This restored 1967 Fiat 850 coupe will fire the heart of any Etceterini fan. Ok, if you’re hard core, you’ll laugh at me, because you’ll own a Bandini or a Moretti, but give us a break over here in the US of A – we weren’t treated to the periodic ripples of Italian jewels like those of you in Europe. We’re lucky if we even see the coupe version of Fiat’s 850 – ever. But here it is, radiating cuteness all the way from Columbus, Ohio. If you’re head over heels, check it out on facebook Marketplace, where the price is listed at a hefty $25,000 firm!! (just so you know he means it). We received this tip from Sam61, who must know what kind of cars I like – thanks!
Fiat launched its 850 in May of 1964 as a follow-on to the aging 600 (which incidentally, was not retired until well after swarms of 850s had been sold). Initially a sedan was the only body style available, but “sedan” barely describes the stubby four-seat baby bulldog of a car that this Fiat was. It seated four small people and had a roof, yes – thereafter the descriptive power of “sedan” fails in the minds of those of us who conjure cars like the Ford Fairlane, but I digress….. In 1965, both a spider and a coupe arrived – each designed by different coachbuilders. Telltale creases along the spider’s waistline, “face”, and top edge signal House of Bertone; but the coupe received Felice Boano’s minimalist approach to sporting style. “Minimalist” carried right through to the mechanicals of the 850, as Fiat based the new engine on its existing 600, increasing horsepower via displacement and the right Webers. In Italy until 1968, displacement was technically 843 ccs, but in the US we had to put up with an 817 cc engine to duck under emissions regs. This car was imported from Italy, so it’s powered by the “big block”. A four-speed gearbox mounted in the rear with the engine means it’s best to coax changes from the remote gear lever, rather than insist.
This interior can barely be faulted – I see separation in the vinyl on the passenger-side A-pillar but that’s about it. If you can’t tell by now, I love this car – and the color combination of red over tan is so suitable for this tiny coupe… Everyone gravitates to a black interior so I appreciate the variation. See how the two-spoke wheel frames the gauges, and the remainder of the layout is so sensible. For such a basic car, the cabin offered a few luxe touches, including wood accents on the instrument panel and bright door panel trim.
The compact engine is beneath that louvered deck lid. It’s a lucky thing that this car was restored in Italy; obtaining all the right parts is not easy in the US. And a restoration will not pay off, so don’t start with a project car; this driver-quality 850 coupe sold for only $8550 one year ago. Though our subject car is likely one of the nicest 850 coupes on the planet, mid-teens is a top-of-the-range price for these.
Pretty creepy, Ms. Rand, this was( a car) exactly like my neighborhood chum, Johnny P. had. Uncanny really, as I never thought I’d ever see another, but the site proves me wrong again. I’m pretty sure it was his 1st car, and get ready,,,
OMG, what a poor car. I think his may have been a ’68, but just like this. Initially, it was a fun little car, wound out, sounded nice, 4 speed, good handling,,,then the problems set in. I’d say, maybe a year, including a Wisconsin winter, really took its toll. Naturally, it ran poorly, do Italians have sub zero weather, no heat, then 2nd gear began to grind. He took it back to the dealer, got it back, was better, but by then, everything else began to fail. You trash Lucas, the gas gauge quit, then, wipers, the drivers window fell into the door, the seat adj. broke, AND, it began to grind in 2nd gear again. By then, he was pretty upset, took it to the dealer, they said they wouldn’t cover the trans again. He saw a ’68 Barracuda coupe on the used car lot, V8 4 speed, they couldn’t sell, I think he traded them even up for the Fiat.
I never saw’r another,,,until right now! Fascinating, Captain,,,nice restoration, and I all but guarantee Chef Boyardee didn’t drive this much, and an import makes sense. Sadly, folks like Johnny P. were taken for a ride, but more than made up for it with the Barracuda. Amazing find, for here. Very popular in Europe, over 324,000 were sold, but not here. Sales numbers for coupes are hard to find, but with a price of $1795, there were better cars to buy. You might get some use before it breaks, eh Tony? Tony? Oh dear, Tony’s gone,,,
Don’t forget Howard, it was Magnetti Marelli (electrical equipment)that gave Lucas a good name! Reminds me of my old BMW that suddenly developed all sorts of weird electrical problems – I took it to my mechanic and exclaimed “It’s turned into a Fiat!”
Michelle- Nice, appreciative write-up.
