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-   -   My New Year Purchase : 1959 Fiat Select (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/290275-my-new-year-purchase-1959-fiat-select.html)

I was just planning to get a new modern car which would be my new year purchase, and really didn't want another classic, but well God had other plans for me. :p On 3rd January I got a call from a known broker saying he has sent me some pictures of a Italian Fiat which is being offered for sale. Papers were valid till 2020 and as per their words the car was sitting since then, and it looked to be a mixture of Select and Super select. Since I was on a yearly holiday in the sunny state of Goa then advanced for the car unseen and based on the brokers words that the car was in good condition. Asked the classic car experts and Bhpians Karl Bhote, Indrojit Sircar and Manish Saraswat their opinions and they also gave their go ahead to pick it up.

It took me a few days to arrange the funds, and my friend Deepanjan Sarkar the classic car photographer from Kolkata was kind enough to spare his time and go take the car from the brokers place, he also gave me the go ahead on picking the car up as the condition seemed really well except for engine bay which had rusted out somehow. :Frustrati All 5 rims of the car are the original clip type and all are white walls:Cheering:

As the car was not running it had to be towed to Sparkys place in Kolkata where it would get worked on and stored until I got back.

Finally the work started on the car yesterday with the engine getting started and it being taken to a car washing place nearby to get it cleaned properly. The tear down begins today onwards to get it running properly on the road while I wonder why did I take on another project :Frustrati but on the brighter side I was the odd one out in our Classic Drivers club not having a Italian Fiat and well now I have joined the big leagues. rl:

Congratulations Souryadeep on owning this beautiful FIAT 1100!! You know best about the spares as you have helped classic enthusiasts across India. Have a Fiatful life with the 1100! Please do keep updating this thread with pics and stories!

Congratulations brother. It's always good to have more Fiats. The car looks nice bring her back to the road, all the very best:loveit

True, My car is running many parts arranged by him. I am so thrilled that this car landed in his hand, it will get a deserved new lease of life.

Congratulations on your new buy and happy driving. The car looks largely original other than it being made to don some Super Select (SS) features and components. Though these smaller SS components can be swapped for the originals, the owner had also switched over to the lid type, lockable petrol tank outlet that came from the SS onwards. The speedo must be marked with MPH from the 1959 Select era though. I had spotted another similarly upgraded Fiat 1100 Select to SS about 17 years ago (in 2008) in Kolkata. This one was a daily driver and had two Fiat logos on the frontal façade - the original Select logo on its bonnet and the next one on the front SS grille, owing to a grille swap. The petrol tank lid was also changed over to that of the SS, same as your car.









Not sure if this one survives!

The car survives and is owned by a fellow CDC member Darshan Sanghvi and has been restored.

Restoration starts, engine and gearbox being taken out. It still retains the original Italian gearbox in which the handbrake is fitted.:Cheering:

Hi,
Totally glued and eagerly looking forward to your project. cheers

Body work begins, patching up and fabricating the portions of the wheel well which had rusted out.

Engine bay getting scraped down to bare metal to get properly repainted.

Congratulation Souryadeep,

This is a cool purchase. Looking at the details the car is solid with minimal rust and with most of the original pieces with you this will turn out to be a cool car.

Are you planning to do color change?

Saar colour change will happen only if you guide me. Although till now haven't found traces of original colour anywhere. Any suggestions welcome as to where to look for!

Well the car has more rust than anticipated as a result of previous bad repairs especially on front of the car.

Look for original colour by removing / loosening the steering box. That most likely will have original colour.