12.30.2013

Felice Anno Nuovo!

Benvenuti amici!

The coming of the New Year is about more than celebrating the twelve months ahead. It is also about reflecting upon the twelve months we are leaving behind. Twenty thirteen has left us, the missus & I and the rest of the CC5C, plenty on which to reflect. 

26 June 2013; We launched the CC5C blog one year, one month and one week after I met my first FIAT (500 Pop). With a humble short history, we introduced the new 500 and explained the intent behind/foundation beneath the Cream City Cinquecento Club/Città Crema Cinquecento Club.

4 July 2013; We officially introduced the Città Crema Cinquecento Club on the recognized birthday of FIAT S.p.A. and the famed FIAT 500, the cultural icon for which our club is named. But the Italian automaker and its popular little buggy are not the only reason for the selection of this date. We seek to honor the philosophy behind their success. 

Included in the introduction was the official announcement of the CC5C ID as well as our first vinyl window cling. It was designed, drawn and financed by Amado Rodriguez Jr a/k/a Amacento (yours truly). We are proud of the logo ~ as we have received lots of positive feedback regarding the final product.

31 August 2013; We hosted the first ever CC5C gathering/Guidare e Gelato at our LS (local studio). The group was smart looking & large. In fact, the group was more than three times the size I believed we would see. Much of the credit for the initial turnout is due to the support of the missus as well as the efforts of Brandon & Luke, the sales team at our LS, for helping me get word out concerning the event. It is impossible to properly thank Milica, Brandon, Luke and the people taking time out of their lives to share their experiences and smiles with us.


The occasion was underscored with the presence of a representative of Midwest FIAT Corporate. Troy was very kind to attend the event… and play photographer for the day.

30 September 2013; We hosted our first 'Crociera/Cruise'. 'Crociera' is differentiated from 'Guidare', because it is considered an unofficial meet. In addition, ideally, a 'Crociera' happens within Cream City. It is meant to be an opportunity to take in/celebrate the neighborhoods of Milwaukee. 


September also marked the month we began to see support for the CC5C via blog visits and representation from other parts of the country ~ by way of sporting the CC5C vinyl cling/badge on non-Cream City 'centos.

Ann Marie Kozich Swenson & Mark Friedel/Jenn Boelter (Madison WI), Bob Moon (California), John Koch (Seattle), Edwin Barron (Virginia) & Brian Heath (Florida), Colin Brown (Minnesota), Damon Oriente (Canada), John Ackenhusen (Michigan) and James Wilson (North Carolina) were among the very first long distance supporters of the FIAT life enthusiasts Society. We are grateful for their commitment to the cause and we appreciate the growth in interest we continue to see around the country as well as the world.

With the prodding of the missus and Brandon Drew, we also launched the CC5C Facebook page. I was skeptical, at first, but have been proven wrong by 79 'Likes' since the 27 September 2013 launch! Finally, September is also the month during which the CC5C grille badge was announced. Oooh… Fancy.


26 October 2013; We hosted our second Guidare e Gelato. This time we took a scenic route to a restaurant outside the city limits. Before the cruise, we met in the conference room of our LS and I officially presented the first ever studio-sponsored Italian language CC5C vinyl window cling/badge.

I will never forget the looks on the faces of various attendees when the soiree came to an end. Likewise, I will never forget Mike Bradley being so kind as to bestow me with the honor of affixing the CC5C vinyl window cling/badge on his brand new grigio Abarth!


As if all this excitement was not enough, October 2013 further marked the inclusion of more non-local stories and photo shoots on our blog. We began to seek the accounts of others and their FIAT life experiences. The results proved to be well worth the effort required. Since October, the blog readership has exploded. We are truly humbled by the success of this simple proposal. 

16 November 2013; We hosted an impromptu gathering to welcome Mario & Stacy Fiorentino and their grigio Abarth to the 'famiglia'. During this small get-together, we informally introduced the new club 'Famiglia' & 'Contatto' cards. These cards were designed to remind us of our group and help us spread the CC5C love. We drove to La Coppa Gelateria, our newest sponsor, and enjoyed some of the tasty cold stuff on the menu.


December 2013 was comparatively quiet, with our efforts turning towards further blurring geographical borders. I, personally, began reaching out to and writing about aftermarket support of the FIAT 500 & 500L. This focus, of course, is a carry over from what began in September/October. I look forward to more time focused on the broader FIAT life enthusiasts community. 

