Jalopnik
The 6.9 Mercedes-Benz used its JFG status as a knotted club to pound the bratwurst out of the BMW L6 in yesterday's Hell Über Alles PCH poll, winning by one of the most lopsided margins we've ever seen. Today I'm so inspired by the San Francisco daily-driven 1970 Fiat 500 that I've started shopping for potential Fiat projects. Yes, I've suppressed all those childhood memories of my mom's '73 Fiat 128, which was the source of so many "family outing derailed by car trouble" episodes that they all sort of blur together into one mental snapshot of a green boxy car being hooked up to a tow truck. But your 128s, your 124s, even your X-1/9s... they're too easy!
What do you get when you take a 45-year-old Ghia-rebodied Fiat 1500 (one of only 600 manufactured) and let it sit in a field for a decade or two? You get this 1963 Ghia 1500GT, that's what! The Ghia 1500GT is Concentrated Essence of Italian Car Hell, and the best part is that it's going to be just as difficult- if not more difficult- to fix up as a Ferrari or Maserati, only without the possibility of getting 40% of your investment back by selling the finished project. But we don't care, because... well, look at it! Problems, sure, we admit you'll have a few. There's rust. The interior is probably shot. You have to figure the engine is most likely bad, but a car this pretty deserves more than 84 horses anyway; how about a Fiat Twin-Cam with all the goodies? Don't worry about the purists... wait, do Fiat purists even exist?
Italian sports cars are cool, that's a fact. But seeing that Fiat 500 taking up less than half a standard parking space was an inspiring sight; just imagine having a tiny vintage Fiat with forward controls and lots of backseat passenger room! A miniature Italian Econoline! Well, now you can, simply by placing the winning bid on this 1958 Fiat 600 Multipla. Like the Ghia 1500GT, this one has been outstanding in its field for many years (the seller describes the setup as "LONG TIME OUTSIDE STORAGE"), so you figure the interior has been thoroughly destroyed by the California sun and all the components that ever touched fluid will need replacing. Fiat 600s aren't absolutely impossible to find in North America (just nearly impossible), so you might be able to avoid having all your parts shipped from Italy with this project. The seller uses the future tense when describing the engine's running condition, but I know what you're all thinking, so maybe the engine condition is irrelevant. The rust isn't too bad, but the windshield is broken (wonder how much it costs to get a new one shipped from Rome?) and some trim pieces are long gone. But still, imagine being able to haul yourself and three companions, plus luggage, in a car that can park anywhere!
Comments
dammit, there was a same vintage Mitlipa here in OK for $300. I emailed within an hour of it posting, but somehow, the ad was flagged down!
It made no sense until I saw another ad for someone looking to buy Fiat parts and/or cars, so I guess the new way to do business on craigslist is to flag down anything you want to keep for yourself...
Impossible Vote Edition!
I voted for the Ghia, only because trim parts will be harder to come by, but both of these are covetable and would make great garage-partners. I would buy em both and do the Multipla first so I could drive it around getting work done on the Ghia.
Since the Multipla is a first cousin of my old Fiat 600, i must say,"Fix it again tony!" and go with the baby bus.
I went with the Multipla mainly because if you actually finish the 1500GT people will say "Cool!" if you ever finish the Multipla people will just say "Why?"
The Multipla gets bonus points for being a ready made coffin if ever hit... by a Toyota.
Ah, the Multipla! Being able to haul 3 buddies, AND luggage, and park in 3/4 of a parking space, all while never being able to go any faster than 30-35 MPH....what's not to like about it? This is (probably) the only car slower than my '69 Opel Kadett 1.1 Liter Station Wagon, but 20 times more stylish.
Rust-MyEnemy shallow, style-obsessed edition.
I'm going Ghia. Such a pretty car. Kinda predicts the Datsun 240z in proportion, but much more delicate. The real challenge would be updating it without losing its core appeal.
Plus, my Dad had a Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia. If the Fiat is anywhere near as awesome as the Sierra was...
Multipla, multiple levels of PCH
Why do I have the odd feeling that the Multipla is the spiritual ancestor of the Scion Hako concept that has been the subject of such scorn in NYC during the press preview? It gets my vote (gotta love something that looks like the box it was delivered in).
Multipla....5 years and $14,000 of resto later and you to can go 0-60 in 14.6 seconds!
Multipla for me... I just can see myself putting around in it with the old elbow propped outta the window!! le sigh.....
@Bento: Are 4.25 of those 5 years just for parts shopping?
The Multipla has such a cute little face...I just can't turn it down.
When you finally finish the Ghia, people may think you've completed some kind of kit car. When you finish the Multipla, they'd just stand there dumbfounded.
Multipla it is.
@I'm so Malaise I can't taste it!!!!!!!!!11: Yes, but Part Shopping in Tuscany sure beats part shopping in Compton!
This is got to be one of the harder ones, and just re-affirms my love for Murilee. Who else can pull out 2 fantastic Junkyard Masterpieces daily. I say, Next Monday should be Murilee appreciation Day!
I voted for the Multipla too. It looks way kewller, and its hard to beat forward control.
Suicide doors, and using your knees for a crumple zone.... gotta be the Multipla!
This is soooo damn hard, the thought of the Multipla sporting a 'busa vs. the downright style of the Ghia ... then again, that Ghia restored would be an absolute p-magnet. Try to get laid driving the Multipla.
