Description
Up for sale is a 1971 Fiat 500L. The car has 35, 400km indicated or around 22, 000 miles. I have put roughly 3, 000 miles on it during my ownership and have driven it through 10 states. It’s been an absolute blast to own and I enjoy every chance I get to drive it. The car was originally registered in Sicily and received a cosmetic restoration in 2016 before being exported to the United States in 2020. I have the original Italian plates as well as all the export documentation and some written records from the time it spent in Italy. The car was repainted in its original color and the paint is in overall very good condition with a few small blemishes. Throughout my time with the car I have refreshed the suspension, as well as some interior and mechanical components plus some period correct Abatrh style modifications. Currently the car has a top speed of over 75mph though it seems to be happiest at 65 with occasional trips beyond that for passing. Throughout my time owning the car I have spent roughly $6, 000 on repairs and modifications to get it up to my standards of being the best driving car that I think it can be.
A list of performance modifications to the car include:
The original engine was rebuilt as a 650cc prior to my ownership. There is no documentation to support this, however based on the performance of the car (a top speed of well over 75mph on flat ground) it’s believed to either have a 650cc or 695cc rebuild.
Webber IMB28 Carburetor. This replaces the original IMB26 (which will be included) and nets a few additional horsepower.
D’angelo Motori lowering kit. This is a reverse eye front leaf spring as well as 19cm lowering springs that give the car a much more aggressive stance than the factory setup.
Nankang 145 width tires. The original tires were 125 width so this gives some extra grip and stability.
Pod air filter and breather filter. This replaces the somewhat finicky original airbox and can net up to a 1 horsepower increase.
Record Monza Exhaust. This as far as I’m aware is the best performance exhaust for the 500.
Upgraded Steering Arms. The new arms have spherical bushings and are much more direct than the original ball joint units that came on these cars.
Aftermarket shift knob. Helps give the shifter a much more precise feel than the original plastic knob.
D’angelo Motori 4L Aluminum oil pan. Helps keep engine temperatures down during longer drives at higher speeds.
Electronic Ignition. The original ignition components are prone to failure due to their location in the engine bay, this helps with reliability. (This was not installed when the photos were taken)
A list of restoration/ maintenance items completed in the last 6 months are as follows:
Entire fuel system: All fuel lines, fuel tank, fuel pump, carburetor.
Oil change / transmission fluid change.
Headlight bulbs, front turn signal housings / bulbs, rear tail light housings / bulbs.
New dipstick.
New front wheel bearings
New spark plugs / wires.
Valve adjustment / valve cover gasket
Transmission mounts
Suspension bushings
New steering box, idler arm, all steering arms.
New tires and innertubes
New center console and carpets
New rubber door seals
New door lock cylinders.
New clutch and throttle return springs.
However with any 53 year old car there’s going to be a few minor problems and while I intend on trying to correct a few of these as I have time currently this is the list of issues:
The brakes squeak when coming to a stop, I have removed the drums and inspected and the shoes have plenty of life and everything else appears to be in good condition so I haven’t decided to change anything yet.
There are a few small cracks in the paint and a few small dents around the car.
The speedometer reads a little high below 80kph and a little low above, though the odometer counts the miles correctly.
There is a small oil leak (a few small drops each time I drive the car on the ground afterwards).
There is a small rip in the back of the front driver's seat.
I’m more than happy to show the car and allow interested parties to test drive it (weather pending on the test drive as I will not take the car out if there is salt on the roads). I can also take any additional photos or videos, don’t be afraid to reach out.
