Vehicle Description
The beach car phenomenon of the late 1950s is often credited to
Gianni Agnelli, the playboy grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni
Agnelli. While it was Agnelli who made it popular, the idea is said
to have originated with Ghia's Gigi Segre. Whilst on holiday, Segre
noticed big taxis lumbering around the streets of the island of
Capri. He thought something more whimsical and stylish would add a
dose of fun and practicality to island life. He sketched out a
solution that started with a Fiat Cinquecento, which Ghia then
modified for summer duty by first reinforcing the body and lopping
off the roof. But no mere convertible, the car was further modified
by replacing the doors with a cut-down, step through body sides.
Wicker seats were installed should occupants be fresh from a swim
in the Mediterranean and a whimsical surrey top provided shade.
Combined with the original styling of the tiny Fiat, the "Jolly"
beach car was a fun and adorable exercise. It did not find much
favor with buyers at first, however. But such was the influence of
the young Gianni Agnelli, that when a newspaper published a photo
of him in his new Fiat Jolly on the Italian Riviera, the public
went mad and Jollys began to sell, as suddenly anybody who was
somebody needed to be seen driving one of Ghia's delightful little
buggies. Ghia offered a variety of versions mainly built on the
Fiat 500 and 600 chassis. There was also a Jolly built on the
Renault 4CV (probably to appease French Riviera dwellers) and even
the Fiat Multipla. Other coachbuilders and manufacturers got the
bug and tried their hands at the cheeky little beach cars, with
variations popping up using the Austin Mini and Volkswagen Beetle
as their base. VW even went so far as to offer the factory-produced
Type 181 "Thing" in the late 1960s. Countless other specials and
one-offs have been inspired by the Jolly over the years as the
genre continues to find favor with collectors for their charming,
low key nature. This cheeky little creation started life as a
standard Riley Elf, which in itself was essentially a more
luxurious, booted version of the Austin Mini. It has been given the
full Jolly treatment with welded up and cut-down doors and the roof
and side windows removed and cast aside for sunshine-only duty. The
quality of the conversion is top rate, and the car could easily be
mistaken for a coachbuilt example. The paint is excellent, with
fine quality finishing and detailing. It rides on a set of
Minilite-style alloys with low-profile tires. The body has been
de-bumpered but retains the distinct Riley radiator grille, and
very good quality chrome mirrors and headlamp rings. The interior
features a very nicely finished wood dash, a quality wood-rimmed
Mountney steering wheel and matching custom wood rails which trim
out the cockpit. Front and rear seats have been recovered in stripe
pattern marine-quality canvas to hold up to the rigors of sun
exposure and beach duty, while the floors are line with natural
coco-fiber floor mats. The interior is quite nicely detailed and
well executed with chrome hardware and handy map pockets built into
the side panels. It even includes a surf board that has been
finished to match the interior. It is mechanically very strong and
is "turn-key" and ready for enjoyment. Restoration and service
receipts are included, which show a very recent engine rebuild. The
engine compartment is very clean and well-presented. Simple, cheeky
and fun, this Elf presents in excellent condition, having been part
of a special exhibition of beach cars at the 2015 Amelia Island
Concours d'Elegance. It is a high quality conversion that
brilliantly captures the essence of the Jolly.