Styling Identity Parade

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Styling Identity Parade

thisisburdett

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Evening all,
Just a quick one that I'm sure some of you eagle eyes will settle in seconds.

I got married 3 years ago in the Le Marche region of Italy and my dear Wife booked us a little 500 to drive us up to the main piazza after the ceremony as a surprise. ...and what a lovely little 500 it was.

I have recently acquired a blue 1974 500L from a great old chap in Ascoli, but I can't get our wedding car out of my head.
I've been checking the colour id's on a number of websites but can't quite match it up.

It doesn't really look like any of the Grigios, but not quite Blu Medio?!

It's difficult because it looks different in each photo depending on the light.

Thank you!

ps. Is it an 'F' ?
 
Thank you Sir!

He is a handsome chap eh, is it an F?
I'm getting a growing sense of unfinished business which will only be resolved once I own that car too :/ ha

I've had a right find with my 500L, it's solid and in great condition and I'm looking forward to enjoying it in the Spring and sussing out that gear box, but that dash and round speedo just do it for me !!!
 
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that is probably an "F" but earlier than mine which is 1969.
Round speedo and painted dash is nice, as are the classy alloy internal door handles and simpler trim levels.
But there's a lot to be said for the "L"s fancy bumpers and shiny external trim.
You can add or remove many things but there's a big chunk missing when you remove the instrument cluster on the L, but I think the dash will be painted under the plastic.
 
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It's definately an F with the round speedo and Nueva badge on the back.

Colour wise the nearest match I can see the one below but it wouldn't fit with the age of the car? That is is not always 100% as my car is an F and is Blu Turchese and according to the colour charts it wasn't introduced until 68 but my car first hit the road on 1st July 66. I know it is its original colour as well.

486 Blu Chiaro Marino Luglio 1963 Aprile 1964

But it does have 126 wheels and the chrome strip along the bottom which are obvious additions, so it is possible it isn't an original Fiat colour?????

Tony
 
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Haha, Peter I was speaking to a chap in Manchester who runs Motobambino about that very prospect... He mentioned 'spot welding' and I thought that perhaps I'll get struck down by the ghost of Dante... If I want a round speedo I'd better by an F, D etc...

Although I bet someone has done it?!
It's funny to think that the L was an upgraded interior when the older dash et all is so beautiful.

I'm going to live with it (I keep telling myself) but must admit I'm a sucker for the chrome bars on my L. Can't have it all can you. Or can you? ...add nudge bars to an F? Haha, I'm definitely off the purists xmas list.
 
Thanks for the reply Tony,
I did wonder if that was a custom job, perhaps it is if you're saying those others bits are additions.
Lovely colour though eh?

I'm going to try and get in contact with the chap and get to the bottom of it.

Ps. Has everyone got an F 'cept me?!?
 
Tony did some sleuthing a while ago and found out that a surprising number of 500s are now being imported, mainly from Italy it seems anecdotally. I would guess that the process leads to a prejudice in favour of the F which swings the proportions towards that breed.
Back "in the day" out of five 500s my brothers and me owned, only one was an F and to be honest, we rated it lower than the L!
Seems strange now but. we liked our little luxuries, such a a fuel gauge!
Being a very cheap car when new, people would be easily tempted to upgrade to the L somewhat like having a Cinquecento Sporting in more recent times. So I think the L is more common and more of a British choice. I loved my best one with yellow paint and black, fluted seats.
 
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Yeah I think there are more L's about in the UK simply because of them being newer.

How many left reckon about 80 D's in the UK. 500's in general in the UK so that is F's, L's and R's were about 600 in 2008. Today approximately 850 so probably all those additional 250 are probably imports.

I think my guesstimate concluded there are probably less than 250 RHD cars in the UK, that is taken from when the figures were at their lowest in 1997 of 308. So I am going to stick my neck on the line and say there are probably less than 100 RHD F's about today and I do love a stat.(y)

It is a nice colour as it is really rare/unusual really suits the car.

Tony
 
Mine's an RHD 1966 500-F, but in New Zealand.

Anyone know the figures for New Zealand cars, number imported / built here etc?
I'm also fascinated by the 600 Multipla. Onl]y know of one in NZ so far.

Tim
 
Mine's an RHD 1966 500-F, but in New Zealand.

Anyone know the figures for New Zealand cars, number imported / built here etc?
I'm also fascinated by the 600 Multipla. Onl]y know of one in NZ so far.

Tim

You are not the only one Tim. I would love a Multipla AKA the Roman taxi. They are really rare and only built in LHD. It is though my ultimate car? I would love to buy one but they go for £20k plus in the UK, so out of my price range unfortunately.

Tony
 
That's a bargain. After a bit of research it seem the did make them RHD and less than 100 were imported to the UK, which explains why I have never seen one. So I hate to think how many of those are left. A RHD must be worth a fortune.

Tony
 
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