I also see what appears to a ’70-71 Camaro, a ’64-65 Chevelle and naturally the Corvette. Of course then my eyes may be playing tricks on me, something they do sometimes.
I was going to say ’69 but I was second guessing myself. When in doubt always go with the first gut answer. Forgot the 2nd gen had no convertible. At least I was riding, driving and repairing a great many of these cars in the mid 60’s to mid 70’s. It was a time never to be repeated. I am glad I got to experience it, anywhere from a 64 GTO in 64 to a mid 60’s Jaguar to a 64 Fairlane convertible to a 60’s Ferrari and to a ’67 427 Vette everything between, an era never to experienced again. Today street racers have nothing on the highway racers where we had a stretch of 101 N of Otis Junction marked off with 1\4 mile strip and cars lining both sides of the 101 at Salmon River for a mile. Surprised we weren’t all dead or in jail but in those days things were very different.
The REAL deal Fiat 500 with the rear engine. I rode in one once and its an experience you`ll never forget for all the right-and wrong reasons. Photo shows just how small this car really is. BTW Mr. Stopford-do you live in Brooklyn, NY? My former residence.
Bath Beach until January 2014 , then I moved to Freehold, NJ. There are plenty of CCs here, especially on some of the country and back roads. Prehaps some day I`ll contribute to Curbside Classics if they would have me.
Just a reminder: The “real” Fiat 500 was the front-engine “Topolino” of the 1930s. This rear-engine 1950s-1970s car was technically the “Nuova 500;” the first recycling of the old name on a new and different vehicle line. Kind of makes today’s 500 seem less unprecedented, doesn’t it?
In the early 1970’s a friend had several of these that came to him with VW 40hp engines stuffed in (a common swap in the 1960’s) , he yanked the dead VW engines out and found Fiat Abarth (? IIRC) engines from a local Junk Yard and fitted them ~ between breakdowns they were absolute screamers .
The increase in size and the gradual shift upward of what we consider normal is disconcerting. Last week I saw a BMW 2002 in traffic and I was astonished by how small it looked. I think of the 2002 and early 3 series as normal sized cars but surrounded by SUVs the 02 looked like a Mini. Come to that an original Mini looks every bit as dinky as that Fiat 500 and there are a few of them in regular use around here.
When my Son was very young I bought a 1968 Malibu 300 ex Sacramento Detective car , a total stripper 4 door sedan .
Many years later we were at some car show and I pointed one out to him asking if he remembered driving all across America in the back seat ~ he exclaimed ” !? what ?! that thing’s not big , I remember Mom’s old Cop car , it was _HUGE_ ! ” .
Even the Corolla looks huge compared to the Fiat! The CRV dwarfs it.
This size difference caught my eye at the local cars and coffee last weekend (forgive the cruddy picture):
I also see what appears to a ’70-71 Camaro, a ’64-65 Chevelle and naturally the Corvette. Of course then my eyes may be playing tricks on me, something they do sometimes.
definitely playing tricks on you, that’s a 69 Camaro ragtop, of which wasn’t available in the second generations
I was going to say ’69 but I was second guessing myself. When in doubt always go with the first gut answer. Forgot the 2nd gen had no convertible. At least I was riding, driving and repairing a great many of these cars in the mid 60’s to mid 70’s. It was a time never to be repeated. I am glad I got to experience it, anywhere from a 64 GTO in 64 to a mid 60’s Jaguar to a 64 Fairlane convertible to a 60’s Ferrari and to a ’67 427 Vette everything between, an era never to experienced again. Today street racers have nothing on the highway racers where we had a stretch of 101 N of Otis Junction marked off with 1\4 mile strip and cars lining both sides of the 101 at Salmon River for a mile. Surprised we weren’t all dead or in jail but in those days things were very different.
The REAL deal Fiat 500 with the rear engine. I rode in one once and its an experience you`ll never forget for all the right-and wrong reasons. Photo shows just how small this car really is. BTW Mr. Stopford-do you live in Brooklyn, NY? My former residence.
I used to live in Manhattan but spent a lot of time in Brooklyn. What neighbourhood did you live in?
Bath Beach until January 2014 , then I moved to Freehold, NJ. There are plenty of CCs here, especially on some of the country and back roads. Prehaps some day I`ll contribute to Curbside Classics if they would have me.
ALWAYS have wanted a real 500. Someday I may get…
“How many times do I have to tell you kids, don’t leave your toys in the street!”
Just a reminder: The “real” Fiat 500 was the front-engine “Topolino” of the 1930s. This rear-engine 1950s-1970s car was technically the “Nuova 500;” the first recycling of the old name on a new and different vehicle line. Kind of makes today’s 500 seem less unprecedented, doesn’t it?
At least the Nuova 500 was a direct replacement for the Topolino (unless I’m mistaken?) and had a 500cc engine (nominal at least).
Somebody parks a lime green Nuova 500 nearby daily I shot it last week though nothing large nearby as comparisim.
Such a cutie ! .
In the early 1970’s a friend had several of these that came to him with VW 40hp engines stuffed in (a common swap in the 1960’s) , he yanked the dead VW engines out and found Fiat Abarth (? IIRC) engines from a local Junk Yard and fitted them ~ between breakdowns they were absolute screamers .
-Nate
Mini vs Maxi
Saw this ‘David and Goliath’ when walking through the neighbourhood in Munich yesterday and couldn’t resist taking photo…
Even my “International sized” Seville looks huge in comparison to a Smart car.
The increase in size and the gradual shift upward of what we consider normal is disconcerting. Last week I saw a BMW 2002 in traffic and I was astonished by how small it looked. I think of the 2002 and early 3 series as normal sized cars but surrounded by SUVs the 02 looked like a Mini. Come to that an original Mini looks every bit as dinky as that Fiat 500 and there are a few of them in regular use around here.
When my Son was very young I bought a 1968 Malibu 300 ex Sacramento Detective car , a total stripper 4 door sedan .
Many years later we were at some car show and I pointed one out to him asking if he remembered driving all across America in the back seat ~ he exclaimed ” !? what ?! that thing’s not big , I remember Mom’s old Cop car , it was _HUGE_ ! ” .
Perspective indeed .
-Nate