Technical Fiat 500 F series
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Technical Fiat 500 F series
Hi Jake,
The 500s with the front hinged doors came in 3 series - the F, the L and finally the R.
The engine cover badge will give some hints though may have been changed over the years. The original Ns and Ds said 'nuova 500'. The Fs just had 'FIAT 500' and the Ls had 'FIAT 500L'. I think the Rs may have said 'FIAT 500R'.
If it's missing or has been changed, the following will help -
The true F had the front badge with the eyebrows, circular speedo, no nudge bars and a 500cc engine. They were designated 110F and this will be stamped on the firewall before the chassis number (VIN).
The L was an upmarket F. It shared the same engine but was fitted with nudge bars, a vertical squarish front badge and a horizontal instrument cluster. The upholstery was nicer with door pockets for those extra bits and pieces. These are also 110Fs.
The R was the last model. The nudge bars were gone, the badge was the horizontal rectangular blocky FIAT one and the engine was a 600cc unit. The designation was 126 A5.
How to check whether yours is an F or an L given things may have changed over the years? Don't know sorry - I guess these cars were so cheap when new, that it would be unusual to change too much (ie: customise) except for the nudge bars so if yours has a circular speedo, eyebrowed badge and spartan interior it's a series 1 F, otherwise it's a series 2 F (or L).
Chris
The 500s with the front hinged doors came in 3 series - the F, the L and finally the R.
The engine cover badge will give some hints though may have been changed over the years. The original Ns and Ds said 'nuova 500'. The Fs just had 'FIAT 500' and the Ls had 'FIAT 500L'. I think the Rs may have said 'FIAT 500R'.
If it's missing or has been changed, the following will help -
The true F had the front badge with the eyebrows, circular speedo, no nudge bars and a 500cc engine. They were designated 110F and this will be stamped on the firewall before the chassis number (VIN).
The L was an upmarket F. It shared the same engine but was fitted with nudge bars, a vertical squarish front badge and a horizontal instrument cluster. The upholstery was nicer with door pockets for those extra bits and pieces. These are also 110Fs.
The R was the last model. The nudge bars were gone, the badge was the horizontal rectangular blocky FIAT one and the engine was a 600cc unit. The designation was 126 A5.
How to check whether yours is an F or an L given things may have changed over the years? Don't know sorry - I guess these cars were so cheap when new, that it would be unusual to change too much (ie: customise) except for the nudge bars so if yours has a circular speedo, eyebrowed badge and spartan interior it's a series 1 F, otherwise it's a series 2 F (or L).
Chris
PointFiveO
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Chris, I might be wrong but I had understood that the fiat 500 F also had the metal nuova 500 badge on the boot lid initially which was replaced with the blocky fiat 500 badge later in production (1968 or 1969?).
Colm.
Colm.
You may be right Colm.
I'll have a dig around in the 'library' and see what I come up with.
Chris
I'll have a dig around in the 'library' and see what I come up with.
Chris
Ricambi Fiat 500 USA
New member
Hi Jake,
The Fiat 500 F (First series) was introduced in 1965. You can tell its the first series by looking on the door hinges, there should be 8 nuts holding the door to the body. Which is called 8 bulloni in Italy. As shown in the picture attached. Also you can also tell by the rear vent grill a it's different to the L model which was produced from 1968-1972 and the R model 1972-1975. Your rear vent grill should be the same as the Nuova Fiat 500 which was produced from 1957-1960 and the D model 1960-1965, the suicide door models. I'd be happy to help if you have any questions for you car as I specialize in the Fiat 500 and have been restoring them for almost 20 years. Please send a few pictures of your car to my personal email [email protected] or call me on 3477772068 ..I'd be more than glad to answer any questions you have for the little 500s free of charge.
