First drive in our Fiat 500 after its major 695cc engine upgrade. Was it worth the wait?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 3 янв 2025
- First drive in our classic Fiat 500 after its major 695cc engine upgrade at R Proietti Ltd. It took much longer than expected but was it worth the wait?
This video was created with the support of:
www.footmanjame...
www.magnitudef...
www.silverston...
www.ctek.com
chargestorm.se...
Follow me on
/ harrysgaragevids
/ harrym_vids 
Авто/Мото
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Videos like this are 100x more interesting than electric SUVs or whatever special Aston Martin have knocked up this week. I know you try to cater to a variety but honestly stuff like this, the Fulvia, and the Jag coupe are just magical
I agree, we have an EV and love what it does but still enjoy the simplicity of old tech. If you can make that old tech better, why not? We have a Mk1 MX5 that does a few hundred miles a year (with a high road tax) but I enjoy that more than my very competent EV.
I whole heartedly agree.
Fourthed!
My thoughts exactly. Zero interest in Harry's reviews of the latest super cars. Content like this however, pulls me in every time. Was surprised that the go-to Fiat guy in the UK had never done this conversion before.
What a fab little car, mum had 3 126’s back in the day, this takes me straight back to those simpler times.
I'm italian and I just wanted to say thank you Harry for bringing this thing to life! This tiny little machine motorized an entire nation in the '50 and it's a very much like a monument here in Italy!
I spent 3 weeks around Positano and the Amalfi Coast in 2019 and saw these everywhere, I was really jealous I didn't have one to buzz around in.
It's about as powerful as an espresso machine ;) I used to have a 126, which mates would refer to as my "fridge magnet" ;)
He should have put a Hayabusa in it ........
Bah, the Puch 500 is better... 😉
You are not exagerating one bit! My Mom and Dad drove from Budapest to Italy in the early '70s after uni with a beat-up old 500. Obviously, they would cheer the little bugger on before attempting any mildly elevated hill, in doubt if it could make the climb, and would always inadvertantly break down. But no worries: EVERY Italian would stop to help - like the one guy who parked his Ferrari and rolled up his sleeve to get busy with their engine - because they ALL had the same experience when they were the same age, and could fix a 500 blindfolded. Many wondeful stories were exchanged by the side of the road with good-hearted strangers who's eyes got moist when looking at the fuming little battler with the Hungarian plates in Tuscany, all thanks to this glorious little beast.
What a happy,joyful, engaging, minimalist counterpoint to all the massive electric dull stuff crushing our motoring souls atm
You mean the dull electric cars that would crush that poor 500 in a collision? It's a lovely little car, but at this point it's as dangerous as a motorcycle when you consider the size (and weight) of modern cars driving around you
@@lptomtomYou just have to take your chance . Or, buy a 440bhp Scania tractor unit ! Second hand one 2011 about £10k . Let the overweight ev SUVs try it on with you when you are driving that lol 😂
@@lptomtom More dangerous. You have a bit more chance of avoiding the oncoming monster on a bike.
I had a Transit come round a corner and accelerate straight at me this afternoon. My car has serious brakes and the radar stops it faster than I can react. On a bike I could have got past it. In a Fiat 500? Death or serious injury unless there had been a major brake upgrade.
Yes!!!!!!!!!! Of course common sense suggests this the worst of cars but for pure simple driving pleasure, this little car is a delight. I’m biased as it was my first car.
except for many people into electrical engineering.
Keeping a small engine older car running is vastly more green than buying a new EV... So you're basically saving the planet, Harry!
Seriously though... I love seeing these projects, the Jaguar rebuild was equally great and it's appreciated how you always list the costs and prices of everything. No smoke and mirrors. It's a charming little car!
I must admit that is my favourite car in Harry's garage so I salute Mrs. M in her taste. She also sounds pretty sharp spotting that sump so not born yesterday. Thanks again for sharing Harry and you're right, I am indeed smiling now.
I agree. The Ferraris and lambos etc do absolutely nothing for me.
This and that little red lancia coupe ...just fantastic
Sounds like you'd have to get up pretty early in the morning to get anything past Mrs M. My lady is the same, sharp as a pin...lovely little car btw...
