Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Classic Fiat 500

Excellent work.
http://www.fiat500club.org.uk/home/ would be a good source to start with.
Slightly less busy but useful include
http://www.fiat500enthusiasts.co.uk
https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/

Hope these help.

Little known fact.

Before FIAT signed a deal with Abarth they considered fitting a Moto Guzzi engine to make a hot 500. Moto Guzzi developed a special fan cooled V twin prototype (completely different to the motorcycle engine) and it was installed in a car. My father in law drove it and declared it dangerously overpowered, and believe me not much on wheels could worry him. FIAT dropped the idea because it would have required a complete upgrade of wheels, brakes, and suspension, and signed a deal with Abarth.

I have a suspicion that I know where the prototype engine is but I'm not sure how to find out for sure because the person I think had it died a couple of years back so I missed the opportunity to ask him.

Very nice. A very cool car. Funny how some cars are obviously cool and others not.

Is the Morgan classed as cool ? Or just eccentric. None biast answers only!

Lovely car , you are indeed a lucky lad!

My boss drove one in the late 60s , and we thrashed it everywhere, it never complained and kept delivering fun miles one after another. It went really well BUT stopping was something that required a certain amount of advanced planning and notice.

We looked at fitting Giannini (an Italian tuning outfit who competed with Abarth) barrels and pistons to it , to upgrade the motor, but the cost was too great and we thought too much else would need upgrading to take the extra torque.

Great memories.

Love them.
First time in one was in Stourbridge in 1976. We were on a course and the hotel head waiter...Gino....had one. He took us out one night.
4up with me in front passenger seat as the others were shorter. Loved it....
Gino could drive it well, revving it to cope with the weight!

You have no chance of a non-biased answer on here. We are (nearly) totally committable.

Personally I'm quite happy with the idea that Morgans are seen as eccentric rather than cool.

Most owners seem to be (eccentric that is!).

Slighly off topic, but there was a young lad running a 126 up Prescott at the Garden Party the other weekend.
When I said I thought they'd all rusted away he said I wasn't the first person to say that. Looked like it needed some work (and he requested extra time before we launched the following car ) - I hope he manages to restore it to something like original condition.

/drift mode on

I was at a Nissan Skyline GTR meeting a few weeks ago and we discussed the cool/club/modified/whatever titles that are kicked around. We decided that the Skyline was a cult car. It had a geek/dweeb following.

So Morgan?
Eccentric
Cool
British
Cult

I think the idea of us being a cult could be a giggle. We missed Solstice though. Anyone got a spare chicken?

I often have to drive past the kids from the local Sixth Form college just around the corner to me. If their reaction is anything to go by the Morgan is pretty cool to youngsters. They love it and want to talk about it and know more.