1959 Stanguellini Monoposto Formula Junior Racer

Vittorio Stanguellini traced his mechanical heritage to his grandfather's engineering works established in 1879 and his father who registered the first car in the city of Modena. Following World War I, Vittorio grew up in his father's FIAT sales and service agency where he gained expertise tuning racing engines. Under his leadership from 1929, Automobili Stanguellini produced a variety of small cars using FIAT components in which his cars achieved numerous victories in the 750cc and 1100cc classes.

Formula Junior was established by Giovanni Lurani in Italy as training for future Formula One drivers, lasting from 1958 through 1963, and based on cars built with production components to keep costs low. Stanguellini monoposto (single-seat) cars proved nearly invincible in taking the Italian Formula Jr. championship in its first year. Many drivers who went on to world acclaim began their careers handling the Stanguellinis, such as this Formula Jr., an example of more than 100 cars built by Stanguellini in the form of scaled-down versions of the world championship Maserati 250F.

Using light alloy engine blocks and twin overhead cams with dual side-draft Weber carburetors, these cars produced about 90 horsepower and were capable of about 120 mph with the largest engine. Hand-crafted aluminum bodies by Vaccari & Baccrini over tubular frames built for superb handling made these lightweight cars the class of small-bore racing until the advent of mid-engine Lotus and Cooper racing cars that displaced the front engine Stanguellini with mid-engine cars of superior handling.

This car was manufactured in Modena, Italy, in June of 1959. The all-aluminum body was produced by Vaccari & Baccrini-Carrozzeria Gransport. The original owner was Peter Carpenter and he raced it extensively throughout Europe in 1959, placing 5th place at Monza and 2nd place at Di Salerno.

This car was partially restored in the 1970s and spent approximately 20 years in a private museum of an Italian car collector in Miami, Florida. The current owner purchased the car in 1994 and has spent the last 8 years restoring it to its original racing condition.