How appropriate that this Fiat Topolino – aka “little mouse” – is grey, like the tiny critters occasionally found in my grain tubs. But the car wasn’t named after just any old rodent – “Topolino” was the Italian name given to Disney’s Mickey Mouse character starting in 1932, when a comic book featuring Mickey was published in Florence by Mario Nerbini. Nerbini specialized in literature focusing on the lighter side of life, eventually including the adventures of several Disney characters. This Fiat has certainly seen its own adventures, from its beginnings with its first owner in Sicily to its importation to California, and now the quest for a new owner. Find it here on eBay, looking for a bid of $16,000 or offer to start. The car is located in Cayucos, California. Thanks so much to Araknid78 for the wonderful tip!
The Topolino was produced beginning in 1936 in three series. The A and B series are distinguished by an “airflow” grille – a design allowed by the location of the radiator behind a sidevalve engine. In 1950 or so, the engine was reconfigured to an overhead valve type, requiring enhanced cooling and a taller bonnet. The 569 cc four-cylinder produced about 16 bhp in this later iteration – up from 13 bhp when the “little mouse” first appeared – with gear changes handled by a four-speed manual driving the rear wheels. Top speed came in at about 55 mph. The Topolino’s configuration would be flipped entirely in 1955, when the Fiat 500 and 600 were built as rear-engined, rear-wheel drive commuters. This example runs and drives; an embedded video provides a demonstration of the engine idling.
The suicide doors open to a red interior, nicely complementing the grey exterior. We’ve seen a hundred great Italian interiors, and this one – though spartan – is no different … except it’s niftier because the roof opens like a tuna can, with a canvas top rolling down the two window frames to settle on the rear deck. I love the Swiss army knife aspect of the convertible saloon body style.
This example appears to be in decent driver condition. I’d hope I could pay closer to $10k to put her in my garage – it’s a rare C-series Topolino that draws as much as a mid-teens price – then I’d try improving the shine of the paint coat, check the date codes on the tires, and refresh the mechanicals as needed. Other than that, I’d be set for summer shows with this charming and rare top-down Fiat.
Aw, isn’t it cute, IT’S A RAT,,not really, but a better color could have been chosen, I suppose. Banking on the “Mousie” thing, seems appropriate. I think this car is so neat, perfect for Walmart runs( 2 miles), that long stretch of Hy.50 towards Gunnison, not so much. Obviously, performance was not an issue, but for gits and shingles, I look this stuff up,,,,for comparison( snicker), anyway, 0-60 times not available, it doesn’t go that fast, but 0-50, about 47 seconds and the 1/4 mile time, unavailable, the timers only go to 15 minutes,,,kidding, but 29sec, @44 mph gives plenty of time to think.
Not so fast( joke) , you say, there have been some wicked Fiat Topolino gas altered dragsters and how this car escaped that,,,MAMA MIA!
This is a neat Fiat. I remember the first one I saw as a teenager in a car magazine and liked the lines of it. For buzzing around town like Howard said this would be a blast. I would simply put that bumper sticker on the rear that says ” I may be slow…….. But I’m in front of you….” Then again……. Maybe I better not, wouldn’t want to get a driver of a jacked up F350 dually crew cab mad and shove me off the road. Another neat find Araknid78 and another great write up Michelle. Thanks for the Topolino Mickey Mouse lesso , I did not know that!!!