Italy’s location on the Mediterranean Sea meant innumerable beachfront cities and resorts.

There was a brisk trade in beach buggy conversions of regular cars by the many specialist coachbuilders throughout Italy at the time.

One such specialist was Ghia, who created the Jolly conversions on Fiat’s 500, 600, Multipla and Giardiniera platforms.

Known at home as a La Spiaggina, the Fiat beach-buggy was marketed worldwide as the Jolly.

It was quite expensive costing around double that of a standard 500 and was bought by the rich and famous (Aristotle Onassis, Yul Brynner, President Tito) as yacht tenders, golf carts and estate runabouts.

As a result, most surviving examples have covered low mileages only.

They were sold in the USA between 1958 and 1961.

Considered a success, the model had a healthy run from 1958 to 1966.

The cars’ specification included cut-down sides and windshield, a striped and fringed surrey top, and chromed body-pipework.

They were available in pink, coral, w...