Looks like my little blue's twin has cropped up on ebay, not far from my neck of the woods

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FIAT-50...go-Suicide-doors-Sliding-Sunroof/132435029653

What is this rare sliding sunroof they speak of?
I'm curious...

The highly overexposed + staged photos make me think this car is a lot shinier on ebay than in person. Will be interested to see how it sells.

-Rare Suicide doors (Never seen them before on a D)

-Rare sliding Sunroof (This is a new feature!)
-Collectable Original FIAT 500 (Original )
-Original 46,602 miles (As original as the rest)
-Beautiful ‘Baby Blue’ ( kind of)
-Original Import papers (Maybe)
-Genuine 4 seater - weren't they all (apart from the N maybe - before Peter starts)
-Park anywhere (almost anywhere)
-Massively economical (Massive is not a word you associate with a 500)
-Very nippy
-Body is great condition (it is now)
-This rare and collectable Fiat could be the best one out there (I doubt it)
-Fiat 500 'D' Series was manufactured in 1962. (+ other years)

-Stunning original example in Baby blue with black interior is presented in good condition throughout. This is the ‘suicide’ door model which are extremely sought after and it has the added attraction of having a sliding sunroof. These are fun town cars and are easy to use as everyday cars.
Forgot to mention the missing dash pads, the blue steering column and speedo. Runs on the glove box, shall I go on


Is it me being picky?

Franko500 said:

Is it me being picky?

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Well nice to Sean back from doing the drive or his other household chores...
And being "cocky" as he has entered the world of Early Cars...
SO I will as some more interesting features of the car for advertisers to take note...

So a quick add on to Seans quick observation what the heck is that water bottle? obviously connected to the red switch inside,,
thse white things stuck on the front and that big black switch on the dash...
Yeahhh we are just being picky...
Perhaps because it's described as "the best out there"
But lets look closer.....
Start on the outside...
the car appears to be devoid of any aluminum trim.. hubcaps, even a rear badge!!!
But there was never a D Ecconomica so they just never bothered putting it back...
and it has window winders..
door panels screwed on? come on buy the correct clips they are not that expensive
Rear lights seem to be lacking gaskets...
Front badge is a one piece plastic F one rather than 3 piece N/D one
The front end seems to be lacing lots of rubber bits seals etc...
love the carpet against the proper sound deadening piece that has cut outs for the fuse box and ID plate etc
Rear Satin/Matt tinware? and devoid of any stickers..
won't mention the rear lid strap....
Front sidelights seem to be later ones as they have no aluminum base..
Looking in through the door... love the gear knob...tatty ashtray, can't see the hand throttle, and lovely rubber mats that look like Industrial carpet
rear head bump pieces missing..
Not sure about the seat/door panel covers colour is correct for the year... don't have D information or books to hand. But most D's were two colour combos from all i have seen... would suspect blue/cream or beige/cream by all accounts.

and a few bits can't be bothered about..

Are we being Picky?
We only if you describe a car as
"[FONT=&quot]"could be the best one out there"[/FONT]

Far from it.
Feedback does not seem to be too good on car sales...


We really need a thread on Advertising phrases..
there is on on Ebay.uk somewhere "The Smell of Patina"
but another Au one
"The Fiat 500 Tornado 750GS modified, specialised and approved by the Giannini family."
which Giannini family would that be then? the local Pizza shop owners?

...on the positive side, I like the speedo dial with the word "Dynamo" rather than simply "Gen".

Good game this though. Is it missing the heater tube? Poor and unsleeved connector and cable to the number-plate light. Badly fitted rear window seal.
What is going on with the slope of the waist-line swage on the rear wing? Strange foam rubber pieces padding out the bonnet bracing. Lamps on the dash are on squint...that's just a second's work to put right.
And that's from me who know nothing of these esoteric rarities....I'm sure that there's more wrong with it...we haven't even heard it yet, let alone driven it the 1,000 miles that I would call a test-drive.

fiat500 said:

And that's from me who know nothing of these esoteric rarities....

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We had to leave something for you....

It is very easy to criticize, but I would only do for this if the description was so far off or from a Dealer type who should know better.
we were all naive once, and someone wanting a nice car, but not done their research could be take in...

a Pretty straight shell with a few ££ or $$$ and a bit of effort it could be a v nice car...

Ouch!
Scared to show my photos now. Although I tend not to talk her up quite so much.

Is this sliding sunroof the 2cm or so that slides in the centre?
If so I'm lucky as I also have a rare sliding sunroof

BambinoClassic said:

Ouch!
Scared to show my photos now. Although I tend not to talk her up quite so much.

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You're not someone trying to turn a few$$$ by over describing a car as something it is not, catching the wave of excitement about early fiats, so trying to cash in.

your car and you are genuinely honest so never fear posting or saying on here....
you have shown you want to get stuck in and good advice will be given...
There was a roof available on later cars as far as i know that replaced the soft top, not sure if it was a Fiat item, basically a steel section which would obviously be better if the car was driven in winter and it could be opened and slid back slightly...
Post a pic or email me a pic and I can take a look..

BambinoClassic said:

Scared to show my photos now.

