1958 Fiat Abarth 750GT Zagato 'Corsa'

Lot details
Registration No: 767 UXT
Chassis No: 100383101
Mot Expiry: None

Introduced in 1956, the Fiat Abarth 750 GT Zagato (or Fiat 600 Derivazione Abarth 750 GT Carrozzeria Zagato as it was officially known) soon earned an enviable competition record taking class wins at such prestigious events as the Mille Miglia (1957), Sebring 12-hours (1958) and Targa Florio (1959). Marrying a modified Fiat 600 steel floorpan to artfully sculpted Zagato aluminium bodywork resulted in a car that was both lightweight (circa 535kg) and commendably aerodynamic. Equipped with all-round independent suspension (transverse-leaf front / swing-axle rear) and four-wheel drum brakes, the model was powered by a 747cc OHV four-cylinder engine allied to four-speed manual transmission.

Available in either standard or 'Corsa' (race) guises, the latter often benefited from plexiglass side / rear windows, reinforced C-posts, alloy rear window frames and smaller front indicators not to mention a close-ratio gearbox, enlarged fuel tank, tuned engine (thin-walled sump, pancake air filter etc) and higher marked rev counter. Smaller, lighter and faster than its purely road-going sibling, the 'Corsa' could also be had with an optional auxiliary radiator (mounted underneath the car). However, as each one was prepared for a specific client some boasted more of the aforementioned features than others.

According to information kindly supplied by the vendor: "This particular example was built on 30th January 1958 (reference Italian Car Registry) and exported to the USA where it is reputed to have spent the majority of, if not all, its time racing. I imported the car into the UK at the end of 2005. It was confirmed to me by Guy Moerenhout Racing of Belgium - an acknowledged specialist in all things Abarth - as having one of the twenty-one 'Corsa' type bodies. Interestingly, the largest supplier of Fiat Abarth 750GT Zagato Corsas in America was Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr, son of the former president.

Chassis Number 100383101 is fitted with an Abarthized 903cc engine built by Claus Steinbrook sometime prior to 2003 from a Fiat 850 block with high compression pistons and race cam. I have driven the car around the Spa circuit and at the Val Salviore hillclimb in Italy. The coupe was featured in the November 2007 issue of Classic Cars magazine (page 9). Ownership history can be traced back to 1980 and the car is accompanied by two Vintage Sports Car Club of America Vehicle Logbooks issued to Fredric Aibel and Christopher Shoemaker".

Finished in red with black interior, '767 UXT' is variously described by the vendor as being in "fair" (electrical equipment, bodywork), "fair / poor" (chassis), "poor" (paintwork) or "good" (engine, four-speed manual gearbox, wheels / tyres) condition. Potentially eligible for a host of prestigious historic racing events, this rare Abarth is offered for sale with assorted spares.