Can we start our classic Fiat 500, which hasn’t run for 5 years?

Our classic Fiat 500 hasn't been driven since 2018 because it won't start. With big plans for it in 2024, we've got to get it running again. Time to get the spanners out..
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[@reinmansmith]

Brilliant! I just laughed out loud when Charlie suggested swapping the plug leads and it fired up straight away 😂 Charlie’s going to live on that moment for ages!! This is KZbin gold 😂

[@AdamJRichardson]

Well done Charlie!

[@althejazzman]

Haha yes, Charlie is now clearly the most sane of the two.

[@TobinTwinsHockey]

Yeah that was worth a good chuckle. There but for the grace of god go the rest of us

[@damientaylor1]

Haha, well done Charlie!

[@kruuuser]

That and reminding dad to put the rotor arm back in ...

[@lptomtom]

Growing up with a father like Harry must've been wonderful

[@RAFchurchlawford4469]

Dad, are the plug leads mixed up? Don't be silly, son 🤔

[@markwilliams5654]

No probably a nightmare off screen 😊

[@beetle2112]

…right until the “HOLD THE TORCH STILL” conversation..!!

[@ochayethegnu2915]

Harry: “I’m putting it on” Charlie: “Without the rotor arm?” Harry: “Eugh”

[@bobz1736]

​@@Marko_Horvat +1 😕

[@rpjwhite]

11:49 a cheeky OTSOT for the Smith and Sniff.

[@automotivetales]

Here to find exactly this! 😂

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

Nice to see a HG review on a fun car without trillions of hp to move over 2 tonnes of bulk. This is what motoring is about, more please Harry.

[@lptomtom]

I'm glad motoring has evolved past the 500, sure it's one of the most charming cars of all time (even though I'd still pick the Mini as the GOAT), but cars from the 1950's are deadly in any kind of crash. More recent cars offer a better compromise between weight and safety: my daily's a 2003 Yaris TS, it's a very light and enjoyable car to drive, and yet I won't die if I hit anything bigger than a shrubbery

[@jstogdill]

@@lptomtomone of the reasons, not the only of course, that they are deadly in a crash is because everything else is so big. Conservation of momentum is a b….

[@graham.w89]

Nice Aga as well Harry 👍😉

[@PorscheRacer14]

First off, the Fiat 500 is just a simple, cute and quaint car. Wish we could go back to those days, but, alas... Second, seeing the old photos of you and then Charlie standing beside you; wow, almost carbon copies. Good on you and your family sharing this passion of automobiles. Supercars are cool, and I watch and appreciate those videos, but these videos are where it's at. This is everyday motoring, or was, and I miss it dearly.

[@timfowler5777]

Exactly right.

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

The pure joy when it came alive again❤ A true petrolhead doesn't always need a gazillion horse powers and high speed. Have a wonderful Christmas everybody. It's before 9 AM in Sweden and I already got a great present, thanks Harry and Charlie!

[@1983dmd]

What a great comment !! You don't need 1 million HP to have fun on the road ! It is the driving experience that matters the most !!

[@carlosl5766]

I didn’t know I needed to see Harry wrenching on his own cars! Continue these style of videos!!

[@WilliamStevens007]

More of you two working together please, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I lost my Dad 20 years ago and miss him terribly and videos like this make me sad that he isn't here but make me smile for what I lost as well. And seeing a wonderful father son relationship is great to see.

[@GlennPowell-ls3lg]

Same here.I still rember my dad teaching me how to change a set of points on my first car a cortina mk4 with the hallowed pinto engine.

[@peterrolt6403]

Many of us are probably in a similar position, we were so fortunate to have family cars that our dads understood and pass on the knowledge. A different game with today's vehicles 😢

[@Rosb1ff]

This so reminds me of me and my son, the blind leading the blind. Love it. More like this please Harry

[@johnjoseph911]

I remember “helping” my dad to get his cars running when I was 15. So funny you mixed the leads up! Well done Charlie for helping your old dad get her running….

[@taxpayer1040]

This was just wonderful. It reminds me of my youth long ago and calls from my father ‘will you please put the engine back in the lawnmower,’ Eventually they bought me an old morris engine to keep me quiet!