24 December 2013; The missus & I headed to our LS, for the last time, with the legendary La Fee Verte. The decision was difficult, but I had my mind on the purchase of an A500 (Abarth 500) since seeing the studio demo the day I drove home in our Pretty Green Pop. An aggressive (personal) payment schedule and a great deal at the right time made it much easier to make a move. 

This brings us to 25 January 2014


The time is approaching for 'The First Cruise of the New Year'. How does zipping around town in a FIAT and tasty pizza read to you? Why stop there? We can top it off with one of the best groups of life-loving people you will ever likely encounter. Life & Love ~ We believe those are areas in which the CC5C shines. Come shine with us...


Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

12.25.2013

A Christmas Story

Benvenuti amici!

With this entry, we bid a 'sort of' sad farewell to one 'cento and happily introduce/welcome another. Early on, I knew I would eventually slide behind the wheel of another 500. No matter what I tried, I always thought about Abarth Cinquecentos  & special edition fititos. In fact, I made (from La Fee Verte) my very own 'special edition' Pop. "There can be only one." With the brilliant help of Kyle, at our LS, our Pretty Green Pop grew shinier by way of cromo bonnet spear, mirror caps, and bumperettes. Still, I knew she would likely be piloted by another driver one day.

La Fee Verte

Recently, with LFV very nearly paid off, my mind began to wander. I considered, in a more serious way, which would be my next 500. I felt tempted with the announcement of the soon-to-be-released 1957 SE (a hardcore retro version of the already retro 500 Lounge). I continued to vacillate between various rarer 500s… including the Cattiva. 

Two weeks ago, I asked the missus to join me at the studio. I received word FIAT is offering some unbelievable year end incentives on various versions of the little mouse and thought we could dip our toes in the pool of possibilities. There was no commitment or outright intent ~ We were simply feeling things out. That is innocent enough.

The numbers made sense on one very special 'cento and I began, in earnest, to position us for a sooner-than-later purchase. This is where we will allow the following photos to guide you through our most recent life adventure…

Last ride as the designated driver of La Fee Verte

Soon-to-be repeat customer…

Reliving my first time in our LS...

See where this is going?

The shake that binds; Brandon & Amado...

Luke did a fine job of explaining the details...

Meet La Sombrita a/k/a Sombrita...

Passing the torch, well, The CC5C grille badge...

...

...

The signing of the canvas...

Passing keys and other gifts...

La Sombrita in her first snow (dusting)...

So, here's to another wonderful FIAT experience (for us in our new fičko as well as the lucky soul responsible for adopting our original). Thank you FIAT & Bergstrom FIAT USA of MKE, for offering products and standards which keep aficionados coming back for more. Thank you Bergstrom FIAT USA of MKE staff for adding OUTSTANDING SALES, SERVICE & CLUB SPONSORSHIP to the experience. We are looking forward to spending time in our Sombrita and sharing new FIAT life memories with you soon. Why we chose 'La Sombrita'? a/k/a 'Sombrita'. We can discuss that over a cruise and the breaking of bread. Until then...


"May your days, may your days, may your days be merry & bright and may all your Christmases by white…"

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

12.16.2013

Personalizza la Tua FIAT: 2

Benvenuti amici!

We are back with another customization spotlight. We discovered this at F5O (FIAT 500 Owners) recently and instantly knew we wanted to share it with the CC5C community. This project was presented by Bryan at NGen FIAT, located in the Woodlands Texas. This outfit grabbed my attention, because it is committed to much more than helping people personalize their FIAT 500s. NGen FIAT also organizes/hosts meets & events. They are a family owned & run business which is devoted to being an active part in bridging the gaps between owners. That is an important mission and we are very much pleased to shine a light on them.

This, unlike our equally brilliant build from Joseph Reyes at 500 Madness, is not a performance-focused presentation. This is the FIAT 500 take on Extreme [Styling] Makeover. Seeing this entry through, to the end, will be a very rewarding experience. With the FIAT Custom Shop apparently a long way out, places like Road Race, NGen FIATEuro Compulsion and H.P.S.I. Motorsports are, for most of us, the source for FIAT goodies and intense work. Of course, as was the case with my modding, there is also the partnering with our respective local studios for these projects.


