Description
Fiat 1600S Tipo 118 SA Coupé Pininfarina 1962.
From autumn 62 to spring 63, Fiat built 814 Tipo 118SA with the famous hood like on the Ferrari 250. Mine has the No. 654 on the hood. Of these 814 chassis, Pininfarina transformed about 50 into Coupé. Very few of these remain today. I know a few. Most of them are equipped with a 118SB engine (at that time, after an engine issue, they were replaced with 118 SB, which was still available!).
For 46 years, the owner of this Fiat was Fürst Nikolai Kropotkin. The Princes of Kropotkin were, apart from the Tsar, the most important nobles in Russia! His father, having fled after 1918, went to Berlin, where Nikolai was born in 1924. This is documented. In Bardolino, he had a holiday home. The Fiat was only for his service in Bardolino. Shortly before his death, he gave the Fiat to his mechanic. The prince died in 2014. The car changed hands several times with people who knew nothing. I bought the Fiat in 2014 with 43, 000 km of original mileage! The car returned from Italy to Bern (Switzerland)via the Gotthard Pass without any issues! Given the status of the prince, his mechanic exchanged the Nardi steering wheel at that time for a smaller one (Hellabore from Alfa GTA).
Revisions/ Modifications: new paint in the original colour. Around the engine, always the original paint! No rust traces. Interior completely redone by a Swiss artisan in leather. The door panels remain entirely original! The mechanics have been completely reviewed, but relatively little had to be changed. Clear, brand new brakes, modern adjustable shock absorbers. All seals, bearings, etc. replaced. The engine has been revised but mainly remains in very good original condition. Pistons, shafts, and bearings original - new chains. 4 new Borrani-Milano wheels according to period specifications. Radiator modernized with a much larger cooling capacity. Programmable electronic ignition. The two Weber carburettors revised and optimized. The original 4-speed gearbox has been revised, but the 4 speeds were good in 62 but not today! So a conversion was made to a 5-speed gearbox from one of the very last 1600S of 65/ 66 (187 units - very rare) completely restored with a reinforced differential and also reinforced and balanced transmission. Today, with 63, 000 km, after all these modifications, the Fiat is very pleasant to drive – also on the highway - without any issues (160 km/ h with peaks up to 180 km/ h!).
With the car: Very complete documentation, the 4 speed gearbox with original transmission an differential. 4 original wheels like new with new tires and the covers. Original lamp for night repairs! Fiat 1600S watch (was presented to the Fiat 1600S clientele of the time). Also the foundry rights and data for the reconstruction of the bell for the 5 speed conversion.
The car has Italian and Swiss documents. Last technical inspection in Switzerland in April 2024.
ASI certificate. Owner for 46 years; Prince Nikolaj Kropotkin
5 speed conversion
Borrani Wheels
