General All 500 owners in USA, report in

Currently reading:
General All 500 owners in USA, report in

usafstud

New member
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
144
Points
40
Location
South Carolina
Hi guys,

I noticed more and more U.S. folks are posting. Please update your location on your avator because I think it is helpful to know where we can get some help.

I'm in Dayton Ohio and will be moving to Shreveport, Louisana next spring.

Frank
 
Hey Frank,

I just bought my 65 500f about a month ago from a guy in NJ and U-hauled her back to Roanoke, VA. Let me tell you, I was nervous. I drove all the way up there with a U-haul car carrier reserved and spent the night. The next day I showed up to pick up the car and when they drove the car up to the back of the trailer, I would have put money on it that it was going to be too small to span the gap in the middle despite my measuring and calculating! :eek: She just barely fit! Any more than an inch (or two at the most) difference and it would not have worked!!!!

Anyway, she is at her new home hopefully awaiting a motor transplant for Christmas :) (y)!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2532.jpg
    IMG_2532.jpg
    417.1 KB · Views: 240
Last edited:
Hey Frank,

I just bought my 65 500f about a month ago from a guy in NJ and U-hauled her back to Roanoke, VA. Let me tell you, I was nervous. I drove all the way up there with a U-haul car carrier reserved and spent the night. The next day I showed up to pick up the car and when they drove the car up to the back of the trailer, I would have put money on it that it was going to be too small to span the gap in the middle despite my measuring and calculating! :eek: She just barely fit! Any more than an inch (or two at the most) difference and it would not have worked!!!!

Anyway, she is at her new home hopefully awaiting a motor transplant for Christmas :) (y)!

Vascrats, is your 500 white or baby blue. Either way, it looks clean.

did you use one of these trailer?

AutoTransportLarge.png
 
My 500 is a lighter blue. The picture does make it look like a baby blue but it is a couple shades darker in person.

That IS the U-Haul trailer I used. More specifically though it was an older one. From what I was told by someone at a u-haul rental location I believe, the newer ones like the one pictured are narrower in the middle than the older ones and would be more likely to fit the tiny 500. Even among the older ones, I believe there were two different models with very slight differences in the gaps in the middle. I guess what I am getting at is that it is possible to use one of these haulers but be sure to measure the gap in the middle of the hauler and the width between the insides of the car's tires to be safe. As I said, mine did not have an inch to spare, SERIOUSLY. It also takes ba!!s of steel to drive the car up that ramp with no room for error.

P.S. Just placed the motor order along with new muffler, muffler clamps, and muffler gaskets. Merry Christmas to me (and the Fiat):p
 
Just joined today. On LOng ISland in NY. have an 1958 500N USA model.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4691.jpg
    IMG_4691.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 248
Welcome to the Mimmo. You may have the oldest 500 in the states. I never seen one even in Italy with headlights popping out.
 
Welcome to the Mimmo. You may have the oldest 500 in the states. I never seen one even in Italy with headlights popping out.

I think that these models were specially constructed for the US market. At the time the Highway Code had strict rules governing the size and height of headlights and as a result, the 500s exported to the US had to have larger and higher headlights thus giving them a rather odd pop-eyed look. They, and the later Lancia Fulvias, were rather rudely nicknamed Fanalone. The literal translation is something like 'big beacons' but the word is also Italian slang for 'big breasts'. Fiat also made a limited run of Jolly's with the fanalone look.

Enjoy your car,

Chris
 

Attachments

  • Fanalone 500D 1.jpg
    Fanalone 500D 1.jpg
    472.3 KB · Views: 199
  • Fanalone 500D 2.jpg
    Fanalone 500D 2.jpg
    635.3 KB · Views: 143
  • Fanalone Jolly.jpg
    Fanalone Jolly.jpg
    543.8 KB · Views: 157
  • Fulvia Fanalone.jpg
    Fulvia Fanalone.jpg
    54.5 KB · Views: 210
Thanks for the welcom. You're right, these were built for the USA market, larger headlights, bumpers, speedo in MPH and i think the rear tailights might have a different mounting too, could be wrong. deciding on whether to get the original light rings re-chromed or replacing.

sorry if this post shows up multiple times, had issues trying to get the pics uploaded.
 

Attachments

  • Safe Motoring.JPG
    Safe Motoring.JPG
    1.1 MB · Views: 193
  • Supplement Book.JPG
    Supplement Book.JPG
    1 MB · Views: 214
Cool 'mutation'! She is truly a big eyed beauty! :eek: You certainly do have something even more special there.

Apparently I am a Fanalone fan by many accounts :yum:;)......:D
 
Located in California. I also have a USA version 500 N -- mine is 1959. Currently undergoing a complete ground up restoration.
 
Went through this 2 months ago. I walked over to my local parts store with dimensions in hand, think it was 8.5-9" max on length , 5-6" on width and 7-8 inches on height, thats off memory so if you need actual dims let me know and i'll measure for you when i get home. Anyway was quickly able to find a battery that met those dim's. 600 cranking amps, think thats plenty for the 500cc motor. Cost was around usd70.

so far no issues. i did install a cutoff switch on the neg side and use a battery tender.

Happy holidays.
 
How do i undo the dislike. My fingers are hitting random bittoms while i'm shopping at he mall with the wife
 
no sweat. I measured mine, its 9" length, 5 " width, and 7.5" height. Sears has one with the same dims and cranking amps...but my local auto parts was closer.

cheers.
 
Back
Top