Hi all, I'm thinking about a 500D that's for sale.
I just love the rear hinged doors, though it seems they attract a price premium.

I've seen one that seems worth a look but the dash is something odd.

- Seems to have a black vinyl of sorts on it
- Two gauges
and
- Centre dash switches in a formation around the ignition that I haven't seen before

I've attached a pic


I'd like to return it to an original style metal painted dash, and single gauge.
Is it likely that the dash underneath here is full of holes where what look to be modifications have been made?

Thanks for any thoughts, don't want to buy into something that's a disaster underneath (unfortunately I can't inspect in person and need to ship the car, otherwise I'd try a good poke around)

You can ask him to send you a photo of whats behind the dash. Area is visible through the trunk, dash panel is separating the cabin from the frond trunk.
You can also ask him to tell you exactly what modifications he has done.
Thomas

Thanks Thomas, I've asked for that picture, saying I'm keen to know how much has been drilled through the dash. Hopefully they know what I'm after and provide a good photo. Unfortunately all the modifications were done by a previous owner so the current ones aren't much help in that regard

It would be safe to assume that someonr has fitting a rev counter (tachometer)

It would be safe to assume that the second pod houses a tachometer - it would be deeper than the pod - so the dash will of been cut.
Filling the switches is straight forward, but the pod less so. It would be quite expensive as fuel tank and wiper motor and all the wiring needs to be removed
I'd budget £750/£1000 if paying a workshop

Ah that makes total sense, what I thought was KPH written on the gauge was actually RPM. I thought they'd installed a KPH gauge because they couldn't read an original MPH one or something.

Gee really, as difficult as that to remove? I was hoping it would be easy, just an unplug and the inside would be something like this pic:

(not such an easy task or visually pleasing result to fill the big hole in the dash I guess)

It would involve stripping the entire dash - lots of welded repairs and then lots and lots of masking before painting and rebuilding
I'd say an expensive task

In the great scale of things I would not think that the dash would be a major problem to return it to normal. Not sure why the Rev counter is needed with a standard engine but stranger things have happened. The asking price does not seem excessive for a suicide door model if it is solid and has the potential to be restored to original spec and ditch some of the black painted outside trim. The vin plate is not original so may need confirmation especially as it seems to be registered as a 1954 car.

Toshi 975 said:

In the great scale of things I would not think that the dash would be a major problem to return it to normal. Not sure why the Rev counter is needed with a standard engine but stranger things have happened. The asking price does not seem excessive for a suicide door model if it is solid and has the potential to be restored to original spec and ditch some of the black painted outside trim. The vin plate is not original so may need confirmation especially as it seems to be registered as a 1954 car.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I've had classic cars before, but never a 500. It's been on my wish list forever and I finally might have the spare change and time. But my inexperience means I don't want to do much more than some minor repairs, and replacing the dash sounds like a big ask, and beyond my skills particularly if welding is involved.


I've seen full replacement dashboards for ~200 pounds (plus shipping). Is that a massive job, to remove the old and put in the new - welding, grinding etc?



Toshi it looks like you know the Trademe site.
Have you seen the blue one with red interior on there? I was wondering what you think of the paint condition, the owner insists it is superficial rust that polishes off but if so it seems odd not to bother removing it before sale.

Toshi 975 said:

Not sure why the Rev counter is needed with a standard engine .

Click to expand...

Is there ever a reason on a Fiat 500 except to confirm achieving whatever revs you find you can push it to?

BambinoClassic said:

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Toshi it looks like you know the Trademe site.
Have you seen the blue one with red interior on there? I was wondering what you think of the paint condition, the owner insists it is superficial rust that polishes off but if so it seems odd not to bother removing it before sale.

Click to expand...

Yes I did cast an eye over the blue one. If you were making a choice between the two cars it seems a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other. One the one hand you have a car that runs but has not been on the road for 15 years. If the marks on the paint are rust then you would need a respray if you want shiny. Or you might polish and wax it and call it age patina. On the other hand you have Luigi that has yellow paint liberally applied and black where you should have chrome. I would think that the dash would be a case of removing the covering & rev counter pod and restoring the existing metal dash.

I looked at a yellow Fiat 500 some years ago here in Christchurch. It had been freshly painted but not reassembled. One of the door sills was scratched through the new paint and there was a good thick layer of bog underneath.... I walked. I am not saying that this is the car.

I am happy to go and have a look at this car for you and give you my opinion.... all care, no responsibility though.

Chris

Thanks Toshi, I appreciate the perspective. I hadn't thought the rust would have a chance of polishing out but perhaps it would!

looigi said:

I looked at a yellow Fiat 500 some years ago here in Christchurch. It had been freshly painted but not reassembled. One of the door sills was scratched through the new paint and there was a good thick layer of bog underneath.... I walked. I am not saying that this is the car.
I am happy to go and have a look at this car for you and give you my opinion.... all care, no responsibility though.
Chris

Click to expand...

Thanks Chris - a great point that someone once reminded me of when I was buying a classic mini a while ago - fresh paint can hide all sorts of things that you only discover some way down the line, and in a bad way. I'll send you a PM if that's ok!

I've looked around a few sites and can only find LHD replacement dashboard panels.

Any idea if there are RHD ones out there?

Here's the bonnet side of the dashboard. Definitely a great big cut out for the tacho. I doubt I could repair that satisfactorily, is replacing the whole dashboard a huge job?

BambinoClassic said:

I doubt I could repair that satisfactorily, is replacing the whole dashboard a huge job?

Click to expand...

If you could find one, replacing the whole dashboard would be a fairly major job.
Most people with resonable welding skills would be able to make a fair attempt at replacing that disc of sheet steel and filling any additional switch or warning lamp holes. I would find it impossible to do an invisible repair but a thin skim of filler would make the repair complete.
In both cases you would be removing the same amount of fixtures and wiring so that you could do the work. That would include the windscreen and the fuel tank.
On the Fiat 500 this is probably going to be the least of your welding repairs.

Ah thank you.
Given I have no welding skills, it's probably well and truly beyond me! I was wondering if the dashboard had some simple ingenious way of attaching without significant removal of other things.