To be sold at the Gooding & Company Amelia Island Auction on March 8, 2013. For further details please visit www.goodingco.com or contact a vehicle specialist at 001.310.899.1960 or specialist@goodingco.com.
Engine Specifications:
567 CC OHV Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single 2-Barrel Weber Carburetor
16.5 BHP at 4,400 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
Independent Front Suspension with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Live Rear Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
About this Car:
Conceived in 1936 as a simple and affordable “people’s car” – similar in purpose to Ferdinand Porsche’s KdF-Wagen – Fiat’s 500 Topolino or “Little Mouse” was a simple, sturdy, and highly economical vehicle for Italy’s masses. Fiat chair Giovanni Agnelli-solicited proposals for the new car from the Italian public; but in fact, the production design eventually chosen was the brainchild of renowned Fiat engineer Dante Giacosa.
While low in price, the 500 featured advanced engineering with its four-speed manual gearbox (synchromesh 3rd and 4th gears), hydraulic brakes, and independent front suspension. Post-war, the basic design was updated for 1948 with the 500B heralding an overhead-valve cylinder head plus other improvements. A modern, wider frontal treatment arrived with the 500C for 1949, which continued through 1954. In addition to coupe and cabriolet (sliding sunroof) models, the 500 line included a handsome estate wagon in wood-trimmed Giardiniera, and all-steel Belvedere guises. At once chic and usable, the Belvedere also enjoys an unlikely association with motor sports, having served as a course car at the Targa Florio and even competing in the 1954 edition of the storied Mille Miglia.
Utterly charming, this original right-hand-drive, export-model Fiat 500C Belvedere from 1953 is a truly wonderful, upscale example of Italy’s most popular car of the era. Its early history includes a number of years of use in the Horn of Africa in Eritrea and more recently, former owner Paul Tortolani of the UK entered the Belvedere into a number of hill climbs to great fanfare. In 2002, the present owner acquired the Belvedere from Mr. Tortolani; and ever since, it has resided at the consignor’s Florida beach home, providing an abundance of pure joy and timeless Italian style with every outing.
Refinished by the former owner prior to acquisition by the consignor in medium grey with contrasting light grey panels, the Belvedere features a large sliding sunroof, rear-hinged doors, a well-preserved and unrestored interior with gentle aluminum fittings, and a nice, age- appropriate patina. The Belvedere’s utility is quite remarkable, given its side-opening rear door and remarkably spacious passenger compartment, capable of accommodating four adults or two adults and up to three small children. Offered complete with owner’s manuals, retaining its matching-numbers engine, and ready for a new family to love, the Belvedere is eligible for entry into the Mille Miglia as well, offering many great opportunities for its next caretaker.
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