A Sneaky Fiat Thought It Could Hide From Me!

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 08/19/2020 at 15:04 • Filed to: Dots, fiat 500

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This poor, scared, and neglected Fiat Nueva Cinquenta was hiding behind a restaurant after being left all alone with nowhere to go in the midst of a bustling metropolis. I don’t blame it for hiding, but it could have done a better job of concealing itself.

Poor thing! The wide traffic choked roads of Atlanta full of fast moving SUVs and commercial trucks is no place for a tiny old Italian microcar.

It was designed for narrow backstreets of old Italian city centers the size of the disused wheelchair ramp where it hid. Atlanta’s confusing grid of wide 2-6 lane one way streets are not the ideal use case for the Italian machine.

The nook it nestled itself in is pretty tight. Impressively tight actually.

I presume the railing was built around it. I don’t see another way it could have been parked there. Is it supposed to be a promotional piece for the restaurant behind it? Who knows?

I do love the Abarth stripe on it. The body was in good condition with just a small amount of rust bubbling on the door and some surface rust on the wheelwells. It is pretty clean for a nonfunctional prop.

Of course the paint had seen better days. The Georgia sun takes its toll on cars. Shame, since the exterior was probably in excellent condition when it was placed here.

In the shade of the building, even the rubbers and plastics were good where they had been sheltered from the sun.

The “Nueva 500" badging means this Fiat is a later run model.

The lines on this classic runabout are so iconic that even people who have no idea what it is instantly conjure up images of beautiful sunny Italian countryside and pleasant winding roads to enjoy with the cloth sunroof retracted. Truly a work of art.

Though I am obviously glad I got to see this poor old 500, that’s not how you treat a senior citizen who has earned its keep.

I almost forgot! The interior! It has clearly been well loved and likely had a full restoration performed sometime long ago.

The inside of the car is every bit as classic as the exterior. The large thin steering wheel and elegantly simplistic dash layout is perfect for cruising windy Italian roads in comfort. The horizontal speedometer is a bit less classic than the earlier circular gauge layout, but I don’t mind.

Even though this may be the smallest car I’ve ever really got a good look at, I expect I could still fit quite comfortably albeit snugly in the cabin. Shifting might be hard with a tall passenger though; knees and arms want to rest exactly where the tiny little shift lever sits.

I can’t say the same of the backseat. That can’t be comfortable if you are over 5" tall.

Poor, poor Fiat. It was always too good for us and how do we repay it? Shoving it in a filthy corner and letting the sun bake it to a fine crisp.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 15:19

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Just hiding from that loud, brash German looking for some Italian action...

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 15:20

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Abusing Streetview suggests that it’s been in that spot since April 2016, having left sometime between December 2014 and July 2015 for construction. It was NOT there in the picture preceding Dec. 2014, taken April 2014. But it WAS there in July 2011 and August 2012.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 08/19/2020 at 15:28

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Then it has been there longer than I expected. I thought maybe 6 years tops based on the sun damage. I’m impressed it has held up this well.

I’m also impressed you found the spot on streetview and researched it. So maybe the Midtown Fiat is celebrity. I’m new around here so I wouldn’t know. 

zipfuel > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 08/19/2020 at 15:31

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IIRC he onl y flirts with Lancias

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > zipfuel 08/19/2020 at 15:36

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He might flirt with the old-money Lancia, but he seems ready for a fling with a crazed Fiat...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 15:41

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Oh man, I really want to save the poor thing!!! :(

Being air-cooled, if the engine is still in there i probably wouldn’t even be hard to get it to run again...they don’t have the issue of a cooling system rusting, so as long as no water has gotten INTO the engine, they are very reliable...

Go ask them if they’d take some Canadibucks and deliver it to me! :(

It would make a good restoration candidate...parts are still very easy to get for them, including replacement body panels....they’re mechanically as simple as a bent nail...

What say you buy it as a project and then pay my ticket down when all this is over so we can team up and I then drive it back to NS? :P

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 15:49

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I mean, I just googled the restaurant name and “Atlanta”. And I’m real bored.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/19/2020 at 15:54

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Assuming it has a title (not too much of a problem in a lenient state assuming it is a US market or was imported properly), it would make a fantastic restoration candidate. However, it was also probably the cheapest 500 the restaurant could find to use as a photo op or whatever it is supposed to be. It’s oddly out of the way for a promotional prop.

I have no doubt that it ran before it was abandoned there. The rest of it was once too nice to have the mechanicals neglected. Oh, and rust was seriously very minimal. Nothing structural appeared to be compromised.

But. . .

you buy it as a project

pay my ticket down

I then drive it back to NS

Nice try.

I am very impressed at how well the car has held up from years in the sun. Being in the shadow of multiple very tall buildings likely helps. Surprised it hasn’t been vandalized actually. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 08/19/2020 at 16:02

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Fair. I did include the sign in the photos for the curious.

