“Barn find” electric Bambina for sale

A 1966 Fiat 500 Bambina converted to electric in about 1995 is attracting plenty of interest on Trade Me Motors.

Described as a “barn find”, the car has been in storage since the 1990s.

About 520 people have added the Bambina to their watch list, 74 had made bids and the auction reserve has already been met with a current bid at $620 before the auction closes on October 28, 9.30pm.

The two-door car has six deep-cycle batteries and an industrial electric motor mated to the original transmission.

A description on Trade Me Motors’ auction website is unsure how successfully it ran as an electric car but says it must be one of New Zealand’s earliest conversions.

That claim is disputed among the many responses, some pointing out electric cars have been around since the 1800s.

Others mentioned early electric conversions they were involved with, including a Hillman Imp (the “Limp”) converted in the 1970s, a Toyota Starlet which reached 30km/h, and a Bedford van in the early 1980s used as a daily drive-to-work vehicle at the Otahuhu electricity substation.

The auction description says the New Zealand-new Bambina had more than five owners and describes its stereo system as “sing to yourself”.
“Would be a great museum piece or restore it and use it as a commuter car or company promotional vehicle!”

The registration has been cancelled but is still in the “system”. It doesn’t have a warrant of fitness either.
“Car does not run or drive but rolls and steers fine.”