm) there were 6 "Ikenga" car projects.
The car with the Fiat 500 engine was called "Inner City Module" and was created (on paper) in the mid-1960's.
The configuration of this concept vehicle was a trike.
Whilst all was in place at the time, namely the Fiat 500 rear sub frame with engine and transmission, the vehicle was not built due to the death in June of 1969 of David Gitters' partner in the Ikenga project, the British coach builder Charles Williams.
The engine and components for the project were salvaged from a 1965 or 1966 Fiat 500.
The concept drawings of this vehicle were publicly displayed only once, at the 1968 British Motor Show at Earls Court.
Davis Gitters said that he will look in his archives and see if there are any concept drawings in it he can share with us. (no time frame given, and not sure he will really do it)
So with a bit of luck, in some time, we will know how the car should have looked like.
But because the car was never built, it is probably out of your Fiat 500 fuoriserie scope.
Quote from: 75america on February 17, 2010, 11:38:26 AM
But because the car was never built, it is probably out of your Fiat 500 fuoriserie scope.
In theory yes, but sometimes it worth to do exceptions... I did it with the Siata Student (500 fiberglass spider, dropped preferring to go on with the 850-based Spring) and I'll do with the Ikenga: such a visionary project sounds too interesting not to mention! :o
And thanks once again for your big support!
Quote from: als15 on February 17, 2010, 12:17:04 PM
And thanks once again for your big support!
Since I became a pro, I have some free time to spend ;D
Francis Lombardi Pick-up that is not identical to the one present in the book.
Note the different modelled body part at the side behind the rear wheel:
Quote from: 75america on February 20, 2010, 09:03:11 AM
Quote from: als15 on February 17, 2010, 12:17:04 PM
And thanks once again for your big support!
Since I became a pro, I have some free time to spend ;D
Post some puzzles for the Pros and Feature Writers only in their special section. Try to post puzzles Paul can't solve.
;) O0
Quote from: Ultra on February 20, 2010, 12:00:25 PM
Try to post puzzles Paul can't solve.
An almost impossible tast to do :D.
In the meantime:
* These 2 electric Fiat 500's. I do not know who was responsable for these projects (perhaps Fiat themselves) but they are certainly not the Giannini and Moretti ones.
* And, although IMO not worth publishing, a 1973 DKW powered Fiat 500.
* There are strong indications to believe that the 'Willam' was first produced by Baldi (in the period 1973-1975) and sold in the versions 'Frog', 'Frog Rally' and 'Frog Austere' before Willam took over production.
In the meantime, with my limited (read 'no') knowledge of Italian, I started to 'read' your complete Fiat 500 Fuoriserie book. I'm verifying the info with the sources I have. I will post here the things that don't correspond. Keep in mind that it may be my sources that are wrong, but IMO it's worth a check. Here are the first:
*
Page 8: Isn't it Ovidio Capelli instead of Capello?
*
Page 26: Brütsch is not an Indonesian company but a German one. Mr. Ngo an Indonesian who was interested in French license production of a Brütsch car financed the carbody of the the V-2 N project. The N in the name stands for Ngo. In the end, the project came to nothing. Only 3 cars were built and all of them where equipped with the Fiat 500 Engine. The car had it's debut in July 1958.
I'm sure there are some bubble car experts amongst us who can eventually correct or complete my explanation.
Second batch:
Page 41: The Coccinella was not a one-off. It seams that at least 7 of them were built. Note the different doorhandle on this one:
Page 48: I would call the company Ghia-Aigle rather than Ghia-Suisse. But better take contact with Stefan Dierkes for verifying the content of the complete chapter because I've the impression that there are a few errors present.
Page 52: I think the 590 GT is from 1965, not from 1966. And I also think the photo in the middle is a 500 GT Montecarlo and not a 590.
Page 55: I think the 500 TV Lusso is from 1969, not from 1968
Page 56: Is the 650 Sirio coupé not from 1969 instead of 1970? And isn't the 650 NP( Lusso?) from 1970 instead of 1971?
Page 57: The 500 GT R has an engine capacity of 694 cc while the 500 TV R has an engine capacity of 594 cc.
Page 57-58: I think the car was officially called 590 Corsa Replica and not vice versa.
Page 59: Wasn't the Guzzi a 1959 instead of a 1958 project?
The Australian coachbuilding firm called Charles Hope of Brisbaine, Queensland, after the war made some roadsters and coupe utility (pick-up) bodies for the Fiat 500. The firm closed in 1954, so I think those were Topolino.
Source: The Beaulieu encyclopedia, Coachbuilding.
Third batch:
Page 24-25: I believe the Boano 500 Spiaggia was presented at the end of the summer of 1958
Page 43: The Venturina was already presented at the 1962 Turin Motor show
Page 67: Caption photo on the top of the page: wasn't this car presented in 1960 instead of 1959?
Page 70-71: Wasn't the Minimaxi presented at the 1970 Turin Motor show?
Page 74: Why do you list the Bikini under Quattroruote? It might have been presented on the 4R stand and it was perhaps even financed by 4R, but I believe it's full name was just 'Bikini'.
Page 80: the caption says 'La 500 Special del 1959', but this must be 1969.
Page 89: See my remarks about the Baldi Frog.
