Paul M. Lewis started an airplane company in Denver, CO in the 1930s, to construct VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft. Shortly after, Lewis designed an economical car for the masses he planned on selling for $300. It took the form of a three-wheeled aerodynamic automobile called the “Airomobile”.

Italy had many small specialty car manufacturers in the 1960s and 1970s. Many small car makers used drivetrains from Fiat. This vehicle is based on a Fiat 500 drivetrain, with Fiat 600 transmission. 

Presented at the 1966 Turin Motor Show, the Ferves (Ferrari Veicoli Speciali) Ranger is an attractive, compact all-terrain vehicle. The rear-mounted engine is a Fiat 500 unit, the all-independent suspension came from the Fiat 600, and after 1967, all four wheels are driven.

The charter establishing Fiat was signed in 1899. A year later, the factory opened and produced 24 cars in the first year. By 1908, Fiat had expanded throughout Europe and the U.S. World War I began and production focused on supplying the army.

The Fiat 124 entered the market in 1966 as a mid-level sports car. Designed to compete with the MGB, it had superior technical specifications – a dual overhead cam engine and 4-wheel disc brakes.

The 500 Abarth is a sporty addition to Fiat’s successful reboot of the classic Fiat 500. Building on the successful base model, the Abarth features significant power increases, suspension upgrades, and nicer interior appointments.

This nice little Fiat conversion is but one of several designs by Giovanni Vernagallo of Torino, Italy. Vernagallo’s company, Carrozzeria Holiday, takes cars such as the Fiat 500 and Punto, Citroen 2CV, Saxo, and AX, and Renault Twingo, among others, and transforms them into beach cars, cabrios, or pickups.