1969 FIAT 500L

First registered on the 8th of February 1969, this wonderful left-hand-drive Fiat 500L has been in the care of its only UK owner since coming here from Italy in 2016.

Having covered just 3,288kms since being extensively renovated by Middle Barton garage, Spot On Colours of Little Horwood chipped in by titivating the bodywork. The diminutive Fiat now looks as good as it drives.

Bought on a bit of a whim, the vendor has decided she quite fancies buying a classic boat next, hence the sale. Clearly a woman of impeccable taste, she’s confident enough in her car to offer it with no reserve, trusting that you lot are equally discerning and will bid accordingly.

Finished in classic white, the Fiat’s body looks very smart indeed. Part of that is thanks to the work carried out by Spot On Colours, who sorted out what little corrosion there was, painting it as necessary.

Everything seems to line up nicely, and the panels themselves are straight and appear free of damage and serious dents. The white paint, the easiest colour of them all to match, is in good shape too.

The chromework is all there and while the front bumper and both overriders are a little corroded, replacements are available should the new owner not fancy having them re-chromed.

A Webasto-style black sliding fabric roof allows the occupants to take advantage of even the briefest glimmer of sunshine, yet gives tin-top levels of weather resistance when it’s closed. It’s generally in good shape bar a couple of areas of wear, yet even these are so trivial that it seems to be watertight still. However, we can see the new owner might like to have a replacement on the To Do list, albeit near the bottom.

The teeny steel wheels are in a very good condition, and they’re fitted with both chrome hubcaps and matching 125SR12 tyres, all of which have good tread.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Work to do? Well, the vendor admits that the driver’s door needs “care to shut” but she puts this down more to her familiarity with modern cars and their much heavier doors than any inherent problem. Given that the work Spot On Colours carried out included welding to this area we are probably safe in assuming that the problem (if there is one) is down to adjustment rather than anything more serious.

There is a crack in the paintwork on the offside rear wing and the leading edge of the front wing on the same side. There is also a blemish near the sunroof aperture, some paint bubbles on the top of the nearside front wing and nearside B-pillar plus the odd rusty mounting screw. None look to be serious but the cracks will need attention at some point if future problems are to be avoided.

The only other (possibly non-) issue is the headlights. Still the ones from its days in Italy, they’ve been taped up to give the correct beam pattern. They’ve passed an MOT like that, so replacing them would be a matter of aesthetics rather than necessity.

The pleated Lusso-spec door cards look terrific, as do the red vinyl seats. The latter feature just the right amount of patina; obviously previously enjoyed, they’re still firm and supportive and showing only light creasing and minor marks.

They’re piped with black, a colour scheme that picks up the colour of the sunvisors, dashboard and carpets. It’s all in good shape too, even if the carpets could do with a clean.

Other blemishes are few. The light-coloured underside of the sliding fabric roof is a little discoloured but the rear section is very clean.

The ‘frunk’ is pretty clean and tidy as well. Home to the fuel tank, spare wheel and tool kit, lifting the black rubber mats shows solid metalwork underneath.

The renovation was carried out by Middle Barton Garage in Bicester. Please take a look at the invoice for the full details but the work, which came to well over £2,000, has left the Fiat fighting fit.

The vendor tells us that it has always started on the button and drives well, neither of which we have found cause to argue with after a short test drive.

The engine bay is functional rather than pretty, but then if this sort of thing bothers you then you will look forward to the weekend you spend sorting it out.

Likewise, while the underside looks to be strong and solid, we think that half-a-day with a pot of quality underseal and a brush would be a wise investment.

The Fiat doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

It has a number of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it since arriving here four years ago.

It also has its Italian ‘Carta Di Circolazione Per Autovettura’, its ‘Direzione Compartimentale Della Motorizzazione Civile E T. C.’ and the ‘Ufficio Del Pubblico Registro Automobilistico’.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

This is an great opportunity to get your hands on a recently refurbished Fiat 500 in the much sought after Lusso trim level. Having been barely used since being completed, it’s still looking fabulous and driving as it should.

With hardly anything still to do, we’d lean on the Fiat 500’s ability to carry a light patina and not sweat the details.

Having said that, if concours d’elegance is your thing, then this example would make a fine place to start, being bog-standard and seemingly free of decades of bodgery and ham-fisted repairs.

How much do we think it will sell for? Offered with no reserve, we think it should fetch between £6,000 and £9,000, a sum that should leave you plenty of headroom to get it fettled to your own personal taste and still come out the other end smelling of roses.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.