1964 Fiat 500 D

This example is truly one for the collector or true enthusiast, knowing these cars as we do; this one of the best we have ever come across in all respects. It is the highly desirable early ‘D’ model (the most sort after & collectable model in the classic Nuova 500 range) has the very rare ‘suicide doors’, a full length convertible sunshine roof - ‘trasformabile’, ‘round speedo’ & original matching numbers engine - In fact it has it all!

Please note the camera pictures taken make it look off white, but its pastel green, Fiat 263 Verde Chiaro - Bella!

It’s an original 1964 LHD Italian example from the beautiful capital city of Rome. Fist registered in Roma on 15^th May 1964 & there it resided with its 3 Italian owners until September 2015 when it was hand picked & purchased for export to our shores. In fact the London based UK enthusiast set out with an Italian speaking friend & made the road trip in an old Volvo estate purchased specially for the trip & a hired trailer. The pair travelled down from the top of Italy checking local cars out as they went until this vehicle was located in central Roma. A test drive & deal was hastily struck, as it was the most original & factory correct example that they had seen. They used the car for the week spent in Roma sight seeing & then loaded it onto the trailer for the return journey back to Chelsea London from where they had set off several weeks earlier. Surely every enthusiasts dream road trip!

Once back safely in the UK, the proud owner, set about UK registration & gaining a UK MOT which it got first time with no advisories. Once registered the car has been used sparingly for journeys around central London, proving fun & reliable.  The owner only agreed to part with the car as the underground car park (Which had a mechanical car lift as the cars were stacked!) was being handed over to a developer & he did not want the Fiat parked on the road outside his house. We got the call & the car was collected that evening.

This stunning example has a mileage believed correct of 35,029 7KM which was raked up by the last Italian owner Tiziano whom had owned the car since 7^th February 2005 & the two previous local Roma owners. So the vehicle has always resided in Roma from new.

This vehicle was purchased as an unmolested ‘time warp’ example & on its arrival to our workshop back in 2016, was wearing all the original factory paint, original factory stickers, interior & motor etc. All the structure & floors were original & everything excluding the St Christopher on the dash board was factory correct. It started & drove very well, the only niggle a slipping clutch on steep inclines, several small marks on various external panels & sun faded paint commensurate with its age & authenticity.

We took copious photos on the day it arrived back in June 2016, which are now colour printed for the history file. The cars paintwork had naturally faded somewhat in the 52 years so we decided to return this example to its former glory on a no expense spared basis due to its outstanding pedigree & honesty.

On arrival in 2016 we undertook the following works to a high show standard.  Complete strip & part bare metaling as required prior to priming the external surfaces, the structure & floors were found to be excellent, no new metal was required & more importantly no filler was found or used by us!  The engine was removed, stripped, tested & reassembled with new gaskets etc & a new premium clutch set as required. The engine covers were also painted whilst removed from the motor. The gear box was tested & serviced. The petrol tank was fully flushed & refurbished. The interior was also fully and expertly steam cleaned along with the complete door card set. A new complete sunroof & roof frame was made & fitted by out trimmer, all other items of interior trim were refurbished or professionally cleaned.  All lights were refurbished & the correct aluminium surrounds were machine polished, rubber items were replaced only as required. The complete brake system was checked & tested, any parts that were showing age were replaced.  

The bumpers & brackets were also machine polished, a new wing mirror fitted, the original steel wheels were refurbished to match the original colour & the tyres checked (which looked new) & new white wall bands fitted. The car was fully primed & painted whilst stripped to shell. Run your magnet around this cars body & it sticks firm! We replicated the original period Fiat light pastel green colour to match the original colour & we also painted the engine bay, whilst the motor was out being checked & the front boot area. We fitted a new battery, fitted a new exhaust & brackets, coil, NGK plugs, fuel filter, air filter, washer pump, fitted the correct D engine decal set, spare tyre strap, heat shield pad, adjusted the steering geometry, supplied a fresh MOT and conducted a multipoint check, replaced the fuel with £23 of new super unleaded, tuned the carb, set the timing, readjusted the brakes & give the cheeky little chap a full service just to be sure! Fitted a new boot mat & 500 Key ring, ACI club sticker, it even has fitted a period luggage rack & period picnic hamper.

The works were completed to an exceptionally high standard befitting of a £120K Pagoda. In fact it looks as good underneath as it does on the top, as the underside was also fully under sealed using Wurth spray gun applied under seal.

We then sold it to its 2^nd UK gentleman collector owner in July 2016 to add to his collection, next to his iconic Ferrari Dino.

We then called him by chance in September 2021 looking to purchase stock back & after 5 years of ownership in which he had covered circa 20 miles & that was on a test drive around the village the day we delivered the car, prior to him putting it into his static collection! A deal was hastily done as we remembered the car fondly & we brought the car back down from, Wray, Lancaster to sunny Beckenham.

We again put it through the workshop (September 2021) due to the lack of use & fitted a new premium Varta battery, drained the fuel & filled with £25 of Premium unleaded, conducted a fresh oil change, fitted new NGK plugs, fitted a new distributor, dist cap, rotor arm, points, condenser, coil, new air filter, new fuel filter, fully rebuilt & sonically cleaned the carb, fitted a new indicator coulomb unit to get all lights working again correctly. Fitted a new set of new white wall spats & done a full forensic valet & Swissvax treatment to the glorious paintwork.

