Spare parts for the Fiat 500 Nuova
The Fiat 500 Nuova, chassis and floor assembly
Here you will find various parts and accessories for Fiat 500 classic cars, especially the first model in this series, the ‘Cinquecento Nuova’. This was introduced in 1957 and was the successor to the Fiat Topolino. Although it was small, it was a very modern and technically sophisticated car for its time with hydraulic brakes and independent front suspension on a leaf spring and hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear. The early Fiat 500 still had a long folding roof that reached directly over the engine flap.
Engine and drive
The rear engine drove the rear axle via straight drive shafts, which were protected from road dust by axle boots. The engine in the Nuova was a two-cylinder parallel twin with a displacement of 479 cc and initially 13.5 hp. It had a side camshaft with a timing chain drive and overhead valves. To increase performance, an exchange engine from the later model was often installed. The mixture is prepared using a Weber IMB26 carburettor.
Starting and choke
Unusual from today's perspective: To start the engine, you first turn the ignition lock to the right, then pull the lever for the choke cable and finally operate the starter motor via a starter cable.
The gearbox
The gears are selected via an unsynchronised 4-speed manual gearbox with intermediate throttle. In the event of incorrect operation, these gearboxes often have to be overhauled with a repair kit or exchanged for a replacement gearbox. Today, this is too expensive for some drivers, so many Fiat 500 fans retrofit synchronised gearboxes as replacement gearboxes.
The interior
There is room for 4 people in the interior, although not much. The seats and the rear bench are still quite rustic in the early versions, but already upholstered with colourful seat cushions and adjustable at the front on seat rails. Inside and out, there are many chrome trim parts, chrome bumpers, decorative mouldings and other add-on parts in keeping with the taste of the time. Luggage racks at the rear or roof racks are also not uncommon.
Technology in the boot
There is a tiny luggage compartment at the front, which is practically filled with the battery and spare wheel. This is also where the windscreen wiper motor is located, which controls two windscreen wiper blades via a linkage to keep the rain off the windscreen. The boot lid can be opened from the inside with a cable pull.
Spare parts, sheet metal parts, bodywork and reproduction
Spare parts for classic cars are often a problem, but not for the classic Fiat 500. Many sheet metal parts for the body are slightly different on the Nuova than on the later models, but repair panels, front panels and wheel arches are still readily available. Even doors, floor panels, bonnets and sills are available.
Wear parts
The usual wear parts such as wheel brake cylinders, brake pads, distributor caps and door and windscreen seals are produced today for the large number of old Fiat 500s.
More complicated parts such as steering knuckles on the front axle or the Weber carburettors are available as replacements or there are repair kits containing all the parts required for an overhaul. You can even get new carburettors as replicas.
Parts for the interior such as floor mats, door panels and carpets are reproduced in many colours.
The Fiat Cinquecento Nuova today
Today, the car's fan community is bigger than ever. The Fiat 500 is one of the 20 most registered classic cars in Germany. Hardly anyone needs two sets of tyres these days; most of them are now driven as summer cars and spend the winter in the garage under a car cover. Regardless of whether it's summer or winter, it's always a popular little favourite. It is also easy to maintain, even for novice mechanics. If you ever get stuck, repair manuals and spare parts catalogues can help.
Many fans express their solidarity with all kinds of fan merchandise: There are Fiat 500 key rings, model cars and other fan merchandise.
The Fiat 500 is and remains an absolute hit and will continue to inspire future generations with its timeless concept.