True story. One sunny Sunday morning last century ( a long time ago) 3 adults, a large hairy Collie dog and cane picnic hamper squeezed into a Bambina and they set off in search of a picnic spot. They found one eventually - 180km away from home at Whangarei Falls. They had a lovely picnic, and stopped by at the local Servo to gas up for the trip home. The proprietor, no doubt intrigued by the load in the car, enquired their destination. 'You're mad' he proclaimed at the 'Auckland' reply. Nope, the journey was absolutely no problem to that mighty little Fiat.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 5, 12:35am
I got similar inquiry's and reactions when touring on my Vespa. A scooter with a pack rack, tent etc does create some attention in small towns, almost as much as when you pull out and start passing cars on the open road.
Enjoyed the story, thanks for posting. These little adventures is what life is all about!
gamerman_64,
Feb 5, 12:50am
I was at the RSA once talking to this old guy who said he used to load cars onto a ferry, can't remember which one.One day he got in a Fiat Bambina, and expecting it to be a slow piece of shit, floored it up the ramp.He said it took off so quick it got airborne at the top of the ramp, cleared the deck and smashed into the other side of the boat, and wrote off the car.
drog,
Feb 5, 3:04am
Hi Jazz. That was my then girlfiends first car nearly 40 yrs ago. Today a new 500 sits in our garage. I can't think why. I managed to talk her out of the Abarth.
wrong2,
Feb 5, 3:12am
but the arbath is the only one worth getting
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 5, 3:27am
LOL. nice work! I hope you talked her out of the Abarth and into the Tributo Ferrari! Even the standard one looks a bit of fun though. Congratulations on 40 years together! (Wife & Fiat's)
drog,
Feb 5, 3:41am
Why thank you Jazz. Yes, the standard 500 has a 'Sport' button on the dash, and the little car fair scuttles along when one pushes it. Nice.
rpvr,
Feb 5, 8:23am
Also a long time ago (I think around the early 1980s) a friend of my mother, a retired lady who lived in Milford, used to drive her little Fiat Bambina to visit relatives in New Plymouth quite regularly, maybe 3 times a year. Not there and back in one go, of course, she used to stay for a few days.
cossy5,
Feb 5, 9:07pm
I had to go to the UK last year (urgent trip) booked a hire car, my jaw dropped when I ws given a Bambina. I can safely say amazing little car, wracked up quite a few thousand miles in 6 week, motorways and urban use, some of them over 500 mile round trips, On the motorways I think it annoyed quite a few bmw, audi and merc drivers being passed by a Bambina doing 90mph. When it snowed just get in, and away we go, no problem. That little car turned my open mouth into a big smile
gammelvind,
Feb 5, 9:14pm
A "Servo"! Not a word local to NZ, well not parts that I come from.
muzz67,
Feb 6, 6:27am
Our '55 Fiat 600 was regularly driven from Nelson to Invercargill by the original owner, and a lot of the way it was still gravel!
biddy6,
Feb 6, 8:20am
Hi muzza do you have a fiat 600 currently,I'm looking for some parts. Cheers
muzz67,
Feb 6, 6:13pm
Hi biddy,, yes, we have a 600. All road legal. We the second owners!What you got!
biddy6,
Feb 6, 11:23pm
Hi Muzza, a friend of mine has just got hold of a 1955 600, but it appears it has had a 127 engine put in, he also would like to chat with someone who owns one. Could you leave a contact number on my listing. Cheers
biddy6,
Feb 7, 6:11am
bump for muzz67
muzzaandmich,
Feb 7, 7:49am
I had a bambina.The most unreliable carever owned Pushed it further than I drove it
drog,
Feb 7, 9:40am
Well at least it would have been easy to push. Be grateful for small mercies. Sheesh.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 8, 2:26am
127! More likely Fiat 850 Sport motor (also came in 903cc) beingrear engined I would have thought. It is basically the same as a 127 motor but spins the other way. I have one in my campervan.
gsimpson,
Feb 8, 3:49am
We had a Bambina as a family runabout. Fitted with 700cc engine which made a big difference on Dunedin's hills. No trouble cruising ion the motorway either. Was out every night and used $10 a week in fuel. I had one of those campers for a few years Jazz, fitted it with all the 850 Sport bits;)
He also had a very tidy 850 sport coupe too, neat little car!
slinky15,
Feb 8, 8:33am
Just had a fellow today come to work in what he told me was a Polish version of a Fiat 127. I'm in the Waikato, He's going to Christchurch!
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 8, 9:01am
Hard case, not that many around in NZ even back in the day, as far as I am aware mine is the only one left that's still registered.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 8, 9:10am
A Polski! Never seen one on the road in NZ, seen a few Yugo's but a Polski has to be rare! Christchurch would be no problem at all, my 127 was good for 100mph, the design brief said they had to do 145km/h when fully loaded if I remember rightly.
I did some big miles in my one, great on gas and ultra reliable. They were well ahead of their time. Proper modern east west engine with plastic bladed electric fan and radiator at the front when the Brit's were mucking around cutting holes under the mudguards in theirs.
Fuel light, clever locking system so you couldn't lock your keys in the car, and one of the very first proper hatch backs. The flat floor and removable passenger seat was a very handy feature too.
Big boot as the spare wheel fitted under the bonnet.
Exceptionally well thought out car.
drog,
Feb 8, 6:54pm
A Fiat 127 followed the Bambina mentioned at the start of this thread. An excellent little car in every way. But it didn't have the charisma of the Bambina, and rust finally took it to 127 heaven.
nala2,
Feb 8, 7:25pm
True Story When I was 17 (50 years ago) I used to drive new Fiat Bambinos from Auckland Torino Motors to Lower Hutt. There were no car transporters in those days and we used to do it in one go, over the old Manawekas road as well. I used to get very cramped feet so used to put feet on passenger seat and use the hand throttle on long straights. Because we (2 cars) were young and silly we often had to hide and kill some time when we got to the Hutt Valley as we were too quick. Keep the revs up and they were quite nimble on the hills.
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