[@Vespuchian]

Had a similar experience at about the same age: my dad and his mate were (still are) avid motorcyclists and were doing maintenance on their bikes in the driveway after cleaning them off with the power washer. Anyway, they couldn't get his mate's bike to start no matter what they did, really baffling a pair of professional engineers, until having brought the tea out I asked if it would work if they took the plug out of the exhaust they'd put in to stop water ingress during the power wash. Fired right up!

[@daniel635biturbo]

By including the old photos, and some backstory, this video really sprung to life, just like the little Fiat twin did. Happy holidays, everyone !

[@trevorgilson1502]

Brilliant. Talk about saving the best until last, what a year ending video. Who would have thought it'd be so important to have the rotor arm actually inside the distributor cap, rather than just sat alongside the engine 😄 The pure joy on your faces when it fired up (with proper soot as a bonus). A proper father/son moment that'll be with you for years to come - well done.

[@chatto559]

The joy that Harry brings with his enthusiasm is always so genuine and refreshing to see, a truer Petrol head never existed. Keep em coming because I always look forward to them on a Sunday

[@Robert-vj7hi]

7am Christmas Eve Harry’s garage. Great stuff! Happy Christmas Harry and family. Thanks for all the entertainment in 2023. Looking forwards to more in 2024!

[@2810Bondy]

Best Harry's Garage video ever! Thank your team for all their efforts this year, On The Farm and in The Garage. Your work is appreciated. All the very best for 2024

[@captainpugwashrides3799]

It’s not the plug leads that are the wrong way round it’s the distributor cap put on 180 ° out. Really easily done as the cap can be fitted either way. Learnt from previous experience with my 1970 500.

[@harrysgarage]

That would explain it, thank you. I was sure the plug leads were the right way round but hadn’t thought about the distributor cap not having an indent to lock it one position. Live and learn; made for a good video!

[@1983dmd]

Totally right !! So easy to put the cap the wrong position, much harder to mix the 2 plug wires !! LOL!!! Great comment !!

[@johnrose7491]

My cap only fits one way as it has a locating lug

[@captainpugwashrides3799]

@@johnrose7491 regardless of a lug you can still put the cap the wrong way round.

[@alistairneish5033]

Lovely OTSOT at 11.48!! 😂 Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all the Metcalfe family.

[@johnnyboy114]

This reminds me of the time I used to split engines with my Dad in the garage…..it was the one bond my dad and I had that we could both get involved with. He was a trained mechanic but never continued on so used to do the odd thing for family and friends but we were always tinkering on things, culminating in splitting a Lancia Gamma flat 4 engine a few hours after it basically blew itself to bits less than 300 yards away from our house towing a caravan just about to set out on a family holiday. That car was glorious but the engine was “problematic”. My Dad was determined we would be going on holiday and we drove around in my Mum’s car to various places trying to source parts because Lancia was in the process of pulling out of Britain 🤣🤣 Nigh on impossible but we did it! And we managed to go on holiday after spending a fortune and a few days in the garage. This all just brought all those memories back. Which is nice.

[@MrJukasification]

We couldn't get a more British celebration than that 😂 Love you guys ❤

[@dbx3197]

It’s these more simple videos that I really enjoy. Back to basics and always check the basics first. We are very lucky to have all this great content and Harry seems to get enormous pleasure from these older cars from a simpler time. My favourite video of the year was Harry taking the Lancia back to his old home on the Wirral and then a trip out to North Wales. It was clearly a special trip for him.

[@snootbritton]

It is 0700 not 1700....😂. Thank you for all the great 2023 content Harry & the Metcalfe team!

[@GenaF]

Surely you aren't complaining? 😂

[@anyau]

More father-son content! its great

[@Dominic-mm6yf]

What a gem of a car,good to see Father and Son together.Have a great Christmas Harry and a prosperous New Year.

[@nickfilleul3463]

In the 80’s I used to abuse my 68’ 500 on the daily commute into London on the A40 Western Avenue. It never failed me even when I hear things rattling lose and actually saw bits falling off on the road behind me. I never did find out what was missing. Got nothing but love for this car (one of Gordon Murrays top cars too, talk about a seal of approval)

[@cameronfairweather8559]

Fabulously heart warming end to 2023. Thank you for making Sunday evenings (and 1 Sunday morning!) such an automotive delight.