Howard A- I’ve driven the smaller FIATs since 1958 and they were all bulletproof. Even at 4K RPM / mile in top, the engines thrive and I even put over 170 K miles on an 850 sedan without it cracking a sweat… even after I “breathed” on it at 90K and got close to 60 drivable HP out of it. Over sixteen years of yeoman service it traversed 46 of the Lower 48 missing only SD and KY. A couple of 600 still ran well and reliably at better than 140K miles.
Yes, the Porsche-type synchros on the 850’s 2nd get a little iffy over time… they should have stuck with the balk-type that were in the 600’s ‘box.
FIATs love to be driven hard, even harder than most. But if you beat the snot out of ANY car it’ll come back and bite you where the sun don’ shine.
Just, nobody, rag on FIATs. I’m the voice of experience with more than a million miles under my kiester in them and never, never came in “on the hook.”
Oh, and that little “brick” of an 850 sedan upon which I applied some magic would pull 6K RPM in top which works out to 89 MPH… straight, level, no wind. The only aero mod was a modest air dam under the bumper down to the lowest part of the underbody. I designed/built that ’cause the “overbite” of the front fascia caused the front end to unload at speed which is never a good thing. That little spoiler made it rock solid.
The ONLY problem I ever experienced with a Fiat was an electrical issue, the ground wire was loose and repaired under warranty. As long as you maintained them, like Alfa’s, the engines and transmissions were virutually bulletproof, and a hell of a lot of fun to drive.
Wow, 60 HP!
Would make a great looking gasser, like a Henry J.
I love it when the buyer says ‘firm’ in the ac about the price, ha ha ha. I say to the buyer, stand your ground. It is such a cute car.
There must be a typo in the ad: Somehow a ‘2’ got grafted onto the real price.
Super cute euro coupe but, Fiat had a reputation back in the late 60’s/early 70’s that kept me away from those cars.
Emission regs in 1967? Was that just an evap canister or . . . ?
The regs of ’67 only required an elimination of venting crankcase vapors to the atmosphere and even my 1958 600’s carb had a valve for the ingestion of case vapors, so FIAT was ‘way ahead of the curve.
Later, an “out” was created by the EPA which exempted vehicles with less than 50 CID. The 850’s bore was reduced by one millimeter which brought it from 843cc down to 817cc, or 49.86 CID. That worked through model year ’72 and then the 850 was scotched from the US lineup.
$25k? This was my first car ! I paid $25 for it in 1978! Was working at a fiat/alpha dealer and it was sitting in the tall grass! The dealer owner sold it to me so I could get back and forth to work. Great fun little car
Just back from Sunday morning cars and coffee, where more ordinary sports cars (911s, Corvettes, MGs, Triumphs) outnumbered the oddballs (Lancias, Citroens, Saabs), but guess which ones drew the most interest. This one is cute enough to draw the ladies yet mechanically interesting enough to draw the enthusiasts. Could you buy and restore one to this level for $25,000?
Wife… You love that car more than me you need to get rid of it and spend more time with me. Either it goes or I go. Husband ok I will list it .
very nice if a little over priced. I like the four-headlight four-taillight version that came along later better.
1970 Fiat 850 Coupe
I have a soft spot for FIATs, having serviced a number of them and owned a couple. If this had been given the full ABARTH treatment, I might have been interested.
yeah, that’s what I’d want for 25K $.
Naw, @ this sz I’d want another spyder. So
great, pull away from a stop, still in 1st, w/other
hand flop back rag top, shift to 2nd, aahahahaa such
was the life ofa 17 y/o with mine (w/a ’65 in ’69). And it
wasnt my 1st car…
I have seen so many comments over the years about Fists and reliability, most of those comments are hearsay by ppl who never owned one. My first Fiat was a 71 850 spider that served me well until a Toyota made a left turn in front of me from the opposite direction. My next Fiat was a 74 X1/9. I’m still driving that one. After I learned the hard way what a cam belt was and 6 valves later it’s never given me a hint of trouble. Yes of course I’m driving a modern Fiat 500 and loving it.
Gotta wonder why they left the US market back in the 80’s.
Lawyers. They started suing deep pockets and FIAT S.p.A. had very deep ones. FIAT got sued over cars that had been here for around a decade on which a recall had been made but ignored by the car owner. In particular, the problem was mostly with the 850 Spiders breaking in the middle and with no roof, the results could have been, and in some cases were, disastrous
The problem was an “X” bracket applied by Bertone, the Spider’s builder, to the underside of the FIAT-made floor pan to make up for the lack of a hard top. Sadly, it was bare steel on the inside and with the US proclivity for being able to go the speed limit in a snowstorm, the copious quantities of corrosives spread on the highways took its toll.
