Cars come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. That is why the classic scene enjoys such wide appeal. There is something out there that will appeal to every taste, and if your heart craves a small Italian classic, this 1971 Fiat 500 L could be ideal. It presents superbly following a meticulous refurbishment. I won’t describe it as restored because its engine bay houses a larger, slightly more powerful motor. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Fiat listed here on Craigslist in Ridgefield, Washington. You could drive it home after handing the seller $15,000.
“Cars of the people” is an interesting term, suggesting that some vehicles achieve enormous success because they are readily available to the buying public. The Ford Model T was the first example of this approach, while post-war Europe contributed the Volkswagen Beetle, the Citroën 2CV, and the Fiat 500. All shared the same traits: they were affordable and enjoyed surprisingly long production lives. Fiat introduced the 500 in 1957, with the last cars rolling off the line in 1975. Almost four million buyers took one home, and the modest sticker price meant that the Fiat represented motoring at its most basic. The company introduced the 500 L in 1968, adding a few touches of luxury that many buyers welcomed. The seller commenced restoring this 1971 Fiat 500 L in 2018, adopting a nut-and-bolt approach to achieve a stunning result. The panels are as straight as an arrow and rust-free, while the Mediterranean Blue paint holds a mirror shine. The glass is crystal clear, and the trim is spotless. The wheels and hubcaps are new, and with every window gasket and the sunroof also replaced, water and dust entry shouldn’t be an issue.
Lifting the hood reveals why I don’t consider this Fiat restored. It left the factory with a rear-mounted, air-cooled 499cc two-cylinder engine producing 22hp and 26 ft/lbs of torque. The seller performed a transplant during their build, bolting in the engine from a later Fiat 126. That pushed the capacity to 594cc, while power and torque climbed to 26hp and 29 ft/lbs. The car received the four-speed manual transaxle from the 126 with no synchromesh on first gear. It is easy to dismiss the engine upgrade and the relatively modest output gains. However, it is worth remembering that with a curb weight of a mere 1,170 lbs, even a slight improvement will be noticeable and welcome. The seller left nothing to chance during their build, replacing the fuel tank, fuel lines, sender, brake reservoir, and brake lines. The Fiat runs and drives extremely well, with no known shortcomings or issues.
An interior retrim formed part of the seller’s refurbishment, and faulting the presentation is extremely difficult. The process included new vinyl upholstery, a new carpet set, and new seat foam. This shot reveals three of the interior features that formed part of the 500 L package. Buyers received a non-reflective Black plastic dash fascia instead of painted steel, along with a floor-mounted open-top console for increased storage. However, the wheel was the star, with a plastic rim and steel spokes that gave the Fiat’s interior a sporty feel. There appears to be a fitting issue with the rear compartment trim, but the limited images make it hard to determine whether it will respond to adjustments. It might also be that because the 500 has such limited cargo space, the seller fitted a protective cover in the rear compartment to protect the upholstered surfaces if they needed to stow luggage in the back seat. Otherwise, there is no wear or signs of abuse.
This 1971 Fiat 500 L is a stunning little classic. While the upgraded motor won’t deliver enormous performance gains, anything is better than nothing for a car with modest power and torque. This little gem needs nothing and is ready for fun with its new owner behind the wheel. The seller’s price is above the market average, but the car’s spotless presentation seemingly justifies that figure. These tiny Fiats provide enormous enjoyment, and if that trait is high on your list, it could be the car for you.
I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Fiat 500s. They’re nimble, cute and very Italian. This example grabs me, even if it isn’t red, as was almost every 500 I’ve ever seen.
The engine swap makes sense, but the real jewel in the crown would be a Puch 650 TR II, which carried a 41-horsepower sting in its tail. That would make a real adventure out of driving a slow car fast.
My guess is that the seller put more than 15K into the restoration, and I don’t begrudge him a penny of the ask. If the budget allowed, I’d be giving this one a very close look and, if all checked out, writing a check.
Hello Adam,
Thanks for the write up. I think it is very hard for your US readers to fully understand the essence of the ultra compact Fiat 500, while there were thousands of 4 people Italian families that had this car as their one and only . What you write about the engine upgrade is absolutely true. Still not a racer, far from that, but yes in this set up it is a lively happy camper.
Just one thing, you don’t lift the hood of a 500. It hinges at the bottom so you either drop or pull it. It made me wonder did you ever meet a 500 in real?
The author will correct me if I’m wrong, but “lifting the hood” is a common expression used for any type of hood configuration, and should not be interpreted literally.
Okay, well understood. I am not a native speaker.
Had a chance to drive a vintage 500 for a bit on a visit to one of the islands of the Azores… An absolute perfect environment for one of these…
Nice
These – and 126s – are brilliant town cars. You can thrash them senseless without threatening the speed limit too much, and also get through gaps that some of the heftier motorbikes might be circumspect about.
More suited to small European towns than the likes of New York’s grid layout, though.
I’m unusually well placed to comment on this car. I had once owned an original 500 Nuova but later built a car very similar to this one. I got a very good shell for a -68 500L and fitted drivetrain, suspension, brakes etc from a 126. That extra torque makes city driving easier, but perhaps a more important swap is for the synchronized gearbox – the original 500 boxes were all non-synchro, and while they are surprisingly easy to master it still takes a bit longer to shift them smoothly and with a car as slow as this every fraction of a second saved makes a difference.
This car looks very nice, one of the few things that looks off is that the rear suspension sits quite high.
Next to the Citroen 2CV this is one of my all time favorites and a car I’d happily own again.
Ah, home territory! In 1971 my wife and I flew into Milano, picked up a brand new 500L rental (brick red) and covered 4,400 miles to Firenze, to Cortina to Newschwanstein, Mont Blanc, Torino, Zarauz (Spain), Andorra and back via Monaco. Over the Alps seven times, the Pyrenees once. A total BLAST and 44 MPG to boot, even with the crash box.
On return home I found a ’60 Nuova 500 junkyard mascot sitting atop the office, bought it and did a total rebuild including a 3/4 race Abarth cam. Would pull 65 straight ‘n level.
The addition of the syncro-on-three top cogs 600 4-speed gearbox fitted in the 500 R and 126 models made eminent sense as did the added ccs.
This one, other than the Eyesore Blue, looks good but it sorely needs the “L” signature tubular bumper over riders. And the seats aren’t as per original.
It appalls me that the borderline useless Nuova 500 gets all the attention when its big sister, the 600, makes vastly more sense.
Oh, and the 126 was merely a re-bodying of the 500 with better space utilization… and looks. Same applies to the re-done 600, the 850 berlina.
Yeah, I like small FIATs. Been driving them since 1958 including three Nuova 500, four 600s and two 850s, one with the semi-auto gearbox, my particular favorite.
Agree with lots of your words except where you rate the 600 over the 500.
Thanks Joris- My points: 4 real seats, a real heater, cruise 15 km/h faster.
Both cars were the result of the genius of Dante Giacosa and share the brilliant underpinnings. My preference is for the slightly larger, liquid-cooled four cylinder vehicle.
My 600s (1 @ 633cc, 3 @ 767 cc) covered over 751,000 km, one 850 nearly 270,000. Never had an on-the-road breakdown.
I don’t think one is better than the other, it’s just that the 600/850 is more car without being MORE CAR, if you know what I mean.