[@davideslava3526]

Awesome video! Even dropped an OTSOT for us Smith&Sniff listeners 😂

[@ianemery7785]

As a serial 500 owner this is the best H’sG video to wake up to on Christmas Eve👍 Thank you, Harry for all the fabulous content throughout 2023.

[@trevejenkyn9888]

Thank you, Harry and Son, a totally different video, but the sound of the fiat engine firing brought a big smile to my face. So pleased that it's running, please don't be tempted to add power just enjoy the simple car for simple pleasures like driving into Clear air Zones!

[@AledPritchard]

SUCCESS! Well done to Charlie for solving that! Happy Christmas to you all

[@JohnLargeUK]

One of the best & most wholesome videos I’ve seen on Harry's channel. I’m not one to comment on KZbin, but I did love this video. Reminds us that certain cars have history & memories attached and become sentimental & like a member of the family. My wife has always wanted one, so I’m considering restoring one & doing an EV conversion for daily use/ease of use for her.

[@fisherh9111]

some great tips on trouble shooting here Harry! Great to see Charlie again too. He's as much a gentleman as his pop - what a great kid!

[@LeesuperYB8]

Two of the coolest guys on the planet Charlie is such a cool character very very good on camera

[@manekdubash5022]

More spannering please Harry! And plug lead swapping? Been there..

[@ArmstA79]

What a lovely little sound. Amazing how 2 little cylinders can sound so good 😊

[@paulwincott2987]

Soon as I heard that backfire I was shouting at my phone..'Swap the leads around!' 😁

[@kratos9223]

Having lost my father earlier this and seeing this video brought back some great memories when my father and I worked on my mothers Fiat Uno manny years ago. Thanks, Harry and Charlie! ❤

[@HQBProductions]

Who needs Morecambe and Wise when we have Harry & Son!! It takes me back to many years with my Dad working on old cars that needed a rebuild every month! Thank you so much for all the films throughout the year and especially the Farming ones which has brought a new World to many a petrol head! Have a wonderful Christmas and Good Luck with everything for next year!😃😃😃😃😃

[@nazz0007]

Harry's celebration when it started 😂 sublime 🎉😊

[@MrMackowski]

Same engine as my Fiat 126p I used to drive as teenager 20 plus years ago. We did all engin rebuild with my dad bc on it. Great video, thank you for bringing back some memories.

[@richardmosley4549]

Loved it! You two (plus Mrs M on camera, of course) as good as a Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special!! Happy Christmas to you all!!

[@MrEMrC]

Palpable joy! Memories of getting the bonnet up or crawling around underneath on something that didn't need to be plugged in to a computer: and a reference to 'a trained chimp' I thought that that was just something only my mate's dad used to say. Glorious and wonderful.

[@PabloConcrete]

What a Christmas treat! You 2 are great on the camera together! Thank you!

[@ricksallotment5923]

Harry relaxes so much more around his son, I understand that and it's a beautiful gift in life

[@petermclaren7276]

Young Harry IS Borat! As an art student, a school friend and I cycled from Geneva in a bid to cross the Alps to catch the Tour de France on L’Alpe d’Huez in 1984. We reached the Mont Blanc tunnel and signs prohibiting cyclists from passing through. We attempted to hitch with our bikes for several hours. Lorries, campers and pick ups whizzed past. With hopes fading a father, grandfather and grandson stopped in a Fiat 500. With no common language they realised our plight, and issued instructions for the two of us, I’m foot two, to climb into the back seat, whereupon they rolled back the sunroof, handed us our panniers, then stacked the bikes on the roof which we all held onto and set off through the tunnel. Unforgettable

[@TT_1221]

Harry is like a archivist!. The most organized person I have ever seen. "We last used the car December 2018.." Up Pops a picture of the car complete with Christmas Tree, December 2018! 😂. "I assembled the engine on a kitchen table.." Up pops a picture! Love it.

[@andrewgurney6019]

That's a proper car, so much character, happy christmas to you all.

[@kayjaypug]

It's always the thing you don't expect that trips you up.😀 You say to yourself "It can't be that" until you try it out of desperation, and then miraculously it works.😅

[@thesaint2700]

So much sweeter to watch this mechanical simplicity of an Italian cultural icon than any road tests of over weight, touch screen, new car with no personality or culture heritage

[@rcanter]

I am sure we would all love to "join you on some better roads", but we won't hold our breath for the "squirt up the hill". Glad to see your joy when it ran and the family interaction is always a delight.

