Rare and adorable! Autobianchi Bianchina - Tiny van tested

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

Could this right-hand drive Autobianchi Bianchina van be a unique survivor? It's certainly packed full of charm. Think of it as a slightly posher Fiat 500 Nuova and you won't go far wrong. Straight-twin engine, non-synchro gearbox and very, very few frills. Still loved it...
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Пікірлер: 381

  • @user-in2bw8xk6i
    @user-in2bw8xk6i Жыл бұрын

    As an Italian, the sound of that 2-cylinder engine is the sound of childhood.

  • @Nino500

    @Nino500

    Жыл бұрын

    Very much a part of my childhood too. Love it.

  • @7thSonOfHolyDiver

    @7thSonOfHolyDiver

    Жыл бұрын

    As a Polish I could say mine too

  • @giulioz.4928

    @giulioz.4928

    Жыл бұрын

    True!

  • @patrickw6934
    @patrickw6934 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for giving me a smile on what's been a "down" day.💕 A family friend was a Fiat Dealer. His garden was (neatly) scattered with bits of Fiat 5 and 600. He helped keep our badly behaved 850 on the road.

  • @fnutboy

    @fnutboy

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, we all get depressed and then watch little vids like this and it makes us laugh. Cheers Hubnut and all the followers, love you x

  • @the.internet

    @the.internet

    Жыл бұрын

    Echo these sentiments

  • @fnutboy

    @fnutboy

    Жыл бұрын

    @@the.internet Amen

  • @fnutboy

    @fnutboy

    Жыл бұрын

    @@the.internet Stay strong mate x

  • @kennethjackson7574

    @kennethjackson7574

    Жыл бұрын

    I saw an 850 ragtop in San Rafael, California, within the past year or two. In an auto repair shop, of course. If nothing else, the return of Fiats that generally resemble these old ones, and the Disney/Pixar movie ‘Cars’ has made the 850s more likely to cause folks to wonder “What’s that?”

  • @giuseppetaurino5002
    @giuseppetaurino5002 Жыл бұрын

    I'm a simple Italian: I see HubNut driving an old Italian classic, I hit the like button

  • @a1white
    @a1white Жыл бұрын

    Why can’t we make cars as adorable as this anymore?

  • @kennethjackson7574

    @kennethjackson7574

    Жыл бұрын

    Side impact crash resistance comparable to that of a laundry basket, perhaps?

  • @a1white

    @a1white

    Жыл бұрын

    @@kennethjackson7574 hahaha!

  • @fhwolthuis
    @fhwolthuis Жыл бұрын

    What a cute little thing. Brings back sweet memories of my mum's 500s. We travelled with 4 people in it sometimes, my dad being 6ft2 and my sister and me sitting in the back seat as teenagers. You should've given the fam a lift to try it out 😂👍🏻

  • @tommasomanzali7847
    @tommasomanzali7847 Жыл бұрын

    I love this! My great grandad had a 1969 berlina, in beige with red interior! They stopped using it in 1980 circa but never sold it nor trashed it, so it remained in the house. In 2005 or so, my grandad decided it was time to restore it, so we did it! It was so funny looking, so cute! We sold it ten years ago or so to a collectionist who, I guess, still drives it!

  • @mfbfreak
    @mfbfreak Жыл бұрын

    That horn matches the car's cute looks so well. Love it.

  • @bobstark184
    @bobstark184 Жыл бұрын

    This brings back memories of our’66 500! Pretty much the same interior and exactly the same noise. We drove it back from Florence and it was at its happiest over the Alps. Stay off the motorways and they are lovely.

  • @garethdavies3220
    @garethdavies3220 Жыл бұрын

    Hi Ian, the “unknown” white thing with the tool kit was a 12 volt inspection lamp , the cap unscrews to reveal the bulb and cables.

  • @danmccarthy4700
    @danmccarthy4700 Жыл бұрын

    You make driving a crashbox look so easy! Thanks for this little history lesson on a vehicle I had no clue existed until today.