Page 90: Production of the Zanella Erina started indeed in 1968, but the car was first shown on the Glasurit stand at the 1967 Turin Motor show.
Presented on the 1965 Frankfurt Motor show.
Based on Fiat 500 mechanicals but with a 643 cc Steyr Puch engine.
I don't know if this is an official Neckar project or something completely else.
A (for me) unknown 1969 Formula 875 Monza.
(http://img.kijiji.it/67/09/67097f8c637e74eb9ec070fade528bbb_big.jpg)
More pictures can be found here: http://www.kijiji.it/annunci/auto/annunci-campobasso/fiat-500-formula-monza-875/4519163
And another one:
(http://www.passionautomobile.com/automedon/automedon_2007/formula-monza-875.jpg)
Another picture of that Repetto:
(http://www.repettomotorsport.com/foto/giuseppe%20%20repetto/g3.jpg)
And a rear view of the Prinoth Formela Junior 500
And the Steyr Puch 500 by Prinoth
(http://www.prinoth.net/images/new/ernesto04.jpg)
Quote from: barrett on March 30, 2010, 01:43:54 PM
...described as a 1965 Fiat 500 'Vensberg'. This is not a name i've ever heard and i assume it is the model name rather than the coachbuilder. Do any of you experts have any information on this one?
This car is known as the Neckar
Weinsberg. It's easy to find info of this car on the internet.
Indeed!
And to be precise, it's a Limousette version, 2nd series (1960 type) with 499,5 cc engine.
Weinsberg is the name of the coachbuilder wich made it for NSU-Fiat.
Quote from: 75america on February 17, 2010, 11:38:26 AM
Quote from: als15 on January 29, 2010, 04:56:13 AM
P.S. I start with the first question: does anybody know something about the "Ikenga" urban vehicle with Fiat 500 engine?
Yes I do. :)
I took contact with David Gittens, the man who was responsible for the Ikenga projects.
As stated on his website (http://www.dwij.org/dwij/auto.htm) there were 6 "Ikenga" car projects.
The car with the Fiat 500 engine was called "Inner City Module" and was created (on paper) in the mid-1960's.
The configuration of this concept vehicle was a trike.
Whilst all was in place at the time, namely the Fiat 500 rear sub frame with engine and transmission, the vehicle was not built due to the death in June of 1969 of David Gittens' partner in the Ikenga project, the British coach builder Charles Williams.
The engine and components for the project were salvaged from a 1965 or 1966 Fiat 500.
The concept drawings of this vehicle were publicly displayed only once, at the 1968 British Motor Show at Earls Court.
David Gittens said that he will look in his archives and see if there are any concept drawings in it he can share with us. (no time frame given, and not sure he will really do it)
So with a bit of luck, in some time, we will know how the car should have looked like.
But because the car was never built, it is probably out of your Fiat 500 fuoriserie scope.
I contacted David Gittens again but unfortunately, he has no more information.
Quote David Gittens: "I did look through my archives and realize that I do not have any of the pre-Mark lll Ikenga concept drawings and materials. I recall during my search that they we're left with a business colleague in London who I lost contact with ages ago."
Quote
I contacted David Gittens again but unfortunately, he has no more information.
Thanks anyway. :'(
About the 126, there was a car, called Galopin, made by Bonny Days from Ryde, Isle of Wight, which was a Vignale Gamine replica, called Noddy car.
Dear friends, the book is now ready for printing.
Here below there is the official preview of hte cover. :D
Once again I've to thank you very much for your huge support, both in fixing the mistakes I did in the first edition and in finding new cars for the second.
I'll thank you also awarding the 3 free copies; but this time I think we don't require a poll: 75America, Arunas and Paul Jaray have been definitely the biggest contributors and will get their copy of the book.
It will be likely printed within Summer and I hope to have it ready for distribution in September.
Thanks again!!!
Once again, it was a pleasure for me to help!
Already any plans for a next volume?
What model will it be so that we can already start digging into our archives? :)
Quote from: 75america on June 06, 2010, 09:26:23 AM
Already any plans for a next volume?
This time it will be a new topic. I'm planning a book on all the derivatives of the Fiat 124 and 125. I think there will be a lot of the classic Italian coachbuildings, like Vignale and Moretti, but probably a very large part of the book will be out of Italy. Seat, Polski-Fiat, Lada, Fiat-Concord, Premier... So many international Fiat-license models bring a lot of derivatives...
I'll make a list of what I already know and post it in the next weeks.
It's a honor to be of any help in your works!
You are too generous!
Mille grazie! :)
Quote from: als15 on June 06, 2010, 08:54:18 AM
It will be likely printed within Summer and I hope to have it ready for distribution in September.
STOP THE PRESSES!
Too late! It's already printed.
But we can consider it as a 126 (because it has its engine) and insert in one of the next boks...
Thanks a lot for the info!!! :yeah:
.
nice serie books ,where can I buy them ? www.abarth-gmr.be
www.forum.abarth-gmr.be
On my publishing-house website: www.ilcammello.it (http://www.ilcammello.it)
;D
Why don't they buy a go-kart when they want one ???
A nice contemporary essay on special Fiat 500 conversions:
Another Fiat 500 based project by Gianfranco Wainer Mantovani, or a journalistic error mixing up with the Bikini?