1965 FIAT 2300 S Coupé |
| Chassis# 114 BS 153 255 |
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| Right after having come through the Dutch MOT for the first time in 1995 |
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| Just dusted off for the first time in 1999: April 24. |
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At a gas station on the ancient roman Via Aurelia near San Remo, Italy, May 1996.
| This Fiat 2300 S Coupe was build at the end of 1964 and delivered to its first, Danish, owner in the spring of 1965. This first owner who’s name remains unknown, lived in or around the City of Odense on the island of Fyn. Much of the early history of the car is unknown but by the end of the 1970’s the car was laid up and pretty much was left to its own devices and deteriorated fast. Somewhere in the early 1980’s, probably 1982, the car was taken up by a Danish enthusiast who rebuilt the car to its former glory. Much of the bodywork was replaced by hand-beaten panels as, certainly at that time, no original panels could be found. Basically, all the sheet metal below the waist-line was replaced and although the bodyworker did a more than splendid job, rebuilding a car this extensively will always show a little so it is safe to say that this car is not in show condition but, don’t misunderstand me, in very decent shape. The car is in its original silver metallic finish with tan leather interior. The dashboard top is covered in original black vinyl which needs replacing due to cracks. Also the carpets would need replacing.
In the mid 1980’s, the car was sold to a North German car collector where it spent a couple of years in lock-up. This collector sold it on to an amateur from Fulda who occasionally drove the car. This is the man from whom I acquired the car on May 12, 1994. I drove the car back to Holland and in April 1995 has the car recommissioned for the road. The main reason for the long period between the moment on acquisition and finally getting it on the road laid in the fact that although the car had a current German TUV-certificate, it had suffered heavily from standing still. The brakes pulled heavily to one side, the exhaust had rusted through, the brake servo’s didn't work, all the brake and fuel hoses needed replacing and so forth. In total, I ran up a bill of around NLG 6,000.= (ca. USD 3,000.= / UKP 2,000.=) to get it on the road…. About a year later, I had the car converted to car gas (LPG) which dramatically reduced the running cost of it. The normal petrol system complete with fuel tank has remained in tact so it is currently bi-fuel and, when required, the car can easily be converted back to the sole use of petrol.
So far, the car has taken the use of LPG (Car Gas) very well but unluckily, I maladjusted the valves and as a consequence, the # 5 exhaust valve burned. This still needs replacing. The car is currently registered in The Netherlands and carries current Dutch MOT. Over the last couple of years, we have piled up quite some miles on it, ca. 30,000 KM / 20,000 miles. We have taken the car to Italy, France and Germany on holidays and have always enjoyed it thoroughly. I am more than willing to give more information and you can e-mail me on fiat2300s@jackhabits.com.
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