My grandfather had one, the "Estate" version, and it was incredibly slow... But we went all over our part of Denmark, 3 adults, 2 small children, picnic basket in the back... So my first memories of driving is in a Fiat 500, and whenever I see them at car meets, I marvel at how incredibly small and basic they are, and how much joy they still bring... Thanks for reminding me of some fantastic trips.
So did mine. He sold a Rover P5 and caravan to pay for a deposit on a holiday home and a 500 was all he could afford. He'd make the 300 mile round trip to the house every weekend. Eventually the floor fell out.
The Multipla!
I think Harry driving it around Burford and past today's "normal" cars emphasised just how small a car it is. But, for its time period, ideal as most towns and cities throughout Europe had a medieval feel to them. Great video.
That is an awesome memory.
Slow is an understatement, my old man had one and I drove it once and the only good thing I have to say about it is it was great for frustrating those bicycle bastards because it held them up. 😆
Possibly the most interesting video of the year? This is a prime example of what driving a classic car is all about: the unique driving experience, the quirkiness, the smile of one’s face and the memories you make. There’s no denying also that this video brings a certain nostalgia for a period when everything seemed more simple and carefree. I look forward to seeing the view results on that video during your annual review. Too bad I can’t like it multiple times, or give it a bigger (much bigger) LIKE. Thank you Harry !
This is the content I love to see.
It's not in the realms of fantasy.
Something that even us everyday people can attain.
You didn't hear the labour charges to perform that upgrade. Eye-watering no doubt.
You mean the normal hardworking folk, who don't dodge tax like greedy harry?
less than the parts for sure
@@Ztandard32 taxation is theft.
@@Ztandard32 tax avoidance is perfectly moral.
Just goes to show it’s not always about 0-60 to make you smile . Bella Macchina
When I was a teenager in Umbria, we used to hurtle these things around the hills and towns. If you got four teenagers in one, the little car weighted down and hugged the tight and twisty Umbrian roads. All our parents or relatives had a least one 500. I’m not sure many of us had licences - but the little cinquecentos we borrowed from our parents felt like pocket rockets.
2 young women in my street (average size street) have bought a Fiat 500 as their first car (as my eldest did) The charm of these cars lives on.
It looks about half of the women in EU did.
A friends wife has a " modern" 500. I estimate it to be 1.5 times the size of Harry's.
Great watch, lovely car and nice to see the little streets of Burford too.
Summed it up nicely at the end - it puts a smile on the driver’s face. Job done.
Spotted you in the Fiat in Burford last Monday, good to see it back on the road.
Awesome! I have a 1967 500. People stare, smile, and wave on every trip. You can't help but have fun, even when it breaks down.. a lot 😆
Of course it breaks down a lot! It's a standard feature after all on FIAT's. My first car that I had for eight years was a '79 132-2000 and it spended a lot of time in the repair shop but I loved it!
What do they have for heat?
In Germany we say Fiat stands for Fehler in allen Teilen (failures in all parts), für Italiener ausreichende Technik (sufficient technic for Italians) or Fehlinvestition aus Turin (poor invest from Turin). But everybodey wants to have one, they are eyecatchers on every classic car meeting.
@@lionelhudds I used to say that it stands for "Fix It Again Tomorrow"
@@lionelhudds”Fix It Again Tony”
14:45 being from the States, the first time one I saw one I was up in the hills above Atina. This absolute horrific mechanical racket persisted growing ever closer over 20 minutes and. I see this dull brown orange 500 come creeping past up the hill absolutely pinned smoking more than Grandpappy's Polish Lada. With a sheer force of mechanical will to get that old girl up the mountainside was breathtaking. Love at first sight.
Mt first dream car was a Lada Samara and I live in kielce for almost 40 years
Great story😂😂👍🏻
Absolute smiles all around. I have to say that must be the most money spent for least amount of horsepower. Hilariously wonderful little car that has always been dear to my heart.
After a recent once in a lifetime visit to Rome I have a new appreciation for these little city cars and how built for purpose they are. Such a neat little slice of the auto hobby.