  • @thomas05ish
    @thomas05ish Жыл бұрын

    Charming little vehicle from a bygone age. Great video as usual.

  • @macgvrs
    @macgvrs Жыл бұрын

    Definitely an interesting little car. Surprising performance from such a small engine. My lawn mower is 18 HP! It is interesting that Briggs and Stratton, who made my lawn mower engine, made a hybrid car in the 1980's using one of their 18 HP twin engines. They claimed that 18 HP is all you needed once you get a car up to cruising speed. Having an electric motor definitely helped performance but, if I recall correctly, you could just use the little gas engine. Anyway, fun to see some of these unique little cars.

  • @chrisrand5185
    @chrisrand5185 Жыл бұрын

    We took our Punto Cabrio to Auto Italia at Brooklands a couple of years ago, which was full of exotic supercars, but the star of the show was an Aautobianchi Bianchina Cabrio. It drew the crowds whereas the Maserati next to it was just another Maserati like all the others.

  • @neverquit2470

    @neverquit2470

    Жыл бұрын

    Amazing 👏 as an Italian I have a huge respect for the Brits who owned an Italian car or motorbike... Another cool car meeting is the Horsham Piazza Italia!🤗🇮🇹 Ciao!

  • @depniff
    @depniff Жыл бұрын

    Spotted the Saundersfoot street scene at the start. Brought my summer holiday spent there back into my mind. Warm summer days seem so long ago. More Miss Hubnut seaside reviews please....

  • @andrewmalyon5699
    @andrewmalyon5699 Жыл бұрын

    What a cute,happy little vehicle, love it 😀

  • @The-Rectifier
    @The-Rectifier Жыл бұрын

    This bring back a lot off memories....my father drove between ' 66 an mid ' 68, the " berlina F " version. The sound of that little engine, i never forget. One of my first driving experiences was...in that lite blue rumble car. 10 years old and i felt mighty proud. Man...times fly😣 Little anecdote: The heather handle , was under the rear seat and my 4 year younger brother did had the ( naughty), habit, to turn it always on....my parents complain always, it get so hot in the car, till they find out why🤣🤣🤣 It seems..the Berlina did have a more " luxurious ", dashboard The A112 ABARTH ....hallelujah, we did have fin with...70Hp😎

  • @AndyB59
    @AndyB59 Жыл бұрын

    This is what I love about your channel Ian. One video you're behind the wheel of a great hooligan of a V8 Aussie ute, the next you're controlling the massive 18bhp of an Autobianchi estate. And your grin is just as big each time! Thanks for the grins it gives me. I now can't drive any more owing to glaucoma, and so you give me a great deal of vicarious pleasure. Thanks 👍

  • @martinneumann7783
    @martinneumann7783 Жыл бұрын

    With this awesome little car you steal the show of every Ferrari (also italian and mostly rear engine). Thanks for this road test. Marvellous! 🇮🇹❤🇮🇹

  • @billy2rivers1
    @billy2rivers1 Жыл бұрын

    A proper old school hubnut video.

  • @Jay-B1750
    @Jay-B1750 Жыл бұрын

    Oh my god what a delicious little thing! I love Italian cars, used to see tonnes of Autobianchi over there when we were on holiday

  • @MeMe-qr3go
    @MeMe-qr3go Жыл бұрын

    You know, these quirky old cars are such fun. I'd really love to go for an adventure in something like that. It's like a complete time warp back to a time when people were genuinely content with less and a lot more thankful generally. It's pretty awesome how your channel and it's followers appreciate the good in what is regarded as the mundane. You take the time to see the good in the discarded and neglected. Good job again Ian.

  • @hugobloemers4425
    @hugobloemers4425 Жыл бұрын

    A right hand drive panel van Bianchina in 2022, and its driving and not in a museum... Amazing!!

