To own an Italian two-seater convertible, you have to be rich, right? Not exactly. Look back to the classics and there are a wealth or drop top runabouts to choose from. One of my favorites happens to be based on Fiat's small family car, the 1200. With Pininfarina employed as the stylist, a tidy looking convertible emerged on the scene in 1959 and laid the groundwork for the classic Italian roadster look. More than a few future Fiats and Alfa Romeos took styling cues from this car. This particular 1200 Cabriolet for sale, which has been restored, comes to us from our reader Frank in Denmark.
This Fiat 1200 Spider have been totally restored in 1992, and since then it has only been driving 7,000 km. The engine have gone through a complete recondition with new piston and bearings, new bearings in gearbox, new radiator etc. The hood and all of the interior have been replaced with new. This car has only been outdoor driving in the summer, and always stored indoor in a garage. In general, this car is in outstanding condition!
The warmer months are about to begin here on the East Coast of the US and in continental Europe, so a sorted 1200 Cabriolet such as this would avert and down time and allow a prospective buyer to jump right in and cruise down to the coast.
Sometimes the simple things in life can be the most elegant. This isn't the fastest or most exclusive Italian classic, but this Fiat 1200 Spider for sale in California has undergone a recent refurbishment and would be a unique and economical choice for cruising to the beach this summer.
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Year: 1960 Model: 1200 Spider Engine: 1.2 liter inline four Transmission: 4-speed manual Mileage: 18,987 miles Price: Reserve auction
Presented formally for sale for the first time since completing a thorough mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment during the summer and fall of 2012, is this beautiful 1960 Fiat 1200 “Vetture Speciali” Spider. Originally purchased at a Fiat dealership in San Francisco, the car was driven very little since new, but remained with the original owner until his passing in 2009. His neighbor bought the car from the original owner’s estate with the intent of bringing it back to its former glory, but eventually he was convinced to sell the car to us.
The cabriolet version of the 1200 or “spider” was restyled in 1959 and given a new body designed by the renowned designer Battitsta Pininfarina. The 1200 Spider was built by Fiat's Vetture Speciali (meaning: special cars) unit, and has amazing similarities to Ferrari's 250 GT PF Cabriolet of the same era (minus 8 of the 12 cylinders of course). Available at a fraction of the cost, the popularity of the 1200 Spider skyrocketed with sports car enthusiasts. A new 1200 Spider sold for $2,595 and proved to be a rather prudent choice, especially in the American sports-car market. In 1960, the Spider was given a boost of power, with the 1221cc engine reaching a peppy 63 horsepower. Production of the Spider continued with few changes through March of 1963.
Now presented in a striking color combination of black paint with two tone red and black interior (available factory options at the time), our special little Italian dish is certainly a head turner. As you can tell from the pictures, a painstaking effort was given to ensure that this wonderful 18,000 mile California original sports car was preserved and presented as if it just left the factory in Italy. The car has competed respectfully in two prestigious Concours d' Elegance events in Southern California, earning second place honors at the La Jolla Concours d' Elegance this past April. As great as this Spider appears in person or in pictures, she performs even better. The engine presents in as new condition after being rebuilt, resealed and repainted in factory colors with everything correct down to the stickers and oil filter cannister. The paint was stripped to bare metal with not an ounce of rust found anywhere. All chrome and stainless has been rechromed and refurbished, and all interior components: gauges, rubber, switches, handles and panels have all been reconditioned. To give an idea of how well preserved this Spider really is, the canvas soft top was replaced on the car in January of 1972 and is still in amazing condition! Seize the opportunity to purchase what is arguably the best original example of this model of Fiat in the world! Certain to increase in value in a fast appreciating European sports-car market, this special Fiat Spider represents a sound financial investment while providing classic Pininfarina styling and Italian panache and performance.
We welcome and recommend any inspection of this truly outstanding machine. Please contact Tim at 760/717-3997 for further information. You'll be glad you did!
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These 1200 Spiders can fetch in the low to mid $20,000 range in good shape, and I'd expect this one to come close to that figure. I get used to seeing Spiders of all kinds painted in red, but in black, it kicks this car up a notch in terms of classiness.
If you were to draw a picture of the quintessential Italian roadster, the Fiat 1200 might be close to the finish product after the pen hits the paper. These were the father of the Fiat 124 Spider, which lived on into the 1980s. With a 1.2 liter four cylinder engine, the 1200 wasn't the fastest open roofed Italian cars of the era, but they offered a lot of style and fun from a small package. This example for sale in Pennsylvania has been freshened up and the hardtop is a nice addition that you don't see every day.
