I’ll admit it, I don’t know my Fiats. Sure, I recall them from the past, but I am not intimately familiar with their details. I remember the 128 and 850 Spyder and I was a bit surprised when the “new” 500 returned to U.S. shores though not surprised at what has happened to it. But there are many others that have escaped my attention, such as the 600. But there is a 1959 example, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, and it’s available here eBay for a current bid of $510, reserve not yet met.
The 600 was manufactured between 1955 and 1969 and it is a small car, about 1,300 lbs. soaking wet. How small you ask? Well, when you can squeeze it in between your workbench and a hand truck in the way back of your workshop, we’re talking small! All told and worldwide, there were a bit less than five million 600s produced, about half in Italy. With so many in existence, I would have thought that I’d recall at least seeing one someplace. Nope, not visible; I guess they were all hiding, you know, behind the workbench.
Some have referred to these as the Italian VW bug, similar in concept with a small, rear-mounted engine but there is one fundamental difference. The 600’s 22.5 HP, 633 CC, in-line four-cylinder engine (that’s small for a modern motorcycle) is water-cooled with a rear-mounted radiator. I have to believe that arrangement would be perfect for overheating but no characteristics of this example’s engine are discussed other than to claim that it’s “free”. By that, I take it to mean that the motor is not seized and turns over “freely”. The seller states that this Fiat was last registered in 1980 and has been in storage since then, you know between the workbench and the hand truck, so there’s no telling what it will take to get this diminutive 600 running again. The seller does claim, ” I’m sure it wouldn’t take much to get it back on the road”. The mileage is listed as 46K miles, no statement of accuracy, so if that is true, it could help the cause with this Fiat’s reawakening. All 600’s, such as this example, were equipped with a four-speed manual transaxle.
Surface rust abounds but the seller claims that “its bones are good”; there is no rust and solid floors are in place. Based on the accompanying images, that would appear to be the case. The seller adds that this 600 is 100% complete right down to the air cleaner. That’s good to know because I imagine sourcing parts, some, in particular, is probably a challenging exercise for this Fiat in spite of its large production numbers.
Pay no attention to that interior! Yes, it looks like the inside of a chicken coop but the seller has a new upholstery kit that comes with the sale. It will take some work to put it together but the seat frames are in place so if the new owner is willing to take on an assemble-it-yourself project, that matter will be squared away. The door cards look like they need help and replacements don’t appear to be included in the kit, so that will be an additional undertaking. There is no mention made regarding the dash/instrument panel but I imagine it is a very minimal affair so the “not-working” exposure will be limited. This 600 has a sizeable sun-roof, no word if it functions but that would add to the fun-factor of tooling around in this Fiat.
This is a neat little car and I can see where it could occupy a spot, a very small spot, for some extracurricular motoring fun, albeit, slow motoring fun. Honestly, it wouldn’t take up much room and I imagine that the mechanicals are pretty simple. My recurring thought of concern is parts availability, though the seller does have some extras that come with the car. My question is, has anyone owned, or currently own, a Fiat 600, and if so, what did or do you think of it?
The 600 is a fun and very driveable microcar. A lot of 850 parts will fit, but nothing from the 500.
Question – from where did you see this 600 to have a “sizeable sunroof”? I can’t see anything other than the regular steel roof in the pictures (The 600 does have a pressing on the roof that may look like the edges of a full-sized fabric roof, but I feel quite confident that a fabric roof would not be rusty…)
Beyfon:
Thought it was that visible roof panel and one of the articles that I researched indicated that the 600 came equipped as such. Your point is well taken, however.
All Fiat 500s had a sunroof as standard.
If a lack of power is your concern you can always swap in a VW flat4, then turbo it and run 11’s. And no, I am pretty sure it’s not scary at all.
https://www.google.com/search?q=vw+powered+fiat+600&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS766US766&oq=vw+powered+fiat+600&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.11089j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Cute all the same
I once new a very fat lad who used to squeeze his ample body into one to go to work. I dont know how the car ever managed to overcome his weight to move down the street but it did !! Happy days
There’s always the Abarth option for the brave of heart with the thick of wallet.
https://www.middlebartongarage.com/Cars/Car/11966
I had always heard the FIAT stood for “fix it again Tony”.
Yeah & now that’s carried over to fix it again Chrysler & soon to be fix it again Chrysler Peugeot Citroen.
Fine Italian American Transportation! The “FIAT” 126 motor fits in too. As I recall
https://mrfiat.com/fiat-500-126-650-cc-35-hp-sport-engine-complete.html
Found In A Tip
F***’n Italian auto trash – thats what my Scottish cousin used to call them !
The Autobiancia 1050 slots right in. This bumps power up to 70 to 100hp depending on the build, which is a lot for a car this small.
