Can anyone identify a car from a really poor description?

microgirl

Gonna chance my arm - I know absolutely nothing about classic cars (or indeed any other kind of cars), only what Google can tell me, but there is a particular car I have seen in the past that I would love to know the name of, for hankering-after purposes.

When I was in Verona a couple of summers ago there must've been some sort of meeting on, because the main square was completely lined by these cars. What I would consider your "classic" 50s kind of silhouette - but those more knowledgeable could say it was 70s or 40s and I wouldn't know - like what you'd see in 50s high-school movies, except these were *tiny*. Like 50s Smart cars or something. I've recently seen a Nissan Figaro driving round my area, and they were smaller than that.

Fairly square kind of shape with a little chrome rack for an old-fashioned rigis square suitcase on the boot. Quite like the Triupmh TR4 (as found on Google ) but much smaller I think. It's hard to tell from a photo of a TR4, but these really were unbelievably small cars. Like the old Fiat 500 kind of scale at most. They weren't all convertibles. There were dozens of them all parked side by side.

I can't for the life of me remember what they were called, even though I'm sure I noted the name.

I know I haven't given much here, but can anyone help? Even just to give me a few suggestions of what I should look at/for on the 'net to see if "that's the car".

junkyard

Why don't you Google pictures of Verona, there might be some in the older pictures. Upload the pictures here and somebody will surely know.

350GT

Hi Micro Girl

would it be a FiatTopolino ?? like this :rolleyes: Attachment not found.

Attachment not found.nsufiat-topolino03.jpg

Esel

I googled [ Verona "classic cars" ] and this was first on the list:

http://experiences.activitybreaks.com/search/?search_category_name=Classic+Cars&search_category_id=@133&source=quickfinder

Maybe you were right on the Fiat 500?

350GT

Maybe its a Autobianchi Bianchina 1960's like this :rolleyes: Autobianchi_Bianchina_3.jpg

autobianchi5.jpg

196x%20Autobianchi%20Bianchina%20Cabriolet.jpg

350GT

my last offering :)for tonight try these 500's 1968%20Fiat%20500F%20Vignale%20Gamine.jpg

gamine%20d.jpg

350GT

Just look at this Baby Porsche 500 Carscoop_Smorsche_10.jpg

Dades

FIAT 600 maybe?

Pic one

Pic two

PaulK_CCI

seeing that you mention the Fiat 500 in your post, I'd say you do know what they look like. But the fact that a whole square was filled with these cars, it must have been a very popular make to have such a strong following of all similar shaped cars, so I would rule out the more obscure Italian makes.

The Autobianchi was a good suggestion, but I would also suggest to do a search on the Fiat 850. These came as lovely sporty styled Coupe's, gorgeous Bertone designed Spider/Cabrio's, and ofcourse the standard 'booted' saloons...

What about the Multipla's, or failing that, you could consider searching for Abarth. They had a whole range of different models in the 50-ies and 60-ies, all based on Fiat 500 and 600's...

G Luxel

When I was in Rome around I983, there were still a large number of Autobianchi's on the road which were Pre-68 AII2's. They were either saloon or Estates. They are very small. Unfortunately I didnt remember any convertibles.

Ballykine43

I know someone has already posted a Fiat Topolino, the model before the rear engined 500. It's far and away the best bet. Wikipedia has some good shots of the various models. I remember a neighbour with one in the early 50's, complete with a little carrier rack which sat on the boot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Topolino.

Microgirl mentioned Smarts.. In Genoa two years ago was told that Smart cars, because of their size, had negotiated exemptions/concessions on parking in many Italian cities

Eric318

What about the Fiat 126, modern version of the 500:

http://www.ajovalo.net/Historia/fiat_126.htm

Dreadful little machine, my sister had two, yuk! But great to park in town