[@nateisright]

Cinquecento makes me smile every time. Happy Christmas, Harry!

[@adams7405]

Brings back so many memories of fixing my 1974 Mini with my mate on a Sunday.. new cap a rotor arm,points and a set of leads a tenner at the Motorist Discount store........

[@mikethebikemt07tracer]

As a technician who worked in a Fiat dealership in the 1970's that was a great bit of entertainment for Christmas eve. Merry Christmas.

[@devaplan]

Just gone through this process with my lawnmower 😉. Turned out to be stale petrol which took a few goes to flush through with new fuel. Easy Start certainly helped. Its one of life's joys and simple pleasures when you resuscitate a dead engine and even nicer to share it with your son. I did this with my dad and sometimes with my son but not any more sadly.

[@stevebutterworth1937]

Many many years ago three girls broke down in the lakes and knocked on the door to use the phone to ring home. I asked what the car was?… “mini”…I’ve had two cooper S back then 997/1074! …”hold my beer!” .. they were on their way within minutes with a piece of tin foil to get them home😊! Following day there is a box of chocolates at my door👍🏻! Merry Christmas to you and yours guys… always a good watch… Thankyou!

[@mikerayner5938]

There is nothing more pleasurable than bringing a combustion engine back to life. 👍

[@deanie557]

You don't get out a lot, do you?! 😉😂

[@rockets4kids]

@@deanie557 You do realize we're talking about a man with a garage full of very expensive cars, right?

[@mikerayner5938]

@@rockets4kidsHaha. I think he’s talking about my lust for starting dead engines. 😁😁

[@mbak7801]

I was waiting and waiting for the phrase "You Plonker" to be said but was disappointed. Mixing up leads is something we have all done at one time, nothing wrong with that. What a fun little car and good to see father and son together.

[@BH195829]

What a lovely son and what a great relationship you two have. 😊🙏💕🌎

[@BosAus]

Fantastic video. So much fun!! Merry Christmas and thank you 😊

[@HenryHeymusic]

I love all of your videos. I do believe that you are the most balanced car vlogger online these days, but this might be my very favorite video that you've ever shown. There's so much heart here and it's a perfect fit for time with family and nostalgia. Well done Harry.

[@leecallaghan2202]

You can tell the plugs have been switched as it turns over much more high pitched than when the plugs are correctly connected. Merry Christmas - Charlie should get the credit for this one. And he wasn’t allowed to start it at the end!

[@steffydog]

Ah, brilliant, I’m sure everyone was willing for the little 500 to start, well done Charlie. Thanks for a super year of content, thanks guys 👍👍👍👍🙏

[@philiptidmarsh]

Merry Christmas to you all. That cranking sound brings back so many memories of my sisters first car which was a Fiat 500. It often failed to start and my Dad spent hours trying to coax it in to life with me 'assisting'.Tricks included putting the plugs in the oven ! I was only seven at the time but that little car had a massive influence on me. Thank you for the great memories.

[@ranjanaluwihare1511]

Had a 1959 500 suicide doors in Gallardo yellow restored from scratch in SrI Lanka. Loved it! Unfortunately continued to over heat & kept dying! FIAT!! “ Fix it again Tony!” 🤪😢🙏🏽

[@plindley]

If there was ever an opportunity for a Harry’s Garage and the barn find fleece mash up this was it😅

[@andrewtempleton2407]

Metcalfe & Sons, Fiat 500 specialists! Fantastic video chaps

[@hautaniemi9186]

I didn´t know that Borat was car mechanic before hes journalistic career... Thanks for entertaining videos and specially for starting EVO.

[@bsmukler]

In addition to checking the points and rotor, I would also take a close look inside the distributor cap (or replace it) as well as the plug wires. I always liked the matchbook cover trick for gapping the points. Boy, this brings back memories from 50-odd years ago.

[@peterdenyer3441]

Best bit of christmas entertainment in years. Thanks for all the hard work Harry 👍

[@TheRealNeill]

Great stuff mate. Christmas greetings from sunny Tasmania. Cracking day here, unlike most of the rest of the East Coast of Oz. If I remember my reciprocating engine theory from my Air Force days correctly, technically that's an afterfire. A backfire is through the induction system but almost everyone gets it wrong.

