Fiat’s 1100 – designed in 1937 and first known as either the Fiat 508C or the Balilla 1100 – was a family car with a few tricks up its proverbial sleeve. Diminutive but still able to seat four, the car’s best features were its independent front suspension and a new motor with 30% more horsepower than its predecessor, advantages that only improved after WWII. These characteristics caught the eye of coach-builders, who snapped up the chassis, creating their own versions of the versatile little car. Allemano, Pinin Farina, Zagato, Bertone, Simca, Vignale, Ghia, Stanguellini – everyone got into the act. Here on craigslist, but also advertised in Hemmings, is a 1950 Fiat 1100S coupé by Pinin Farina, with an asking price of $95,000, including enough parts to make a complete car. Pick up this project in Ojai, California, and you will own a very rare Fiat. According to the seller, only about 52 of these second-series 1100Ss were produced and no doubt not all survived.
This car is powered by an 1100B four-cylinder engine whereas its original equipment would have been the rare 1100S. Differences in carburetion, valve and bearing material, and crankshaft construction, all culminated in something around 50 hp while this “B” engine will generate closer to 35 hp. A four-speed manual gearbox brings power to the wheels. This assembly starts, shifts, and stops. While the non-original engine could be a sticking point for some, the Fiat 1100B is robust and more plentiful than the “S”.
This early car retains an aerodynamic V’d windshield; later cars received curved glass. Earlier series 1100Ss were supplied with three-spoke steering wheels, and confusing things even more, Fiat also made an 1100ES, an upscale version of the S. Oddly, the ES came with a bench seat, while the base S was given these more sporting buckets. Other equipment provided with the luxury ES included better instrumentation and a rear bench seat. Still, I wouldn’t be sorry to see this example land in my driveway, with its elegant gold and creme gauges, delicate handles and trim, caramel-colored knobs, and clear toggle switches.
If this looks vaguely like a Lancia Aurelia – well, it’s said that the Aurelia was patterned after this very model. The body is steel – not aluminum as were many of the coach-built 1100s – but we’re assured no rust is present. The underside is clean except for minor surface rust. The point of this car is not to jet away with a stupendous zero to sixty time, but to row in spirited fashion down your favorite twisty lane, preferably casting a satisfying echo of its sewing-machine motor. As far as values – much is in the eye of the beholder, but this ES with the correct S motor sold for about $175k in 2021. With a discount for a non-original motor and a collection of parts that weren’t necessarily original to this exact car, the asking price feels slightly heavy to me; what do you think?
I guess not every masterpiece is pretty.
Agree. A few more glasses of wine, a nice pasta dinner, then a few more hours at the drafting table might have produced a masterpiece. The front end just does not blend well.
Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.
I think the beholder relied on a guide dog.
I find the car visually appealing, almost as much so as a Lancia Aurelia.
My 1986 White Ford Escort 4sp is complete and numbers matching.
Ah, but will your Escort pump out 35 hp?
How wonderful for it and you.
3-door, 5-door hatchback, or wagon? What color interior – blue, maroon, beige and gray were on offer and all could be had with a white body color.
I like the look of the car but the asking price is optimistic for what you are getting. If it were much cheaper, I’d be glad to own it.
Like a Volvo, Saab and DKW decided to mate, maybe with a little Borgward thrown in as part of the ritual!
Kind of creepy. Your membership may be in jeopardy based on that comment. :)
Interesting car, though I also find it over-priced.
The Lancia Aurelia B20 was otiginally a Boano creation. It went to Pinin Farina to produce and got a little tweeked in the process, but most of the credit fell to Pinin.
To on and on:
Correct comment is “Beauty is in the eye of the BEERholder”. In this case I concur.
The only design feature I can criticize is the grille, which, although typical of the time, would benefit from a reduction in size and a change of shape. I like it very much from every approach, except the front. A lower nose and bonnet would also help.
As many Italian designs of the early 50’s, it has a special appeal, and is very much a period piece.
LOL! Makes my older 128 Fiats sound like “wolves in sheep’s clothing”–1100cc and 49 HP!
Finished form, it may only weigh 1450 pounds. It’s not a race car. It’s a 45mpg WW2 gas shortage car that looked nice so people would feel better about bad times in Europe. Art lifts the spirit. This is art on wheels.
A nice shape for 1950.
Very beautiful car when complete. The frustration is it’s so basic and simple with a timeless style Porsche simply copied… Why can’t we get beautiful small simple cars? Give me this body, brand new 2.0 liter FWD fuel injection with CDI ignition the pastel metal dash, bench leather seat and hatchback no back seats / all cargo space. Fast with 40 mpg. Where are they? No place. Thus $100k for bits to come close. If you have the $$, you’re in.
I’m an idiot. What is a “pastel metal dash?” You mean engine-turned?
I like a lot of 30’s thru 60’s European cars. Some attractive, some some weird and some downright ugly. While I think this one is attractive and appealing, the price is too far out there. More power to whoever does buy and restore it. Just not affordable enough for me.
nice