  • @martinclapton2724
    @martinclapton2724 Жыл бұрын

    Hugely pretty car/van and colour scheme. Glad you mentioned the Primula as the original fwd car with end on box, yes as part of Fiat it was a ground breaking design, one they employed on the 128 ( before the 127 as you mentioned) which was voted Euro Car of the Year. To think now most if not all modern car manufacturers follow this design both in terms of saving manufacturing costs , as aided by Macpherson struts they can install the engine / gearbox/ front suspension/ brakes all in one manoeuvre, but also gives potentially more usable space in the volume of the car. Love the video , thought she sounded as well looked very sweet

  • @mystisith3984
    @mystisith39843 ай бұрын

    Love it. In this day and age where families are smaller, I would gladly give up on the back seats to have 2 front seats + plenty of cargo space behind.

  • @simonhodgetts6530
    @simonhodgetts6530 Жыл бұрын

    Gotta love an Autobianchi! I’m happy to say that I own a Bianchi bicycle (in the traditional Celeste colour) - and it’s a beautiful thing!

  • @GSimpsonOAM
    @GSimpsonOAM Жыл бұрын

    My father bought a Fiat 500 van when I was born. He decided they needed a bigger car as their first car was a Heinkel bubble car so the FIAT had more than double the engine size (and cylinders)

  • @kimcason8764
    @kimcason8764 Жыл бұрын

    Ian in his Element, in a little Buzzbox Micro Engine thing, much more Hubnut than the V8 world..! The Noise of a Completely Different Type of Beastie..! The Joys of Motoring on the 'Sniff of an Oily Rag'. Love it, so Practical for the Welsh Countryside..! Or Maybe Not..!? Cheers All, kim in Oz. 😎

  • @danieleregoli812
    @danieleregoli812 Жыл бұрын

    Awww, that sound...!!! So many memories!!!!

  • @ivanvisanich
    @ivanvisanich Жыл бұрын

    The joys of driving a car with little power. You have to use all of it most of the times. Tiny wheels make it a hoot to drive. No one beats the Italians for the small car and the same recipe still applies to the current Fiat Panda.

  • @peterbishop2552
    @peterbishop2552 Жыл бұрын

    What a beautiful vehicle. Thanks for a very enjoyable report.

  • @hannodearing1366
    @hannodearing1366 Жыл бұрын

    This is Linz, Austria speaking: we would like to mention that we absolutely loved our 44 hp Autobianchi 112, the european master of corrosion 😎

  • @ruglund
    @ruglund Жыл бұрын

    so absolutely a gorgeus little car, this is italian charm at its best. Syncromesh is such a good invention, looking forward to your video on crash gearboxes.

  • @beatglauser9444
    @beatglauser9444 Жыл бұрын

    A friend of mine bought a survivor with only a tiny bit of rust in Italy: A Panoramica with glass behind the door. He painted it in its original grey color. It does not look as fancy as this one. But it is cute never the less. When me and my wife were young we nearly bought a Bianchina Coupe (with a vinyl roof that you could open). Unfortuanely it was missing to many parts. And was to rusty. There were even full convertibles. Super cute vehicles with tiny fins. For over ten years I saw a Bianchina in a junkyard it Tuscany. I loved to see it when we were driving on the Autostada. The junkyard is gone and the Bianchina as well.

  • @daniellee9015
    @daniellee9015 Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely brilliant video Ian 👍what a car Absolutely gorgeous little car a testament to how cars should still be built last for ever brilliant

  • @gord307
    @gord307 Жыл бұрын

    Having owned a Fiat 126, many years ago now, it is interesting how little power you actually need to make progress. That positive camber looks like it might make the car a bit of a handful if things went pear-shaped! Thanks for a fascinating review. 👍

  • @danieleregoli812
    @danieleregoli812 Жыл бұрын

    They were very popular here back in the day. There was also a bigger van version, with a taller roof, and a rolling shutter at the back. They were used by the state electrical company and the Italian postal service. They were also very popular with plumbers, decorators and any sort of artisan and/or handyman or repairer. If driven well they could easily exceed 25Kms on a liter of petrol!

  • @jorgefernandez-mv8hu
    @jorgefernandez-mv8hu Жыл бұрын

    That is such an adorable and cool little car. Perfect for around town.