Mind you, this was after the problem had been identified and a recall issued. Owners ignored the recall and then had lawyers (yes, I know, no profanity) sue the bejeebers out of FIAT. Torino’d had enough of our litigious market, folded their tent and went home for a quarter century.
During that “dry” period my wife and I drove Yugoslavian-built FiATs and were very happy with the better than 110K mile service of our his-and-her Yugos.
Fabulous little car. My mother had one back in 1983 and it was the first car I was allowed to drive on my own. As per comments above these Fiats thrived on high revs and gentle gear changing. The car ran flawlessly however one day an electrical short burned out the entire wire loom and the car ended up being parted out. What a driver though. Great memories!
Fiats don’t get much respect. ‘Fix it again Tony‘. Kind of like Ford, ‘found on the road dead’. And I’m diehard Ford, so for me, ‘First on race day’. But I digress.
Sounds like Howard’s pal got a lemon, or he just beat the snot out of it. Every manufacture manages lemons as best they can but a reputation once named …
Like any car Fiats need care and nourishment. The favorite of my little fleet is a plain Jane 2012 Fiat 500 pop with a 5spd with over 150k on the clock. It just gets the job done. A little go-cart that never has a problem with the ‘go’ aspect. Had a problem with computer speak for a while which kept putting it in ‘limp home mode’ but since sorted nary a problem.
I love my Fiat. I’d guess this 800 is another fine Fiat for the appreciative. Very nice restoration. But $25,000? Way out of my range!
Never saw an 850, spider or otherwise in my WV town. But as a working 19 year old I did buy a 1981 X1/9 new from a Huntington dealer. Had a real blast in that car, but in the end sold it when I got an offer I couldn’t refuse.
My dad had taken me to the dealer [60 miles from our town] and as I walked around the dealer showroom the dealer said “pick any one same price” my dad said “if I were you I would get the spider” but that mid engine targa top won me over, now I want a little vert to run around in, go figure …
I owned three fiats in he late 60’s at the same time,.! bought the 850 in Amsterdam in 1969, drove it around Europe for two months and brought back to USA driving it for a decade, Added a 124 sports coupe and then a strange 850 convertible with an abarth engine. did all my own maintenance for a decade with no serious trouble./ much better cars than the non owners claimed, When I moved to Chicago with all three they were unused for the snow and cold so I bought an early Subaru 4WD wagon. MIsss the Abarth ,most of all– 85-90 MPH on the Edens expressway if traffic was light.
I owned three fiats in he late 60’s at the same time,.! bought the 850 in Amsterdam in 1969, drove it around Europe for two months and brought back to USA driving it for a decade, Added a 124 sports coupe and then a strange 850 convertible with an abarth engine. did all my own maintenance for a decade with no serious trouble./ much better cars than the non owners claimed, When I moved to Chicago with all three they were unused for the snow and cold so I bought an early Subaru 4WD wagon. MIss the Abarth ,most of all– 85-90 MPH on the Edens expressway if traffic was light.
What year was your 124 Sports Coupe?
I remember buying my first new car, a FIAT 600, in 1958. Stillman & Hoag, Eglewood, NJ. It sat in a rear corner of the showroom full of new Buicks and resplendent in its navy over dove gray two-tone, wide whites and a spiffy light blue/ivory interior (with LOTS of gray body showing in there), it just called out, “Buy me!”
The clincher is when Mr. Walter Stillman told me he’d just completed the trip of his lifetime. With the pick of any Buick in his inventory, he chose a 600 to drive to the west coast. His wife (the firm’s bookkeeper) flew out to join him in touring the central coast area. After that, they sold the FIAT and flew home.
This was before the Interstates and he had no qualms about driving coast to coast in a car with a tick on the speedo at 58 MPH to indicate recommended top speed (mine, well broken in would cruise at better than 70… well, after I planed the head and installed an Abarth exhaust)
The ticket was $1398 and I said if I could have it with a radio for $1400, I’d buy. Walter said, “Sold!” No sales tax in NJ then and they included registration tags. Can’t beat that deal with a stick!
I haven’t looked back. Oh, and I put on 63K miles on it in 35 months in New England so it got a good thrashing and was still in prime condition when i traded up to a 4-door 1100 in ’61.