The Fiat 500 F (First series) was introduced in 1965. You can tell its the first series by looking on the door hinges, there should be 8 nuts holding the door to the body. Which is called 8 bulloni in Italy. As shown in the picture attached. Also you can also tell by the rear vent grill a it's different to the L model which was produced from 1968-1972 and the R model 1972-1975. Your rear vent grill should be the same as the Nuova Fiat 500 which was produced from 1957-1960 and the D model 1960-1965, the suicide door models. I'd be happy to help if you have any questions for you car as I specialize in the Fiat 500 and have been restoring them for almost 20 years. Please send a few pictures of your car to my personal email [email protected] or call me on 3477772068 ..I'd be more than glad to answer any questions you have for the little 500s free of charge.
Ricambi Fiat 500 USA
New member
Hi Jake again,
If you send me it's chassis number, I could confirm straight away which series it is and which fiat 500 model you have.
If you send me it's chassis number, I could confirm straight away which series it is and which fiat 500 model you have.
Sorry to let you down - I'll try harder next time 
Chris
Chris
Hi
It was only when I looked at spare parts (wiring loom) that I realised that there are two series of Fs.
I haven't counted hinge bolts - as our car ane us are currently separated by a couple of hundred miles- to establish which series we are......ours is 1965, so I assume it is a series 1. Although he will probably have 8 on one side and 4 on the other!
Mr Ricambi in Holland told me that brake hose end detail changed around 1966- if I remember correctly....
Does anyone know the differences between a series 1 and 2, and what year the change happened?
Cheers
Anthony
It was only when I looked at spare parts (wiring loom) that I realised that there are two series of Fs.
I haven't counted hinge bolts - as our car ane us are currently separated by a couple of hundred miles- to establish which series we are......ours is 1965, so I assume it is a series 1. Although he will probably have 8 on one side and 4 on the other!
Mr Ricambi in Holland told me that brake hose end detail changed around 1966- if I remember correctly....
Does anyone know the differences between a series 1 and 2, and what year the change happened?
Cheers
Anthony
I've dug around a bit and this is what I've found -
1965 - 500F announced as a replacement for the 500D. Major changes were the front hinged doors and slightly more powerful 110F series 500cc engine. For Colm, the rear badge said 'nuova 500'
1968 - 500L announced. Detail alterations only. Engine the same 110F unit and chassis numbers continue with 110F prefix. Rear badge changed to '500L' with a similar change to the 500F badge.
From 1968 until 1972 both 500F and 500L were in production. I guess you'd call these cars the Series 2 500F and the 500L, though the distinction in the case of the 500F seems more academic than real.
1972 saw the last of the Bambinos - the 500R. The floorpan was from the 126 series though confusingly the last of the 500Ls also shared this floorpan. The engine was the 126 A5 600cc unit.
So which is a Series 1 500F? I guess the answer would be a car manufactured between 1965 and 1968. My 500F dates from around 1968 with a VIN that seems to agree. It must be a transitional Series 1A car
Also, my door hinges are the 8 bolt variety - if anyone has another style please post a photo of it as I'd like to see the differences. The hinge rebuild kits are the same for all front hinged cars - F, L or R.
Hope this hasn't confused you guys too much - if so, suck it up cause there is no simpler way of explaining it
Chris
1965 - 500F announced as a replacement for the 500D. Major changes were the front hinged doors and slightly more powerful 110F series 500cc engine. For Colm, the rear badge said 'nuova 500'
1968 - 500L announced. Detail alterations only. Engine the same 110F unit and chassis numbers continue with 110F prefix. Rear badge changed to '500L' with a similar change to the 500F badge.
From 1968 until 1972 both 500F and 500L were in production. I guess you'd call these cars the Series 2 500F and the 500L, though the distinction in the case of the 500F seems more academic than real.
1972 saw the last of the Bambinos - the 500R. The floorpan was from the 126 series though confusingly the last of the 500Ls also shared this floorpan. The engine was the 126 A5 600cc unit.
