Fiat 1500 Cabriolet

Introduction

In the early 1960s there were plenty of reasons why many had turned their back on the convertible. But the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet virtually eliminated most reasons people found for not buying a sports car. It had a good, comfortable ride, plenty of luggage space for two, snappy performance, and a top that went up or down in seconds and with minimum fuss. Besides, it had smooth, clean styling by Pininfarina and was exceptionally economical. When the Fiat 1500 Cabriolet was launched, Fiat were the fourth-largest automobile manufacturer in the world and were the sales leader in western Europe.

Arguably more important for Fiat was the cabriolets role in securing additional sales in the USA. The company were making a strong bid for the American automobile dollar with a full line of economy sedans and utility vehicles, but up until the introduction of the 1500 Fiat never really had a model they could sell as a sports car, leastwise not to American sports car standards, as the Spyder and 1200 Cabriolet fell well short in performance terms. The 1500 Cabriolet was a very easy car to live with, and it grew on you the more time you spent behind the wheel.

It was in 1962 that Fiat came out with a new engine for their 1500 sedan, an engine that featured a two-throat Weber 28-36 DCD 19 carburettor, and at 90.37-cubic-inches it was rated at 80 hp, with a compression ratio of 8.8 to 1. Torque was rated at 86.8 pounds-feet at 3200 rpm, and a three-main-bearing, counter-balanced crankshaft and water-heated intake manifold were used. Bore and stroke were 3.03 by 3.13 inches, and the cast-iron block used an aluminium head and overhead valves. A thermostatically controlled fan operated only at a pre-determined temperature, or it could be put into constant operation by tightening three bolts.

On the Road

The floor-mounted gearshift was synchronized in second, third, and fourth. Shifts were smooth and quick. Driving through a 3.9-to-1 rear axle, the Fiat's 80 willing horses gave just a chirp of wheel-spin if you came off the line at 4500 rpm, and road testers of the time netted best times of 4.2, 8.4, and 14.7 seconds respectively to 30, 45, and 60 mph. The quarter mile would take just over 20 seconds, with the speedo showing 70 mph. Best results when attempting performance times would have the car changing up at 5700 rpm, which would provide speeds of 29, 47, and 70 mph, running out to an actual top speed of 91 mph.

What impressed most road testers about the in-line four was its wide range of power in each gear and its willingness to rev past 6000 rpm or lug down to 1500 rpm with equal ease. This characteristic made the car a pleasant traffic vehicle - paddling it with the gearshift wasn't necessary, even on a long, steep hill. It had plenty of power - more than enough to keep up with and ahead of normal traffic. Combined with its wide power range, the Fiat's engine was smooth and quiet. A sporty exhaust note was heard when the engine got above 5000 rpm, but the car never made enough noise to become tiresome on long drives. Even at 65-75-mph cruising speeds, noise wasn't excessive for an open two-seater.

The clutch action was smooth, with no slipping during fast shifts at top rpm. The gearshift lever worked quickly and smoothly and, in typical Italian style, was perfectly located next to the driver's right hand. When it comes to stopping power, the Fiat 1500 really shone. The cabriolet was fitted with 16-inch-diameter disc brakes up front and 10-inch finned aluminium drums on the rear wheels, and these were remarkably fade resistant. The Fiat would stop in a perfectly straight line in just 34 feet from 30 mph and made the 60-mph stop in 132 feet and a few inches. No matter how hard road testers punished them, the brakes would refuse to show any signs of fade and always brought the roadster to a smooth, quick stop. For disc brakes, pedal pressures were very light.

Economy was one of the Cabriolet's strong points. Many road testers and owners reported bettering 25 miles per gallon around town. Better mileage was possible on highway runs, and if that run included some twisty roads the Fiat could demonstrate just how well sorted the handling was. Perhaps it was a slight lack of power, but whatever the case, the car just wouldn't go fast enough to get out of control. Understeer was present, but the quick, smooth, worm-and-roller steering, with just three turns lock to lock, gave excellent control in fast and slow bends alike.

Export models were usually fitted with Pirelli Cinturato tyres. They would really hold onto the bitumen, wet or dry. The Fiat would show very little lean in corners at any speed. A fast curve would induce the rear end to break away, but a flick of the wrist and a little more power would bring it back into line. Independent coil springs with integral double-acting shocks and upper and lower wishbones suspend the front end, and six-leaf semi-elliptics and double-acting shocks were used at the rear. A sturdy stabilizer bar was used at both ends. It was even argued by some prominent sports cars magazines from the time that the Fiat’s suspension setup provided the best riding qualities then available in a sports car in its price class. The ride wasn't choppy as in some small two-seaters, and a sharp dip would bring out just one "thump," without any bobbing or swerving. Control, even over the roughest surfaces, was easy to maintain.

Contributing to the good riding qualities were the Fiat's comfortable bucket seats – they were covered in soft, black leatherette, the seats were adjustable for rake and would slide back far enough for six-footers. The pedals pivoted from the floor and were spaced with plenty of room for the largest feet. The accelerator was well placed for heel-and-toe down-shifting, and there was plenty of room to rest the driver's left foot on long drives. Two large, round faces made up the instrument panel. On the left was the instrument cluster that contained the fuel gauge, water temperature gauge, and warning lights for battery, oil, and low fuel level. On the right was the speedometer, divided in increments of 20 mph, with a single line dividing the gauge into 10-mile increments.

Behind the Wheel

There was plenty of standard kit for a car of the era too, such as the previously mentioned Pirelli Cinturato tyres, leatherette upholstery, padded dash, electric wipers, clock, cigarette lighter, heater, defroster, locking steering column, top cover, courtesy lights, windshield washers, passenger assist grip, outside mirror, and a day-and-night mirror inside. About the only other extras that you really needed to add were the radio and, perhaps, tonneau cover. The inside day-and-night mirror was mounted on the dash in the centre of the car - made of flat glass, it did give a good rear view, which was more than could be said for the outside mirror. With a round, convex surface, the outside mirror made other vehicles look much farther back than they actually were and made changing lanes hazardous until you got used to judging more closely.

Fiat's heating system served double duty as a warm and cold weather ventilation system. With the handle set on hot, it filled the car with warm air, or with the heat turned off it directed cool, fresh air into the car through the heater ducts. The Fiat was well built too, being exceptionally well bolted together such that owners were praising the lack of rattles and squeaks – at a time when most cars came with at least one or two at no added cost. This was a time when Italian craftsmanship was synonymous with good quality, and that good quality was evident in the fit and finish of the car's body and of the comfortable, luxurious interior. Everything was built with durability in mind, and the car gave a very solid, quality feeling as you drove it. It was a well built, sturdy automobile.