Fiat 500 Topolino Custom Coupe, 1937
Fiat Topolino
Fiat Topolino•
•17 مشاهدة
Chassis No.: F22649
Auction: Kissimmee 2025
Auction date: January 19, 2025
Lot No.: F233
$38,500 | Sold
- Odometer: 3,994 miles
- Engine: Other
- Transmission: Automatic
- Exterior: Red
- Interior: Red
- Body: Coupe
- Topolino, translates to “Little Mouse” in Italian
- Built by Arnie Karp
- Original steel body
- Red with Yellow flames and Blue pinstriping
- Top chopped 3.5-inches
- Body has been narrowed
- Stretched hood
- Custom-built tubular frame
- Early Ford transverse front leaf spring with tubular dropped axle and disc brakes
- Mazda RX-7 1.3L rotary engine
- Automatic transmission
- 2nd in class at the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show
The Fiat 500 Topolino, or “Little Mouse” in Italian, was built in various guises from 1936 to 1955. Interestingly, Topolino is also the Italian name for the Walt Disney cartoon character Mickey Mouse. While the stock Fiat city car initially packed a puny 569cc/13 HP inline flathead-4 and was out of breath at 53 MPH, its slippery shape, pleasingly curved grille, tiny stature, short 78.7-inch wheelbase and light weight made it very appealing to American Hot Rodders. One of the most famous drag-racing Topolino’s of all time was built by Jim “Jazzy” Nelson.
Rod & Custom writer Gray Baskerville called Nelson’s torrid Topolino the “Mouse Trap” because, thanks to a potent flathead V-8 and Nelson’s lightning-quick reflexes, this motorized mouse was virtually unbeatable in its class at the drags. Other competitors quickly adopted the Nelson Topolino’s approach, and many cars subsequently were chopped (for even better aerodynamics) and fitted with big OHV engines nestled in extended wheelbases to make them even more competitive. Munz’s blazing-red Topolino has an original steel body.
He first saw it at a Goodguys event in San Diego. “I thought it was pretty cool,” he said, “and it was priced properly, so, I bought it.” The top was chopped 3.5 inches, the body has been narrowed, and the hood was stretched. It sits on a custom-built tubular frame, and there’s an early Ford transverse leaf spring in front with a tubular dropped axle and disc brakes. It’s powered by a Mazda rotary engine with an automatic transmission. Originally built by Arnie Karp, it has beautiful paint with bright yellow flames and blue pinstriping, and it took second in class at the GNRS several years ago. “It’s just a cool little car,” Munz said.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/1127708/1937-fiat-500-topolino-custom-coupe/
التكلفة
141,392 AED
