Sebastiano’s journey with the 1971 Fiat 500F is a tale of passion, perseverance, and the timeless allure of classic cars. From his early fascination with all things vintage to the hands-on restoration of this Italian icon, Sebastiano’s story is one of personal growth and mechanical mastery. The Fiat 500F, a symbol of Italy’s automotive heritage, found its way into Sebastiano’s life through his father, who acquired it from a fellow Italian in need. Despite its compact size challenging his father’s stature, the car became a cherished family relic.
The Fiat’s history is as rich as its cultural significance, once serving as a wedding vehicle in Italy, and Sebastiano’s dedication to its revival is a testament to his commitment to preserving its legacy. Taking on the restoration with minimal mechanical experience, he turned to an original manual and online resources to breathe new life into the vehicle. His efforts transformed the Fiat from a garage-bound memory to a vibrant, road-worthy testament to his hard work, featuring a fuel-efficient 499cc engine, a four-speed manual transmission, and a sporty aesthetic with an Abarth steering wheel and dual pipe exhaust.
Now, with the title and ownership passed down by his father, Sebastiano’s bond with the Fiat 500F is not just about the car itself, but the community and shared passion for classic cars it has introduced him to. This story is more than just a restoration; it’s about the connections and experiences that come alive when one dives headfirst into the world of classic automobiles.Here is his story. . . .
Sebastiano’s 1971 Fiat 500F
I’ve always been interested in classic cars, for as long as I can remember I have always loved older things in general. Ever since I was young I always had the sense to tinker around with things, especially to take things apart. My father originally bought the car from a friend many years back, because my father is Italian, his friend who is also Italian needed some extra cash. So he sold this very Fiat 500F to my
father.
My father being quite tall for an Italian (6 ‘4), could barely even fit into the car. Especially with its tiny pedals, it was amusing to see a tall man fit into this tiny car and drive it.
This beautiful car has a rich history, being one of the most liked and recognizable classic cars, it’s so famous that it has become quite a symbol for Italy. There’s an old picture that the previous owner of the car gave to me showing that this very Fiat was the wedding car for someone’s wedding in Italy way back then!
As time went on my father tried to get this Fiat fixed by going to mechanics all around, it’s safe to say that they ripped him off and did not know what they were doing with this car. My father wanted to sell the car, but I convinced him not to. Unfortunately, later on, my father got sick and because of this he could not drive the car anymore. The car would lay sitting in the garage for a while. In this time I studied it as much as I could. So, because I always wanted to get my hands into fixing a car; I took it upon myself to restore this car. I had little experience in mechanics, but I knew just enough to get around to fixing this little Fiat.
With the help of an original manual for the car I found and some research online, I got to work. It was not an easy thing to do, it was quite a learning experience though. Sometimes I would struggle to fix a part of the car, as the mechanics that fix these imports have different methods to repair their cars as compared to American classics.
I’ve put a lot of work into this car, and learned quite a lot in the process. Even through hard imes trying to fix it, I persisted and never gave up.
After many months went by, I saw that I have improved the car a lot and was very pleased with the work I have done to it. From the body and interior. To the engine, brakes, and transmission; I fixed, cleaned, and improved many things on this 1971 Fiat 500F.
- It has a 499cc 18 HP Inline 2 Cylinder engine, quite the gasoline saver!
- A four-speed manual transmission.
- Both the engine and transmission are situated in the back of the car.
- It has black vinyl seats with a red stitching to it.
- It is painted a bright red with a mostly black interior and sunroof.
- It is also a bit sporty, suiting an Abrath steering wheel, lighter sporty wheel rims, and a dual pipe exhaust-all original.
My father, seeing how well I restored the car, passed the car onto me by name of title and ownership. I am quite thankful for that. Since then I have gotten into many projects, and met many great people who share the same passion with classic cars, or even needed help fixing and improving their own classic cars!
