I have had the urge to have another genuine classic for some time. Being fed up with paying extotionate road tax on my 325ti for very little mileage, I have bought this 1971 Fiat 500. It is great having something so basic again, no electronic gadgets, no unwanted warning lights, just the basics. For local running about it is ideal. Some work needed as it has hardly been used for a few years, it spent the first 40 years of it's life in Sicily before being imported by the Italian owner in 2010.
Z has a new companion
- Thread starter mwpe
- Start date
That looks very smart indeed .... 
Superb Mike, love it.
My old boss's wife back from when I first got into the car trade in 1977 had one, a white one. She and her old man were both 6' tall and they had 2 kids too. The only car they owned. A very simple car.
Tony.
Tony.
I often double declutch in all my cars just to keep my hand in. Old habits from when learning to drive in an AEC class 2 truck with a crash gearbox, great fun, up and down.
A satisfying feeling, especially after years of an auto.
@Lee sat in it at the Zedshed on Saturday, his head was sticking out of the sunroof.
I love the smell of these old cars. If i had to drive it I would need to sit on the back seat 
At least you can enjoy the sun in the baby Fiat Mike with that full length fabric roof.
Tony.
Not much to beat the satisfaction of a perfect gear change on a crash box.
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- Model of Z
- Z4 coupe sport.
Nice one Mike!!! My wife likes the original 500 and was a little disappointed when she awoke on her birthday 3yrs ago to find a (up to date) Fiat 500c parked up for her. Things did get a little better for me when she realised it was the “C” . I’ve never regretted buying her it Mike cos when she drives it she can hit over 50mpg, goes down quite a lot when I get in it though and you need to think hard when you decide you want to overtake something doing 40+. Still a great little car even if you can get away with easily not using the clutch now and again. 
Love it nice one Mike
Thats awesome! They look like great fun
The new 500 is quite a nice little car, my daughter has one. If you get the right model they are also road tax free. One complaint I have about them is that you can't hear the engine. That certainly doesn't apply to the classic.Nice one Mike!!! My wife likes the original 500 and was a little disappointed when she awoke on her birthday 3yrs ago to find a (up to date) Fiat 500c parked up for her. Things did get a little better for me when she realised it was the “C” . I’ve never regretted buying her it Mike cos when she drives it she can hit over 50mpg, goes down quite a lot when I get in it though and you need to think hard when you decide you want to overtake something doing 40+. Still a great little car even if you can get away with easily not using the clutch now and again.
Used to work on the old 126 too. Same mechanicals, different skin.
Tony.
Tony.
I had 2xFiat 126s! The only car I could afford at the time. A carry cot and Child seat fitted in the back. Dogs on the floor! First one was a pale mustard colour. The second one was blue. I was a sparky, and used them for work as well. How I fitted all the gear in I don't know. They were like a roller skate to drive, I had to do a 180 degree spin once when a dustbin lorry pulled out on me. When you turned the heater on the engine note got louder! I loved both of them, but they rotted in front of your eyes. This isn't mine, but is just like the first one I had. ( with wiper blades!) Bonzo.
I had one like that for a while back in the 80s, Commuted to Gatwick in it for a few weeks, 35 miles each way.
Brilliant example Mike. Remember doing the Amalfi run in an old 500 driven by a crazy but sober Neapolitan with his head sticking out of the concertina roof. It was about 3 in the morning when he said `now we drive English style' and then drove on the left 
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I lived in Sussex when I had the 126s