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 16:27

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You’ve certainly gotten a lot of walking around ATL in.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 18:59

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:P Dang, my genius plan has been discovered! :P

Yes, I’m surprised nobody harmed it either! Maybe they were foiled by its cute little face!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/19/2020 at 19:58

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Most likely. It would be pretty hard to smash up such a beautiful little car. It’s a built in safety mechanism!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/19/2020 at 20:01

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Yes. It really is a ton of fun to walk around the city because you never know what you’ll see. There’s always something around you didn’t know about.

This comment is an excuse for a small photo dump.

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 21:47

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First photo is from the top of the CULC looking down 4th street. The CULC was built my fourth year, and my fraternity house is on 4th street; that’s as specific as I’ll be on that.

Second photo is that bridge by that trendy shopping place where YEAH! B urger is.

Third photo is on Ponce, somewhere. I don’t remember exactly.

I know that’s a hotel, is that the Westin? I know it’s a Dragoncon hotel, and one of the good ones. I just know that because I have friends that go.

I have no idea where that is.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/19/2020 at 22:11

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We may have the Culc, a new library without many books, and several revamped buildings including Crossland Tower (people already got the roof terrace sh ut down) but he student center is closed for a two year renovation. Very annoying.

Ah yes, the one frat on Fourth. That one.

Kodak sign is near Ponce City Market on Ponce, so yes.

You didn’t recognize the oddly shaped Marriott Marquis? Really?

Actually I haven’t been in Peachtree Plaza but it doesn’t have a huge atrium like the Marriott.

The vantage point might have given away the viaducts by the stadiums. Otherwise an obscure view but I didn’t think you’d be guessing. Nearby:

One more! This should be guessable.

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 22:17

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Didn’t realize that they were renovating the student center. They put that food court in when I was a third year. They never change the combos on the mailboxes; my dad used to open the one assigned to him cause he could. Tech is close to my heart, I’m a third generation.

I didn’t want to say which one I was in.

Never been in the Marriott, so sadly no.

I’ll be honest, not sure where that is. I can’t recall where a Ferris wheel is in ATL. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/19/2020 at 22:37

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My dad and brother both went here. My grandfather maybe did I think. Pretty sure, since it was in state engineering school and there didn’t use to be many.

Renovation is pretty comprehensive. Gutted the whole complex and completely revamping. Temporary post office etc but only essential services were relocated. 

I knew why, but found it funny since it doesn’t say much more than “I was in a frat”

I would highly recommend stepping in to see the Marriott. Probably the single most impressive interior I have ever seen. Absolutely draw dropping.

That picture is the T abernacle by the Atlanta SkyView next to Centennial Olympic Park (currently blocked off entirely).

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/19/2020 at 23:01

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It’s still the best, by a wide margin. Even now that u[sic]ga and Georgia Southern have ABET accreditations, Tech is leagues above; it is a world class engineering school.

Ah interesting. Even since my first year, 2008, they’ve made some major changes.

It seems you’re not interested in greek life, so I figured an ambiguous answer was good.

Might have to check it out at some point. I could see my GF being interested in exploring ATL more at some point.

I remember going to Centennial Olympic Park as a kid and playing in the fountain. I also remember my dad used to take my sister and myself down to Tech to walk around when we were kids to give my mom a break. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/20/2020 at 08:31

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I don’t see myself joining a fraternity, but what gave that away?

The Marriott is definitely worth it. Just a short walk from the Centennial Olympic Park area. I never got to play in the fountains but I also was rarely outside of a car in Atlanta as a kid. 

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/20/2020 at 09:26

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Well, for one rush is this week or something like that and doesn’t look like you’re doing that.

Maybe one of these days I’ll stay there or something. I was 6 when the olympics visited ATL, so I got to partake in some of the festivities .

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/20/2020 at 10:18

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doesn’t look like you’re doing that.

I’m not, but how exactly are you seeing that?

The Westin Peachtree Plaza is the third tallest all hotel building in the US so I would definitely like to stay there one day. The Mariott is a lot shorter but it has what used to be the world’s largest atrium and is right across the street from the world’s first atrium hotel (Hyatt something something) so there are so many possibilities. Of course none of those are exactly budget hotels but it’s probably worth it. Probably.

E90M3 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/20/2020 at 11:00

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You are obviously walking around ATL with your free time.

I’m sure I’ll have an excuse at some point. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > E90M3 08/20/2020 at 11:06

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Guilty as charged, though almost all those photos were taken before rush.

I love wandering around on my own and just taking in the sights and sounds. I have always wanted to travel, but given the extremely limited scope of my wanderings geographically (I’ve been outside the southeast once , briefly ) , I’ve been forced to try to better appreciate places I’m already familiar with.