A Fiat 500 With A Baby Porsche Flat Twin? Puch 500S

The Fiat 500D is an absolute classic and era defining car.. but I bet you have not heard of the Austrian version.. the Puch 500S uses a more advanced motor and early cars even had Puch's own gearbox and running gear. I drive this extremely rare car and compare it to Fiat's original!

[@steveedmunds4949]

This is what sets this channel apart from all the others, really unusual and interesting cars that just don't get talked about anywhere else. Excellent work Jack, thank you!

[@organiccold]

And even has a co-presenter the Leopard cat lol

[@martinsaunders7925]

Next we'll have the virtues of the Trabant?

[@devroombagchus7460]

Except by cats?

[@tiki_trash]

I'm only here for the cat.

[@brendangeraghty8865]

That cat is a Bengal, amazing animals, wonderful pets, so devoted. Sadly mine just died, after 17 years.

[@Lemma01]

Got to love that cat, mate! All-but stole the show - great editing! And thanks for the intro to the Puch - never heard of it, but agree it's a gem of its kind.

[@danieleregoli812]

Always loved the the Puch 500s, they sound so throaty! And they do GO! And yes, the cat is a Bengal, lovely ;-)

[@britboy70]

Beautiful Bengal Cat...

[@PowerslideSWE]

The cat is as if not more expensive than the car is, pretty cat, very cute car.

[@comethiburs2326]

bengal cat and a steyr puch 500. kind of exotic on all points, really :D

[@gaborgenda9225]

I owned a purple 500d in 1970. It had the optional full length pull back sunroof. That was the ONLY car that I ever owned ( and I have had many) that NEVER gave trouble of any kind. It always started, never overheated even in the +40 C Australian heat. It would drive along on trail bike tracks in the bush. Three of us teenagers would go ferreting in that car , along with several dozen rabbit nets...and four ferrets..and return home to Sydney ( 140 miles) carting all of us and usually about 15 rabbits.

[@tjnucnuc]

Ever since I got my Abarth 500 I’ve learned to love fiat and all it’s history. What a cool car.

[@federicomalignani4957]

Bravo Giacomo! This is a lovely and strange car,and,having been a child in the sixtyes, living in North Eastern Italy,I remember several of them coming from Austria,expecially in Summer,along the beaches. The 600 T models were extremely competitive,in their class,in hillclimbs and rallyes,driven by austrian pilots,even against Abarths and Gianninis. This is the first time I see a red one: generally they were light grey,light green or white. Ciao e complimenti per i tuoi video!!

[@domtoni4567]

Hi Jack, just a memory. My Italian cousin in Novara had a Fiat 500 which he bought for his sister. The car had a special engine which produced about 35 bhp. I drove it a few times, and it was a gas, drag racing souped up Lambrettas. The scooter rider looked with amazement at me in the car. Car's handling was still swing axel, and was great fun going around curves at a good pace. He has since passed on and his kids sold the car. Pity I didn't buy it !!

[@Number27]

Yes they are great fun car Dom!!

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

Because of the engine placement, the Steyr-Puch is also roomier in the back, with the backseat pushed rearwards, a more straight backrest, and a different roof section in the rear for improved head room.

[@nlpnt]

This being a late model from when Fiat had fully integrated the rear roof section, it doesn't have that last.

[@petescarport]

So funny to see that cat come up. I just had that happen while recording my Porsche 944. Now the cat has become part of our family and we built a small home on the porch for it. Great video once again.

[@cageordie]

That looks like a Bengal cat. Very special. Lovely markings and more dog like behavior.

[@polygamous1]

Jack people did everything they could with a Fiat 500, I remember a bloke from Britain in the 60s he took the seats out except the driver's n he spend quite some times cruising n living in his 500 all over Europe, this was actually in one of the national newspapers with few photos of the interior too, people definitely loved them, Jack maybe If you can get hold hold of a Phanard CT24 Jack it was a beautiful looking car with many advanced features at the time, another one that sticks out in my memory was the Borgward Issabella my mate's dad had one at the time what struck me instantly when the lights where on if you pressed the horn button IE a chrome round thing inside the driving wheel your lights flashed instead I thought what a Great Idea you just can't bother people with noisy horns at night, it was my mate's dad's so never got in lots of times but the engine was very good Jack thanks for all your videos mmate we love themm cheers

[@michaelkeen5010]

Variant of this Steyr Puch engine was fitted to the AC Invacar in the 1970’s, but with continually variable transmission.