  • @williamross2579
    @williamross2579 Жыл бұрын

    I am so happy, that you are happy Ian!

  • @plym1969
    @plym1969 Жыл бұрын

    This was fun! Thanks Ian 🙂

  • @ben_jam
    @ben_jam Жыл бұрын

    Lovely little motor car, these were perfect for all those old Italian towns with small and winding roads

  • @andrewentwistle515
    @andrewentwistle515 Жыл бұрын

    Wow what a rare & adorable little van. What a great video on another classic vehicle. I always enjoy the history behind the company who make the vehicles as well as the test drives as well.

  • @fugawiaus
    @fugawiaus Жыл бұрын

    Imagine climbing out of a 5.0litre v8 falcon Ute then climbing into the autobianchi. Bit of a difference

  • @niklaswejedal463
    @niklaswejedal463 Жыл бұрын

    I had no idea there was a direct link between Autobianchi and the Bianchi bikes 😯 - New knowledge acquired! Oh joy!

  • @davidlawrence-turner4379
    @davidlawrence-turner4379 Жыл бұрын

    Looked a real joy . And it matched the blue bollards

  • @florjanbrudar692
    @florjanbrudar692 Жыл бұрын

    0:04 As someone who rode in a Fiat 600 before, I wholeheartedly agree. I always had a soft spot for little cars.

  • @robertmustard1711
    @robertmustard1711 Жыл бұрын

    Hi Ian that brings back childhood memories of Stepaside and Saundersfoot

  • @danieleregoli812
    @danieleregoli812 Жыл бұрын

    Oh myyyyy, the Bianchina van!!!! What a find!! SWEEEET!!!!😍

  • @wolfsokaya
    @wolfsokaya Жыл бұрын

    These cars have some magic,that the new cars will never have.

  • @HTMLEXP
    @HTMLEXP Жыл бұрын

    Double de-clutching is a good practice to learn even if you are driving a car with a synchromesh gearbox. It means you extend the life of the synchromesh and, in a low powered car (especially in a hilly area), you maximise available power and conserve momentum. After all, "power, less is more". There is something so satisfying about rev-matching on the down change and feel the gears mesh smoothly.

  • @darrenthomas913
    @darrenthomas913 Жыл бұрын

    I see this little baby in the Pembrokeshire Classic Car Show. A very rare beast.

  • @timhancock6626
    @timhancock6626 Жыл бұрын

    My brother had one, and so did one of his mates back in about 1971.

  • @ansomeBob
    @ansomeBob Жыл бұрын

    I've seen this car at a few shows and it's gorgeous 🙂

  • @darrenwilson8042
    @darrenwilson8042 Жыл бұрын

    what a little cutie - Dante Giacosa was a genius - cars now are just homogenous blobs. I didn't realise it growing up and passing my test in 1980 but there was so much of motoring interest around me that just passed me by.

  • @profrumpo
    @profrumpo Жыл бұрын

    Love it, saw the estate version featured on Bangers and Cash recently. 1962 as old as me but in far, far better condition. Though looking at it struggle up that hill I think we share similar performance.

  • @bloodybrit
    @bloodybrit Жыл бұрын

    Love it. The starter and choke are just like my old 126. I never knew of these and this is why I enjoy Hubnut so much.

  • @nathanhobson1142
    @nathanhobson1142 Жыл бұрын

    Best thing about this video is passing through Saundersfoot, into New Hedges, and (almost) into Tenby.

  • @multislipful
    @multislipful Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for taking us out in that lovely little parallel twin engined transport of delight. In its day it would have happily kept up with all the old pre war Austin Sevens and the A35s that populated these roads. Pity there’s only one though.

  • @6chhelipilot
    @6chhelipilot Жыл бұрын

    I had a 72 Fiat 126 and a later Polish-made 'Polski' 126p. Both were full of character and were 2 of our favourite cars, and we've had many!

  • @mr.sr7171
    @mr.sr7171 Жыл бұрын

    What a cute little Italian contraption 😍

  • @unbalancedcrank
    @unbalancedcrank Жыл бұрын

    This is just so wonderful! What a find! Bravissimo!