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As Bigvtwin996 says...never fear around here...I can't a remember time when anyone here has ever openly said (in a serious way) that they "disapproved" of anybodys' approach to presenting or preparing their car. Although some of us do get a bit cheeky and give ourselves away sometimes.
I think your car BambinoClassic is pretty unmolested and in any case, would pass muster on the hypercritical test.
Getting the sort of details right that we were looking for is not that difficult or expensive; it's just that the car has been inadequately prepared.

all good thanks guys, not really scared - it's actually good to see what an experienced eye can pick up immediately, things I hadn't even noticed. And the help as always is superb
However even better is that my car doesn't seem to have these issues

I think looking at the listing, it's just the cloth sunroof but I assume with the sliding segment in the centre. Tempted to drive mine over and have a side by side, plus a chat with hopefully a fellow enthusiast

I knew there was something bugging me about that car...
A very nice D



first to spot the difference wins a prize..

and you know how something really bugs you......

the advertised car has come from SA where N's seem to be very popular....
the Thermostat housing.. it's a N one.. as there is no thermostat in it...
on an early N there is a tube that goes to a box fitted under the parcel shelf where it combines with the one from the fan housing, and the thermostat is in there...
There are hard to find.. YES I NEED SEVERAL

I have fitted my car with a steel hard top roof.
It opens using the same mounting points.
Typical to me it's been modified....chequered wrap and a 1960's rally vent cut into it.....
It has four catches to pull it down tight.

I'm not sure what you are looking at Peter, but I for one think it certainly lacks something with the missing sill mouldings, side mouldings and the aluminium rail under the rear screen.
Its almost been turned into a later model without the extras!

Franko500 said:

the aluminium rail under the rear screen.

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I even had to go and google a 500F to look at the back....
yes.... that rail is to stop the water running into the air intake opening...
Obviously given the high volume of later cars Fiat decided that allowing them to rust away from the inside was acceptable and save a further 75Lira by not fitting the strip. - those strips are expensive now...
I would say not fitting the other moldings they tried to make it the more exclusive "bottom of the range" Ecconomica, as they were the cheapest like fords "Pop" range so hit the scrapyards first..

But quite funny really how 8 bits of aluminum and the hub caps that could not cost that much to make in volume make a car look very different..

I guess they realized that but to keep the cost down on the mass produced ones just used some left over steel chrome trim from some other car that they had discontinued..

AndrewHarvey said:

I have fitted my car with a steel hard top roof..

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Andrew do you think it's a Fiat item or and aftermarket company...?
Has anyone seen the clear/tinted panels you can get now from Italy...
they open up and back slightly....

Bigvtwin996 said:

yes.... that rail is to stop the water running into the air intake opening...
Obviously given the high volume of later cars Fiat decided that allowing them to rust away from the inside was acceptable and save a further 75Lira by not fitting the strip. -

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I'm not sure of the arrangement of that intake grille on the early cars, but on the later cars they were not quite so stupid as you suggest. Of course, it is quite obvious that they wanted the little Fiat to dissolve quite quickly, but they also wanted to give the external impression that they were trying to preserve them. So the rear grille actually has an upturn which creates a drip-channel when screwed to the car. In order to negate the benefits of that, nay to assist with the Fabbricazione Immensamente Acqua Tanto (FIAT), they ensured that a strip of absorbent foam, as fitted under the sunroof fixings, was trapped under the joint, thus it would retain moisture almost permanently in the British climate.
In a similar way, holes punched into the tops of the front wings and panel for a rubber seal, which ostensibly was there to keep water out of the luggage bay, ensured a free-flow of water into the inner arches and the wheel-well. More holes punched into the the sills for the attachment of the mechanically essential stainless-steel trim gave a convenient access point for water to enter hidden joints and cavities. Later still they improved the flow-rate by directing water to the inner wheel-arch panel-joins along little tubes from the windscreen seal.
So it is clear that the Fiat company, being well aware of the current and future popularity of these cars and despite having to build many millions of the post 1965 versions, was intent on ensuring that the later models would eventually become as rare as the early incarnation. Thus a very straighforward explanation for their nonchalant or possibly wilful approach to corrosion limitation in the Fiat 500; and one from which, in investment terms, we all benefit.:bang::bang::bang:

fiat500 said:

and despite having to build many millions of the post 1965 versions,

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Ohh sir please forgive my pointing out how bad these prototypes were received by the public...
The 1st attempt N series was discontinued after a mere production run of 181,037 attempts
The second D series had improvements and managed 639,767 unreliable outcomes..
It was not till the Glorious lessons learned that:
the 3rd F/L/R series managed a triumphant conquering of the world with 2,950,104
and then to be further improved upon by that modern Square box the 4th 126 series with an amazing 4,637,655 units produced

"If it ain't broke don't fix it "certainly the Prototypes must have been broken... so rejoice in being members of that "almost 3million club" and leave us to struggle on with our tarnished aluminium trim, our funny opening doors and all the other problems that were wiped out... we will continue to limp along at our 30-35mph, our forefathers did what they did, sacrificed luxury and performance, so that you can float past with your luxurious carpeted in interiors, center consoles, petrol tanks that did not need to be refilled each time you started the engine and door pocketed limousines achieving only dreamed about performance in excess of 50mph..

:hug:

My sunroof is an after market item.
It opens 75% of what the canvas roof does.
I'm aware of glassfibre ones that are bolt down and ones that are semi transparent.
Mine is fitted with the rally vent....just to look similar to MGB roadster/ big Healy hardtops of the 1960's.
I had it painted old English white but have a 2" chequer wrap currently installed - along with a centre mounted retractable rally radio aerial ( complete with Roma football club pennant of the period attached to tip of aerial.....)