Magnificent! So much cooler than almost any modern car. Gotta love a 500. Puts a smile on my face like nothing else.
love the chaps in the shop. some good ol'gents
Old school.
Great to see the Fiat back!!!
Harry, I had a new 500 living in Rome in 1969. Best and most practical car I ever had, which btw I got 55 mpg. I traveled through Greece, all of Europe, into Scandinavia, down through Spain, into Morocco, winding across the Atlas Mountains, it was a beast of a car. Love this video, you are as wonderfully dedicated and eccentric as they come. And as a daily traveler in the surrounding townships it's a perfect vehicle.
Given that 80% of ours (and most people's) trips are around their local town and vicinity, frankly everyone should own one of these. I love parking ours in little spaces between massive SUVs. Thanks Harry for showing how to choose a car for the function you want it to perform, not the status you wish to signal.
I worked for fiat for 20 years grew up on the 500 beautiful car
Saw a breathed on 500 (probably closer to 695) at the Stuttgart Classic Car Show a few years ago and it had a six speed gearbox. The owner assured me that this made the most of the upped performance especially cruising on the autobahn. Great stuff and Mrs M has a great little car.
Who needs more than 2 cylinders? The last 10 seconds of this video were epic!
Not me! (2cv and Dyane owner 😄)
Twin Air Panda 4x4. Does everything.
A friend of mine has a 900cc 3cyl Dacia duster. It’s brilliant.
Mrs M doesn't miss a trick, thanks Harry, it's great to see this car again.
Brilliant, the first thing we all did as teenagers was to start modding our vehicles, even though we had no clue what we were doing.
Happy to see Harry still doing it. Just wish I had his deep pockets in my old age.
Adorable. My first car, in Sweden 1969, was a FIAT 600. The big boy with a four cylinder engine of 21 hp. At one point the clutch pedal linkage broke. I drove it through Stockholm to the service shop gingerly shifting without the clutch, very direct feel of the transmission, shutting off the engine at every traffic light and restarting it in gear. Later I could race around, redlining it, and nobody would notice.
Much nicer car than the 500.
Congratulations on the Fiat completion. About time we had a proper car on the channel ( with all due respect of course - don’t like moderns, high performance or not) . The little Fiat certainly moves easy now. Well done. Bye the way , not wishing to take anything from the mantle , but that Lancia Beta was also gorgeous . P.s. Charlie would have made big Geoff Capes , RIP, proud.
I know the owner of the Beta Berlina.
An absolute joy!
The idea of bring the in-laws and luggage from Canada (or worse the U.S.)home for a visit is wonderful to imagine. Mine come from the Middle East and we near to need a van!
That little thing sounds wicked. Also has the perfect style in any quaint envoirement. Very good choice.
Delightful - and there aren't many cars on this channel you can say that about. A refreshing change.
I was taken as a baby in my cot from London to Rome in a 500. Surely cars like this r our future. Ok it may not do too well in a ncap test but it's a better way to save our planet. Presumably it would work well as an EV. Always enjoy your videos,regards Rob
How old were you by the time you arrived?
We won‘t save our planet by using little cars and we wouldn‘t destroy by using big ones. That‘s nonsense
Chap in my local town (Carnforth) has a business converting 500s into EVs. Not my bag but he must be doing something right as the business is doing well.
@@robertogrilli4574 the world will not be saved by small cars and will not be destroyed by big cars. That is just propaganda
stuff like this is the future? interesting little car, but that's a hard no thanks from me. I'm good with my 500 bhp ICE car. I'd rather ride a moto than a tiny gutless car or an EV 🤮
Recall seeing one of these in Sorrento, and was blown away with how small they were!
By far the best looking car in your collection
The Smile Per Mile index must be off the scale💥
I recently bought a twin air Panda 4x4 … all mod cons and warm as toast … just brilliant, in a mad way…. And, park it on a sixpence!🤓❤
So much more intresting then the ferrari you had in recently
Ferrari's have become obvious and boring.
I've been waiting for ages for this update and it's good to see you've got it back. To echo other comments, I really enjoyed this video over yet another supercar video. All the best and thank you for your continued output.
