1969 Fiat 500L
You can judge a car's success by numbers produced and years manufactured and by those measures, the Fiat 500 is one of the most successful in history. It had an original run of 18 years with more than 4 million units sold. Four million!! That's a lot of these micro cars on the street. So beloved, that Fiat refreshed the car, (Mini Cooper style), and reintroduced it, (2016-2019), and this time, including the U.S. market. Not as well received as the first gen 500, but the modern Abarth model is a coveted little pocket rocket highly regarded in the enthusiast world.
For consignment, a 1969 Fiat 500 showing 2,511 miles but the true mileage is unknown. This is an L or Lusso version which was slightly better appointed than the F versions and this little car offers a cheerful orange entry in the world of classic cars.
Exterior
Orange covers this little egg shaped car and wide set, round headlights look like whimsical eyes. This car wears straight bumpers and precedes the tubular bumper guards. Window trim is black which blends nicely with the canvas soft top and 12-inch tires surrounding dog dish hubcaps that would be redesigned the following year. Despite the car's size, the windows are "normal" sized and allow visibility and light to pass through. The rear hatch is vented and finned, allowing the engine to both gather cool air and expel heat. The chrome is in good shape and gaps are nice for an economy car from the era. We notice just a few imperfections in the paint including some rust below the rocker panel, cracking in the paint of the rocker panel, and various other scratches and paint cracking.
Interior
Saddle vinyl door cards are very tidy, housing the window crank, door actuator, pull handle and storage bin. Bucket seats model the same color pattern as the doors with ribbed saddle vinyl and black piping, all looking fresh and clean and a back bench is coordinated as well and lacks the piping. The center console is home to the shifter and parking brake as well as a small plastic storage bin for your "centesimo". The original 2 spoke steering wheel provides a clear sightline to the instrument cluster which has less features than some riding mowers we've seen and it's fantastico in its simplicity and the dashboard in general shows some patina. Overhead is the retractable, (manually), canvas top in good condition and below our feet is low pile camel carpet nicely covering the contours of this Italian micro. The "frunk" holds the gas tank, reservoir, and spare tire with a little bit of room left for storage.
Drivetrain
A 500cc inline 2-cylinder engine is mounted in the rear, topped by a 1-barrel carburetor, and propelled by a 4-speed manual transmission to the 5.125 cogged rear axle. The engine looks clean as we lift down the back hatch which is hinged on the bottom. The powerplant is good for 18 horsepower which results in 30+ miles per gallon fed by a 5.8 gallon gas tank. Drum brakes are at the wheels.
Undercarriage
Peeking underneath, driver quality conditions prevail as we see some caking coverage and we see some grease and road grime but overall not too bad. Some surface rust covers a few heavy metal parts such as the leaf springs, hardware, and wheel components. A transverse leaf spring is in front and independent swing arm and coil springs suspension in back. Steering components and their bushings appear fresh.
Drive-Ability
Once you sit down in the seat, it doesn't feel cramped as you might expect. The rounded roof line and big windows provide a comfortable environment and with a pump of the gas and a turn of the key, the little 2 banger fired up. You row through the 4 speeds fairly quickly and then the engine pushes the car with decent acceleration over our level test loop as we hum along at 30 mph. Braking is best done with some anticipation as they are not power assisted and because the horn is currently inoperable so it's up to you to stop for crossing geese rather than honking at them. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
One cannot help but to imagine tooling around the streets of Italian villages in the late 60's and early 70's and the nostalgia is part of the appeal of this little Fiat. Well, we have narrow streets and little towns too and this car would be a unique mode of transportation. Just be prepared to talk to people because everyone, and we mean everyone, will comment and want to know more! This is a great way to step into the car hobby! Molto bene!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
