With every old car, it's important to consider the context into which it emerged and to shed modern (mis)conceptions about how automobiles should be built. Economic, social, political, even geographic factors all contribute to a vehicle's eventual shape, size, and configuration.
And then there's this 1959 Fiat 600 Multipla for sale on Hemmings.com. One of the world's first minivans, it boasts three-row seating in a postage stamp package. And the world's cutest luggage rack. Which is the part that makes us wonder: The luggage rack was obviously there for when the interior overflowed with kids and/or all the stuff that comes with them. But with a packed interior and all sorts of other belongings piled up top, how was the sub-liter four-cylinder good for no more than 25 horsepower able to, say, climb an inclined Italian cobblestone street, let alone an alpine pass? Did people just pack lighter then, making utmost use of every one of those horsepowers? Does that horsepower rating not include the implied leg power of the kids who have to get out and push from time to time? Or was that luggage rack really just there for looks and not much else?
From the seller's description:
3 year restoration, completely restored . Rebuilt engine and transmission. Interior restored seats, carpet, headliner, etc...New whitewall tires. Roof rack. Car cover. Starts , drives with no issues. California title non-op registration.
1959 Fiat 600 Multipla
See more Fiats for sale on Hemmings.com.
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Driving Sunglasses
Oakley Holbrook Mix 9 sunglasses were voted in by GearJunkie.com as the best shades to wear for extreme glare for those sun filled summer drives. Priced at $270.00, the Holbrook Mix 9 Mix Prizm lenses control light transmission, enhance contrast, and increase overall visibility. Also see these Retro SOJOS Classic Square Polarized Sunglasses on Amazon for an affordable, stylish option.
Out-N-About™ Trunk Organizer & Changing Station
Professional Car Cleaning
Flickr / Chris Hsia
Life can be chaotic with the hustle and bustle of day-to-day responsibilities. Before you know it, several weeks (or months) pass and the family car is in dire need of detailing. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to steal mom’s keys and take her car in for a professional cleaning inside and out. A quick Google search for the best local car detailer in your area will guide you on where to book the appointment. Car detailing services can range anywhere between $50 and $150 depending on the size of the vehicle and the services you sign up for.
Fordite Jewelry
Etsy
Get mom jewelry that she has never seen before. Made from baked on overspray paint that would build up in vehicle factories, every polished piece of Fordite (or Motor Agate) features unique layers of colors and shapes. The techniques that produced these gems years ago are no longer in practice. Cars are now painted via an electrostatic process that magnetizes the enamels to the car bodies, so as time passes, Fordite will only become more rare. A quick search for Fordite Jewelry on Etsy will take you to many artists who make a wide variety of jewelry from Fordite, like earrings, necklaces, pins, and even rings.
Portable Coffee Maker
A portable coffee maker is the perfect gift for moms on the go who depend on a little caffeine fix to get through the day. OutIn’s Nano Portable Espresso Machine boasts a quick heat up time that can accommodate cold water to make rich, silky smooth crema coffee on the go, whether in the car, on a work lunch break, or on an outdoor camping trip. It charges via a 12V or 24V Car Charger and USB Charger, making it easy to take anywhere. It’s regularly priced at $149.99 and comes in Outin Teal, Space Grey, Forest Green, Pearl White, and Crimson Red.
Car Themed Gifts and Gadgets
The Hemmings Store features classic car themed gifts like puzzles, mugs, collector car prints, automotive art prints, diecast replicas, books, and wearable gear, all in one place.
Vehicle Emergency Kit
A vehicle emergency kit is a necessary item everyone should have in their vehicle. Give your mother some peace of mind with an emergency kit that contains everything she could need, like the 104-piece Thrive Roadside Emergency Car Kit. The kit includes jumper cables, a mini first aid kit, a safety escape hammer, some basic tools, and more for $49.99 on Amazon.
Vehicle Protection by WeatherTech
WeatherTech offers a slew of products to help protect mom’s car from messes and wear. Custom fit floor liners and cargo/trunk liners allow for easy clean up and protect the carpets from wear and tear that is caused by daily life. Their seat back protectors will have her back when it comes to dirty little feet kicking the seat while the full seat protectors guard the vehicle’s upholstery from accidental spills. These items work perfect for dog moms, too!
Backup Camera and Dashcam in One
The Wolfbox fits most vehicles by easily securing over the existing rearview mirror. When the backup camera display isn’t active, it still functions as a rearview mirror. It also features a built-in 4K dashcam. This backup camera and dashcam combination is regularly priced at $197.99, but (at the time of this writing) it is currently on sale for $101.99 on Amazon.
Baby Backseat Camera
Help the new mom in your life drive safely with a backseat camera that will help her keep an eye on her precious cargo without turning her head around and away from the road ahead.
The highly-rated DoHonest Baby Car Camera offers a 360 degree rotating eye and night vision that can monitor up to two kids in the backseat for a regular retail price of $32.99 (currently on a limited-time sale for $26.98.)
Back Massaging Car Seat Cover
Dad might also want to get in on this. Driving has never been so relaxing with a heated COMFIER Shiatsu Neck Back Massager, featuring a full body neck and body massage experience made possible by the innovative 2D/3D Finger Pressure Shiatsu, rolling, compression, vibration and heat functions. The chair massager features soft rolling massage along the spine, and the width between two massage heads can be adjusted to fit the body. A spot massage function allows the user to select one area for pin-point relaxation. The Comfier back massager retails for $199.88 on Amazon and can also be used in the office or at home.