This is a very nice 1963 Fiat 1200 Spyder. The paint is in very good condition. It runs and drives extremely well. The seat covers are about a year old. We just redid the door panels, full rubber kit and floor mats/carpet. Mechanically, it is very sound as well, just refreshed. It is very clean. We have the removable hard top only. It needs very little to be a gem. We have the original owner's manuals as well.
The best Fiat 1200 Convertible out there may bring $20,000 to $25,000, so a clean example falling short of perfection, such as this car, should be a little bit under that range. I'd say a fair price is being asked here, especially considering that if you just give it a mere passing glance, you might think you spotted the more expensive Lancia Aurelia B24 Convertible of the era.
The Fiat 1200 series was a spiritual predecessor to the popular Fiat 124, which enjoyed great success and was built under license in several countries after Fiat ceased production. Available in sedan, coupe and convertible body styles, these cars were powered by a 1.2 liter, 55 horsepower inline four cylinder engine. This example for sale, while a little rough, is fairly complete. In white, it's a nice departure from the classic red which you usually see these convertibles painted.
For sale is a 1963 Fiat 1200 Cabriolet. This car is a nearly complete running and driving project car that has had some partial restoration work done to it previously. Nearly everything functions on this car. It is believed this car spent its entire life in California. Based on the bright work and the presence of the emblem (which is in poor condition), it is highly likely that this car was a coach built Veturre Speciali.
This is a good candidate to be completely restored and is being offered at a price that will allow the buyer to do so and still maintain their investment in a vehicle that is becoming increasingly rare and quickly rising in value. Many of these cars languish in garages due to rust, lack of trim pieces, or completely destroyed mechanicals. This car does need work, but it is miles ahead of a majority of the projects available. It has been gone over and inspected and every attempt is made to list both the good and bad points about this car.
Exterior:
It has fair to good quality paint, uniform with no evidence of rust or perforation anywhere on the body exterior. The right front, the rear valence, and lower left rear of the rocker have undergone amateur dent repair. The sheet metal is not stretched or grossly misshapen. No evidence of rust in these areas. The top is of average quality, in fairly good condition and functions correctly except that it is torn behind the driver window on the side and has a small tear behind the passenger window. It will need to be replaced.
The bright work on the car is in relatively good condition and intact. The bumpers need to be replaced or re-chromed with some repair to the metal. These are readily available new. The following items do need to be re-chromed: outer door handles, rear trunk handle, rear deck strips, windshield frame and mirrors. The stainless on the grille surround should be professionally straightened. Hub caps are present and in good condition.
Mechanical:
The engine has low compression and blow-by. It idles fairly well and starts with the turn of a key. The valve train appears to be in good condition, but it smokes and lacks power. It either needs rings, pistons or both. The engine does not knock or overheat. The correct carburetor is freshly rebuilt and functions as it should. It has the correct air cleaner and accessories on the engine. The mechanical fuel pump failed and it has a new electric pump installed. It has an aftermarket electronic ignition. Exhaust is complete and intact. The plastic fan blade is missing one blade.
All of the gears in the Transmission function and engage. There is a rattle in the clutch area. There is no noise from the rear differential. The clutch operates as would be expected as well as the brakes. There is a slight squeak from the left front when applying the brakes at low speed. The car stops straight. The handbrake functions, but the actuator in the handle needs to be repaired. Tires are in good condition.
Interior:
The interior is in good condition. The seats are retrofitted from quite possibly an 1100 of the same era, but they function as expected and are of the correct color and upholstered in cloth centers with vinyl bolsters. The carpet is not original as well as the door seals. The door panels are recovered in black vinyl and lack armrests and the proper interior trim rings. Interior floor pans are solid, but do have some surface rust that should be cleaned and treated. There is no perforation and the sheet metal is good.
Electrical:
All of the electrical items function including the under hood lights and trunk light. The heater fan is slow as well as the wiper motor. The passenger door jamb switch needs to be replaced. The column switch should be rebuilt or replaced. Lenses are in very good condition and all of the lights work correctly. The fuel sender needs to be repaired or replaced, the gauge has been tested and functions. The charging system is functional.
Bringing such a vehicle back to concours condition would be a tedious undertaking, given the availability of certain parts and trim. This example would lend itself well to a nice freshening up to bring it back to a drivable condition, enabling you to show it at club and classic car events on occasion. If this Fiat could be bought for around $5,000 to $7,000, it would make a less expensive, and interesting, alternative to the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
