Miguel Sánchez
In this third installment about the SEAT 1400, its versatility will be perfectly clear to us in line with the collection. SEAT on the road. And, on its innovative monocoque frame - the first in Fiat's history - both manufacturers and various independent coachbuilders made all kinds of versions and conversions.
A sample not only of the possibilities shown by the design of the 1400, but also of the historical moment in which the model was born. A time, an era, in which Spain barely was beginning to emerge from the rigors of the postwar to thus embrace, very slowly, an exponential progression towards the expansion of consumption; including, of course, motorsports.
In short, as we already mentioned in previous installments dedicated to commemorating the 70th anniversary of the SEAT 1400, this vehicle had a very specific sphere of clients. Especially the state's mobile fleet and, together with some private owners, different companies focused on health, assistance or mobility services.
For this reason, while the recurrent sedan bodies were offered, the 1400 range also added adaptations to taxi, family, ambulance or even, eventually, convertible versions with a playful sense. All of this perfectly exemplified in the collection SEAT on the road, which keeps up to eight variants of the SEAT 1400 plus a Cabrio unit of the Fiat 1400 in its Milmarcos museum.
SEAT 1400, THE VARIANTS GUARDED BY SEAT IN FILMING
The SEAT en Rodaje collection is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting initiatives among all those related to the classics in our country. In addition, among its almost four dozen units there are true rarities to count on not only a good part of SEAT's history, but also of the auxiliary industry developed around it.
That said, given the celebration during 2023 of the 70th anniversary of the start of production in the Free Trade Zone Thanks to the 1400, it is most interesting to check all the uses for which this car was designed using the units kept in Milmarcos as an example.
In this sense, the first piece to take into account is a Fiat 1400 convertible given that, precisely from this brand, the manufacturing license under which SEAT operated comes.
Furthermore, this unit is extremely special because, far from being a work by some Italian coachbuilder, this Cabrio is one of the just over 2.300 assembled by Fiat itself. Without a doubt, a true "Rare avis" with which to remember the Italian model from which the Spanish 1400 was derived.
Behind it, our attention rests on a Bicolor from 1954; representative of the first series of the model already manufactured by SEAT and, as could not be otherwise in this collection, in perfect running order.
By the way, going to the second series -B- of the SEAT 1400 we noticed the presence of a 1400 1958B Special with practically all original components except the upholstery. A delicacy preserved with a patina that does not even require any intervention.
Regarding the existing bodies beyond the saloon, a family car from 1961 reminds us of the use that in rural areas The 1400 was given as a taxi with capacity for at least seven passengers thanks to the central transporters.
Likewise, in this unit we began to see how the auxiliary industry flourished since this was carried out by the Armengol workshops. Continuing with the large SEAT 1400, it also stands out an ambulance version from 1962 with a most curious and well preserved interior.
In fact, having it like this nowadays is a real rarity because, not in vain, those industrial vehicles They rarely survived the action of liquidation and scrapping.
Continuing with professional uses, two taxi units -one in the style of Barcelona and the other in that of Madrid- they form an exceptional duo capable of rekindling memories related to the old urban landscape of that changing Spain.
By the way, one of them has an interesting and very original family van body which, for now, is the only survivor in the entire country.
However, beyond these practical uses The SEAT 1400 was also used as a base for purely recreational versions. Some of them authentic design exercises like the 1959 Sport Serra.
In the words of SEAT itself in Filming “one of the most important vehicles in the collection” and to whom, some time ago, we dedicate an extensive article where we analyze in detail the relationship established between SEAT and the bodybuilder Pedro Serra.
Finally, and continuing with the convertibles, the unique Caicoya made in Oviedo back in 1963 he tells us about the artisanal expertise that, even with few means, existed in Spain at the time.
And, as we have seen, the SEAT 1400 is not only the perfect excuse to remember the beginnings of the brand, but also the times in which ration cards were left behind while heading towards Spain in the 600s.
