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The Fiat 1500 for the last journey

Name: Fiat 1500 1965
Brand: Fiat

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Created on December 11, 2013

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

Fiat Press

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

Fiat Press

Archiv

87 1

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - as much as possible was left as standard

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - only a few Fiat 1500s were converted into hearses, usually Mercedes models and Americans served as the basis

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - hardly slower than a standard Fiat 1500

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the cross always rides along

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - there is no doubt about its intended use

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - fine metalwork on the inside

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - for the last travel_Fiat

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - based on the 1500 Familiare model

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - basically a station wagon

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the bar in the radiator grille identifies the Fiat as a second series model

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - remained compact even as a hearse

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the individual rear body is clearly visible

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the entire rear body was custom-made

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - elegant fittings and decorative elements at the rear of the Fiat

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - trapezoidal lines and lots of rectangles in the lines

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the whitewall tires suit the dark car very well

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - up to the B-pillar the car corresponds to the standard Fiat 1500

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the cockpit contains additional controls

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - standard interior with a few additional switches

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - ignition left, steering wheel gearshift right

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - Tape speedometer, temperature and fuel gauge

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - even inside you are left in no doubt about the engine capacity

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - very upright seating position, forced by partition wall

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - relatively flat-bottomed steering wheel

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the lever on the right is used to activate the creeper gear

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - Interior in red

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - solid suspension of the tailgate

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - two large springs hold the lid up

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the fuel filler cap sits inside the car

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - Sliding device in the rear

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - artistic decoration of the interior

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - ornate lamps add ambience

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the beautiful interior lights

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - lights and fittings create a festive atmosphere

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - stylish interior lighting

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the individualized part of the car begins at the B-pillar

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the lights have to be removed for fast traveling

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the engine corresponds to the series

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the in-line four-cylinder engine with 83 SAE hp is installed longitudinally

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - the side lights can be attached and plugged in if required

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - Manufacturer Pilato

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - comparatively small wheels were common at the time

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - no difference to the series here

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - classic Fiat face with twin headlights under eye covers

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - dynamic appearance

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - a carefully designed mid-size sedan

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1962) - simple but elegant design

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - elegantly presented in an autumnal atmosphere

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - the roof extends beyond the rear window

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - presented on an airfield

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - making an impression is of course better with whitewall tires

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - for the smaller and larger family

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Fiat 1500 (1965) - in a tough handling test

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Fiat 1800 (1961) - the estate version offers space for everything, there was also a Familiare version of the smaller 1300/1500

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Fiat 1500 Familiare (1965) - (front right) ... and the entire Fiat estate car range

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Fiat 1300 and 1500 lined up at the factory

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Takeover of a test car

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1962) - from the outside, the 1300 and 1500 looked identical

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Fiat 1500 (1961) - a test car, clearly marked 'Prova'

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Fiat 1500 (1965) - the overhangs are almost the same length at the front and rear

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Fiat 1500 (1962) - cutaway model exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show

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Fiat 1500 (1965) - Dashboard - Ignition lock left of steering wheel

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - Interior with band speedometer

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Interior, with front seats folded down

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Interior - Bandtacho

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Fiat 1500 (1961) - Rear access, on a test car

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Fiat 1500 (1961) - Trunk and spare wheel of a test car

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Fiat 1500 (1965) - the hood opened forwards, like all other openings

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Fiat 1500 (1965) - View into the engine compartment

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - the four-cylinder with overhead valves and side camshaft, seen from the left

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - 1481 cm3 and 83 SAE hp

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Fiat 1500 (1964) - Basic structure and mechanical units

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Transparency drawing

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Test drive in the cold of the north

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Fiat 1300 and 1500 (1961) - Test drive on the cold 'Polcircel'

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Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - kaum langsamer als ein serienmässiger Fiat 1500

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - das Kreuz fährt immer mit

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - über den Verwendungszweck bleiben keine Zweifel offen

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - edle Metallverarbeitung im Innern

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - für die letzte Reise-_Fiat

Fiat 1500 Pilato (1965) - als Basis wurde das Modell 1500 Familiare genommen

Summary

Between 1961 and 1966, Fiat built over 600,000 type 1300/1500 vehicles, a small number of which were delivered as station wagons (Familiare). And a very small number were converted into hearses by the Pilato company. At least one of these special vehicles has survived, reason enough to experience it in the driver's seat! This vehicle report describes the history of the Fiat 1300/1500 and portrays a hearse version from 1965 in detail, supplemented by archive material and even a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

Carefully developed design
Contemporary technology
Continuous care
Speedy family vehicle
Replacement by the Fiat 124
A special body
At the wheel of a hearse
Beautifully finished with an eye for detail
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It was 07:34 when Don Corleone died in a hail of bullets from his adversaries, just outside Palermo. He was picked up at 09:36 and set off on his last journey in a Fiat 1500. If he had been able to look around him, he would have noticed the beautifully crafted metal surfaces, the ornate lamps and the large windows. He would hardly have recognized the driver because of the almost opaque windscreen. And he would have felt safe in the Fiat, as the Italian manufacturer had been the first to equip a passenger car of this class with front disc brakes in 1961. In addition, Don Corleone would certainly have been reassured by the more than 1.5 million test kilometers that 19 prototypes had completed in the far north of Scandinavia and in the tropical regions of South Africa.

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