[@Number27]

Thank you, interesting info!!

[@emmajacobs5575]

And a version of the 643cc engine was used in the Steyr Puch Haflinger lightweight four wheel drive utility vehicle

[@rogerhanbury677]

Hubnuts got one

[@stevehill4615]

There are rumours that someone has tuned an Invacar to TR spec and it'll do 80 - 85 mph, sounds like scary fun to me.

[@bernhardwagner5749]

Great video of a great tiny car! I am from Austria and I can say, the Puch 500 is a national treasure of Austria. Before the war we had a great car industry, but after the war, most of it was gone. I have a little self made tractor with a Puch 500 engine, which I restore at the moment. They also made a fantastic little offroader with the 700cc engine, the Haflinger. Their motorbikes startet austrian mass mobilisation. I also own its granddad, the Steyr Baby, a very modern car from the 30s.

[@Number27]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your insightful comments!

[@GarthGoldberg]

You've dated yourself.

[@e28forever30]

My dad owns a Steyr 1-cilinder diesel tractor. Built in 1961, still chugging along faultlessly. Great engineering!

[@lkearney7299]

I remember riding a grasstrack bike with a 125cc 2 stroke Puch engine. A superb, well made and high-quality engine which took a regular thrashing without a problem. A shame they didn't appear to develop further.

[@seanparks1629]

Great new co-host.

[@Number27]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jamesmurphy1389]

Either you're King Kong sized, Jack, or that Puch 500 is much tinier than the Fiat 500... No. Just checked. One and the same body shell. I can't believe they were so small! I owned one back in the day. Positano yellow, they called it. Loved it too. Used to chuck it all round the West End. Cornered like a matchbox. Parked in one too. It was a lovely, intimate motor: you felt it was you and your passenger against the world. Terrific era for cars. Perhaps the best.

[@ti1ion]

That was amusing! At first, I was trying to figure out where that faint meowing was coming from. For a moment I thought it was outside my window, or something. Now I am reminded that the Soviets had their version of this little car and I will have to look up that history.

[@martinhogg5337]

Great video Jack! Learned about a car that I never knew existed!

[@parrotraiser6541]

There used to be "point-to-point"motor races on TV, (probably from the Ministry of Truth, but memory's a bit vague on that), which pitched a variety of vehicles from standard light road cars up to multi-ton trucks against an off-road course. Great fun, as the varied terrain and vehicle capabilities used to have them converging on the finish lime from all points of the compass. One of the frequent competitprs was a Steyr-Puch Haflinger, a rudimentary looking machine with extraordinary cross-country capabilities. A modest top speed was balanced by an ability to head straight to the finish, regardless of intermediate rocks, logs, boulders or lakes.

[@dhdove]

Haflinger was a favourite on Saturday afternoon Sport TV rallycross(?) in the sixties and seventies, World of Sport I think.

[@promerops]

Thanks for a most entertaining and informative video. Your new co-presenter, the clouded leopard, certainly seemed to have some strong points to make!

[@storeskeeperrvl3797]

I live in Austria and I owe a 650T. Puch used the opposite 2 Engine because it is about 5 inches shorter than a twin in a row. Now Puch was able to move the back wall (between the engine and the back row) about this 5 inches further backwards. That gave people in the back row more foot-space. Puch did not stop there and extended the roof with a spoiler-like nose backwards, with again gave more headspace to the back-row-passengers. I belive the white bodies Puch ordered were delivered without roof and the back-firewall.

[@benbuchanan672]

Cats and Rovers. The perils of every KZbinr. Great video as always Jack. I never knew about this car! Next up: Montreal?…

[@bobmcl2406]

Great video, Jack. I did not know about the Puch variant. This car reminded me that a few years ago, I came across an article about a Fiat 500 that had had a 602cc Citroën 2CV engine swapped in. I imagine the driving experience would have been similar.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

I always wished that Citroën made an engine consisting of three of those 602cc flat-twins sharing a common crank-case. It would’ve been an amazing engine. Especially with a supercharger. That’s basically what they were going to use in the DS. We use to have several customers at the Citroën shop I used to work at, who swapped in turbocharged, air-cooled flat-six Porsche engines into their DS cabriolets with intercoolers in place of the radiator. Had to rearrange the engine bay, cut away at the firewall, basically became a funny car at that point, but gave it a level of performance it really could’ve benefited from.

