Car of the Week: 1969 Fiat 500L

mongooz

mongooz

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Wayne Hayward loved his little 1969 Fiat 500L so much that he couldn’t leave it behind. He just had to bring it home with him — all the way across the Atlantic Ocean.

Hayward drove the wheels off the tiny sedan while he lived and worked in Italy. He didn’t mind using a 50-year-old microcar as his daily transportation — even in the hills and snow of northern Italy. He had so much fun being squeezed behind the wheel that he brought it home to Plainwell, Mich., with the rest of his belongings.

Hayward isn’t certain what it was that made him want a tiny, time warp car as daily transportation in a foreign nation. He says he just seemed to gravitate to the cars during his time overseas and after buying a different car for his wife from a dealer, the conversation turned to old Fiats.

read more: https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1969-fiat-500l
 
tiger roach said:
I hope that thing strapped to the back is a first aid kit. :grin:

It is kind of a cool little car. I bet it was beaten soundly in the marketplace by the Beetle.
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i don't know about that, in Italy. maybe so, tho, since he said "northern italy". :shrug:

also, what's on the back doesn't look like a first aid kit......
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dodgechargerfan said:
There’s a yellow one around the corner from me. The guy that owns and drives it is about 6’2” and probably 270lbs.
It’s comical and cool at the same time.
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There's a house a few blocks away from me with a couple of these and one new one. I've never seen the residents driving them but they too are big folks and I would imagine a similar visual. The classic ones look in reasonable shape but don't look like they've moved an inch in years.
 
I love these old Fiats, and always wanted a yellow one so I could drive around town pretending I'm Lupin III.

I still have my 500C. It doesn't feel small when I'm driving it because the seat is so high compared to most small cars. It's been fun, but ridiculously high-maintenance for such a basic car. (Pro tip: Whenever a part breaks on a Fiat, order two replacement parts, because you'll be doing it again if you keep the car long. I Am not kidding.)
 
The 500 makes all sorts of sense in the old narrow Italian streets and mountain roads. Loads of people take pride in keeping these old bangers in working condition and use them for the daily commute and for shopping.
 
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