Some 35 years ago, while I was driving a 850 Coupe, my brother had a 600 converted with an 850 motor, and a friend had this strange 600. I never thought of it other as a special version of a 600. It was a convertible car based on a 600. Already at that time the car was in a pretty bad condition, rusty and with several body dents. When parked on an uneven surface, the doors did not open. It had an ordinary 600 engine, and that was probably also almost gone. No race car, so to speak. As the engine caught on a fire, he gave up, and the car was dumped from the road into a long steep slope covered with trees.
Picture of the car from ca 1970
After several years, I could not forget this car. I have moved away from my home town, but on visits there, I've been to the place and looked a couple of times, with no luck.
But at last, a weekend in September last fall I finally found it.
It was lying down in this long slope, and it was in a terrible condition. It had several dented and crashed panels, and the floor with sills were not there anymore. It lacked several parts, and the rest was badly rusted.
A couple of pictures from the day I found it
I had been thinking: if I found it, could it be rescued and maybe restored?
First of all, I did not even know what type of Fiat it was!
I placed a thread on the American Mirafiori Fiat forum. From earlier I knew that some pretty knowledgeable people used to post there.
After some discussions there, the agreement was made that the car most likely was a Siata Amica Spider 56. No other information of the car could be provided. Except from a picture on autopuzzle, nothing. I wrote to the Storico Centro Fiat, but they only confirmed that VIN # 147892 belonged to an ordinary Fiat 600.
The Mirafiori guys also strongly recommended that this car should be saved!
I did more thinking.
During my military service, I worked with tow cars and heavy rescuing, how should this issue be solved?
I called a friend I knew had a tractor with a log winch. But he had no longer the winch, and it had only about 25 meters of wire. The distance from the road to the wreck was about 200m.
Instead he proposed to pull with a car, and use a system of rope and blocks. Then we needed more than 400 m of rope.
Together with my brother, we took action in late October. Pulling force was our fathers VW Passat w automatic trans. We had one block anchored on the top, and one block down on the wreck.
The wreck was completely parted in two, the only connection between the front and rear half were the clutch and speedo wires.
When these were cut, we pulled the two parts separately.
The rear half was the most difficult part, with frozen brakes and the heavy drivetrain, we made slowly progress. I addition, the pulling track was not straight, to pass big roots and trees we had to steer the car sideways. This was performed with an additional rope and chain jack.
The first day we covered half the distance up to the road, and finally, in the evening the second day the rear part of the car was back on the road again!
My brother in action
Back on the road!
The front end had to be left to be rescued later, maybe next spring, as it now was late autumn and this operation could not be repeated in the snow.
But luckily, I was ordered to work in Oslo, close to my hometown, and I could spend the following weekend in the slope to rescue the front end!
This time a friend willingly came to assist the work.
The operation this time was a lot easier, as the front end is lighter. The experience last weekend had also helped us to establish an easy procedure. This time the front came up in only one day!
Also, the weather was much better, sunny and dry, as opposed to last time, we had two days with pouring rain.
Pulling of the front end goes smoothly
Also the front end on the road
Now this cute little car is safely stored in my premises, and it is time to decide what to do with it.
As everyone can tell from the pictures, the car is in a very bad condition, and any repair work will be difficult. Also the windshield frame is missing.
Only the outer shell has some of its shape left, also the front hood and engine cover is intact.
Before thinking of any work on this car, information of its origin and technical details are very much needed. It is basically a Fiat 600, but the body is coachbuilt by a famous company. Can anyone who is reading this, please give some information or clues on where to look.
I have never seen a car like this other places, so I keep wondering: How rare is it?
This is the picture in Paul Jarays Thread: Italian Coachbuilders
This picture of the Amica is listed on eBay