[@blueeyeswhitedragon9839]

I am so glad that you chose to leave that beautiful cat in your video...that was an added bonus.

[@ajwasp3642]

Having owned two Puch Maxi mopeds, I've always wanted one of those.

[@cornishhh]

IIRC Puch Maxis were the top selling mopeds in the UK in the early 1970's.

[@nudibanches]

I had a 500F for 12 years and loved it. I'm six foot two and, once you folded yourself into the front, I had plenty of room. I never felt cramped. The sun roof also gives you a bit more head room when it's closed than the roof line. Great cars.

[@rhettcorcoran2879]

Love the car and the cat, Bengal I suspect.

[@Number27]

Yep he was super cute!!

[@give_me_my_nick_back]

It was kinda cool how fiat licensed cars to basically everyone. Imagine how cool would it be if other brands did the same nowadays, we would quickly see some X brand electrified passats or some Citroens with Toyota mechanics :D endless crossover possibilities.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Subarus disguised as Toyotas; Toyotas disguised as BMWs......

[@Jay_Speed]

We had a client that had a Fiat 500S, Fiat 500 Giardiniera and a Steyr-Puch 650T that he imported himself. The 650T is still in his collection of cars here in Belgium. He did race a 650 TR II with a racing team from Germany for two years.

[@russellhammond4373]

Love your assistant today. Brilliant.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Awesome fun little car. You're right they look so cute and adorable. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

[@user-ih7gc7dt9l]

So cool! I had a 500 as my first and never knew this existed.

[@slots1407]

Watched this late at night with the dogs sleeping behind me. Cat MEOWS. Dogs get in a lather , launch off their beds and there's carnage at the front door..

[@iansmeath8674]

My dad had a Fiat 500 around 1965....happy memories!

[@pyoung168]

Jeez between the vocal cat and the slow obstacle on the road quite a challenging video to make! Great little car I had never heard of. Thanks!

[@Lot76CARS]

Great video jack, what a fascinating story.. all it not always what it seems!

[@andreaantuoni5353]

The history tells that Fiat built some early 500 models with a MotoGuzzi V twin engine and gave some drivers to be tested for an eventual late production. Testers reported that cars were faster and fuel savers than standard 500 powered by the original parallel Fiat engine. A sudden step was even planned to juice 23 to 24 hp from the Guzzi engine and let the car to be more spicy to drive.. The history even tells that Fiat abandoned the experiment because did not want to create a "domestic concurrency" with MotoGuzzi instead to promote an "all italian partnership" which could have trace another way in the european motoristic panorama forse those as difficult as wonderful years. Similar thing happened - on the contrary - in the 80's with BMW that realised a 3 and 4 cylinder fuel injected engine for their series K motorcycles that lasted over 130.000 km and could be installed on a car vehicle......without a turbo!

[@Number27]

Really interesting thank you!!

[@bmorg61]

I had a 500 back in the day, now have a motoguzzi 650,,I replaced the clutch and starter motor, apparently same as a fiat part number....It got me thinking what my 4 valve guzzi motor would be like with megaphone pipes pushing a 500 along with the roof open.....

[@ilmaio]

If you split cars in two categories: those that paint a broad smile on driver's face and those that don't, well, there could be no doubt about where the Fiat 500 should go. It's literally impossible to drive one keeping your face set.

[@michaelarchangel1163]

I recall a mechanic friend running me home in a navy blue 600 and wondered by how much it would've bested a 500's zero to 60 time of 63 seconds and top speed of 61, figures I'd read in a yearly automotive mag after end of term exams while still at school in the early 1970's.

[@lowket]

Puch built the strongest engines and the best vehicles!!

[@henryrodier8024]

When you stood next to it I thought there was no way you were going to fit inside but much to my surprise you did fit I personally never wanted anything that under powered but I have always wanted a Mini Copper but settled for a 2013 Beetle cause the price was right with 175 horsepower 5 cylinder 5 speed . With tons of room my son is 6’3” 280 lbs and fits with no problem.

[@albertseabra9226]

There was a German made Fiat -- the Necker. Available in the 500, 600, 1100 models . I believe that they were provided with improved engines and brakes. Around 50.000 units were produced early until 1971.

[@Number27]

Thank for the info!

[@VideoDotGoogleDotCom]

Okay, this video made me subscribe. I know a naturally gifted presenter when I see (hear) one.

[@Number27]

That’s really kind thank you!!

