Vehicle Description
Cruisin Classics is proud and excited to share with you the newest
addition to our showroom - a 1965 Fiat Jolly Giardiniera by Ghia.
In 1957 Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli commissioned the Italian
coachbuilder Ghia to modify a new Fiat 500 into a topless and
doorless beach car that he could transport around the Mediterranean
on his yacht for use while at ports. The idea caught on quickly and
this simplistic but chic beach car became a hit among the wealthy
and elite, with owners like Aristotle Onasis, Yul Brenner, Mae
West, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Lyndon Johnson. Between 1958
and 1966 Ghia produced between 600-700 (estimates vary slightly)
Jolly conversions and they are highly sought after. Other European
coachbuilders went on to make many similar Jolly-style cars (and
some still do), but it is the Ghia Jolly's that light up collectors
eyes. Nearly all Jollys were made from Fiat 500's and 600's but a
select few (less than 100 estimated) were based on the
extended-platform Fiat Giardiniera station wagon version of the
500. These wagons featured a rear engine positioned under the boot
floor, affording a generous luggage area lacking in their smaller
counterparts. This Giardiniera Jolly is one the very few of its
kind still in existence today, and quite possibly the nicest one
too!
This Jolly comes to us complete with some history from its most
recent caretaker. He bought the car 30 years ago from Dick Clifton
Motors in Circleville Ohio. At that time this white car was
outfitted with pink steel wheels, pink floormats, and a pink surrey
top. He says that Clifton Motors bought the car from an owner in
California who had decked it out in pink accents for use in a golf
tournament by none other than Jackie Onasis (whose favorite color
was pink)! Not a fan of the pink, he returned the car to all-white
and used it sparingly over the ensuing three decades. Two years ago
the Jolly began an extensive nut bolt rotisserie restoration that
was just completed recently. We even have photos of the car
stripped down to bare rust-free steel on the rotisserie. This
restoration is a master-class in attention to miniscule details and
the resulting car is a true concours-level specimen!
The body of this Jolly is laser-straight, rust-free, and coated in
show-quality white paint. The paint is PPG Deltron single stage and
over $10K was spent on paint and materials alone - it looks simply
fantastic! To accent the slick white paint, all chrome elements on
the car were removed then refinished by John's Custom Chrome in
Grafton Ohio. The result is a gleaming white car that shines like a
diamond in the light! Up front, the hood wears a bright spine with
a Fiat keyhole cover at the leading edge and beneath is a bright
chrome grille with a red Fiat badge. Flanking the grille are round
European headlamps (with bulbs, not sealed beam) in bright bezels
as well as brightly ringed turn signal indicators. Under the grille
is a European license plate holder and a new bumper with a
mirror-finish. Both front fenders sport small round turn signal
indicators and like-new colorful Ghia badges. The windshield is
framed with bright trim and features a set of working wiper arms.
One of the visual hallmarks of a Jolly is a removable fringed
surrey top designed to keep passengers shaded from the hot
Mediterranean sun. The top on this Jolly is crisp, white, and brand
new with equally fresh white armature. Unlike some Giardiniera
Jolly's we've seen, the top on this car covers the entire passenger
compartment including the rear storage area above the engine.
Bright trim and chrome bars line the edges of the passenger cabin,
with additional pieces like rocker trim adding to the visual pop.
Both rear quarters feature horizontal chrome air vents that feed
cool air to the engine in the rear. These vents would have been
placed vertically on the rear pillars of the Giardiniera before its
transformation into a Jolly. Around back you'll find vertical
taillights with bright surrounds, a chrome license plate light
assembly, a European license plate holder, another perfect bumper,
a chrome tip on the exhaust, and a black "Jolly" script decal. The
wheels and tires are a perfect complement to this little car, with
12" body-color steel wheels outfitted with beauty rings and "Fiat"
moon-caps all wrapped in a set of Pirelli white wall tires. The
restorer even went to the trouble to insure that when the "Fiat" on
the cap is horizontal on a wheel, the valve stem will be at the 6
o-clock position. It's this level of attention to detail that makes
this car so stupendous! Speaking of meticulous detail, take a look
underneath the car - the immaculately clean undercarriage is
painted white as nicely as the top and the suspension components
are all black and have been rebuilt with new OEM parts including
all new bushings. It literally looks like a brand new car
underneath!
To get to the engine of this Jolly, simply un-snap the vinyl cover
on the floor of the rear storage area and unlatch two clasps to
lift the engine compartment cover. Under the cover door is an
air-cooled 499cc OHV inline 2 cylinder engine with a single-barrel
carburetor. The engine is arranged horizontally to facilitate a low
and tight fit, allowing for the additional cargo space above. Just
like the rest of the car, the engine and its compartment are in
impeccable condition with no demerits to be found. The engine is
mated to a 4-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear
wheels. Stopping power is provided by 4-wheel drum brakes. Steering
is manual, but since the Jolly barely weighs more than a thousand
pounds it's remarkably easy to steer.
Normally you have to open a door to inspect a cars' interior, but
with no doors and no windows the interior of a Jolly is on full
display at all times. The only barrier to entry is a white
leather-wrapped chain that clips on at the front and rear of the
open side sections. Up front are two wicker bucket seats that tilt
forward to allow access to the wicker bench seat in the rear (which
tilts forward as well). The seats have been recaned and are in
excellent condition. The entire floor of the car is covered with a
group of OEM rubber mats that look brand new and protect the floor
from wet beach-going passengers. On the tunnel between the front
seats is an emergency brake lever, a choke lever, a starter lever,
and a shifter with a beautiful wooden Fiat shift ball. Just ahead
of the rear seat on that same tunnel is a lever that allows hot air
to flow from the engine through a vent on each side of the tunnel.
If you close the vents the air will then travel to the front of the
car and blow through the defrost vents. Ahead of the driver is a
2-spoke white steering wheel with working horn that frames a 70mph
speedometer on the dash. Also on the speedometer are warning lights
for lights, gen, fuel, and oil as well as an odometer showing
11,521 actual miles. In the center of the dash is the ignition
keyhole with a switch to the left for dash lights, a switch above
for headlamps and to the right a switch for wipers. Above those
switches is an incredibly tiny ashtray and a rear-view mirror. Over
on the passenger side is a grab handle dressed with some wicker to
match the seats. Under the dash to the left of the driver is a
solid state AM radio. This radio was inoperative when restoration
began, so an exact match was found and installed. Under the dash to
the drivers right is a black push-button that pumps the wiper fluid
onto the windshield. In the center is a white storage caddy that
has a pull-cable mounted under it for the throttle control. Back in
the rear storage area is a brand new Livivo wicker picnic basket
full of all the ...for more information please contact the seller.
