Styling Correct front panel badge.

[jjacob]

I have a 1969 500L. The front panel has the newer style FIAT badge, blue in block letters. All of the sales brochures and my owners manual show the older style badge which is like a vertical tapered rectangle in red.

I know my panel was replaced many years ago. I see lots of mid to late sixties 500's with the newer logo fronts. Is this because people replaced them, or did they come that way from the factory?

My gut tells me that they did not come that way from the factory until the 500R came out. And specifically on my 1969 model, it should be the older style badge.

Comments?

John

 

[Bambino]

John,

From what I know the N/D/F series (1957 to ~1970) had the round badge with the whiskers.
The L (1968 to 1972) had the vertical rectangular shaped badge with the white 'FIAT' lettering on a red background.
The R (1972 on) had the horizontal four letter 'scrabble' FIAT badge.

So yeah - if yours is an L, the vertical rectangle is the go.

The rear badges also changed throughout the life of the cars.

The attached photo is a bit small - I'll try to find a bigger one.

Chris