1958 Fiat 600 Multipla | FerrariChat
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1958 Fiat 600 Multipla

Discussion in 'Other Italian' started by Miltonian, Sep 9, 2008.

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  1. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
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    Jeff B.
    #1 Miltonian, Sep 9, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I bought this car in 1992 - found it parked under a tree a few miles from my home. I had been looking for one for many years, and lucked onto this one, which had never been wrecked, and never had any significant rust. It had been parked indoors, untouched, for the previous 19 years. I paid $500 for it.

    I completely disassembled it and had it blasted down to bare metal, then repainted with full preparation steps. Unfortunately, at this point I parked it in my garage and never got around to reassembling it, so it was another 15 years before it saw the light of day. Just this morning I drove it under its own power all the way from my workshop to my driveway (maybe 150 feet)! It's almost done!

    Any other Multipla enthusiasts out there?
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  2. JCR

    JCR F1 World Champ
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    #2 JCR, Sep 9, 2008
    Nice resto. Very clean engine compartment.
     
  3. GIOTTO

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    #3 GIOTTO, Sep 9, 2008
    Beautifull restoration... For many people, this car is really ugly, but I like it very much. In the 60's (when I was young), I saw many of them in Italy.
     
  4. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

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    #4 Papa G, Sep 9, 2008
    There's a gentleman in my area that has one. Every year at the Tutto Italiano car show he brings this and gives rides around the show complex. You'll lose count at all the smiles this thing brings.
     
  5. harmitc

    harmitc Karting

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    #5 harmitc, Sep 10, 2008
    Thats fantastic! I would love one but getting very rare. Its not often you see one here in the UK. Please post a few more pic's.
     
  6. GIOTTO

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    #6 GIOTTO, Sep 10, 2008
  7. GIOTTO

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    #7 GIOTTO, Sep 10, 2008
  8. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #8 Miltonian, Sep 10, 2008
    More pics? Well, after leaving it outside all day yesterday so that I could look at it, I drove it back into the garage, jacked it up and put it on stands, and pulled off the wheels. I'm doing my final checks on the brakes and suspension, making sure that everything is tight and there are no leaks, in preparation for actually driving it again. I see that I am going to have to pull the handbrake shoes off and have them relined, there is no adjustment left on the cable. I can't take decent pictures in the garage, it's too cramped in there.

    I was trying really hard to have the car ready for the Italian Car Concours this year, but I failed to make the deadline. Next year for sure! I might even have the sister 600 Sedan ready as well.
     
  9. darkalley

    darkalley Formula Junior

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    #9 darkalley, Sep 10, 2008
    i found the official 0-60 time ................... as 54 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  10. billnoon

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    #10 billnoon, Sep 10, 2008
    54 seconds to 60mph! Are you kidding, I have two and have had three others. More like two minutes. To get to top speed which is 63.5mph! you learn right away.... NEVER LIFT! Keep the throttle mashed to the floor and hum the word... MOMENTUM!

    Cheers,

    Bill
     
  11. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ

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    #11 Nembo1777, Sep 11, 2008
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    Ah Bill since Tour Auto 1999 I always knew you had a thing for Multiplas:)

    Here is what I got to drive for a few minutes in the paddock at Le Mans Classic: as cute to drive as it looks, it raised a lot of cheers, almost as many as the Breadvan, even more when driven by its very spirited and pretty German owner Gabi: she could get away with murder in that: event the Gendarmes just waved and smiled!

    Best regards,

    Marc
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  12. oss117

    oss117 F1 Rookie

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    #12 oss117, Sep 11, 2008
    Nice restoration: congratulations !
    However if anyone thought that this ugly duckling could not be outdone, FIAT proved to everyone that it could out-do itself by producing the "New Multipla" !!
     
  13. Julio Batista

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    #13 Julio Batista, Sep 11, 2008
    Beautiful car and great restoration! I love it!

    Are these multiplas difficult to find in good shape? How much do they go for? (sorry for bringing up the money question)

    Julio
     
  14. BT

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    #14 BT, Sep 11, 2008
    I really like all those type of microcars. The Fiat 500, Jolly, Multipla are all cars I would love to own. Great looking restoration there!
    :)
    BT
     
  15. GIOTTO

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    #15 GIOTTO, Sep 11, 2008
    And... you don't need much room for them in a garage!
     
