The Fiat 500 was the basis for a plethora of model variants, as we saw with the Giardiniera version featured two days ago. Carlo Abarth is no stranger to Italian automotive enthusiasts. Born in Vienna as Karl Albert Abarth, he started his career racing motorbikes and after World War II helped form the company Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia, or CIS, this firm would later become Cisitalia. The Cisitalia project fizzled and he founded Abarth & C. in Turin, using the Scorpion, his astrological sign, as the company logo. The influence he wielded over the diminutive 500 was impressive, having created a wide variety of competition versions. This particular vehicle was one of them. Crafted by Carrozzeria Allemano, this coachbuilder was known for variations on famous models such as the Lancia Aurelia and Fiat 1500 and even had a hand in creating a few Panhard models. With a breathed on engine from Abarth, only a few of these 750 Allemano Spiders were created for competition use. This one has been restored to like new condition and would be a fantastic piece for vintage racing.
1959 Fiat 750 Abarth Allemano Spider
1959 Abarth 750 Allemano Spider. Sold new to USA, in Europe since 1991. Full aluminium body. Restored, ready to drive condition. The car is present on the book Italian Car Registry written by John De Boer (see attached photo). Custum duty paid in Europe, old USA Title comes with the car. According with many Abarth publications only 20 Abarth 750 Allemano Spider has been built for race use. Dr. Lorenzo Avidano (Abarth Racing Director) in front of the car during Carlo Abarth Centenary Celebration in Turin (2008).
This car is a great piece of Fiat history and with no reserve should test the waters for vintage Abarths. I'm fascinated that this car was sold new in the United States around the same time '59 Cadillacs with their huge tailfins roamed the streets. It took a special kind of enthusiast to go for such a car at the time. Now, with the new Fiat 500 Abarth being reintroduced to the US market, it's a great time to look back at these machines to see where it all began in post World War II Italy.
-Paul