Business of the Week: Jolly Roadsters

Jolly Roadsters

(415) 342-9547; email: jollyroadsters@gmail.com

website coming soon 

What do they offer?

Owner Ben Picard recreates the iconic and charming Fiat Jolly in our own Marin backyard. The car has a unique history.

“In 1957,” said Picard, “the Italian auto maker Ghia was commissioned to build a car for the head guy at Fiat to be used as the land tender for his yacht. The designers, who were given a Fiat 500 to work from, removed the doors and roof, added wicker seats, sewed on a jaunty awning top, and dubbed it ‘The Fiat Jolly.’ 

“It was an immediate hit with the yachting crowd,” continued Picard. “Ghia had to set up an assembly line to keep up with the demand and from 1957-1965, about three hundred were produced. Probably a hundred originals are still in existence.”  

For his Jolly Roadsters, which can seat four to five people, Picard recycles the Fiat 500 and 600 (about two million were made) and creates customized versions of the Jolly Beach Car for a growing list of national and international clients.      

Made to order elements include paint color and awning details, such as fringe, scallop, and pattern of the fade resistant made-in-Marin top, as well as dashboard materials like wicker to match the seats. Some companies ask that their logo be added on the car body or awning.  

He’s only kidding when he jokes that they are powered by a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower motor. The cars Picard sells are totally functional, suitable for getting around town and a lot of fun to drive on weekends. On the highway, Jollys can go up to 70 miles per hour.   

“The engine size is 500 ccs,” said Picard. “The motor is roughly one third the size of a Toyota Corolla. Jollys run on regular gas and get 40-50 miles per gallon.” (!) 

The Fiat Jolly, then and now, fetches a price between $50,000 and $80,000. Picard’s custom Jolly Roadsters cost $15,000 to $20,000. The time frame, from order to delivery, is six to eight weeks. 

Who are they? 

“I was born in a mechanic shop in Batavia, Iowa,” laughed Picard. “Because I grew up on a farm, I’ve been taking tractors apart and putting them back together since I was a kid.”   

Picard left the Midwest to get an undergraduate degree in Economics and Math from Yale, and an MBA from Duke. Moving to California in 2004, the entrepreneur started two companies, both of which he’s sold. The most recent was a Blue Book for auto repair. 

The Fairfax resident is married to former actress Jessicah Larson and they recently welcomed a baby girl named Sparrow. “I love the culture of San Francisco, but I’m still a country boy at heart,” said Picard. “Fairfax offers the best of both worlds. It’s a wonderful place to live and raise our daughter.”    

“After the baby gets a little older,” said Larson-Picard, “we look forward to becoming involved in the community. We’ve already researched the great school system here and we love the farmers’ market and music venues.”    

How long have they been there? 

Picard has been restoring cars for twenty years, working exclusively with Fiats and making his Jolly Roadsters since 2010.    

Why are they business of the week? 

No matter the car paint color, Picard’s is a green business. Jolly Roadsters are recycled and he finds many of the ‘donor cars’ in barns throughout the country. “Often,” said Picard, “the Fiats I start with are perfectly preserved, just in need of a good brushing off and rebirth.” With an eye toward the future, he’s working on an electric alternative. 

Jollys are cute, collectable, and will only increase value. At one time a fleet of Jollys was used as taxis on Southern California’s Catalina Island. Aristotle Onassis was reputed to own one and President Lyndon Johnson was photographed driving one.    

In terms of auto repair down the road, Picard said, “the parts availability is terrific and the car needs only regular tires, nothing special.” 

You may see more of them around town, at a winery, or perhaps a Jolly Roadster will greet you at a vacation resort. You can say it’s made in your home town by your neighbor.  

“Everybody seems to want my Jolly Roadsters,” Picard smiled. “I can’t make them fast enough. Every time I design one for myself, I wind up selling it.”