That Lancia Beta looks like a Citroën from the rear. Also love the idea of these souped up 500s 🙂
I would recommend a 126 steering rack and disc brake as an upgrade. A gearbox is also the weakest part, 2nd gear and syncros with the 695cc as you have almost doubled the power. Buy a 126/500r as an exchange core at some point.
Will need to go from 12" to 13" wheels.
The Ricambi disc brake kit works with 500 12" wheels. Only the 500r wheels which don't have the hubcaps touch.
What a lovely "restomod" 500! I had the later square body Fiat 126 650cc, that was endless fun, flat out everywhere without risking your licence!
Pretty sure Mrs. M is onto you Harry😎
Can’t wait to hear her review!
Greetings from the canyons of SoCal .
I notice Harry didn’t quote the final bill 😂
I love that Harry can drive and get exuberant about everything from a Fiat 500 to a Mclaren supercar...
GranUncle had one in the early 70’s. He and my Grand aunt went everywhere in it and pulled many skins off rice puddings as they went. A real joy to see this car on the road. Well done Harry …. Again
Stef at Proietti built up a 650cc for my 71' 500 the difference in driving now is literally night and day ! These guys have so much experience on these little Italian classics - the car is so much more fun !
Joyful! Had one in the late 70’s. JUE 674L. Ate wheel bearing's and track rod ends. Didn’t have to visit the fuel station too often. Collected all the suits and top hats for our wedding in it. Used it on long journeys, shopping, trips to the tip. Wonderful.
I got driven into one of those ancient hill towns in Italy in a 500 , it was a great experience.
Maybe Harry will take a tour to Italy in it..? The Autobahn experience would be exciting
@@preppen78Autobahn experience😂😂😂, love it👍🏻👍🏻
A real sweet small thing with an engine.
Wonderful.
The Cotswolds might be unsuited to Range Rovers, but I can attest that it does not seem to deter people from owning them in this little corner of the AONB, just a few miles from Harry's farm (and even fewer to Clarkson's place).
I'd feel more than a bit vulnerable in such a tiny metal box with these behemoths about.
Another reason to tax vehicles by weight.
@@martinrichardhorrocks9869 EVs included!
Weigh/size of wheel
@@yebo56 And wallet
An now for something completely different looks great Harry
You reminded me of the time me and my wife picked her parents up from Heathrow airport in a 1275gt mimi with suitcases.
Impressive as that may be, believe me a 1275GT is mega spacious compared to a Fiat 500!
Quite spritely and sounds great. Nice going!
My first car was a 500 in 1985..... absolutely loved it...... I actually cut 2 up with an axe to get rid of the shells.....
Next on your hitlist of mods will be disc brakes...(edited to add I made this comment halfway through the video)and a taller final drive.....
Looks and sounds great... I'm a little envious....
I actually had 6 late teen adults in mine around Salisbury while I was at college......
Guinness Book of Records then! They must have been very supple, ah the joys of youth!
@davidclegg3554 it was a long time ago.... but I think it was the result of needing to get from one pub to another.... I was the only non drinker!!
Will need to go from 12" to 13" wheels.
Another great video has always harry mrs m and Charlie 👍
Thank you Harry, this is awesome! I had two of these in the very early 70s did many miles and many long trips, I can honestly say they never broke down. When the new Abarth came out in 2009 I walked in the showroom and said "I'll have one." The salesman said, "Don't you want a test drive?" I said, "No, I had two 500s in the 70s, I'm sure this will be just fine." - And it was!
Charlie getting ready for worlds strongest man competition....... 🤣💪
What time stamp
@@mark4levduring the opening credits
@@mark4lev 0:19
It looked very light on the front, I wonder how it would handle ?
Anyone else immediately think of Franco Columbu in Pumping Iron? 😆
Maybe it's my Canadian DNA, but I can't get over how great this thing sounds! A smile on your face and music to your ears driving this thing
Great to see it back on the road. My first car was a 500. That was in 1970. And the drivers floor was already rusted through. In Australia without salted roads.
