The resprayed Positano Yellow coachwork looks terrific. Mind you, it was machine-polished in the summer of 2023, something that will have freshened up the restored bodywork nicely.
Polishing can only do so much of course, and if the underlying paint wasn’t applied properly then no amount of buffing is going to make it look as good as this one does.
It is therefore safe to assume that whoever painted it knew what they were doing and took the requisite pride in restoring it to the same condition it left the factory in, if not better.
The owner chose to have it painted in its original colour too, a choice we applaud as authenticity is never to be sniffed at.
The rubber seals around doors and windows are still fresh and firm too, with no sign of perishing or damage.
As for the chromework, it’s so straight and shiny it wouldn’t look out of place on a much bigger and more expensive car – and of you’ve ever wondered whether it’s worth paying the small premium for the Luxe model over the economy one then we hope that question has been answered once and for all.
The wheels are tiny 12-inch jobbies, a size no self-respecting family car would consider using even for its brake discs these days. But on a car as small as this they allowed Fiat to enter something of a virtuous circle, fitting them with equally small tyres and in front of comically small brake drums.
They’re enhanced with a set of chromed hubcaps and are shod with a matching set of 135/80R12 Debica Passio tyres on the front and offside rear, with a sole Falken Sincera being fitted to the nearside rear. Date-stamped 2017 and 2018 respectively, all still have good tread left on them.
(As the spare wheel is fitted with a Debica Passio tyre too, we wonder whether the nearside rear is actually fitted with what used to be the spare?)
The black fabric sliding roof is huge. It’s in good shape too, sliding fore and after smoothly, and sealing tightly when the elements are against you. It’s free of rips, tears, and other damage too and when it’s open you could be in a cabriolet, only without the scuttle shake.
Work to do is minor. If it were ours, we’d be tempted to massage the passenger door into position as you need to slam it to get it to shut properly. Of course, it may just be that the new-looking rubber seal hasn’t compressed properly yet, in which case time is all it needs.
Cosmetic flaws are minimal: The nearside front wheel also has a small dink in the rim, the nearside rear wheel has had its paint touched-up, and a couple of the chrome hubcaps have a smattering of rust. None of these are very noticeable.
That’s it though because we, like you, will chalk the sun-faded badge on the bonnet down to the car’s developing patina.