  • @zeeblats
    @zeeblats Жыл бұрын

    That thing you didn't know what it is, is an inspection lamp. Fiat and Lada had them in every vehicle, mine has CCCP on the lid, which unscrews to reveal a rolled up wire that you could either have clamps or a cigar lighter adapter to power 21w bulb.

  • @fourthdrawerdown6297
    @fourthdrawerdown6297 Жыл бұрын

    I’ve seen a Fiat 500 knocking around near me with a similar paint job and hubcaps and it always makes me smile. Thanks for sharing the tiniest,vanniest of tiny vans. 🚐

  • @melvyncox3361
    @melvyncox3361 Жыл бұрын

    Lovely little van.Good to see one in preservation😎👍❤

  • @dianacrow7509
    @dianacrow7509 Жыл бұрын

    "Petite Needlepoint" cute!!

  • @Rjhs001
    @Rjhs001 Жыл бұрын

    Delightful little rascal Ian. Those rear lights remind me of the Austin 1100/1300.

  • @johnboy384
    @johnboy384 Жыл бұрын

    What a gorgeous little car.

  • @goosegog
    @goosegog Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely scrumptious! Thank you for securing this test

  • @danielpothier9990
    @danielpothier9990 Жыл бұрын

    Hubnut like a good Italian restaurant is always good.

  • @richardhughes9074
    @richardhughes9074 Жыл бұрын

    That gorgeous cute little van sounds very much like twc herself Ian Seabrook!!

  • @graham6771
    @graham6771 Жыл бұрын

    Another lovely little video:)

  • @16jan1986
    @16jan1986 Жыл бұрын

    I made sure one of those was saved from a derelict dairy last year here in dk. It was going to be put in the skip here in dk I said it was worth money and they sold it instead... I was originally a panel van but somebody cut out windows

  • @cornishhh
    @cornishhh Жыл бұрын

    That's wonderful. I owned three 500s when I was young, and you can really throw them around once you get used to the rather dead steering. The engine is so light that the swing axles don't tuck under like they do in something like a Renault 10 or a Skoda. The only other UK original RHD Bianchina I know of is CRC 459J (one of the last) which on Ebay in Anglesey in 2014. It was last taxed in 2020.

  • @tristanpage6805
    @tristanpage6805 Жыл бұрын

    Great little thing. Driving it looks like a full time job. Try texting or on the phone behind the wheel of that. Keep up the great work

  • @danielbliss8014
    @danielbliss8014 Жыл бұрын

    What a great location for your entry to the video. I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't one of the locations for the early Pink Panther movies with this car.

  • @darrenwilson8042
    @darrenwilson8042 Жыл бұрын

    This is small and Italian therefore fizzy - in small Italian cars its the opera involved in the journey - drive at full chat - never endanger your license and laugh like a maniac as you make moderate progress at what feels like on the edge driving lol

  • @rudydehaan5313
    @rudydehaan5313 Жыл бұрын

    I was watching this with a big smile on my face the entire time. Such a great little car ! This is why I love Italian cars. Great video.

  • @martinbourne8463
    @martinbourne8463 Жыл бұрын

    What a beauty,who really needs an SUV

  • @garethmorris-jones7760
    @garethmorris-jones7760 Жыл бұрын

    Learnt to drive when i was around 16 years of age in the early 1970 s, off road down local farmers tracks in an identical fiat autobianchi van but origional pale blue colour. All good fun at the time with the crash gearbox untill the bell house casing cracked and the vehicle was scrapped.

  • @redsorgum
    @redsorgum Жыл бұрын

    This "little” video was great. 😘

  • @TheOracle65
    @TheOracle65 Жыл бұрын

    Excellent review Ian! What an adorable slice of post-war motoring, with in-period elegant styling and that so Italian 2 cylinder soundtrack. And all so very HubNut.

  • @paulbennell3313
    @paulbennell3313 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Ian for pointing out what is needed for the completion of my life. Knowing is half the battle.

