The first FIAT Topolino ever imported to Canada has a special place in the history of the Italian community of Ottawa, and it tells the story of a wonderful friendship.
It arrived in 1947 as a gift from the then President of FIAT, Vittorio Valletta, to the first Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Count Carlo Fecia di Cossato, and it became the loyal companion of the Ambassador’s son Ludovico.
After a title transfer to a friend of Ludovico and a long period in storage, it was purchased in 1996 by Giuseppe (Joe) Amendola, an Ottawa mechanic who hailed from Mendicino, a small town in the province of Cosenza. A car lover and Fiat Topolino expert, Joe restored the vehicle to its prime, using original period parts.
Once the amazing restoration was completed, Joe contacted Ludovico, who returned to Ottawa for a reunion with the sidekick of his youth. And thus a friendship was born between the two men, rich with the memories and the many adventures of the legendary Topolino.
Sadly, Ludovico Fecia passed away last December, but his memory lives on in the tales and in the soul of this remarkable Topolino.