Bergstrom FIAT Milwaukee ~ CC5C Studio Home

The custom project we are sharing today began with a verde chiaro 500 Lounge. Now, one could reasonably argue there is absolutely nothing one could possibly add to a Lounge. They are, after all, the luxury Cinquino. But FIAT owners are a creative bunch. They see possibilities in every Fitito. My friends, we proudly present… to you… 'All Dolled Up'.

The set-up…

Let's kick the tires and walk around…

Get a good look at everything…

Looks pretty spectacular to me…

Brace yourselves for the next two shots…

Ouch!

I told you so...

So, with the Lounge disassembled for painting, and other modifications, the transformation can begin. We will skip that, as you can find it on the NGen FIAT website, and jump to the big reveal. Get ready!

Drum roll, please…

Ta-Da!!!

Let's take a closer look…

A Posh interior for a posh tiny buggy…

This build is beginning to look familiar...

That's it! The EU Barbie Special Edition…

Of course, this spin on that is more extreme…

This is an exercise in loving devotion...

… To a given idea...

… And seeing the idea...

… through to existence.

Now, that's amore!

Are you happy you committed the time to scrolling through this build? Are you shocked by the transformation ~ from start to finish? There is a groundswell of excitement, in North America, building around the FIAT brand. I have a strong feeling the things we are seeing from owners like Joseph & Bryan are the merely tip of the iceberg. We, at CC5C, welcome the future today.

Do you have a build you would like to share? Do you have a story of another sort to share? Please, share it with the community here. We look forward to every new contact made. Until our next meeting…

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

12.06.2013

Personalizza la Tua FIAT: 1

Benvenuti amici!

When FIAT re-introduced the Cinquecento (500) to the world, in 2007, they made it clear the intent is for their city car to become the iPod of the automotive industry. The Italian automaker launched the car with a rich interior/exterior palette and continues to add trim levels as well as special editions to help match consumers to their equivalent 'cento. In addition to this, the Agnelli family saw fit to create a 500 spin-off line called the 500L...

FIAT 500/500L 'Italian Invasion'

Back to special edition 500s. In late 2012, FIAT NA (North America) announced the North America-only 500 Sport Turbo ~ also called the 500T. The 500T was lauded, by then head of FIAT NA Tim Kuniskis, as the ultimate 500 customization machine. The 'T' has more power than the standard 500 and more freedom to take what you dig about the Scorpion and add whatever your heart desires. In effect, creating your own Italian dream

Base 500T

FIAT NA, under Kuniskis, simultaneously announced a small authorized aftermarket vendor network as well as the as-yet-to-be-completely-realized FIAT Custom Shop. Of course, this is not completely good news. The North American arm of the company has a great concept (and customization starting point), but has not brought the plan to fruition. Thankfully, there is the occasional brilliant example of what the Shop could offer to the public.

The FIAT Custom Shop Hallmarks

Base 500T Cattiva

Base 500 Abarth Tenebra

Fortunately, for FIAT aficionados and the brand, we are a passionate bunch… and we do not sit around waiting for someone else to make things happen for us. While our favorite city car manufacturer focuses on the Chrysler merger, we have been busy finding ways to express our individuality by way of our Cinquinos. I, for instance, desired my own personal Pop Star SE/TwinAir look (unavailable in the US). I, with the help of our LS, added personal touches ~ all based on factory customization available at purchase of EU 500s.

The Pretty Green Pop Star

This brings us to the star of this entry. 500 Madness, also of Smart Madness fame, got in on the ground floor of North American FIAT customization. I am pleased to say I have been able to purchase EU-specific accessories from them. One particular member of the Madness famiglia is taking his FIAT dream from concept to reality using the 500T as his canvas.  

Feast your peepers on the Fitito that Joseph built. All photos are courtesy  of the man himself. We owe him a special thanks for sharing this project with us. Much respect to our artistic brother...

The initial intro to the 500-owning public...

"Drop it...

Like 'Cos it's hot…"

What?!

They're not details…

They are the product...

Oh, no he didn't...

Complete with CF (carbon fiber) mirror caps

Yes, my friends, that just happened. But aesthetic changes are not the limit to Joseph's modifications. There are goodies under the bonnet too. Head over to the 500 Madness website to learn how you can express yourself through your little machine. Of course, they are not the only game in town. They just happen to be the place I looked for my non-OEM Italian 500 swag. Check out our links section for more options.

This entry is dedicated to all the men & women working hard to keep the FIAT NA dream alive. Grazie mille...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@