1958 Fiat

Roadster Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

103G115*002414

Gasoline

1958 Fiat 1200 TV (Turismo Veloce) Trasformabile Roadster Spider Pininfarina Rust free, Complete, Number matching, Runs and Drives. This rare (aprox. 3400 built from 1955-1959 with reportedly less that 700 left in existence) Pininfarina designed 1958 Fiat 1200 is a true time capsule. It has spent all of its life in dry climates (eastern Washington state and Colorado), and only has 49738 miles from new. This car has NO RUST and never has had any. If you know anything about Italian cars from the 1950's, you will realize this is practically unheard of. According to the previous owner, (who bought the car in 1968 from the original owner), this car was in a very minor accident in 1971. I have examined the car carefully from the inside and outside, and can not tell exactly where the damage was. At that time he fixed the damage and primer painted the entire exterior of the car. He also rebuilt the original number matching 1221cc engine (60hp- a %50 increase from the 40hp of the Fiat 1100), but never finished the paint or reassembly of the car. The car had not run since 1971 until a few months ago, when I bought it, put it together and got it running. It has been driven about 100 miles, with the only problem being that the tires that the previous owner had bought (which are brand new) are a tiny bit too big, and the front right one rubs slightly when turning left. The car starts right up, accelerates, shifts, and brakes just as it should. Before people start asking- I did have temporary tags on the car for 2 months, which have since expired. That is why it now has the 1971 Washington plates on the car. The unique rotating seats were reupholstered by the previous owner in as close to the original fabric as he could find. Other then this the entire interior, top, and carpeting are original. As far as I can tell the only things on this car that are not original are the seat covers, the exterior paint, the tires, and the rear part of the exhaust (which was replaced many years ago). The only parts missing from this car are the glass windshield washer jar, the end of a turn signal stalk, and the center from one dash knob. That's it! It does have a cracked windshield, but these are readily available here on Ebay. The original "Nardi" style wood steering wheel is a rare and beautiful option not to be over looked on this car. Included with the car are an extra set of 4 original hubcaps (not in great condition- but very rare), 3 extra wheels, 2 extra drum brakes, the original jack and lug wrench, manuals as pictured, and a spare differential. The car currently has the original differential that came with it as new. This differential is an "Alpine differential", which is lower geared for mountain driving, giving the car good acceleration, but not a great top speed. The car does run great up to 70 MPH, but loses steam after that. The extra differential is the standard one for better top speed. One addition to the car from the previous owner is a 1960's J.C. Whitney tachometer. Since the car did not come with a tach, and it is unobtrusively mounted on the top of the dash, I left it in place. I think it looks pretty good, and having a tach is always a good thing, in my opinion. A few items are currently loosely fitted on the car for the pictures. This includes the original "Vetture Speciali" badge on the right front fender (these cars only came with one). The hubcaps, which include all the fittings/brackets needed, but are not fully attached to the wheels at this time. And the windshield wipers. All of these items are included with the car, but will not attached when the car is shipped. This car offers many options to the buyer. With just a very small amount of work it could be driven as is. You could repaint the exterior it's original off white color. Or it could be completely restored as desired. Anyone that has tried to restore a car like this knows just how difficult it can be to find missing parts. Why not start with all the parts you need to begin with? These cars will only increase in value over the coming years (unlike the stock market). One sold for over $60,000 recently, and the 2011 Sports Car Market price guide has these cars listed from $20,900- $32,000 (my reserve is much lower than this). I would also like to point out that a Fiat TV Roadster -just like this one- did compete in the original 1956 Mille Miglia, and they have been accepted to drive in the modern Mille Miglia events. I have little doubt that this car (when repainted) would be accepted in the Colorado Grand or the California Mille. This may be the most inexpensive way possible to enter some of the most prestigious vintage rallies in the world, in a true Italian convertible! Don't miss your chance to own and drive this unique Pininfarina designed, Italian convertible for a very reasonable price. See more pictures at- http://www.flickr.com/photos/ski84fun/sets/72157627632488394/