1972 Fiat 500L “Abarth Homage” |

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1972 Fiat 500L “Abarth Homage”

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Mileage~84,819
TransmissionManual
Engine0.65L
LocationHalifax

AUCTION CLOSED

1972 Fiat 500L “Abarth Homage”

Introduction

Isaac Wass

Professional Consigner

The Fiat 500 L is a charming Italian classic, instantly recognisable and adored by everyone for its simplistic and stylish design.

The Fiat 500 has resonated with the public for over ~65 years, and indeed with Fiat themselves who leaned heavily on the design for the modern 500 they sell today. However, its appeal goes way beyond the cheeky styling. Its nimble handling, clever packaging and fuel efficiency were purpose-built for the narrow streets and set the benchmark for the city car. Continuously developed over its two-decade lifespan, the later 500 L (or Lusso) version is often considered the best option, for those seeking interior creature comforts and a little more refinement. The car benefits from being fitted with a more powerful 650cc engine from the later 126.

Coming to market from ~18 year family ownership, the seller inherited the car from his father. The car has been fully restored and upgraded over time by both the current family and previous owner, it could be considered an homage to the racing Abarth cars. Resprayed in "Rosso Corsa", the car has also had a brand new 650cc engine fitted which has only covered ~600 miles. Additional works completed by the current owners father have also included; new front disc brakes and shock absorbers, new front seat belts, an Abarth valve cover, sump and cowling cover, new Weber carburettor and fuel pump fitted, re-conditioned synchromesh gearbox and new clutch, Abarth gear lever with gate change, sports exhaust, 4 chrome Borrani wire wheels, LED head lamps. This is a cracking little runner that is waiting to be used and enjoyed.

This listing was written from information supplied by Isaac after meeting Richard the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

A little pocket rocket, it's been in the family for the last ~18 years.

Having inherited the car from his late father, the Fiat holds fond memories for the current owner Richard. He tells us "My father loved the car and all of its charm". The car was bought in great condition, having had a restoration completed on the body, and some modifications like suspension upgrades, but as mentioned, Richards dad further improved the car with an 650cc engine and numerous other elements to the running gear.

As the car is getting much less use, especially over the past few years, the time has come to help the 500 L find its new home. "It's a reluctant sale, but realistically, I'm not getting the use out of the car that I'd like. The car is taken out regularly, albeit on short runs, just to keep the battery charged and tyres pumped up". Richard will be available to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Richard

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

A worldwide icon, the Fiat 500L never fails to give people a smile when then see it.

Wheels and Tyres

The Fiat is fitted with Borrani 12" silver multi-spoke wheels with a central locking nut. The wheels are in reasonable condition but would benefit from refurbishment to bring them back to a high standard like the rest of the car, signs of surface corrosion to the spokes as pictured.

The car is fitted with Ceat tyres to the front and Marango's to the rear, these appear to have a good amount of tread left. For a more detailed view of the 500 L's exterior and a closer inspection of the wheels and tyres, please refer to the photos and videos.

Bodywork

Looking over the 500L during our visit, we noted that the car has decent panel gaps, and the bonnet and boot open and close smoothly. The door gaps were good although they dropped slightly when opening; this didn't cause major concern for us when entering or exiting the car. The car is said to have undergone a body restoration by the former keeper, which included the flared wheel arches.

We've highlighted our observations in more detail through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take the time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The paint looks in good condition, having been painted in "Rosso Corsa" early in 2006 whilst with the former keeper. The paint coverage was consistent over the main panels and didn't present any concerns with the paint coverage. We did note a mark to the finish where the paint had cracked and has shown some signs of corrosion on the nearside roof edge, just above the passenger door.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass on the Fiat looked in good condition, in line with the age; we didn't notice any cracks or discolouration on our visit. There were some scratches to the glass sections and main windscreen. The window seals look in a respectable condition, although some sections showed with signs of perishing, which may need future attention.

The front and rear lights looked well-maintained and well fitted. Badges and motifs are all present, although the front and rear badges show their age. Chrome trim sections look good around the car and a storage rack is fitted to the rear. Looking over the sun-roof, the fabric looked great and showed minimal issues on this area.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

With a minimalist design, the 500L packs in tons of charm and charisma inside its smaller stature.

Seats and Carpets

The Fiat is kitted out with black and red leather seat covers. Overall the seats look great, contrasting well with the exterior of the car. We didn't note any concerns with rips or tears to the seats and the rear section showed well also, just a slight mark to the seat rears.

The main carpet of the interior showed in good condition just a few signs of lifting to the carpet edges. Looking underneath the mats showed the car had no concern. Over in the boot the carpet areas looked good and the spare wheel is present.

Dashboard

A minimalistic dashboard and instrument cluster, the later L rectangle design. The numbers appear clear and legible with no concerning issues. The odometer displayed ~84,819 miles at the time of our visit.

The dials, switches, and controls all appeared to be in good condition, with surfaces appearing free from fogging or scratching. A nice feature is the classic Butler map reading light that has been fitted to the top of the dash. Our interior gallery section offers a closer look at the Fiat's dashboard.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The Momo branded steering wheel is in good condition, consistent with the mileage of this car although does show with signs of patina. The Abarth branded gear knob and selector also appears to be in good condition.

Additional images of the cabin area, including the steering wheel, are available in our Interior Gallery section - visit to see more details of what the 500 L has to offer.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Small and nimble, the 500L is a really sprightly car perfect for city traffic but equally at home around the town.