So which is a Series 1 500F? I guess the answer would be a car manufactured between 1965 and 1968. My 500F dates from around 1968 with a VIN that seems to agree. It must be a transitional Series 1A car
Also, my door hinges are the 8 bolt variety - if anyone has another style please post a photo of it as I'd like to see the differences. The hinge rebuild kits are the same for all front hinged cars - F, L or R.
Hope this hasn't confused you guys too much - if so, suck it up cause there is no simpler way of explaining it
Chris
Last edited:
Found the website with the chassis numbers -
http://www.fiat500classic.co.uk/fiat-500/chassis-codes.html
Hope this helps,
Chris
http://www.fiat500classic.co.uk/fiat-500/chassis-codes.html
Hope this helps,
Chris
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Chris,
Door hinge from my 69F. (I rolled the car on its side specially to get the shot.)
Is this what you are after? Funny the things that take our interest...
Regards
Joe
Door hinge from my 69F. (I rolled the car on its side specially to get the shot.)
Is this what you are after? Funny the things that take our interest...
Regards
Joe
I rememberd wrong. Checked from my papers and she is 1967. I checked with framenumber and its Nuova 500F.
I also have the nuova500 on the rear. But how to know is it the 1 serie or 2 serie? The door hinge bolts? got 2 on each..
I sent a message to fiat500ricambiUSA, lets say what he says
This is why it is an academic exercise - the Italians write something down but then do it differently in practice.
Jake's car is a 67 Nuova 500F and ought to be a Series 1 machine but seems to be fitted with later post68 model door hinges.
Joe's car is a 69 500F with the correct 4 bolt hinges.
Mine dates by VIN at late 68 and had the later model FIAT 500F badge on the engine lid but is fitted with early 8 bolt hinges.
And as Anthony suggested, his car is likely to be the early series on one side and the later on the other
Transition models are always fun especially when they are built by the Italians. for example, my Alfa is a very late model 1750GTV built just prior to the introduction of the 2000GTV. It is equipped from the factory with the 2000GTV limited slip differential and higher profile camshafts yet nowhere in the factory literature do you find this written down. I'm not complaining mind you as it goes like stink and handles very well. A friend of mine had a similarly late model 1750 Berlina that had standard gear only.
I reckon at model change time, the parts bins are filled with new bits compatible with both models and it's pot luck with what eventually gets fitted. Sometimes these series/model transitions seem to go on for a year or more ... Makes ownership just that little bit more unique
Chris
Jake's car is a 67 Nuova 500F and ought to be a Series 1 machine but seems to be fitted with later post68 model door hinges.
Joe's car is a 69 500F with the correct 4 bolt hinges.
Mine dates by VIN at late 68 and had the later model FIAT 500F badge on the engine lid but is fitted with early 8 bolt hinges.
And as Anthony suggested, his car is likely to be the early series on one side and the later on the other
Transition models are always fun especially when they are built by the Italians. for example, my Alfa is a very late model 1750GTV built just prior to the introduction of the 2000GTV. It is equipped from the factory with the 2000GTV limited slip differential and higher profile camshafts yet nowhere in the factory literature do you find this written down. I'm not complaining mind you as it goes like stink and handles very well. A friend of mine had a similarly late model 1750 Berlina that had standard gear only.
I reckon at model change time, the parts bins are filled with new bits compatible with both models and it's pot luck with what eventually gets fitted. Sometimes these series/model transitions seem to go on for a year or more ... Makes ownership just that little bit more unique
Chris
Hello
The differences in build could also depend if they were built in different production plants- which would then throw confusion on vin numbers.
Also, my car is 48years old and I have no history on it, so have no idea really how it left the factory....it may have been built as a series 1 but by now mechanically be more a series 2.
As long as any spares I get fit, I'm not worried.....
Cheers
Anthony
The differences in build could also depend if they were built in different production plants- which would then throw confusion on vin numbers.
Also, my car is 48years old and I have no history on it, so have no idea really how it left the factory....it may have been built as a series 1 but by now mechanically be more a series 2.
As long as any spares I get fit, I'm not worried.....
Cheers
Anthony
