Coys Auction - True Greats
Royal Horticultural Halls
Elverton St
Westminster
London SW1
Tuesday 1st December 2009
Registration Number: N/A Chassis Number: TBC
The Tipo IT, or model 501 as it is better known, was designed by Carlo Cavalli, FIAT’S Works Manager. It was unveiled at the Paris Salon in 1919. The model was retained in its basic form until 1926 by which time some 46,000 examples had been manufactured and the economic success of FIAT was assured. Its main purpose was utilitarian transport so a more rakish and sporting variant was made available between 1921 and 1926 with around 2,600 manufactured. This version was known as the 501S and the home-tuner could fit many proprietary parts including an overhead valve cylinder head, all of which helped it go much faster than was originally intended!. All this was good enough for the 501S to win the 1921 Parma-Poggio de Berceto event, the 1922 Aosta – St Bernard Hill-climb and the 13th Targa Florio. It is almost impossible