[Drkannant]

Hi John it was a pleasure seeing your picture with both your cars. Did speak to you the other day and thanks for the thread that you started for me before i could become a BHPian, but i could not find it . Did see it once when you started after that could not find it. please help me to trace it. Is it OK if i can post details and pictures of my 1955 millecento restoration?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by FIAT'57'Kolkata

Therefore the best would be cross checking with the Chassis Number, which on this car is '824562'.

Assuming chassis numbers progressively increased, it is likely that your car is not 59, but later.

Here is my 1960 car (external pipe)



Here is a 1961 car (also external pipe)



Here is another car (dont know the year), but with external fuel filler. The number is 828669, which must be earlier than your car.

Originally Posted by FIAT'57'Kolkata

Expects kindly post a picture of an original Select door pad so that I could fabricate accordingely and incorporate the same in my car.

Here are the door pads from a 1961 Select. Same material and patterns as the seats, should be easy to copy. Should you need any more detailed shots, let me know.

Originally Posted by john a milne

I love some of your Indian names for various workers. Tin-smiths for one and "denters", shouldn't they be called "un-denters"?.

Of late they seem to make more dents than fix them

Originally Posted by john a milne

Has anyone written a reasonably detailed book on Fiats in India?
Are there any production records still available.
What % of the car was shipped in for assembly and finishing?
Did this % decrease over the years?
Are there any photos of the Fiat assembly plant in India?
? ? ? ?, where does one find the answers?
Is there more to life than having a FIAT?

No book on Indian 1100s so far, but a friend tells me he is working on one. I was toying with the idea too (certainly not a definitive volume, but just some scribbling to assist restoration, though everything is on the forum).

No production records available that I know of, though I'm sure they must exist somewhere. Maybe with the erstwhile Premier Automobiles.

Is there more to life than having a Fiat? Sure. There's Hindustans, Standards.... though admittedly none of the other brands evoke so much enthusiasm.

[john a milne]

[QUOTE

No book on Indian 1100s so far, but a friend tells me he is working on one. I was toying with the idea too (certainly not a definitive volume, but just some scribbling to assist restoration, though everything is on the forum).

No production records available that I know of, though I'm sure they must exist somewhere. Maybe with the erstwhile Premier Automobiles.

/QUOTE]

Has any one contacted them yet?
Might be a "stupid" question but are Premier still around and if so, what are they doing?

[1100D]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

We somehow always overlook the possibility of a 'run-out' change. Many companies would have a running change of some part, often towards the end of production depending on parts supply.

I'd say if there is no evidence of the flap being grafted on, its quite likely to be original. Final call on what to do would of course be taken by the owner.

From my side I can say my 1960 Select and Rony's 1961 Select both have the external filler, and both are 100% original. What year is your car? Can you share the chassis number, so we can compare if earlier or later than ours?

Good luck with the restoration.

Hi Karl,

What would be the tell-tale sign of an entire rear quarter panel being replaced with that from a super-select/early delight. In those cases the welding should be near the rear door, at the interface between the bottom rocker panel, the c-pillar insides, as well as the bootlid dash-panel (where the boot-hinges are located) nothing that could conclusively point out to an aftermarket welding.

Or am I missing something.

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Hi Karl,

What would be the tell-tale sign of an entire rear quarter panel being replaced with that from a super-select/early delight. In those cases the welding should be near the rear door, at the interface between the bottom rocker panel, the c-pillar insides, as well as the bootlid dash-panel (where the boot-hinges are located) nothing that could conclusively point out to an aftermarket welding.

Or am I missing something.

That's what even I say. But now that the car is not 59 but much later so this may have come with the flap.

[FIAT'57'Kolkata]

Hi Friends,

Today I got lead in to a scrap dealer, as I was told he has a good condition Front seat-back ashtray for my select.