Switch the front drum brakes to fiat 850 for disc brakes you can even go to wilwood disc but that is overkill.
This makes a fun quick run about.
If you want to go crazy a 124 engine or a bike engine works.
I would be interested but too many projects.
I traded a dead VW for a running Fiat 850 which is similar with a slightly larger rear mounted water cooled engine. My wife adopted it as her daily driver. She used to drag race city buses. Another similarity to a VW, no oil filter.
If I remember correctly these these had 12 inch rims, and replacement tires were hard to find.
I see a missing tail light, hood trim, side trim, and the interior is horrible. Also, rusts free claim or not, I see rust that will need attention on the door posts, behind the front bumper, and most likely in the boot under the battery and spare tire in front. Parts are somewhat available. I restored a 1959 500 about six years ago and the owner got everything new. He spent about 18 grand in parts for a very nice restoration. The extra doors and the upholstery covers are a nice plus. I wouldn’t mind driving one, but not every day. The one I did lives in a large master planned community and takes the place of the ubiquitous golf carts for getting around.
Actually, its oil filter is a centrifugal oil separator as a part of the front crankshaft pulley. A VERY clever device that works very well. In Carlo Abarth’s hands, ( The Smokey Unick of Italy) these “Little Giants” modified for racing were actually banned from many races. Too embarrassing to have your Ferrari 250 beat by a 1000cc high performance modified Abarth!
Yes, deep pockets for parts. I repair and find them daily- being an Abarth owner.
Time left: Time left:6d 23h Friday, 8:37AM
Current bid:US $1,425.00
Reserve not met
[ 16 bids ]
On the Motortrend channel, this week on Goblin Garage, they actually took one of these and converted it to electric. They did a lot more than that to it (interior, wheels/tires, flares, paint, etc) but when all was said and done, it sold for a bit more than $40k pounds. The electric motor tripled the horsepower on it.
These are great little cars. Very hard to find such an early one in good sound condition. The only option here is to tune it. Abarth bits are very widely available and are cheap. Unless Middle Barton Garage is your source! Buy from Italy/Germany or Holland and save a lot of money (assuming that one day GBP ceases to plummet in value).
The VW flat 4 is also an alternative, as mentioned above. Fiat 126 is not, as that´s a Fiat 500.upgrade. Autobianchi A112 is good fit in EU, but getting expensive and where do you find one of those in USA?.
850 transplant is relatively easy, but you need to use the whole engine/transaxle because the rotation is reversed between the two. However, I would want to do a very thorough check of what’s simply kinda rusty and what’s been rusted through, especially under the front end. The front transverse spring mounting is very highly stressed, and any deep rust there will need full replacement. Since I’ve not had to do any of that I don’t know what’s available, but I’m sure the Fiat faithful could come up with answers.
Number of manufactured 600s is far away from 5 millions as stated. Figures quote 2.6 mln produced of the original car unless you did count the “new” 600 issued in the 90s which has nothing to share with the model listed. Actually that number of released cars by Fiat was almost reached only by the first 500.
love the small ones as the prts (inc drive train, roof panels, frnt quarter) fit it my car. Big vehicle = big problems; lill one = lill probs?
Long drives (rd trips) not too comfortable tho. Needa nice limo, well a bike (or 2 – 1 w/shaft drive), a DD, a pick up, a station wagon, a plane, well, then a helicopter, a boat (obviously sail powered ocean capable) OK a ‘stink pot’ to get out to it, a buss for campin….
Agreed?
8^ )
At least (as said) these can sit at the end of the bench, over by my fridge…(a 360 lengthwise, an ’88 fiero on its tail, vertical…
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(so kill me, all ways rm 4 another ! Yeah, I know I can sell it if I get that 3.8L and getrag 282 5 speed in)…
No lyin
I was 16 in 1967 on St. Pete Bch Fl and two elderly sisters had one just a couple of doors down. It had sat for a long time. Price? The sisters asked how much money did I have $76 and change, that will do they laughed. A stock VW was thru the 1/4mi when I was at the 1/8th. V pure-stock as they didn’t have any slower class. One morning late for school I couldn’t get the drivers seat back in, I panicked. At 6’5″ I drove it that day to HS from the back seat. 58mph with the windows rolled up (stream lining) Poor little guy, running a stop sign in Belle Vista I T-boned an elderly man in his brand-new Mustang. Swapped the engine/trans in another body and managed to roll that one on St. Pete Bch’s main drag. 15 tickets in 11 days, Judge Beach (really!) declared me; ‘A menace to society.’ Fla. DOT summoned my license which my Mom forwarded to me in Vietnam. I turned the letter over and wrote; ‘If you look at the APO on this letter, you’ll know I don’t need a license. Go ahead and take it.’ DOT figuring I’d get killed anyway, let the matter drop! I loved that little guy, just too stupid too young to appreciate it.