My mother loved her 1964 500, and often saw an indicated 60 mph and overtook. The throttle was either off, or on (fully open), and shifts were always at peak revs. Both my parents span the car on occasion (one of the joys of rear-engines).
Complimenti, Harry! 👏🏼👏🏼
finally a real car again after all that chavvy footballer nonsense
Well said and couldn’t agree more
Variety is the spice of life my friend 😁
Just because we can't afford it doesn't mean we should sulk.
As italian i can say 500 need around 30-35 horses for be glorious in bonsai way of life. ❤
Loved the video. A lot more interesting and entertaining than all those videos of obscenely expensive, exotic new cars us mere mortals either can’t afford or won’t buy.
Good Job! The noise inside I recognise from our 500 that we bought back from Naples years ago, The noise outside is another matter! I miss ours but currently have a 205 bp Twin Air which gives me enormous pleasure even on longer trips. The quoted figures are hardly awe inspiring but it feels so much quicker when you are behind the wheel. The engine keeps on pulling thanks to the turbo all the way though all 6 gears until you look down and see you are doing over 110 mph!! still feels remarkably stable. Sounds terrific too.
Absolutely brilliant! Makes me wish I’d still got the one I bought new in ‘73. So many good memories with it, and as you say Harry, more smiles and fun per mile than any modern. Thank you so much, and lots more of the same please.
Great stuff Harry, it reminds me of why I love my Smart ForTwo so much.
When you change gear you can see the new sump squat and rise on the mounts!
What a fabulous little car to knock around in. A pleasing project Harry - nicely done.
When I was ten, my mom took me to the south of Italy to my relative's house. In order to get around, he allowed us to borrow his baby blue Fiat Cinquecento. I will never forget the experience, particularly when I managed to lock her steering wheel while she was driving on a busy road. This is 35 years ago. Fabulous little thing, this!
Before a word was spoken I had a smile on my face. So refreshing.
I imagine this will be perfect, come the summer, for evenings out to local pubs and restaurants. Charming and easy to park. Everyone should have a car as small and slow as this.
Absolutely love this car. A road trip to the local pub is what's needed.
Like in ‘Café racer’. But then viewed from a other specter.
The modifications talk was funny. Big bore, upgraded carburetor, cam, and exhaust and it now makes about 30hp. Beautiful little restomod! Must be really fun to drive on short journeys!
Would be great to have a review by your wife on this car. I am amazed by the headspace!
Harry, brilliant. Such a great follow up video to the delivery one many months ago. I look forward to the next chapter on this little car that makes me smile too.
0:18 Fun fact, the tubular bumper trims are indeed a rusted frame test, if the guards snaps from the car the undercarriae could be rotten. If you can lift the car, everything is fine under the body.
Fabulous. Thanks for
Sharing. My 1st car was the 1959 Fiat 500 with suicide doors. Fantastic 1st car learning on an all crunch gearbox. Got quite good at changing gear without using the clutch. Always wanted to put an Abarth kit in it never had the money as an apprentice. 😢. We now own an Abarth 595 and it’s absolutely fabulous. Bright yellow and it gets lots of smiles and comments wherever it goes. Keep enjoying that little 500F and please provide another update when it’s run in. Should be a lot of fun. 😀
Great update video Harry. I just sold my 1972 500L, I had upgraded that to 595 with a Dellorto FZD carb, skimmed head, larger inlet valves, stainless full flow exhaust (like yours) Abarth CAM plus a large sump. That went really well, better than my 500d with a stock 650cc 126 engine. I loved driving the 500L but bought a VW Splitscreen and ran out of space, so the 500L had to go. The 500 really is one of the best cars you can ever own, I wish you well to enjoy yours.
I love that near the end you're passing a "modern Mini" on the road, and it's twice the size of the 695 ... Great video again, sir.
Well bloody hell. I used to walk past that place to go training occasionally at the BTP station a few doors down (on the right at 12:55) I’d seen the 500s in the yard but never knew this was a full on Italian specialist garage ooooo nice!
R Proietti Ltd workshop looks amazing, all those cars being worked on, could spend hours wandering around staring.
Result! Many smiles watching your upgraded Fiat 500 navigate town and country.