[@evanjohn503]

a true home mechanic - spend a few hrs checking everything, only to find out you've plugged in the spark-plug leads the wrong way round - if only I thought of that first

[@darrenfox9769]

Many thanks for another year of great content Harry!

[@dinispaulino7512]

What a joyous little video! Absolute fun, you should make more of these, Harry! Reminds me of my dad and grandad helping me to work on my old Mercedes, I am only 21, so I still have the privilege of having both of them around to help me out sometimes, and working on cars, with all the ups and downs, the frustration and then the gratification when something just works is the best bonding in my opinion!

[@simplesimon755]

It's a Christmas miracle! Such a fun video although I have to admit that hearing Harry talk about how easy it would be to take the engine out reminded me of so many buddies of mine in instances when it did not turn out so well. Another great video. May the Metcalfe family and all the subscribers to Harry's Farm and Harry's Garage have a wonderful Christmas and prosperous 2024!

[@BMW_NUT]

This gave me so much joy watching thanks Harry !

[@arthurdardalis]

One of the most desirable cars in Harry’s garage!

[@ld2906]

Best video thus far. The little joys prove so often to be the greatest! Thank you for sharing.

[@daggidding4478]

Fantastic! So nice to see father and son fettling with a car. And then, when it started … Harry was over the moon 😃👍

[@timhouston1638]

Well Merry Christmas to all! Gonna enjoy this! Thank you Harry.

[@Acewhip]

0:25 quintessential Fiat 500 Christmas picture.... 🥰

[@Simon_PieMan]

Cool, Harry sporting the Jason King moustache. Merry Christmas!

[@georgezahorcak7764]

Harry! My wife has told me to stop screaming! I knew it was the wires!!! I am almost seventy years old.....as is she.....coming up on her 39th(?) twenty nineth birthday.... She has seen me mess up wires many times when we were kids. What a fun video!!!!!! Thanks, Marcia and George

[@caillongouarnemansau]

Amazing ! Congratulations to you guys, what a team! Merry Christmas !

[@anthonyknox1493]

So glad to see this video! Fellow 500 owner here, and I love it to bits.

[@tond2006]

Hard to describe how much joy this video brings! Please never change Harry!

[@markaldridge2531]

Harry, Brilliant video, great to see you and Charlie sorting out the problem yourselves. Also nice to see you solving it without it going to a specialist, who we love but just to be able to tinker and solve a problem yourself is wonderful and brings the type of laughter you had. ThIs was more enjoyable than watching you test some hyperSUV or £300k monstrosity! A merry Christmas to the Metcalfe's, now you have cheered us all up!

[@jasonrwilkinson9216]

Yay well done! 🎉 Merry Christmas Harry and family, thanks for all the amazing content this year!

[@es95950]

Fun ride, thanks for taking us along!

[@iDymff]

You guys are fun together. Very nice to see 🥰

[@davidbillberg2203]

Lovely! Merry Christmas Harry!

[@stevetaylor6515]

One of the sweetest videos from you - thank you Harry and Charlie

[@Kmzhr]

Lovely video! Nothing like a father-son moments of joy on running an old little car! Thank you for your videos and for all the moments of joy you brought to us thus far!

[@davidduncan4998]

Great content. Have a very happy Xmas and a good new year

[@andrewmanahan2469]

My mum had two .. even in the day they were terrible to start always ( especially in damp Ireland) .. and they both caught fire too .. and lived !

[@richardcarter1000]

Lovely video. Merry Christmas

[@russellsmith1375]

Brilliant video...Merry Christmas

[@anthonylister6864]

Merry Christmas Harry and family, looking forward to more great videos in 2024!

[@A_MM]

Great videos! Thank you. Merry Christmas 🎄 for your family.

[@fragu123]

Thx. Harry and Family…! Great stuff - merry Christmas to all of you 🎅🏿

[@shadowred1980]

Great stuff. All the best for 2024.

[@Gaaaaaaaaaaad]

Bravo guys! Merry Christmas!

[@manonabeachjourneys]

Great, thanks a lot for the videos this year and Merry Christmas.