Description

This 1951 Fiat 500 C Topolino Trasformabile was sold new in Pistoia, Italy and has remained in the Tuscan province ever since. It was refurbished five years ago by the previous owner, who was the son of the second owner. He repainted the body in its original color, refurbished the soft top and interior, rebuilt the 569cc inline-four, 4-speed gearbox, and radiator, replaced the brakes, and more. The selling dealer recently acquired this Model C and has serviced the car with new suspension, exhaust system, steering box, and had the head rebuilt. Invoices and photos documenting the recent work performed are included, and the car is being sold with a clean Italian libretto and certificate of ownership in the seller’s name.

The car received a bare-metal repaint in its original Verde Chiaro (320) color five years ago, and new rubber seals and vinyl wing piping along the fender joints were added all around. There are two tiny touch ups on the rear trunk lid. Photos of paint meter results have been provided, and sheet metal appears straight with no bondo or rust reported. The doors are said to close solidly with correct gaps between panels, and a new outside door lock was recently installed.

After the paint work was completed the soft top frame was disassembled, reupholstered with new black vinyl, and reinstalled. A new set of hubcaps and Vee Rubber V329 tires were just added by the seller.

Inside, new grey cloth upholstery was installed by the previous owner. The fabric is in good condition with no rips or tears, though some staining is evident on the outside seat bolsters and door panels. New rubber flooring was also added and shows some slight fading in places.

The chrome trim on the dash shows some pitting, most notably on the fuel/oil pressure gauge bezel. The gauges are said to be functioning properly, and the odometer shows 55k kilometers.

The factory 569cc inline-four engine is paired to a 4-speed manual transmission. The motor, gearbox, and radiator were rebuilt by the previous owner five years ago, and work included new bearings on the front steering linkages and new wiring. After 100 kms of testing the car it became apparent to the seller that the head gasket had failed due to a faulty nut on the head. The head and bolts were professionally skimmed and rebuilt, a new complete exhaust system and steering box were installed, an alignment was performed, and the heater linkage was rebuilt. After another 100 kms of test driving the car is reported to drive well with no steering play.

The brakes and brake pump were replaced by the previous owner, and the suspension was refreshed by the seller with all new shocks, springs, bushings, and sway bar. Several photos of the undercarriage are available for viewing in the image gallery below.

Invoices for all the parts and labor, and photos of the work done by the seller are included, along with some original registration documents. Worldwide shipping can be facilitated by the seller and includes transporting the car from his warehouse to the port in Livorno, Italy, documents notarized ready for the registration process, and courier fees. The car will be pushed onto transport when leaving the warehouse, and fixed in the container with other classic cars.

The videos below show the car starting and revving, and driving around the seller’s shop.