Once I reached there my greed lead me to buy much more than what I needed. These are as follows (all used):

1) Front and rear ashtray.
2) Inner sunvisor pair.
3) Inner rear view mirror - delight.
4) Outer sunvisor - like in John Milne uncles WBF 1, which I love.
5) Front and rear bumper with guards.
6) Front grill - Super select.
7) Front hood ornament with Fiat badge - Select.
8) 4 slotted clip type wheel rims - sans clip - in exchange of padmini rims.
9) 4 clip type hub caps - bad condition.
10) Front head light rim pair - select.
11) Wiper arm and blade pair.
12) Front and rear glass with rubber and aluminium bead - select.
13) 8 pc side glass garnishes - select.
14) Fiat red logo horn button.
15) Fiat 1100d dickey badge.

These include stuff which I need for my two cars, and the rest would be stored for future useage.

Regards.....

[manishalive]

I must say you are one lucky chap, that's a huge haul. Can you get me some wheel clips. I am missin few.

[Drkannant]

Originally Posted by manishalive

I must say you are one lucky chap, that's a huge haul. Can you get me some wheel clips. I am missin few.

You are right Manish, thats a real gold mine that he has hit, may be i should make a trip to Kolkata.
Does he have any spares for 1955 fiat?

[john a milne]

Had visit to Kanoria's Works this week, always time well spent!

The "59" Fiat is progressing nicely and is moving in the right direction. Shriv is being very meticulous in doing an authenticate restoration. The "Devil is in the Details".

It's been interesting how the question of the petrol filler has changed the year of the car and i've taken a good photo of the interior of the trunk for reference.

My WBF1 is registered as a 1962 model but it had an external fuel cap, therefore this car must have been built after mine. My Chassis No. is 103D-876180 and Engine No. - 103D-000-PA28141B. Are here any records to determine the build date of Fiats?

The correct exterior boot hinges have been reinstalled, the suspension has been finished with the wheels back in place and the engine is coming out shortly for a re-build.

[karlosdeville]

Work is on in full swing, and I got these pictures yesterday. I really like the colour, the car will turn out very nicely.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by john a milne

It's been interesting how the question of the petrol filler has changed the year of the car and i've taken a good photo of the interior of the trunk for reference.

My WBF1 is registered as a 1962 model but it had an external fuel cap, therefore this car must have been built after mine. My Chassis No. is 103D-876180 and Engine No. - 103D-000-PA28141B. Are here any records to determine the build date of Fiats?

John,
If it is indeed a '59 or with the external boot hinges then it should've, by all means, had the external fuel filler, like the one in your avtaar.
This is a common mod done to the early 1100s even of the 50s. Now would be the best time to get it corrected to the original type if you have the "pipe" available!

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Work is on in full swing, and I got these pictures yesterday. I really like the colour, the car will turn out very nicely.

Pardon my ignorance karl but whose car is this?? The same one in John's pics.?

[FIAT'57'Kolkata]

Dear Friends,

Presenting to you the Fiat - fully restored

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by FIAT'57'Kolkata

Presenting to you the Fiat - fully restored

Looks super, congratulations. The colour suits the car very well, very period looking. I would have left the engine bay in body colour though.

Can you share close up shots of the dash switches, window vents and other details fabricated?

[the mole]

Why the nut on the wheel cap? I thought you were going to fabricate new hub caps. In any case for my elegant I made a screw on jar type fitting mechanism so that the wheel caps do not fall off easily. Unfortunately they have a tendency to rust and get jammed for which I had to invent another piece of equipment to unscrew them. But if you grease the whole system regularly it works very well.

In the end the result looks very pleasing I agree with Karl though that the engine compartment should have been body colour.

Another good looking Fiat on the road.

[FIAT'57'Kolkata]

Thank you all,

1) The engine bay has been painted enamel black as the lighter colour would tend to get dirty time and again.

2) The wheel caps have been fabricated by me and so have the clips, but I have put in the cap nuts for further protection.

The car is running beautifully, and the engine is sounding throaty. I have done almost 50 odd kms in the last 3 days, without any glitches. Kindly throw in any advices if deemed needful.

Warmest Regards,

Fiatian