FIAT 500C BELVEDERE
Year of manufacture 1955 Recorded mileage 98,077
Asking price £15,995 Vendor Robin Lawton, between Petersfield and Alton, Hants; tel: 01420 474919; www.robinlawton.com WHEN IT WAS NEW Price £582 Max power 16bhp Max torque 22lb ft
0-50mph 51 secs Top speed 55mph Mpg 44
This rare Belvedere, from the last year of Topolino production, is one of 60 right-hookers made and thought to be unique in the UK. It was supplied new to Africa, came to the UK in 1998 and was rebuilt c15 years ago, the latest owner (from 2013) further improving it. There are no bills for the resto, but there are recent invoices for items such as an electric fuel pump.
It’s a delight. The body is straight with close door fits and the paint is still all nice, with a hint of orange peel. The rot-free chassis is super-clean and all of the aluminium trim is intact, with only slight pitting in places. The bumpers have been rechromed, but the front is a bit rippled, and Lucas lights have cleverly been incorporated into the original Carello housings, with orange flashers neatly added under the tail/stop lights. The folding vinyl top is in fine order, but the rear side window rubbers are hardened. The refinished wheels are shod with correct, almost unworn Michelin Xs.
Inside, the seat vinyl has been redone, and there are repro floor mats plus new leather door check straps. All the lovely Deco switches are intact, but the steering wheel plastic is cracked in places. Some welded repairs are evident to the inner A-pillars. In the boot we find spare paint and a new-old-stock Payen engine gasket set, plus sundry other parts.
The 569cc pushrod ‘four’ is tidy, with coolant full, oil dark and near ‘Max’. It starts easily, makes hardly any mechanical noise and settles to a sweet idle. It drives well, with a quick non-synchro gearchange and, though performance is leisurely, it will eventually amble its way up to a 45mph cruise. The longish-travel brakes are surprisingly good and pull up straight. Everything works, apart from the rear-view-mirror-controlled cabin light. Oil pressure is 25psi at warm idle and 27psi driving, and the mechanical fuel gauge – yes, really: by float – registers. It comes with lots of history, a repro workshop manual and original Nyasaland registration document.