Description
1969 Fiat 500L (Lusso) edition
47, 840km (displayed)
Registered 1969 in Italy/ UK 01 Dec 2014
Please don't mistake this for another unloved 500 that needs a tonne of work doing; this is a beautiful nut & bolt restored example that was completed in 2015 in Italy, having been commissioned by a renowned specialist in Monaco.
With near-perfect corallo rosso (coral red) paintwork that is actually pretty much orange in reality, I am confident that this is the loveliest example of a classic Fiat 500 you will ever see. There are two tiny dents in the bonnet and two small stone chips in the paintwork from a few thousand kilometres of driving under my ownership and that's the complete extent of the imperfections on this vehicle! I bought her on 45, 344km (displayed), but as the odometer is only five figures, who knows the true distance she's covered in 55 years?
Resprayed inside and out on a rotisserie, the car boasts a fantastic paint job and a completely refurbished trim with black leatherette seats, seat belts in the front & back, red carpets (not my choice, but they work!) and a brand new Webasto roof. Some original parts that were in great condition remain, like the steering wheel, dash console, centre console, glass, etc.
The engine is like new. No oil leaks, no damage, literally pristine and purrs like a kitten after a recent spring overhaul (after hibernation) and a tune up. She's not fast, but she's reliable, beautiful and adorable!
A list of work under my ownership is below:
£450/ Jun 2024/ spring recommission: carb strip & rebuild, new engine earth strap, fit new voltage regulator, cylinder compression test & more
£103. 08/ May 2024/ Voltage regulator (top quality, part)
£270/ Nov 2021/ collection, new electronic fuel pump, steering idler & bulb
£35/ Nov 2021/ steering idler (part)
£150/ May 2021/ fit new mechanical fuel pump, clean & re-fit carburettor
£32/ Apr 2021/ mechanical fuel pump (part)
£564. 30/ Nov 2019/ major service incl. wheel bearings, distributor recon, points, plugs, oil, clutch cable adjustment
£108. 90/ Oct 2019/ wheel bearing kit, condenser, points (parts)
£19. 08/ Feb 2017/ sunroof aperture seal (part, I fitted it)
£140. 40/ Nov 2016/ replace inner drive shaft boots (specialist)
For ultimate reliability, I have had an electronic fuel pump fitted up front by the fuel tank to bypass the underwhelming mechanical variety that the car originally came with. The best voltage regulator available is fitted, coupled with a solid state coil to eradicate any hot running issues. Under the bonnet alongside the fuel tank & new electrical fuel pump, you'll find the original wheel nut tool in its container, the jack and a spare bulb kit.
The horn works, the wipers wipe and the screen wash squirts, the indicators and all external lights do their jobs, even the cabin heating works 100%, the dash light illuminates; overall she just works like a new car! All four tyres were replaced in 2020 (about 2, 000km ago) with brand new 'Pirelli Cinturato 54' period-correct OEM tyres at a significant cost and they are barely worn, if at all. I have lost the receipt for this and the new leaf spring for the front end too, but this can all be verified on inspection. I have receipts for all the above-listed work!
I bought the car from Hofmann's of Henley in the summer of 2016 and don't know too much about her history up till then; people didn't keep files on these runabouts way back and I don't have photos from the restoration, but come to see the car and you'll see the quality of the work for yourself. I LOVE this car so much and of the 10+ classics I have had or still have, she is by far the most revered and admired by the general population. I'm selling this and another of my old babies to put the money towards a bigger property and for another fundamental reason: I don't use her enough and she deserves an owner who will love and cherish her regularly on the roads, not just in the garage! That said, she has always been garaged, never (since restoration) been used on salty roads or even in the rain, when avoidable. I'm open to offers, but only sensible ones. I'm in no rush to sell and am confident that the first serious viewer will buy. Undoubtedly one of the best examples you'll find in the UK, Europe or even the World. In the launch colour of coral red and in complete working and cosmetic order, I'm confident you won't find a better example! Any questions, please don't hesitate!