Engine and Gearbox

Being an "Abarth Homage", the car is fitted with a 650cc engine. This is a new unit sourced from a 126 during the current family ownership and has barely covered ~600 miles. The car took a couple of turns to start, typical for a 500 like this that hadn't been moved for a week, we weren't concerned with the mechanical performance of the 500L.

We took the car out on local roads with Richard to get a better feel for its performance. Throughout the drive, we shifted through the gears, the car having been fitted with a reconditioned gearbox and clutch in 2011 looking at the paperwork. For a closer look underneath the 500L and an overview of the engine bay, please refer to the mechanical video as well.

Suspension and Brakes

The car is fitted with lowered sportier suspension, this has seen maintenance/refurbishment as needed during the current ownership. We noted no overly concerning noises coming from the suspension when we were on the road.

Painted yellow to match the engine highlights, the brakes bring the car to a halt in a straight line with no juddering reported to come through the pedal, working in line with the expectations of a 500.

We cover the underside of the car in our 'Mechanical Gallery' section. Head over to our video section, where we've summarised our visit in more detail for you to view for yourself. We take you around the mechanical elements of the car and give you an overview of what's on offer here.

The Drive

We took the car on some local roads to gain a better view of what the 500 L offers. During the drive, we went through the motions, working through the gears of the Fiat for a check over on the car's performance.

Light and small, but with a little bit of pace to keep up with the town traffic, the Fiat packs in so much charm into its shapely Italian curves. Our "On the Road" video gives an overview of the car and how it performs whilst driving.

Electrics and Other

Given the Fiat is a 70's car, ultimately the electronics are limited, instead the car is focused on the drive and spirit.

All switches, dials, and gauges appear undamaged and in good condition. Richard mentioned that he's had no issues with the electrical elements of the car and confirmed everything working correctly.

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History and Paperwork

This Fiat 500L homage to Abarth is remarkable for its age, having being on the road for ~52 years, coming to market from ~18 year family ownership with some sporty upgrades.

The Fiat has been garaged throughout its ownership, which has benefited the presentation of the car. Coming to market after ~8 months of ownership following inheritance from the current owner's late father who had owned the car for ~18 years. Richard's father carried out much of the work on the car, which included fitting a new 650cc engine which we have detailed below. Richard tells us, the best way to summarise the car is that "It's a modernised Abarth Homage".

Richard father had completed a re-build including new bumpers, door and boot handles and trim, period number plates, front disc brakes and shock absorbers, various suspension bushes, new front seat belts, new Fiat 650 engine purchased in Italy at ~84228 miles. The Fiat then had an Abarth valve cover, sump and cowling cover, new Weber carburettor and fuel pump fitted. Additional works also included powder coated fan cowling, re-conditioned synchromesh gearbox and new clutch, Abarth gear lever with gate change, sports exhaust, 4 chrome Borrani wire wheels, LED head lamps, rear chrome luggage rack and new seat covers to the front and rear.

The previous owner bought the car in 1993 with the mileage at ~80,641. They fitted many new parts including electronic ignition, alternator, new starter motor, Momo steering wheel, lowered suspension, full body re-build including wing extensions and re-spray Rosso Corsa by a Ferrari Specialist. The Fiat was previously painted black, with its colour changed in November 2006.

Richard's father kept hand written notes for all the work carried out on the car which has undergone significant work over the years, also including: a new battery fitted in July 2021, wiper blades replaced in November 2019, LED headlamps and bulb covers installed in March 2017, carb jets replaced in November 2016, new brake callipers and pedal springs in October 2016.

The fuel pump was updated in October 2015, an upgraded Fiat 126 engine and Weber carburettor were fitted in June 2015, fan belt and exhaust brackets replaced in February 2015. A KandN air filter and thermostat were installed in July 2014. An exhaust system was fitted in October 2013, wire wheels installed in November 2012, and a new Abarth-branded gear knob in September 2012.

The gearbox and clutch were reconditioned, 2 front shock absorbers installed, wishbone bushings added, and new front disc brakes fitted in 2011. We've conducted all our usual seller checks, including photo ID, V5 document, and also an HPI check on the vehicle. The car had upgrades in 2007, including a new fan belt, voltage regulator, seat covers, sound deadening, and mirrors.

Significant restoration work was carried out in 2006, including a rebuild, respray, replacement of the starter motor, seat belts, number plates, new bumpers, battery switch, and sports exhaust.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
25.10.2022	MOT	84,771
20.10.2021	MOT	84,749
19.10.2020	MOT	84,733
16.04.2019	MOT	84,626
11.04.2018	MOT	84,547
21.03.2017	MOT	84,455
14.04.2016	MOT	84,292
13.04.2015	MOT	84,175
07.04.2014	MOT	84,021
08.04.2013	MOT	83,923
05.04.2012	MOT	83,823
21.04.2011	MOT	83,699
26.08.2010	MOT	83,437
31.03.2009	MOT	83,631
08.04.2008	MOT	83,496
11.04.2007	MOT	82,710
27.06.2006	MOT	82,512

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Key Details

Model500L
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date21.04.1972
CC650
Mileage~84,819 on clock
HistoryGood
ColourRed
Interior ColourBlack / Red
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #2971747
Engine #5007534
RestoredYes
Engine RebuildYes
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers9
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~8 months, ~18 year family owned
Key FeatureAbarth homage and long family ownership
Auction ID2010

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Vehicle Location

Halifax

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