The Fiat 500 Enthusiasts’ Club has big plans to host a display with a difference at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, by building a classic car from its component parts. London-based specialists The Classic Car Company and R. Proietti Limited will join forces to fully assemble a 1968 Fiat 500 during the event, held at Birmingham’s NEC in November.
The idea is the brainchild of David Peters, a Fiat 500 Enthusiasts’ Club committee member and owner of The Classic Car Company. “For the last few years we’ve displayed some excellent examples at the show,” he explained to Classic Car Buyer. “This year, I just thought it would be good to do something different, and building one from scratch will be more interesting.
“The visualisation of the idea is based on a famous Volkswagen print ad from the ’80s, where the constituent parts of a Golf were laid out on the floor. We plan to do something similar, with a car prepared for assembly. My hope is we can have it all laid out on the Thursday night for the Friday morning ready to go, build it up over the next three days, tip some fuel in towards the end of the day on Sunday and drive it out of the door.”
The car to be re-assembled is a 500F model, which is a rarer right-hand-drive example. It’s already been stripped, and will be fully prepared ready for a nut and bolt restoration – a great fit for the show’s ‘built to last’ theme.
“We’ve partnered up with a small family-run business in North London that has been around since the ’60s, R. Proietti Ltd,” added David. “We’ve had a six-year partnership and have done a number of full restorations together. We’re currently restoring a RHD Fiat 130 Coupe, and have done 15-20 500s in the past. What they don’t know about Fiat 500s simply isn’t worth knowing!”
With the car set to be fully assembled in just three days, the Fiat 500 Enthusiasts’ display is sure to be a major attraction at this year”s NEC. The event takes place on November 9-11, with more details available via www.necclassicmotorshow.com.
The 500F before the strip-down began. Work is now well underway in preparation for the NEC.