We then resold it to an Italian collector (September 2021) based in Kettering, Northamptonshire whom actually bought this car & another in a dark blue colour from us. They had built a shrine to Italian cars in the grounds of their house & the 2 Fiats formed part of the stunning Italian design collection.

We then received a call out of the blue, due to downsizing, the little Fiat was offered back to us & a deal was struck.  It had only travelled circa 100 Kms to shows & back in our possession for the third time, we put it through the workshop & fully detailed it.

We then sold it to another collector this time based in Barons Court Rd, Central London, so only literally 500 meters from the first Chelsea based 1^st owner! Again the little chap was stored in a secure underground car park under a cover & very sparingly used.

After a change in personal circumstances, we were able to purchase the car back & have & put it back through the workshop. Conducting a full service, check over & road test, fitted a new premium Varta battery & carried out some minor bits & bobs. We also completed a full forensic valet & Swissvax treatment to the glorious paintwork.

We then resold it to a lovely American lady in November 2025, who flew in from New York with her dad who was ex-military. They flew into Heathrow on the Friday night, I picked them up from The Bromley Court Hotel the next morning, showed them the car & then dropped them back to the hotel. They then flew back to New York that evening, a whistle stop tour indeed! Dana was relocating to the South of France & wanted us to deliver the car to her new home just prior to Christmas 2025. This was done & as requested!

Then in August 2026, I received an email from her & she stated that the French dream wasn’t quite what she thought it would be. Integration was more of a problem than expected, even though she had learnt French & the summer heat had been too intense, with fires getting quite close.

So she was going to sell the property & make a fresh start in Seattle, so we did a buy back deal. However the problem being, she had not been able to register the car in France, as an American citizen, until she had been there for a year, which wasn’t the case. So she hadn’t used the car & it had remained in her garage where the transport company dropped it off!

The problem now being, we had sent the DVLA Export slip off to the DVLA once the car had landed in France. So I spoke to the DVLA & even though the car was still on its UK V5C & UK plates, we’ve had to reimport the car back to the UK. So Duty & VAT was payable, a new NOVA certificate received & then full re-registration with the DVLA, which is currently in progress. So the car is here & ready, but we are awaiting the new UK V5C etc.

We have also just fitted a new premium Varta battery, given the car a new set of plugs & oil change along with a new fuel filter & check over & test.

So we are very proud to offer it back to the market, as this has always been one of our favourite examples. View for yourself & see what we mean!

This is the best & most correctly ‘sympathetically’ restored 500D we have offered & better than my own example. It retains its key all original panels & metalwork, motor & glass etc, yet now fully repainted & with its original period interior looks fantastic. Our knowledge & understanding of the correct parts & original detailing is clear to see. It took 52 years initially for this vehicle to come to the UK market, but it was well worth the wait!

This vehicle will be fully UK registered with UK plates fitted if the DVLA issue a new number plate. We have asked for it to retain its current plates however.

This beautiful example is eminently usable as it has its original matching numbers 499cc engine with original gearbox, it drives & as good as it looks.

This impressive example is just showing circa 35,029 KM believed correct & that certainly tallies with our findings.

The vehicle comes with a lovely history file & contains: UK V5C, Past V5C’s, Original blue Italian log book, Original Certificate Di Proprieta, Italian Taxation booklet, Past UK MOT certificates, UK NOVA certificate, All import & DVLA registration papers & Italian receipt etc, Invoice, Specialist parts invoices from Ricambio International Ltd, Previous insurance details, Copious photos showing car as purchased, Pictures of before, during & after out works here in our workshop…

Fiat 263 Verde Chiaro paintwork with the original tan / cream interior, including matching door cards & a new grey full length mohair convertible sunshine roof made by our trimmer, with strap to hold back & associated belt & clips.

We also fitted premium tan coloured front & rear seat belts, so you can use the vehicle more safely!

Free historic road tax.

Keys on Italian 500 key ring, correct original 500D jack, correct original Fiat tool kit, warning triangle & spare wheel with tyre.

Fully refurbished Fiat steel wheels, with the correct aluminium hub caps & all shod with good quality matching tyres & white wall spats.

Period boot rack with wicker hamper basket for 4 persons.

MOT exempt in the UK, Free historic road tax, but Road Tax except in the UK & London ULEZ compliant! Running cost don’t come any cheaper!

The car looks pretty much ‘as new’ & is no doubt very close to, as when it left the factory in 1964. It has been correctly restored by people who know the marquee. This is a collector’s opportunity and a superb investment and has only driven a low number of KMS since its restoration programme & hence this cheeky chappy is being offered for sale for the second time on our shores.

These models are ever increasing in value & are a great investment. Our Fiats come recommended by a leading authority on Fiats & parts specialists – Ricambio International Ltd. I actually have a light blue 1965 500D that makes up part of my own private collection & everybody loves it! It always puts a smile on my face, plus you don’t need to worry about the rising petrol prices – Just enjoy!

Or email: enquiries@signatureautomobiles.co.uk