Musclepalooza Trip
Let’s go racing! What better gift to give mom than quality time with the family at a car event. Put mom in the driver’s seat of her muscle car or race car so she can show off her racing skills, or if she’s a first-timer interesting interested in trying out some passes down the quarter-mile, Musclepalooza also offers a test-and-tune class. Aside from hanging out around the drag strip, The Hemmings-hosted event also features a judged car show with trophies and payouts for the top winners, burnout contests, a chassis dyno shootout, an exhaust “Rev Battle” competition, and an audio system sound-off, all of which will have trophies and payouts for winners. Activities may vary between events. Check out the 2024 event dates and get more details here.
You can keep abreast of the latest consignments by subscribing to the daily Hemmings Auctions email newsletter.
1979 Porsche 911 Turbo
Reserve: $165,000
Selling Price: $187,950
Recent Market Range: $120,000-$165,000
The Porsche 911 Turbo, a.k.a. 930, rewrote the rules on what made a sports car a supercar in the 1970s. During a time when other manufacturers struggled, Porsche’s first turbocharged road car combined otherworldly performance with everyday comfort and usability. Porsche stopped importing the 911 Turbo from 1980 through 1985, leaving early examples coveted by collectors. Unmodified, save for a Fabspeed intake and intercooler, this 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo was listed as having been treated to a “complete cosmetic and mechanical restoration.” Offered in a desirable color combination with low overall miles, it sold for a price higher than the recent market range, suggesting it was a high-quality example.
1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe
Reserve: $24,000
Selling Price: $49,350
Recent Market Range: $20,000-$30,000
Ford’s Model A was at the center of the collector car hobby for many years. It remains solidly collectible and the impressive sale of this 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe last week suggests that the market for the best examples also stands strong. Though it looks like a convertible, the Model A Sport Coupe’s roof does not fold, and the car features a weather-tight passenger cabin with full roll-up windows. Rumble seat passengers do face the elements, however. This car featured a seemingly thorough restoration with minor upgrades along with some stellar documentation, which helped push its final selling price 65% higher than the recent market average and an impressive 106% above the reserve.
1971 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser Station Wagon
Reserve: $28,000
Selling Price: $42,000
Recent Market Range: $22,000-$35,000
Wagons have been a hot commodity with collectors for a solid two decades. Given their primary role as family transportation, many were worn out and simply thrown away, scrapped to make way for the next generation of automobiles. Showing just over 54,000 miles at submission, this 1971 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser, with its signature Vista-Roof that gave second- and third-row passengers added views, appeared to have escaped that fate that consumed so many other wagons from the era. The very clean condition shown in the photos—along with that odometer—surely contributed to this 11-window Olds achieving a net sale price 50% better than reserve and 20% greater than the high end of the recent market range.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod
Asking Price: $94,999
Selling Price: $79,800
Recent Market Range: $65,000-$90,000
Fans of early Corvettes could appreciate this two-tone Aztec Copper and Polo White 1957 Chevrolet Corvette restomod. In place of the original 283-cu.in. engine sat a modified 327 V8 with fuel injection, MSD Pro-Billet electronic distributor, and other upgrades. The chassis was treated to upgrades as well, including a custom front end with coilover shocks, tubular control arms, rack-and-pinion steering and Wilwood disc brakes. The seller’s notes indicate that the car was built for “driving fun and sunny days” and was stored in a climate-controlled garage. Its net sale price as a direct Make Offer listing fell just over the midpoint range of similar modified ’57 Corvettes in similar condition.
1927 Stearns-Knight Model G-8-85 Cabriolet
Reserve: $80,000
Selling Price: $84,000
Recent Market Range: $72,000-$105,000
Frank Stearns famously built his first car at age 17 in 1896. The founder of the F.B. Stearns Company later became the first to license the Knight sleeve-valve engine. Stearns retired in the 1920s, selling the company to John Willys. Stearns-Knight automobiles were considered luxury cars and always had powerful engines. A Full Classic per the CCCA and believed to be the last of this engine, body and chassis combination extent, this faithfully restored 1927 Stearns-Knight Model G-8-85 Cabriolet featured a 102-hp, 385-cu.in. sleeve-valve straight-eight, along with a known history (including the granddaughter of Frank Stearns owning it at one point). It sold for a market-correct price as a post-auction Make Offer.
1948 Crosley Gasporter Fuel Tanker
Reserve: $15,000
Selling Price: $15,70
Recent Market Range: $12,000-$20,000
Engineering Research Associates of St. Paul, Minnesota was a computer startup founded by scientists and engineers who spent World War II in the code-breaking game. It also manufactured the Gasporter, a small, Crosley-based tanker truck built primarily to serve small airports. ERA additionally advertised the Gasporter to serve a variety of operations, including marine terminals, fire truck refueling, and fleet services, such as for taxicabs. Essentially a 200-gallon tank with wheels, this 1948 Crosley Gasporter fuel tanker was restored to a seemingly high standard, complete with period Chevron Aviation Gasoline livery. A rarely seen collectible, we believe this Gasporter sold at a market-correct price.
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