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FIAT MOTOR
CLUB (GB)
FORMERLY THE FIAT 500 AND 500/600 CLUB
In 1920 the Government of the
country passed the Road Act 1920 which made driving licences and third party
insurance compulsory.
In the same year
a group of young men including Jack Barclay, who was later to start a Fiat
distributorship in London, started racing the FIAT 501. As Fiat indicated they
were going to produce a 500 series, a club called the Fiat 500 Club was formed
and affiliated to the RAC in June 1922. This
makes our club the oldest affiliated motor club.
The club continued running in
this country until the outbreak of the Second World War when a resolution was
passed to suspend operations for the duration of hostilities.
In 1948 after the war had ceased,
Jimmy James started the "Fiat 500 Club" the forerunner of the Fiat
Motor Club (GB) as we know it today. Fiat
then produced the 600 and it was believed a 600 series was to follow, at this
point the club was renamed the "Fiat 500-600 Club".
When 1100 and 1200 models started to come in, a general meeting decided
to call the Club by its present title as then it would cover all models made
under the marque. This came into
effect on the 28th of February, l963.
As the Club grew it became
obvious, owing to the great number of different models being built by the Fiat
company during this century, including special editions by specialist coach
builders, that a register system would have to be adopted within the Club and
some sort of spares system evolved without the Club setting up as a business
organisation. Registers that cover
every vehicle made under the marque were duly set up and in order that as many
members as possible can participate in their own calendar of Club events, the
Club is also divided into regional sections which hold their own local meetings
and local competitions.
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