Fiat’s range of vehicles spanned the spectrum from the sublime to the ridiculous, with everything in between. On the one hand, we have the Fiat 8V – a masterpiece in sheet metal. On the other hand, the bony 131 saloon was as uninspiring as weak tea. Today’s 1965 1500 cabriolet is a terrific example of Fiat at its accessible best: beautifully designed, not terribly expensive, well-appointed, and a spritely performer. This well-restored car is available here on craigslist for $21,995. It’s located in Croyden, New Hampshire, and we have JDC to thank for this stylish tip!
Fiat’s first 1500 was a wind-tunnel-tested exercise in aerodynamics, introduced at about the same time as the Chrysler Airflow in the mid 1930s. But unlike the Airflow, Fiat’s offering was available in many body styles, and sold well. The 1493 cc six-cylinder engine was gradually improved, and favorable evolution modernized the rest of the mechanicals as well. These cars can sell for high five figures today, depending on the coachbuilder. Fast forward to the early 1960s, and the “new” 1500 was equipped with a 1481 cc OHV four-cylinder generating 80 bhp, mated to a four-speed manual gearbox. This engine bay is nearly pristine, with a high-quality paint job, bright plating, and respectable finishes on most components. On the other hand, the underside wears a bit too much undercoating for my taste.
The interior is mostly well-done, offset by minor issues like the lumpy fit of the boxing portion of the seat covers – the strip between the front and back of the seat. But I’m being picky! Like the engine bay, the dash paint is immaculate. The gauges are impressively bright, and virtually all the other cabin trim is present and in good condition. Difficult bits like the window felts, the top frame, and sill plates look great; the rubber seals appear new. The trunk would benefit from a pass with a vacuum cleaner; otherwise, it’s spiffy as the rest of the vehicle. The spare tire should be housed beneath the trunk’s rubber mat.
Pininfarina’s styling makes a class act of this little Fiat, with details like chrome fin trim, bumper over-riders canted toward the car’s body, and the tidy proportions. A couple of quibbles of mine – I wish the side trim followed the entire character line from front to back; and the set of the wheels vis-à-vis the body seems awkwardly drawn in. But on the whole, it’s a lovely car, and I certainly wouldn’t push it out of my garage. What do you think?
Pretty little cars, but modest performance made them something of a hard sell in the days when Healeys, MGs and Triumphs (not to mention the Datsun roadsters) were most popular. I recall — but correct me if I’m wrong — that the Fiats were priced toward the higher end of the market when new, as well.
Looks like someone expended a fair amount of time and money to get this example looking so good, and if the running condition matches the shine, the price seems reasonable enough.
The underside would demand a very, very close inspection, though. Slathering so much underseal on everything is often a sign that there’s rot underneath. As Fiats had a propensity to rust anyway, I’m suspicious.
Been around the block. https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1921866/1965-fiat-1500-for-sale-in-cadillac-michigan-49601
I think classic cars.com skims the web for listings and tries to get a cut if you contact the seller through their link. I found an old Jag I was interested in on classic cars.com that was skimmed from an LA Craigslist ad.
Is this perhaps a scam ad? Luki, I followed your link to Classic Cars in Michigan. Now it is at Gem Classic Cars in NH. And it has many of the identical pics. Maybe the 2 dealers are associated with one another. But definitely made me wonder.
The classic car guy in Cadillac, Mi is a third party…. I called there once and was informed that for $1000 they would tell me where the car really is and how to proceed…… That was the end for me…
If you squint real hard, you’ll see a Ferrari 250 SWB.
I was thinking the same. I almost wrote that, in fact! Thanks for pointing out the similarity. … and of course, there’s a vast dollar difference.
Because of that, you’re probably getting into just about any big boy car show with this, if that’s your thing.
AND complexity (for us wrenchers) but “Oh Boy” whata ride !
I had one back in the 1970’s, built like a brick, quite a few variations, some with the OSCA engine. I used to consider it a poor mans Alfa, but no more, like everything they have gone up, so my dream of recapturing some of my youth just moves further and further away. Nice to see one looking pretty though, brings back some good memories!
Before you spend considerable time and money to recapture your youth, when I was 70 I bought a car nearly identical to my first factory ordered car 40 yrs prior. While it drove about the same, I didn’t feel even 1 minute younger… but I did recall how things were back then. Maybe that’s enough….
A very pretty car. Thanks, Michelle-
Because of that, you’re robabky getting into just about any big boy car show with this, if that’s your thing.
one of exact models I cut my eye teeth on.
A local junk yrd was an exclusively Italian lot (“Goldie’s”). I drug home fiats, alphas’n lancias from the 50s’n 60s, mostly (some ‘70s). In fact my first few were this model fiats starting w/early ’60s “1200″. Like merican co.s each few yrs brought out bigger engine… eventually a 5 speed, etc. The yrd had abt every thing I’d need.
Buy cheep, put it the work, have something I could never afford out right, drive ‘for free’ till the nxt lill jewel caught my eye, sell to up-grade, find a bigger profit.
Never made it ‘up to’ the ‘M’, ‘F’ or Lambo stratosphere. Learned alot, had fun, out paced my buds (Olds 442, GTO, ‘stang, etc) on the twisties but went onto morpar slanty & ford ThriftPower (’60 – ’96 i6) as the ‘80s came in.
Isnt Stellantis the 4th biggest co now? (toy 1st, ‘vw’ 2nd, then hyundai w/these guys right behind?)
Cool story. Houston had some junkyards that had neat stuff. I didn’t take out whole cars. I’d buy drivers. I’d just pick cheap parts for my 914, GTV, 2002.
Prices weren’t yet “on the move” back then, in the 1980s. You could get them cheap and sell them and get your money back. Great fun. Too old to do that now and good junkyards with cheap parts are hard to come by.
Nice write-up Michelle
I bought a 1967 1500 out of a snow bank for my first car. Too many stories to tell. Rusted pretty bad, but I put tires, muffler, water pump, state inspection and I was on my way. 5 speed in ’67 too! engine was very smooth with the overhead cam. Water pump bracket was slightly askew and I went through bearings and impellers from JC Whitney before I figured it out. Still, it was a lot of fun. This one is the same color as mine and brings back some great memories.
I had a 1600-S that used the same body. Loved that car