500 (Classic) wingless' 1968 Fiat 500L

[wingless]

"It will be collected from the seller, World Imports USA shortly using a U-Haul 6x12 Trailer w/ Ramp, pulled by my daughter's 2021 Ford F-250 Truck w/ a Weigh SafeDrop Hitch, so I can get the front / rear placement correct for appropriate tongue weight. Her truck has an unused 2½" square hitch receiver, because it has been used exclusively to tow using a gooseneck hitch in the bed.

This Amazon wheel tie down kit will be used, along w/ ratchet straps to the front and rear underbody tie downs to secure the vehicle to the trailer for the ~3 hour ride home."

The 1968 Fiat 500L was collected using the 6x12 U-Haul trailer and the Ford F250 for what had hoped to be a 3 hour drive, except the highway was closed / empty in the opposite direction for an accident, also impacting the travel time in my direction because of the high content of rubber in the necks of those sitting behind the steering wheel.

The Fiat was backed onto the trailer, to maximize the tongue weight, with my assumption of the rear weighing more than the front, but the tongue weight was still less than ideal. The trailer weighs 2,290 lbs, the vehicle 1,100 lbs and the tongue weight should be 340-500 lbs.

With the vehicle bumper an inch from the inside front trailer wall the tongue weight was measured at only 250 lbs. Even though the tongue weight was less than ideal, there was no stability issue when towing.

Note the detached ball carrier is shown at the highest position, but it was lowered three holes during usage to level the trailer.

Always use a spotter when loading or unloading.

The vehicle was tied down at each wheel, plus also at the front and rear underbody body tie down brackets, for a belts and suspenders approach. There was zero transportation movement of the vehicle on the trailer.

 

[barryfiatman]

Very good, seems you have a perfect one. First impressions tho it looks like the rhd door is filled, but maybe wrong.
I hope it gives you many enjoyable miles and smiles.
Mine was 1967. Barry

 

[wingless]

My Fiat spent most of it's life in Italy, in the Province of Viterbo, w/ the black background / white embossed text plate shown in the images.

That plate is gone, but I would like to have it recreated. Are there any contacts for fabricating that part?

 

[wingless]

Already have my vanity / specialty rear plate on order. I'm going w/ the John Lennon self portrait Imagine specialty plate.

 

[wingless]

This topic shows the first air kits I have for my vehicles, including for this 1968 Fiat 500L.

 

[Noah500]

My Fiat spent most of it's life in Italy, in the Province of Viterbo, w/ the black background / white embossed text plate shown in the images.

That plate is gone, but I would like to have it recreated. Are there any contacts for fabricating that part?


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Nice! My '71 500L was first registered in Viterbo (before 45 years in Rome, then to the UK).

Re license plates - there's a place in the US advertising to make replicas, though not cheap... https://www.licenseplates.tv/antique-italy-plates.html

 

[wingless]

Nice! My '71 500L was first registered in Viterbo (before 45 years in Rome, then to the UK).

Re license plates - there's a place in the US advertising to make replicas, though not cheap... https://www.licenseplates.tv/antique-italy-plates.html

EXELLENT info, thanks very much.

That looks like exactly what I've been seeking.

Any after-hours inquiry is now waiting attention in their In Box.

 

[wingless]

REALLY like the 1971 Fiat 500L images in the @Noah500 Google Photo album link!

 

[wingless]

Nice! My '71 500L was first registered in Viterbo (before 45 years in Rome, then to the UK).

Re license plates - there's a place in the US advertising to make replicas, though not cheap... https://www.licenseplates.tv/antique-italy-plates.html

EXELLENT info, thanks very much.

That looks like exactly what I've been seeking.

Any after-hours inquiry is now waiting attention in their In Box.

JUST spoke to that replica plate company. They called regarding my E-Mail and confirmed they will produce an exact replica. That was ordered and should arrive in about a week.

They sound like a top notch organization.

 

[Noah500]

JUST spoke to that replica plate company. They called regarding my E-Mail and confirmed they will produce an exact replica. That was ordered and should arrive in about a week.

They sound like a top notch organization.

Make sure you post some pics up once you get them

 

[wingless]

JUST spoke to that replica plate company. They called regarding my E-Mail and confirmed they will produce an exact replica. That was ordered and should arrive in about a week.

They sound like a top notch organization.

That new replica license plate arrived in less than a week. I am VERY satisfied w/ every aspect of this purchase. The accuracy is spot on, both on the website and the finished product implementation. I have zero reservation recommending this company.

Images are attached showing the finished product of my replica embossed front license plate.

The manufacturer embosses a circle, then places a decal for the Italian Republic emblem, the "RI" in a five pointed star surrounded by garland.

This replica 1932 to 1976 Italy mini Euro plate is smaller than current / modern Euro license plates. Those modern plates are mechanically secured to the vehicle at the perimeter by the license plate bracket / frame. The manufacturer specifies usage of two-sided tape for attaching this smaller plate to the vehicle. Tape doesn't seem appropriate or secure enough. Also, tape wasn't used decades ago.

My Italian brother-in-law says that a slide-on frame was / is used to attach that old / smaller plate to the bracket. My vehicle doesn't have such a secondary attachment frame, just the original plate bracket.

The image of the original plate appears to show mounting screws in all four corners.

The vehicle is currently garaged several hours away, so a detailed mounting / attachment options examination will be delayed.


Original Front License Plate

Currently Empty Front License Plate Bracket

New Replica Embossed License Plate

 

[Bounding Bambino]

Great to hear you had success with that replica company. I have been eying them myself too, as i have the original front plate, but would like a reproduction original style rear to put on the car. Or more so, get a full reproduction set, and keep the original in its car binder.

One unfortunate thing is. For the price, im disappointed that the Republic emblem is just a sticker and not painted on like the original. Might not seem like a big deal, but i was hoping it would be painted.

 

[wingless]

One unfortunate thing is. For the price, im disappointed that the Republic emblem is just a sticker and not painted on like the original. Might not seem like a big deal, but i was hoping it would be painted.

If a painted Italian Republic symbol instead of the decal on this part is required / desired then peel off the decal and have a silkscreen company custom screen print the symbol on the white background. There are MANY companies doing that work.

IMO it is a small enough feature for the usage of a label to not detract from the part.

IMO it has an infinitely superior appearance to the original part and that finish quality difference is a much greater detraction for those seeking to maintain originality than any symbol decal versus painted concern.

 

[Bounding Bambino]

Are they stamped sheet metal or vacuum formed plastic like the originals? Looks like metal in your photos

 

[wingless]

Are they stamped sheet metal or vacuum formed plastic like the originals? Looks like metal in your photos

The embossed plate is created using "imported Italian aluminum blanks", according to their website.

 

[wingless]

My Fiat spent most of it's life in Italy, in the Province of Viterbo, w/ the black background / white embossed text plate shown in the images.

Are they stamped sheet metal or vacuum formed plastic like the originals? Looks like metal in your photos

The old original plates shown in the prior post is plastic, not metal?

 

[Bounding Bambino]

I meant the reproduction plates? they look to be sheet metal, with the backs painted yellow? and stamped

Yes the originals are plastic, and can be very fragile when they age.

 

[wingless]

I meant the reproduction plates? they look to be sheet metal, with the backs painted yellow? and stamped

Yes, the reproduction plate is embossed aluminum, not plastic.

 

[ronstox]

Could you have just driven your Fiat 500 onto the back of the Ford 250?