The history of the development of the first Fiat 600
Here
you will find various parts and accessories for vintage Fiat 600s, which were
built in their first series from 1955 to 1959. The car was produced from 1955
and established the success of the brand in the 1950s and 1960s. The aim was to
use as little sheet metal as possible, which was still in short supply and
expensive in Italy at the time. The Fiat 600 was a small family car in those
days, but with a length of just 3.29 m and a width of 1.40 m, it could still
carry four people.
Distribution and production
The Fiat 600 was manufactured under licence in many countries. In Germany, it came off the production line as the NSU-Fiat 600 Jagst, but Spain, Argentina and Serbia also built their own versions of the Fiat 600. The water-cooled engine ensured that the heating and engine cooling were very efficient compared to other vehicles in its class.
Chassis and suspension
The Fiat 600 anticipated the chassis concept of its younger little brother: leaf spring, double wishbones and hydraulic shock absorbers at the front and an independent suspension with semi-trailing arms and coil springs at the rear. The brakes are brake drums with hydraulic wheel brake cylinders on the front and rear axles.
Engine and drive
The water-cooled, 633cc 4-cylinder engine had a short stroke with a bore/stroke of 60/56mm. This helped the engine's resistance to high speeds, and the power output of 19 hp at 4600 rpm provided good driving performance due to the low weight for its time. It drives the rear axle via straight drive shafts, which are protected from the dust of the road by axle collars. It has two valves per cylinder, operated by push rods. The side camshaft is driven by a timing chain. Fuel is supplied by a Weber IPC 28 carburettor.
The gearbox
From the outset, the gears were selected via a synchronised 4-speed manual transmission. Only the first gear was unsynchronised in the Fiat 600. In the event of damage caused by incorrect operation, these transmissions can be overhauled with a repair kit or exchanged for a replacement transmission.
Variant Fiat 600 T
In 1956, the Fiat 600 T or Transformidable was introduced, a version with a roll-up folding roof over the entire length of the vehicle. It also differs in standard bumpers and white-wall tyres.
Unusual from today's perspective: to start the engine, you first turn the ignition lock to the right, then pull the choke lever, and finally operate the starter via a starter cable.
The interior
Despite its small dimensions, the Fiat 600 offered space for four people and their luggage.
Boot
In the front, there is a small luggage compartment that is practically filled up by the battery, the fuel tank and the spare wheel. The windscreen wiper motor is also located here, which controls two windscreen wiper blades that keep the rain off the windscreen. The boot lid can be opened from the inside using a cable.
Space for passengers and luggage
The seats and rear bench seat are of higher quality than in the smaller 500, the front seats can be adjusted on seat rails and can be folded down. Inside and out, there are many chrome trim parts, chrome bumpers, decorative strips and other attachments, as was common at the time. Parts for the interior such as seat cushions, floor mats, door panels and carpets are reproduced in many colours. Luggage racks at the rear or on the roof are also often found on Fiat 600s.
Spare parts supply for Fiat 600s today
Spare parts for classic cars are often a problem, and even for early Fiat 600s, some parts are difficult to find.
Repair panels
Many of the sheet metal parts for the body are still readily available and largely identical to other 600 models. Since there are still quite a few of these cars around, repair panels, front panels and wheel arches are easy to come by. Even doors, floor panels, bonnets and sills are reproduced, albeit less frequently. Sometimes a bit of creativity is needed to match the parts to the exact model.
Wear parts
The usual wearing parts such as wheel brake cylinders, brake linings, distributor caps, door seals and window seals are now being reproduced for the large number of old Fiats.
More complicated parts such as steering knuckles on the front axle or Weber carburettors are available in exchange, or there are repair kits that contain all the parts needed for a rebuild. You can also get new carburettors as replicas.
The Fiat 600 today
The fan community of the cars is larger today than ever. Many fans still know the cars from their youth, but many young classic car fans also appreciate the simple technology. Most of the cars are driven as summer cars and spend the winter in the garage under a car cover. Whether summer or winter, it is always a little charmer. It is also easy to maintain for beginners. If you ever get stuck, repair manuals and spare parts catalogues are available to help.
Of the small Fiat models, the Fiat 600 is the most technically sophisticated and also the rarest to find.