  16. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #16 Miltonian, Sep 11, 2008
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2008
    I've been watching the listings on ebay. There have been quite a few Multiplas offered for sale recently, but most of them are in hideous condition, which isn't really a surprise. There was one which sold on ebay for about $21,000 recently in California, and it looked quite similar to mine, but was lacking in some details. I have heard about one which sold for over $40,000 a couple of years ago at one of the big auctions in California, but I don't know if that story is true. Mr Noon, perhaps you know something about that?

    The "flickr" link that Giotto posted above was an eye-opener for me, I hadn't ever looked at that. It was a surprise that so many nice Multiplas are out there. Most of those are in Europe, I think.

    Mine is kind of special because it has been spruced up from front to back, top to bottom, inside, outside, and underneath. I've replaced almost all of the nuts, bolts, and washers. I cleaned up all of the steering and suspension pieces in my blast cabinet and repainted them. I had the wheels powder coated. The man who painted my car (in his home workshop) told me, "Jeff, I'll bet you that NO ONE has a Multipla that has had this much prep work done on its paint job." Sadly, he passed away a few years ago.

    A new Multipla cost about $1600 in 1958. Probably a goodly percentage of them were all used up and sent to the scrap heap by the time they were 10 years old, so now, 50 years up the road, there are almost none of them that have survived intact.

    Marc, thanks for the pictures of the Multipla at Le Mans!

    Bill, I'd like to hear about your experiences with Multiplas!

    Thank you all for your kind comments.
     
  17. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ

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    #17 Nembo1777, Sep 11, 2008
    Now the big question is....will a hemi fit in there?!:)
     
  18. richardwj

    richardwj Rookie

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    #18 richardwj, Sep 11, 2008
    Jeff,

    Gorgeous car!

    I have to ask which field in Milton? Around the same time 1991 or so I bought an 1100 out of a field in Milton and attempted to get a 1200 cab as well but it had already sold. The location was a little bit north of the Milton Tavern off Pac Hi-way. There was a mechanic that worked at shop near there that was into FIATs and had cars and stuff spread out all over.

    There was a nice grey Multipla in a barn in Auburn that I tried to get a few years later, but the they wouldn't sell even though it was with out its running gear (donated to an Abarth)

    I'm sorry you missed the concours, it would have been nice to have more 50's - 60's vintage FIATs on display. My 1100 was a little lonely!

    R
     
  19. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #19 Miltonian, Sep 11, 2008
    Richard, how very nice to see your post, welcome to Ferrari Chat!

    My Multipla was actually in Federal Way, just off 312th. I think I might know the place you are talking about north of the Milton Tav, a friend of mine bought a Yugo from a guy there sometime around 1993 (?). A neighbor of mine bought an 1100 (an R, I think) about the same time, I don't remember where it came from or where it went, it disappeared. I don't recall the 1200.

    I bought a 1959 1100 Sedan around 1971 ($200, I think) and used it for daily transport until I sold it to a guy who was the groundskeeper at Five Mile Lake park. It was blue when I owned it, he painted it "butterscotch". I don't know what became of that car either.

    I saw your 1100 at the show, and got a kick out of it! I was impressed with the preparation you did, having the brochures and manuals etc on display. I was planning on doing the same with the Multipla.

    Wonder where the Auburn car went? I know of two Multiplas in Seattle (not running) and one in Snoqualmie, and I hear of others from time to time, but I haven't seen them in person.

    I hope we can get together sometime.
     
  20. richardwj

    richardwj Rookie

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    #20 richardwj, Sep 11, 2008
    Wow small world!

    If the butterscotch 1100 had funky flowery plaid interior door panels then that is the one I pulled from the field. It looked to be a good car but it when we cleaned it up there wasn't much left below the doors since it had sunk into to mud.

    Funny you mention finding the car off of 312th. I sold my 1500 cab to teacher around 8th and 312th who restored it nicely, except for the pinto engine they installed.

