Fiat - 1300S Vignale coupe - 1965

Fiat 1300S Vignale Coupé 1965

• No. 5 only about 50 produced examples
• S-version (Giannini tuning) with 67 hp
• Italian & Greek registration documents present
• Attractive green metallic paintwork
• Bordeaux red leather interior

HISTORY/DOCUMENTATION:

A rare beauty: only about 50 Fiat 1300S units were built by coachbuilder Vignale. This example is the fifth produced and was newly delivered by the dealer in Bergamo, Italy on 13 April 1965. Of particular note is the original documentation that still accompanies the car: the original delivery document provides a lot of information including ownership and maintenance history. This makes the ownership history complete. The Fiat remained in Italy until 2015, after which it was exported to a private collection in Greece. It then came to the Netherlands, where technical work was invested in the car. The car is in well-kept condition both visually and mechanically. Thanks to the available EU documentation, the car can be easily registered. Maintenance invoices are included with the car.

EXTERIOR:

The beautiful lines are enhanced by the striking green metallic color of the car. The paint is in good condition. The panel gaps align nicely, indicating a damage-free history. Coupés built by Vignale differ in some respects because the cars were built to customer orders. For this example, it has twin rear light units, which is, as far as we know, unique. This gives the car a more imposing appearance. The headlights were made by Carello. The car sits on 13-inch Cromodora CD3 alloy wheels with chrome Fiat hubcaps, shod with 185/70 BF Goodrich tires.

INTERIOR:

The interior is trimmed in red vinyl seat coverings, black carpets, and a dashboard with a wood finish. Features include power-operated front windows, quarter windows behind, and a radio with preset buttons. The backrests of the front seats can be tilted forward to facilitate access to the rear seat. The dashboard is framed by a horizontal speedometer up to 180 km/h and a series of indicator lights showing engine speed, rather than a tachometer. Like the electrically operated windows, these are fairly unique features for 1965. The interior is in a neat condition. The upholstery of the seats, door panels, rear seat, and headlining are in very good condition. The windows and seals are also in a fresh state. The five-digit odometer shows 23,031 kilometers. The original and beautiful Nardi steering wheel, which was standard on these models at the time, is still present. In the trunk there is a full-size spare steel wheel.

TECHNICAL:

Over the years the Fiat has been well maintained. The previous owner had the transmission, brakes and carburetors overhauled. In 2016, among other things, the crankshaft seal, thermostat, contact points and brake lines were replaced. In February 2020 the front brake calipers were overhauled. This example also features a Giannini Automobili-tuned engine. In the 1960s Giannini was regarded as the Roman alternative to Abarth; both companies specialized in improving Fiat models. With modifications to the cylinder head, camshaft, carburetor, air filter, exhaust and final drive, the Giannini 1300 S is technically quite different from the standard Fiat 1300. Power increased from 60 to 67 hp and top speed rose to about 150 km/h, compared to 140 km/h for the original model. The engine is paired with a four-speed manual gearbox with shift on the steering column. The car runs, brakes and shifts well.

GENERAL:

This compact Italian coupé was built in the mid-1960s by Carrozzeria Vignale and was based on the chassis and technology of the Fiat 1300 Berlina. Thanks to Giovanni Michelotti’s stylish design, this car offered an affordable way to stand out from the crowd.
For coachbuilders, the 1950s were a challenging period. Many companies that still built their cars entirely by hand disappeared from the scene. Some brands survived by creating exclusive designs or modernizing their production. Even at Vignale, a gradual shift occurred from individual orders to small-series production. The Fiat-based models and the versions of the Fiat Multipla proved particularly successful. Around 1960, Michelotti focused more on larger design studios and projects, while Alfredo Vignale decided to expand the company and mechanize production. In August 1961 the coachworks moved to a new complex in Grugliasco, near Turin. It was here that production really picked up. In this factory, among others, the last Lancia Appia models, the Flavia, the Maserati 3500 GTV and Sebring were built, as well as several Fiat models that were later sold under the Vignale name. The economic downturn at the end of the 1960s ultimately marked the end for many small coachbuilders. Due to limited production numbers and the labor-intensive production process, Vignale cars became too costly to stay competitive. Alfredo Vignale eventually sold the company to De Tomaso, which used the factory for the production of the De Tomaso Pantera. It is said that only 15 driveable examples of the 1300 Vignale Coupé remain known.