FIat 500

[pdplot]

A little blue sedan flew through an intersection and I gave chase to see what it was. It had a few slits in the rear lid so I knew it was rear engined. It was immaculate - like it came from the showroom. I caught up with it and saw the name Fiat on the back. Then I had to turn off. Back home, I checked out the old models and found the car - a Nuovo Fiat 500 - even smaller than the 600 that was sold here. It had a 2-cylinder engine putting out 20 hp but I tell you this little thing was flat out at about 55 on a crowded road. He must have had his size 9 to the floorboards. It was one of the cutest small cars I've seen.

 

[JPSmit]

A little blue sedan flew through an intersection and I gave chase to see what it was. It had a few slits in the rear lid so I knew it was rear engined. It was immaculate - like it came from the showroom. I caught up with it and saw the name Fiat on the back. Then I had to turn off. Back home, I checked out the old models and found the car - a Nuovo Fiat 500 - even smaller than the 600 that was sold here. It had a 2-cylinder engine putting out 20 hp but I tell you this little thing was flat out at about 55 on a crowded road. He must have had his size 9 to the floorboards. It was one of the cutest small cars I've seen.

so cute - so small!

 

[Deleted member 8987]

I had a 600. Literally the worst vehicle I have ever owned.

While I owned it, I went to the Base Library to do research. Found an owner's manual for a Topolino (little mouse?). Normal maintenance was to open the lid (rear...bonnet) and tighten everything you could see or reach. Seriously.

I ran into a guy on base who used to own a 500. Driving down the freeway one day, big bang, car jumped a bit....seemed to run and handle okay, ignored it.
Until it got colder, and he realized he had no heat.

Heater had fallen off. Air cooled. Depending on year, 15-22HP. Starter motors probably have more horsepower than that.

Another term used in Italy for the car is "The Cinquecento". I heard Topolino in Naples in the early 70's.

 

[DrEntropy]

Learned a couple months ago the "self-adjusting" brakes on a Topolino are dependent on the frictional resistance of a couple washers holding the shoes to the backing plates, and the ~proper~ return-spring tension... the new springs supplied in most "kits" for the car have too much tension and pull the shoes back to a "zero" position, making it impossible to get a good pedal. We must have run half a gallon of brake fluid thru the system thinking it a hydraulic issue, before realizing it was a mechanical one. Started hunting the 'net, found many others having the same problem. Solution was to S T R E T C H the springs! Found that answer from a chap in England, on a Fiat 500 forum. Strange, frustrating little cars!

 

[NutmegCT]

" ... the "self-adjusting" brakes on a Topolino are dependent on the frictional resistance of a couple washers holding the shoes to the backing plates, ..."

Doc - you're describing the self adjusting system on the Mercedes-Benz of the 1950s and 1960s. The "friction washers" are supposed to make up for shoe wear. Emphasis on *are supposed to*.

Part #11 on the diagram.

 

[DrEntropy]

Same principle. Whoever is making the replacement kits now likely has no idea what they're making. I used the old springs in the end, gave them a bit of a stretch too though. Resulted in a good pedal on the second stroke. Car now works fine.