    If I did meet you at the show I apologize for not remembering. A lot of people asked a lot of questions that day, it was almost overwhelming. I really wasn't expecting that an old FIAT would command so much attention.

    There are more old FIATs around out there, they just need to be discovered!

    I too hope our paths will cross.
     
  21. mrfissa

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    #21 mrfissa, Sep 12, 2008
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  22. Harry-SZ

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    #22 Harry-SZ, Sep 13, 2008
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    Great cars!! I really like that Abarth sponsored car!
    I once got the chance to drive one of these Multipla's. The driving isn't its best feature, but I was thrilled to have the opportunity to drive such a rare and cool car!
    They were so ahead of their time then.

    Here is a picture :
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  23. billnoon

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    #23 billnoon, Sep 13, 2008
    Most that come up for sale that are in running condition will set you back anywhere from $8,000 all the way up to $15,000. The big factor is rust and abuse. At the high end of this price bracket, ($15K) you should be getting a pretty decent example that has only minor issues at the most. Restored examples rarely come on the market. When they do, people will pay just about anything to purchase them. Figure no less than $25K on a truly spectacular example but many have traded for even more.

    I have one "survivor" example that needs nothing and is enjoyed frequently. My original "taxi" cab example has been in restoration since 1999! It is worked on as time and money allow. It was purchased from the original owner for $6,500. It was totally original and totally trashed / rusted out. I have $40K into it at the moment and it is probably another $10K away from being done. I expect it to be the finest example in the world when finished. (It better be!)

    I did have a perfect one about six years ago. Found it in Italy with a dealer who got it from the original owner who was too old to drive it any longer. 46,000 original kilometers, two-tone blue, all books, records and tools. I have never encountered another like it anywhere. Paint was original and perfect. Smelled like a new car on the inside.

    I took it to Monterey a few weeks after getting it and used it to go from the track to my hotel, the auctions, shows etc... Everywhere I went, people went crazy for it. I was racing an original 250 GTO that weekend and the Multipla got more attention.

    Eventually an older couple approached me in Carmel and offered $30K, $35K, $40K and finally $45K and I sold it to them but only after I was done with it the following Monday. They still have it and have put it into there trust for the grandchildren.

    Cheers,

    Bill Noon
     
  24. oss117

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    #24 oss117, Sep 13, 2008
    Marc, an Abarth is not an Abarth if it does not have the engine compartment lid lifted up horizontal: that is good for another kph of speed at WOT...
     
  25. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #25 Miltonian, Sep 13, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Bill, thank you for sharing your stories. Do you have any pictures?

    I checked my handbrake (it's a drum mounted on the transmission) and found that I had accidentally installed the actuating lever incorrectly, and both the shoes and the drum were well within specs. It works OK now, no need to reline it.

    The story on my car was that a gentleman in Tacoma had owned it for many years back in the Sixties and early Seventies. He had to have the engine rebuilt at one point, then drove it only a couple of times after that. The next time he tried to use it, he found the engine was frozen and wouldn't crank over. At that point, it was pushed into his garage. Over the years, he passed away, then his widow passed away, and when they were clearing out her house they found the Multipla tucked away in a corner of the garage, where it had been for 19 years. It was towed to the daughter's home, where I found it. The daughter had no interest in it whatsoever and was happy to sell it to me. It hadn't been advertised for sale.

    I towed it home, put the transmission in gear, pushed the car back and forth a few times, and the engine freed up! I put in new plugs, changed the oil, fuel, and coolant, hooked up a battery, and it fired up after about 10 seconds. I wondered about the story of the "rebuilt engine", so I pulled off the valve cover and the centrifugal oil filter cover. There was not one spec of dirt or sludge visible inside! I wasn't satisfied with the condition of the cylinder walls, so I had it bored out to the next oversize and installed new pistons and rings. This is a 600D engine, I also have a regular 600 engine that I can install for originality. Right now, the odometer is showing 68,186 miles.

    Here's a picture taken the day the car came home from the paint shop. You won't find any overspray anywhere on the car, because it was taken down to a bare shell.
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