[@jamesdeath3477]

There was also a Puch 126, though they're really rare. That motor was also used in the AC Invacar three wheeler.

[@Pickchore]

Bengal cats are very funny and always chatty. Love em.

[@nigelha3699]

SDP also made the Haflinger which used the 650cc motor. I've still got one...a go anywhere 4wd. SDP did the 4wd sytemm for the G wagon, the D stands for Daimler. bicycles, guns, cars, scooters, its an amazing company.

[@leebuckles2364]

Love the adhoc Co host and that u weren't fazed and carried on and another good history lesson

[@michaelk9155]

Very thorough video review Jack. You even brought your own cat to see if there was enough room to swing him in the car. Very thorough 😁😁👍

[@kramnam4716]

Just lovely!! ♥️♥️Burmese cinquecento! You have risen even higher in all our estimates for being a big lovely softie as well 🤩

[@jensschroder8214]

One of the last Steyr Puch cars was the Puch G off-road vehicle, also known as the Mercedes G. The vehicles are manufactured in Graz, Austria. In Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Yugoslavia sold under Puch G, in the rest of the world under Mercedes G. In 2000 Mercedes took over the entire production.

[@shanehnorman]

Great little car. I imagine the flat twin lowers the centre of gravity a bit, compared to the Fiat. That might reduce the chance of snap oversteer if you make the mistake of lifting off in corners..

[@timbre7999]

Such a nice way to present a YT video! Letting the cat get a moment as well and merrily going on with the already entertaining video.

[@danjones6279]

Absolutely love that the cat hijacked the video Jack, and that you paid it some attention. 😂

[@chedhead3278]

Lovely body work, cool sound, four paw drive ... smashing. Car's a cracker too.

[@peetsnort]

I used to get my baby sideways in the rain with the oversteer. Guaranteed to make you smile

[@martinsaunders7925]

It is more comfortable than a bicycle,particularly in rain. If you can keep wiping the condensation from the windows. I took a Topolino to the scrap yard on the condition it be destroyed. The owner stuck it on a 30ft pole for advertising.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

At a hill climb I once encountered a Fiat. 500 with a Lotus-Ford Twincam hanging out the back in proper rear engine style

[@rickcratty6335]

That little chap looks to be a "Bengal" I believe and is quite valuable.

[@ryanmccormick2150]

Excellent content as always buddy 😉

[@robertmenghini.Lambomad]

Another great video Jack, I like the Puch, quite rare indeed ❤

[@Number27]

Very rare!! I don’t even know about it till it got offered for the video!

[@robertmenghini.Lambomad]

@@Number27 rare, but mine is even rarer! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJeui4WvfLZ1fa8si=Vt_sAYwcfpZPRQ6f

[@1unsung971]

Terrific video of a car that I knew nothing about. Thank you for another engaging video of automotive intrigue.

[@paulg3336]

Between 1959 and 1975 Steyr Puch produced the Haflinger , a small, lightweight, four wheel drive military vehicle, powered by a 643 cc flat twin horizontally opposed, rear mounted, air-cooled engine. They, (Steyr Daimler Puch) still produce the larger Pinzgauer ,which has replaced the Landrover Defender in many country's armed forces . The Pinzgauer uses a air cooled IL4 of around 2.5L

[@nr5494]

What a great little car. And a great video too.

[@Raul1971xxx]

How cute the kitty too.. 🙂❤️

[@antonhuman8446]

Surely not a normal domestic cat. Distinct Asian leopard spots. Most interesting. Great presentation. Thank you kindly!

[@badgersalesman5595]

I used to have a PUCH ten speed when I was a kid ( it was awesome ) but of course 9 year olds took the piss not knowing what it was

[@Oberon_Boost]

What a lovely little toy!

[@Laz_Arus]

This is a great Puching engine upgrade. 👍

[@kilawattkidd]

That cat is a STAR in the making!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊😁😁

[@michaeltaylor8835]

Genius conversion

[@exzentrische]

I had Steyr-Puch 500 1964 with suicide doors. Roof was different. It was possible to take roof off of its place. When you take the roof off, then also backwindow was taken off, because the roof started from top of the engine hood/bonnet. Steyr-Puch also did have Dynastart, which start the engine, and then it changed to alternator with relay. Car weight only 480 kilograms. The most complicated electric part of the car was starting/alternator relay, which was very simple.

