Description
1954 Fiat 1100 Millicento
Registration Number: DSL 194
Chassis Number: 099529
Engine Number: PA29572
Transmission: Manual
Steering: Right Hand Drive
MOT Test Expiry: Exempt
Road Tax Exempt
Guide: £3500 - 4000
This fascinating Fiat 1100 Millicento was assembled in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1954. It was purchased by its current custodian (then a British expat) Julia Moore in the 1990s for 40, 000 rupees and was driven initially in Mumbai but spent its final year in India navigating the chaotic streets of Bangalore. The motor car was very well maintained during the 1990s, as evidenced in the history file. In 2000, Mrs Moore and her husband decided to return to the UK and of course the Fiat had to come too; rather than transport it, after an extensive mechanical check (and a large bill!), Mrs Moore embarked on an extraordinary journey spanning ten countries and two months of adventure, supported by a co-pilot as far as Istanbul. Starting in Bangalore, the small team drove back up to Mumbai via Goa and thence to Iran via a shipping container, and then overland to Europe and home. The trip was not without its hiccups: there was a near miss with an elephant, a broken oil pipe in Iran, a fuel tank replacement in Turkey, a dynamo repair in Romania and a starter motor issue in Austria, all rectified without the assistance of mobile phones or the luxury of a back-up crew! The journey was well documented in the UK and Indian press and Mrs Moore is in the midst of penning her soon-to-be-published memoir of the adventure.
On their return to England, the Fiat was used and maintained; there are bills for work in 2000 (when a reconditioned starter motor and alternator were fitted), 2006 saw attention to the braking system and in 2009, extensive mechanical and cosmetic work was carried out at a cost of some £2900. Since then, the Fiat has been run regularly but used infrequently and kept in dry storage and we would therefore recommend a recommissioning service before returning the saloon to the road. Cosmetically, it is not a concours queen but is usable, sound and solid and ready for its next adventure, complete with a customised roof rack!
The extensive history file contains many invoices from the 1990s in India, UK invoices post 2000, two Indian registration booklets plus a photocopy, two Indian road-worthiness certificates, two UK MOT test certificates, the V5 document and copies of the numerous newspaper and motoring press columns dedicated to the trip from India to the UK.
Auction Date: 17 October 2024
