General How do you know if a 500 is originally a RHD or a LHD
- Thread starter aaron500
- Start date
Currently reading:
General How do you know if a 500 is originally a RHD or a LHD
AndrewHarvey
Established member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1,471
- Points
- 290
The wiring will of been modified, steering lock on the wrong side of the column, carpet cut for pedal box.
There will also be the original holes in the bulkhead for the steering column/ steering box unless these have been filled properly. But mainly you should see repairs on the back of the dash panel where the dash hole was filled, unless a rhd dash has been fitted.
No, chassis no. for the N is just a simple sequential production number. You could try the Fiat museum in Turin and see if they have a historical records dept that has sales and shipping ledgers for the 500 N. This would tell you who it was sold to by the factory, for example UK importer and where it was shipped to, i.e. Dealer.
They could also tell you if any RHD 500 N's were produced. Compared to the D, F & L variants, the N was produced in comparatively small numbers and wasn't a great sales success for the first few years until sales doubled in 1958 after the Abarth record at Monza. So it could be that none were produced in RHD and all that exist are conversions.
cheers, Steve
AndrewHarvey
Established member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1,471
- Points
- 290
The steering idler would cover the bulkhead hole from the outside - you will need to lift the carpet to see
If someone had converted LHD to RHD and was really trying to cover their tracks, the front bulkhead might have been replaced.
My original RHD cars appear to have additional bits of wiring added by the factory in order to adapt the standard wiring for RHD in any case.
Even the original brake lines were as for LHD but with an extra union and short extension pipe near the master cylinder..
It is possible that the dashboard could be swapped from a RHD but very unlikely so he most obvious signs of a conversion would be the back where the holes for the warning lights would havebeen welded up and it would be very tricky to hide the signs of it. Also, where the steering column support at knee level is spot-welded to the bulkhead you would need to have some top welding equipment to emulate the neatness of the original.
My original RHD cars appear to have additional bits of wiring added by the factory in order to adapt the standard wiring for RHD in any case.
Even the original brake lines were as for LHD but with an extra union and short extension pipe near the master cylinder..
It is possible that the dashboard could be swapped from a RHD but very unlikely so he most obvious signs of a conversion would be the back where the holes for the warning lights would havebeen welded up and it would be very tricky to hide the signs of it. Also, where the steering column support at knee level is spot-welded to the bulkhead you would need to have some top welding equipment to emulate the neatness of the original.
OP
OP
aaron500
Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2012
- Messages
- 130
- Points
- 125
So really if this car is a right hand drive, chances are it is original.
I have spoken to other people now and they say the early N models have very little history.
The chassis number on the car is a 1959 chassis number, but was worried when I look around and I can barely find any right hand drive examples.
I have spoken to other people now and they say the early N models have very little history.
The chassis number on the car is a 1959 chassis number, but was worried when I look around and I can barely find any right hand drive examples.
The only way to really confirm this is to determine if Fiat produced any RHD 500N's at the factory. If they didn't then it must have been converted by someone.
Then it's a case of interpreting 'original'. For example, Abarth only produced LHD 595 & 695's. For the UK market, Radbourne Racing converted these to RHD. These are often referred to as 'original' RHD 595's & 695's.
Does it really matter? Personally, I think not. However, it may matter to you if you are trying to assign a perceived premium value at sale by proving it was a factory produced RHD. To do this you'd have to prove it was produced RHD at the factory or have proof that an official distributor completed the conversion.
cheers, Steve
Sounds like you might have another investment vehicle there.
If you want want one that you really restore to drive without undermining its value, perhaps you want to buy this off me?
DSC_5116 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
PS. It no longer looks as good as it does in the picture.
If you want want one that you really restore to drive without undermining its value, perhaps you want to buy this off me?
DSC_5116 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrPS. It no longer looks as good
as it does in the picture.timgarman
Established member
Peter, they always look good.
Just sometimes sad
Tim
Just sometimes sad
Tim
