Fiat 1500

Tuesday 5 July 2016
The Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500 are automobiles which were manufactured by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1961 to 1967. They replaced the Fiat 1200. The 1300 and 1500 were essentially identical except for their engine displacement, as indicated by their model names. They were available as a saloon and estate, and as convertible and coupé models which shared little mechanically with the other body styles except the 1500 engine.
The car's 75 hp engine combined with its lightweight construction was unusual for the time, especially when considering the price. Front wheels were equipped with disc brakes with four-pot calipers while rear brakes were alloy drums.
The 1300/1500 and their derivatives were also assembled by Yugoslavia's Zastava and Fiat's German subsidiary, Neckar Automobil AG, as well as in South Africa. The floorpan of the 1500C was used as a basis for the 1500s replacement, the Fiat 125, while another model, the Polski Fiat 125p, made by the Polish FSO, was created by mating the body of 125 and mechanicals (engines, gearbox, transmission, suspension) of 1300/1500. In the Italian range, the 1300 was replaced by the Fiat 124 in 1966, and the 1500 by the Fiat 125 a year later.
In total, 1,900,000 units were produced worldwide.
The Pininfarina-designed Coupé and Cabriolet models of the preceding 1200 continued with largely unchanged bodywork, although they were now equipped with the larger 1.5 litre engine. The grille, previously in two segments, was now a wider single-piece unit of a more trapezoidal design. The O.S.C.A. engined 1600 S, with a twin cam 1568 cc engine developing 90 PS (66 kW) continued to be available albeit with the same new front end treatment as that of the 1500 Cabriolet. This was called the Fiat 1600 S Coupé/Cabriolet and can easily be recognized by its additional lamps at the outer corners of the grille. All of the coupés and convertibles were replaced by the new 124 coupés and spiders in 1966.
The New Zealand importer, Torino Motors, marketed the 1500 as the "Crusader", with corresponding badging. In South Africa, dealers could also supply the "1500 OTS", a conversion for more power available in two different stages. The OTS was developed by CMI (Cartoria Motor Industries) specifically to suit local production car competition regulations. Rather than the standard car's 83 bhp (62 kW) SAE, the OTS developed 96 and 108 bhp (72 and 81 kW) SAE in the respective Stage I and Stage II variants. A variety of extras were also offered, including lowered suspension and a conversion to a floor-mounted shifter.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1481 cc
- horsepower: 73 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 155 km/h

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