Fiat 600 Jolly, 1964
Chassis No.: 1689023 Auction: Monterey 2021 Auction date: August 14, 2021 Lot No.: F77.1 $75,900 | Sold • Exterior: Orange • Interior: Tan • Highly-detailed nut and bolt restoration • Engine number 1849967 • 767cc Inline 4-cylinder engine • Orange with White surrey top • Ghia-designed coachwork • Body-colored steel wheels, dog dish hub caps and rare Carello headlights • Wicker seats, rubber floor liners, canvas top and chrome grab-handles • Detailed engine bay with authentic labels, decals and markings • The front trunk houses a fuel tank, spare wheel and factory jack Fiat had the great fortune during the 1950s and 1960s to produce some of the most unique, charming and even beautiful cars the world had ever seen. The company built cars for the masses and worked with coachbuilders to build bespoke cars for its clients around the world, creating some of the rarest, most unusual vehicles ever. The Fiat Jolly is an interesting car in that it was said to have been dreamed up by Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli as a small, fun, portable beach car that could be placed on a yacht and removed when in ports of call, providing efficient ground transportation. As an avid sailor himself, the story seems to be on the level. Even Aristotle Onassis owned one. Ghia was contracted to design the whimsical body, transforming standard 500s and 600s delivered to the factory by installing wicker chairs in place of the vinyl covered seats, removing the doors and using a simple top. While wealthy Europeans and Americans were the aim, a number of Jollys were used as taxis on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles in California, while others were bought by people to store at their beach home. Most Jollys were built on the Fiat 500 chassis, while a rare few used the more powerful 600 chassis like this one. Serial No. 1689023 has undergone a highly detailed, nut-and-bolt restoration emerging in orange with a white fringed surrey top and the 767cc inline 4-cylinder engine, No. 1849967. Rolling on body-colored steel wheels with whitewall tires and bright hubcaps, the Jolly also features the rare, highly sought-after Carello headlights. The interior is a beachy scene with wicker seats, rubber floor liners, a canvas top and chrome grab handles. The restoration was highly attentive to detail, right down to the engine bay, where authentic labels, decals and markings can be found. The fuel tank, spare tire and factory jack are located in the front trunk. One of the cutest and most unique Fiats ever built, it’s been said that less than 100 original Jollys remain in existence today. https://www.mecum.com/lots/484956/1964-fiat-600-jolly/