@Bento:
"...Part Shopping in Tuscany sure beats part shopping in Compton!"
...and the dining out is far superior as well...
@Vintage Racer: I was just thinking, are those extra-long overriders on the Multipla or the previous owner's shins?
Multipla, for the huge grin, lack of crash safety, and motorbike-engine-mountability.
Actually, forget that, I'll drop in a Kubota diesel tractor engine and get three-digit fuel economy... well, when I let off the go pedal anyway!
When you're done pouring soul, blood, and money into these projects, what do you have? On the one hand, a microvan that pretty much everybody can relate to or at least recognize as something unique. On the other hand, you have something that will look to the VAST majority of clueless like a Datsun 240Z. The Ghia has to be more hellish once this is taken into account.
i am planning on restoring that cute little multipla and it should hold all the millions that those nice people over in nigeria are sending me.
@Piloter: Naaaah, it's a Jag E-type. Much more, ah, classy.
@Froggmann: Exactly. Even if regular folk don't have any idea what the 1500GT is, at least it is good-looking. The Multipla is downright baffling.
Besides, I voted for the Multipla anyway, because it's just so much cooler.
Oh my Eric Clapton, I must be god!
I just posted about the multipla and here it is before me!
But if im god then what the hell is Eric Clapton?...
My religion is so confusing....
anybody else here a christcientologist
A GT6-alike made by fiat with a 4 banger ? SOLD!
@Brian B: "Try to get laid driving the Multipla."
Hey, that's part of it's charm. I'm thinking pull out the rear seats, black out the windows, mural one or two of 'em, install some shag carpeting. Sweet deal, a mini custom van that's so slow you can hit top speed, crawl in the back for a few minutes of rhythm and romance, emerge back to the front to find that you have not only NOT crashed, but you are still within sight of where you started.
@abgwin:
So did you flag the jerk down?
Italian clown car vs. almost one off Ghia, built on a Fiat no one in the US has even heard of (my father did have a 1600 in his younger days) that will probably be confused with a kit car of some sort if you ever get it on the road.
I'll take the Ghia, just for the famous words in the ad "ran when parked".
Got to be the one-boxer. Classic design. The original mini-van. Oh, right, nevermind...
1) Trim pieces for the Multipla EXIST. Wimps
2) Can I put the Ghia emblem from my Monarch Ghia on the 1500? Oh Hells Yeah!
Beleive me, theres some schlub in Italy with a hard-on for the 1500 that'll buy it off eBay.
Ha. I showed my wife both these cars before they were on Jalop. She liked the van.
Didn't you guys read the ads? The Multipla is nearly mint. Even has spare carbs and such.
But the phat Fhiat Ghia--mamma mia, it's a hot little Italian mess that needs a "metal man." The seller is obviously a life-long hermit who has rarely seen a car and can barely recognize this one as such, even with Google. And of course it "ran when parked." Isn't that phrase true of EVERY car that was ever parked? How did you park it if it was not running?
Anyway, what you have here is a down on her luck sexy Italian lady--only you can see her true siren beauty, only you can rescue her--orphan that she is. And then you find out she's actually a seriously disturbed psycho--you know, like "Audition." And you still feel kinda sorry for her, even when she sticks the needles into your eye sockets--not your eyes, though. That's too obvious. And you wouldn't be able to see the horror. The horror. The grand ghia-ginol horror.
DId I mention I once had a bad experience with a Fiat?
Multipla ... because if you mention it to someone and they google it, they'll be greeted with the 1998 version instead.
Let's say it all together now, boys and girls:
Fix It Again, Tony.
If you insist on voting this hellproject, reach into your pocket and bring out the Digital Decision Generator.
That would be a coin, to flip...
I'll take the Ghia, with the aforementioned twin-cam Fiat engine.
By the way, since we're talking about the JFG and workhorse engine of the day, when will those segments be returning? Personally, I don't care too much for all this auto show hoopla.
@discontinuuity: I think I'll bring the WEOTD back, only this time around it'll just be the Engine of the Day. That gives us a bigger pool of engines to choose from.
when I was a student a friend of mine had a multipla the interior of which alway smelled like cat pee so that gets my vote especially because if you squint it looks a bit like a 4-wheeled Easter egg
@OneWithNature: Question: "But if im god then what the hell is Eric Clapton?"
Answer: A carpetbagger.
If I had the money, I'd actually want to restore the Ghia. So, the Multipla is the obvious PCH choice.
the Ghia ..it just looks indomitable in restoration HELL
almost as much as any Lucas swathed Briton
There's some dude in San Francisco up on Mt. Olympus who has one or maybe TWO Ghias (and a 70's Rolls Royce) -parked on the street, beautiful soft metallic blue... pretty amazing. Go Ghia. The Multipla is a crowd pleaser.. the Ghia is the one to be the secret surprise.
thats one of my favorite ghia´s cars...
[static.flickr.com]
[www.seiscientos.org]
enjoy....
(check the first picture...you gonna love the jolly ghia)
[www.europeancarweb.com] other jolly ghia
The '58 Multipla. A van that looks like it was taken out of the oven too soon. How cool is that?
Multipla all the way - think of it as a pint-sized Herkimer Battle Jitney.
Busa power is mandatory, though I know someone that put a Moto-Guzzi drivetrain in their Fiat 500: [slum.net]