Fiat 600 - 55

The Fiat 600 (Italian: Seicento) is a city car produced by

the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1955 to 1969.

Origin

Measuring   only   3.22   m   (10   ft   7   in)   long,   it   was   the   first   rear-engined   Fiat   and   cost   the   equivalent of   about   €   6,700   or   US$   7300   in   today's   money   (590,000   lire   then).   The   total   number   produced from   1955   to   1969   at   the   Mirafiori   plant   in   Turin   was   2,695,197.   During   the   1960s,   '70s   and   '80s, the   car   became   very   popular   in   countries   such   as   Spain   (as   SEAT   600),   where   it   became   the   icon, par   excellence,   of   the   Spanish   miracle,   Argentina,   where   it   was   nicknamed   Fitito   (a   diminutive of Fiat) and former Yugoslavia where it was nicknamed Fićo.

Characteristics

The   car   had   hydraulic   drum   brakes   on   all   four   wheels.   Suspension   was   a   unique   single   double- mounted   leafspring   -   which   acts   as   a   stabilizer   -   between   the   front   wheels   coupled   to   gas- charged   shock   absorbers,   and   an   independent   coil-over-shock   absorber   setup   coupled   to   semi- trailing   arms   at   the   rear.   All   600   models   had   3-synchro   (no   synchro   on   1st)   4-speed   transaxles. Unlike   the   Volkswagen   Beetle   or   Fiat   500,   the   Fiat   600   is   water-cooled   with   an   ample   cabin heater   and,   while   cooling   is   generally   adequate,   for   high-power   modified   versions   a   front- mounted   radiator   or   oil   cooler   is   needed   to   complement   the   rear-mounted   radiator.   All   models of the 600 had generators with mechanical external regulators. The   top   speed   ranged   from   95   km/h   (59   mph)   empty   with   the   633   cc   inline-four   engine   to   110 km/h (68 mph) with the 767 cc version. The car had good ventilation and defrosting systems. A   year   after   its   debut,   in   1956,   a   soft-top   version   was   introduced,   as   well   as   a   six-seater   variant — the Fiat 600 Multipla. It was a precursor of current multi-purpose vehicles. Retrospectively   the   water-cooled   Fiat   600   is   sometimes   over-shadowed   by   the   air-cooled   Fiat 500,   but   the   600   was   a   remarkably   fast   seller   in   its   time:   the   millionth   600   was   produced   in February   1961,   less   than   six   years   after   the   car's   launch. At   the   time   when   the   millionth   car   was produced,   the   manufacturer   reported   it   was   producing   the   car   at   the   then   remarkable   rate   of 1,000 a day. As of 2011 there are only 65 left in the UK that are road legal.

Derivatives

SEAT 600/800

In   Spain,   the   600   model   was   made   under   the   make   of   SEAT,   from   1957   to   1973.   Up   to   797.319 SEAT    600    were    made.    The    Spanish    car    maker    exported    them    to    a    number    of    countries worldwide. This car motorised Spain after the Spanish Civil War. SEAT   produced   various   derivatives   of   the   original   600   model   some   of   them   with   improvements and   special   fittings   like   the   use   of   "suicide   doors":   the   SEAT   600   D/E/L   Especial   version,   the 'Descapotable' convertible and the 'Formicheta' commercial version etc. The   most   interesting   version   produced   between   1964   and   1967   by   SEAT   is   though   the   SEAT   800, the   sole   four-door   derivative   of   the   600   model   which   received   a   longer   wheelbase.   It   was developed   in-house   by   SEAT   and   produced   exclusively   by   the   Spanish   car   maker   without   any equivalent model in Fiat's range.

Fiat 600/770 Neckar Jagst

The   Fiat   600   was   also   manufactured   at   Fiat   Neckar   in   Germany   between   1956   and   1967. Presented   in   a   first   time   as   Jagst   600,   in   1960   with   the   release   of   Fiat   600D   it   became   Jagst   770. The model was manufactured until the end of 1967, more than 172,000 copies.

Zastava 750/850

In   former Yugoslavia   the   model   was   very   popular,   and   was   produced   under   the   name   Zastava   750 (later   850),   nicknamed   "Fića"   in   Serbian,   "Fićo"   in   Bosnian   and   Croatian,   "Fičo"   in   Slovene,   and "Фиќо/Фичо"    (Fikjo/Ficho)    in    Macedonian.    It    was    produced    by    the    Zastava    factory    in Kragujevac,   Serbia,   from   the   early   1960s   until   1985,   during   which   time   it   played   a   major   role   in motorisation of the country, due to its affordability.

South American production

The   600   was   built   as   the   Fiat   600   R   by   Sevel   in   Argentina   from   1960   to   1982,   with   assembly operations   also   taking   place   (beginning   somewhat   later)   in   Uruguay   by Ayax   S.A.,   and   in   Chile. At first,   Someca   S.A.   built   the   600   with   rear-hinged   doors   and   the   633   cc   engine   (28   hp),   mainly from   parts   shipped   in   from   Italy.   As   a   new   plant   was   constructed   in   the   Ferreyra,   a   suburb   of Córdoba,   the   local   parts   content   steadily   increased.   In   1962   the   600D   was   introduced,   with   a   32 hp   (SAE)   767   cc   engine.   In   August   1964,   around   the   same   time   that   the   local   firm   changed   its name    to    Fiat    Concord    S.A.,    the    second    600D    was    introduced,    with    slight    changes    to    its appearance. The   suicide   doors   continued   to   be   used   until   the April   1965   appearance   of   the   600E, which   also   gained   some   extra   power.   Early   in   1967   the   600E   received   a   slight   facelift   with   bigger headlights, new rims, and a new "grille" in front. In   November   1970   the   600R   appeared.   The   external   differences   were   limited   to   trim,   but   the interior    saw    more    thorough    changes,    with    a    new    steering    wheel,    inner    ceiling,    and    seat coverings.   The   hubcaps   were   replaced   with   tiny   rubber   caps.   The   767   cc   36   hp   (SAE)   600   R (thanks   to   higher   compression   than   the   E)   was   in   turn   replaced   by   the   32   hp   (DIN)   843   cc   (65.0   x 63.5   mm)   600   S   in   July   1977,   a   version   featuring   new   bumpers   with   rubber   overriders   and   a black   plastic   faux-grille   to   replace   the   previous   chrome   iteration.   Top   speed   was   up   from   105   to 110   km/h   (68   mph).   The   600   was   finally   replaced   by   the   new   147   in   April   1982,   after   having undergone   one   last   tiny   facelift   in   1981   (black   head   and   taillight   surrounds,   a   black   "shield"   up front). In   Colombia,   it   was   assembled   in   the   actual   motor   plant   of   Mazda   in   Colombia,   Compañía Colombiana Automotriz   from   1979   to   1982   with   60%   Colombian   parts   and   40%   Serbian   parts   (from the Zastava 750). Marketed as the Fiat 750Z, colloquially it was called the "topolino".

1955

Engine 633 cc 4 cylinders Power 26 HP Top speed 110 km/h Lenght/width 3,21 m/1,41 m Weight 585 kg The collections 600 has been fully restaured.