Ivan Vicario Martin
Last Saturday we told you that had been put up for sale a SEAT 600 Formichetta or Siata Formichetta on Wallapop. Now we have had exclusive access to the images of the rescue of this unit which, as we told you, is going to be restored. Our protagonist slept the sleep of the righteous outdoors on a farm in the north of Madrid, accompanied by a 600 N Commercial. This is also an interesting model due to its rarity.
Let us remember that the Formichetta was the van version derived from the SEAT 600 and manufactured in collaboration with the Siata bodybuilder. Although it kept the front unaltered, It had a wheelbase lengthened by 20 centimeters and a rear body with a raised roof. and a large cargo space. In addition, it had two additional side doors and a small rear tailgate. There was also another small gate to access the engine. Originally based on the 600 N with 633 cm engine3 and 18 CV, since September 1963 it was assembled on the D, with 767 cm mechanics3 and 25 hp.
It was sold in two or four-seater versions, whose commercial name was Standard and Combi. Between the summer of 1962 and 1967 About 5.800 units of all variants were shipped, to which we should add the more than 2.000 adaptations developed by Costa Bodyworks. Not too many specimens have survived, so the recovery of this unit is excellent news.
TO THE RESCUE OF THE SEAT 600 FORMICHETTA
As we have already mentioned, we have had access in exclusive to the images of the rescue of the Siata Formichetta. A recovery that has had a certain element of odyssey, since both it and the SEAT 600 N Comercial had been abandoned for more than 40 years. In the case of the van, we see that it is a unit assembled on the N, in addition, from the last year of this original version, since It was registered in 1963, when the D began to be taken as a basis.
Surprisingly, it is quite complete, although some elements are missing, such as the right turn signal or part of the front decoration. To the except the windows have not been vandalized and are all in perfect condition. Nor are the four wheels and their corresponding tires missing, which, logically, will have to be discarded. In any case, it has some obvious rust, so there is an arduous restoration task ahead.
The rescue operation of the SEAT 600 Formichetta has required great doses of patience and expertise, since the Formichetta was quite buried in the ground for so many years parked in the ground. Nevertheless, It was managed to be removed without any damage. and has already been acquired by a retired sheet metal worker who You will be able to dedicate the necessary hours to restore it to its past splendor.. The same thing happens with the 600 Commercial, so we can say that it has been a story with a happy ending.