  • @lesklower7281
    @lesklower7281 Жыл бұрын

    Simplicity less is more l do like how simple this little van is less to go wrong

  • @cliffordtalkscars
    @cliffordtalkscars Жыл бұрын

    I’ve just purchased one! RHD, too. 1967 in need of minor restoration, but I’ll be doing a few videos of how it goes. I would say there are around 5-10 RHD remaining. A similar amount to my RHD 1966 Fiat 600D Multipla! Great video.

  • @chrisjwrites
    @chrisjwrites Жыл бұрын

    The choke and starter made me smile. Exactly the same setup and levers as my Fiat 126. My first car many, many years ago.

  • @salparadise8581
    @salparadise8581 Жыл бұрын

    character is the trump card...what a gem!

  • @WouterBregman
    @WouterBregman Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely love this one. Well done, Ian!

  • @isaacplaysbass8568
    @isaacplaysbass8568 Жыл бұрын

    I'm with Miss Hubnut. What a delight!

  • @chrisskelhorn5727
    @chrisskelhorn5727 Жыл бұрын

    One of the few cars that TWC can intimidate! 🙂 I loved the little drop-top model! So cute! 😍

  • @laszlonemet4425

    @laszlonemet4425

    Жыл бұрын

    Twuostruck? Whi muckin'the Trabant?

  • @timbre7999
    @timbre7999 Жыл бұрын

    Very nice; a HubNut roadtest of a classic car. Mr. HubNut's laidback presentation style still one of the most relaxing on KZread

  • @colinmorrison1531
    @colinmorrison1531 Жыл бұрын

    The white thing in the boot was a torch that plugs into the cigar lighter, I got one free when I bought my house.

  • @maxeluy
    @maxeluy Жыл бұрын

    Old Italian cars are always happy cars 😍

  • @jameslatimer1432
    @jameslatimer1432 Жыл бұрын

    Looks and sounds great

  • @martinmentor
    @martinmentor Жыл бұрын

    lovely cheeky little car

  • @dorsetoctaviaman
    @dorsetoctaviaman Жыл бұрын

    Oh that is really cute. Buongiorno bella! The engine sound takes me back to my teenage years when a lovely lady who lived across the road from us had a red Fiat 500. And your double declutching reminds me of getting practice in as a learner driver in my Mum's (Issigonis) Mini which had no synchromesh on 1st, and rapidly worsening on 2nd, 3rd & 4th. Downchange throttle blips were such fun!

  • @neilsheppard6673
    @neilsheppard6673 Жыл бұрын

    Brilliant! Thanks Ian for finding these great little rarities. I doubt if it counts for anything, but I once owned a Bianchi Falco moped. Very noisy, smokey 2-stroke engine with pedals, in case you wanted to save petrol / ran out of it, so it could be ridden like a (somewhat heavy) push bike.

  • @CoreyDeWalt
    @CoreyDeWalt Жыл бұрын

    That interior reminds me of early Volkswagen. Even the starter and choke look like what would be heater controls on 60s vw.

  • @johnmiller4973
    @johnmiller4973 Жыл бұрын

    Reminds me of the 1961 Cinquecento I owned for 7 years when I lived in England

  • @Snarl616
    @Snarl616 Жыл бұрын

    Fantozzi's memories come back.

  • @BobAbc0815
    @BobAbc08154 ай бұрын

    Never ever in Automotive History has so little Car given so much😂

  • @RWBHere
    @RWBHere Жыл бұрын

    Rev matching is a very useful skill for any driver of manual gearbox vehicles to have. If you ever lose clutch functionality, then that skill can get you home or to a garage. We had a Metro, 30 years ago, which had an awful hydraulic clutch with 3 hydraulic cylinders in the system, and air leaks were a constant problem which never was fixed successfully. I drove thousands of miles, often with almost no clutch. Scary if you don't understand double de-clutching, but almost no problem at all (except for starting from a standstill on an adverse gradient) if you have the skill.

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