A Fiat Van??huh??

NYLIBUD · September 7, 2017

I saw this 1969,I believe Fiat Van at a local car show.I never knew Fiat made a van.Its odd,but very cool looking.Anybody know anything about this van?

Edited September 7, 2017 by NYLIBUD

Ace-Garageguy · September 7, 2017

Fiat made a lot of vans over the years. We just didn't get many over here.

What you've got there is a Fiat 238 (built from '67 through '83) with an optional raised-roof.

A direct competitor to the VW Bugbus (in the European market) , the Fiat 238 came in lotsa body styles. There was also a pop-top camper.

The chassis was derived from the Autobianchi (a Fiat subsidiary) Primula. It's engine and gearbox sit sideways, ahead of the front axle...like the majority of FWD cars today. Because that puts it under the seat in the 238, your feet and backside are always toasty warm.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

iamsuperdan · September 8, 2017

As an aside, we do sort of get new Fiat vans here in North America now.

The Ram Promaster is a Fiat Doblo with a different grille.

Ace-Garageguy · September 8, 2017

The Ram Promaster is a Fiat Doblo with a different grille.

The photo you show above, the Ram 2500 Promaster, is actually based on the Fiat Ducato.

The Fiat Doblo-based Promaster is smaller, and looks like this...

Edited September 8, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

iamsuperdan · September 8, 2017

D'Oh!

I knew the Doblo was one of the Promasters we get.

The big Promaster is actually quite common here. My company leases out a bunch of them, and I have three on my lot right now.

The Promaster City is a turd, and is pretty much sale proof!

Joe Handley · September 8, 2017

The big Promaster vans also get the same 283hp version of the 3.6l/speed auto combo that my 200 has and had been put in the Chrysler Minivans from '11-'16/'17. The little ones only seem to get the 2.4l/6 speed auto combo.

Ace-Garageguy · September 8, 2017

The Promaster City is a turd, and is pretty much sale proof!

That's pretty funny...and not surprising given its looks. Seems to have come from the collective pens of a no-talent committee like the one responsible for the Nissan Puke.

I don't quite understand why, though it's entirely possible to design beautiful vehicles, there seem to be so very few.

These little VW vans, for instance, are sleek, trim, well-proportioned, and all their parts look like they were designed to go together..

The Fiat equivalent Promaster City / Doblo pictured above looks like they took random lines and planes and merged them in the computer, with no cohesive vision whatsoever.

NYLIBUD · September 9, 2017

I'm talking about "OLD" Fiat Vans,not these ugly new ones.I meant i was not aware that Fiat made vans back in the 60s.

Ace-Garageguy · September 9, 2017

I'm talking about "OLD" Fiat Vans,not these ugly new ones.I meant i was not aware that Fiat made vans back in the 60s.

Your specific question was answered in post 2.

But here's more "OLD" Fiat vans...

And the really oddball Multipla...

Edited September 9, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

NYLIBUD · September 11, 2017

Your specific question was answered in post 2.

But here's more "OLD" Fiat vans...







And the really oddball Multipla...

Wow,very interesting little vehicles.Rare too,I bet.

waynehulsey · September 12, 2017

I just think the Multipla is so cool. Have a couple of cardstock models, but would love a 1/24-25 scale model of it. Here's a 59 600 I shot at the Prescott AZ antique show and a 1970 Van and a 1960 600 from a Italian Vehicle Show. I guess the thing that gets me about them is they remind me of one of my favorite cars: Stout Scarab.