I didn’t realise how bad the performance of the standard 500 was, my mum and dad bought one new in the 60’s, it was the only car that would fit down the side of there house, they bought it before they had passed their driving tests, two weeks after passing they drove to East Germany, had loads of stories about the trip, at one point skidding off the road and ending up in a minefield, it got them back okay in the end.
It just hit me that that every RUclipsr within a stones throw from Harry should review this car. Just for the smiles.
Delightful car, delightful video. I've had a smile stuck on my face all the way through.
Having driven its "gigantic" nephews, the 127 and 128, this video brings back a lot of joyful memories. These cars are a hoot to drive even though they objectively lack power. The 125, 126, 127, 128, & 131 (and their SEAT, Zastava, and Lada versions) were around 50% of all cars in my home country back in the early 2000s.
Would have liked a little look at the Proietti garage again. Oh there it is - The owner there a good guy. Thanks for the rundown. Looks a treat to drive
Great to see the 500 back and running so sweetly. Love your 500, Harry, first because I'm Italian and second because it's the only car in your collection I could afford to buy and run! Quick side note about that lovely Beta 2000 automatic. Its three-speed transmission was the first of its kind to be series-produced in Italy, but it was developed in conjunction with the British firm Automotive Products. That's because the automatic that AP sold to BL at the time was the only one available that was suitable for a transverse-engine FWD configuration, such as the Betas.
Utter delight, Harry, this is the car that got communities moving in the 50s and 60s, they can still do the same job now and be fun as you drive it, not pilot it worrying about the heated seats or similar.. We dont need to drive 2.5 tonne cars spitting tyre particulates all over the place. 80% of journeys in the UK are on normal roads limited to 60mph. People need more encouragement to drive smaller cars. That car weighs the same as the battery on an EV. Well done, great video.
Absolutely lovely, well done, Harry, and thanks. A car with real character.
Your experience of the ease of negotiating the narrow lanes and parking spaces takes me back to my 'proper' Mini, and my Dad who had lots before me (usually the 1275cc ones). Big smiles.
An old mini is like a people carrier compared to the Fiat 500! (OK I'm exaggerating slightly ... but it really is much more spacious.)
Awesome, Harry!
As an American tourist that was recently driving around some of those little lanes in Scotland I can say there's a small learning curve but you get used to it quickly and as long as you pay attention it's pretty intuitive.
Only hairy bit for me was when I came over a knoll and had to slam on the brakes and reverse to accommodate a tractor!
Roughly 60bhp per tonne or the same as my daughters skoda citigo...the difference must be night and day from 18 bhp. Great content as per harry 👌
Fine line between a smile and a laugh! 😉
That turning circle is really something!!!!!
This engine would be much happier if dynamic balancing was done on it. 'Vibration Free' springs to my mind instantly! But, that's just me, never satisfied when it comes to cars, boats or airplanes. However, there is one thing I could not complain about in this car, it's the visibility.
I’ve owned my white 1972 Fiat 500 since 1998. I’ve had my work done by Middle Barton Garage, who race original Abarth and Fiat 595 & 695 engined cars. They have developed a Spax short Damper & reversed front suspension to lower it to improve handling. Disc brakes are essential. My car has a Fiat 126 650cc engine, deep sump, Abarth Sports exhaust, and Abarth gearbox. The head is from a Panda 750 so unleaded petrol can be used! Electronic ignition helps starting. It is a little joy! On bigger engines an 850cc is still made in Poland. These are inexpensive to buy. Join the Fiat 500 Club. The oldest and original!
What a pleasure to watch. Enjoy Mr and Mrs M.
Great news it's back & buzzing around! Seeing that Lancia in the garage brought back memories of a Lancia Trevi (my 2nd) I had in that exact colour!! Luckily all the rot problems had been sorted & it's 2l twin cam engine really made the car fly! Brilliant pepper pot interior which looked great at night, lovely car much missed!
I used to drive my Dad’s Renault Dauphine back in ‘67-68. Getting on the interstate was a real adventure.
Sounds like a British twin bike of a certain age-Triumph trophy springs to mind-I absolutely love this!