[@Jonathan-zf6ho]

My parents neighbour worked in the factory that made the puch 500 and their garage was built exactly to fit the 500.

[@phil955i]

Sounds just like a Citroen 2CV, which I guess it would as they were flat twins also. I nearly bought a 500 for a laugh about 30 years ago, in great condition going for 500 quid (yes I know they're worth s heck of a lot more than that now), I remember test driving it & it had synchromesh on the upper 3 gears, it was only 1st gear that was devoid of synchromesh, I may be mistaken though.

[@robtt997]

Oh what a lovely car !

[@organiccold]

Meow Jack haha..thanks for this piece of history, i never knew Puch had been involved in this, they are more know for their 4x4 and 4WD drive trains like the one that equipped the Renault Scenic RX4 an underrated car.

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

1:39 - thats a *Bengal cat* - one of their traits is they are very vocal and talkative. You found yourself a good co-host :)

[@darklight6013]

6:54 This and the more expensive 600 are the cars which motorized the country; they weren't conceived such as city cars, like it would be undoubtedly today; people back in the days in Italy, who lived in cities, just went around with metro, bus, bicycle, and on their feet. Cars, even small like this, were used for longer distances, even for crossing the whole county, like my grandpa did with his 600 with his entire family... 8 people XD

[@32mlucas]

My brother smashed his Fiat 500 into a bridge, we found him slouched into the passenger seat with the steering wheel pushed hard against the drivers seat. Not wearing a seatbelt almost certainly saved his life. I should have been in the car but had hitched a ride in a friends Capri.

[@kevinbarry71]

Crashing into large immovable objects; not wearing a seatbelt. Probably want to avoid this guy

[@lycancatt4248]

neat car and i think thats a bengal cat, sounds like my big boy who passed on actually kinda threw me for a second wow

[@paulriggers1558]

the invacars i worked on were 2-stroke, that wasn't , so confused that would of been one pair of expensive slippers if he kept spoiling my vid... certainly getting the hang of these little vids, should try doing this for a living... keep up the good work young man

[@chriswilson263]

I worked on the 2 strokes which were model 66’s or 67’s. The later model 70’s used this flat twin 4 strokes with an auto transmission rather than the 4 speed manual gearbox on the 2 stroke villiers engined one’s.

[@paulriggers1558]

@@chriswilson263 just me being too old again then.....

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

Off topic but today I saw a Quantum sports car on the ring road of Amsterdam. Rare thing that one !

[@christineayres7199]

The TR stands for Terrifying lol as it would do a blistering 0-60mph om 16secs and 90mph top speed around the same as the original Mini Cooper

[@eze8970]

Fun little car Jack & new friend! Everyone must have been a bit smaller back then! 🙏

[@rolfsvensson5777]

Hey! Loved the cat and did you know Puch made mopeds too! I even had one!

[@Graham_Langley]

Amazing how much it sounds like the similarly-engined 2CV.

[@michaelstaley2241]

Hi Jack , lovely iconic car the cat 🐈‍⬛ I believe is a bengal cat.

[@LoftechUK]

A very well put video thank you

[@timstone3441]

I had a Puch motorcycle.. They have their own way of engineering things.. Not bad engineering just different..

[@solsol1624]

Legend for leaving the cat in☺

[@pinzgauerbelgium]

Same engine they used in their steyr puch haflinger 👍

[@visionsinblue7093]

The cat was the most interesting part of the video 🤣

[@leeh9420]

"C'mon dude..." 🤣🤣 (thanks for keeping that in)

[@natjes6017]

A great, great video. Thanx a lot!

[@antoninoscannapieco5508]

500 and Bengala cat , fantastic!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@neooneZ1]

you needed a really loud horn for the slow blue car in front of you.... LOL I would love to have one as watching you drive it, put's a smile on my face. 😁

[@gregkretchmer3588]

I had the regular 500 fiat, two cyl. upright air cooled engine and it was a dog. It might do 45 mph. all out. Got great mileage. I had a honda AN600 2 cyl air cooled which would do 83 mph and was a rocket and got great mileage. The engine crystallized from vibration and fell apart. Too bad this car you are showing is so rare. I got my fiat a year old for $50 and was in new condition.

[@Omega30t2RG]

And this is why everyone could hear a loud meeeaowoooo as the car whizzed past traffic.

[@otsef1946]

Very interesting little car. My first racing motorcycle was a little Puch 125cc split single. So I have a soft spot for the marque