1961 Abarth 1000 GT Coupe

Carlo Abarth launched his own company in 1950, producing performance parts for Fiats. It didn't take long before Fiat-based 1,000 cubic centimeter coupes were built, borrowing Porsche suspension design. Auto manufacturing efforts began in 1955, with the front-engined Boano-bodied Tipo 207/A Syder. Next came the Fiat 600-based rear-engine cars. Eventually, two product lines evolved, one making performance parts, the other producing true Abarth automobiles with bodywork by Allemano and Zagato.

This factory race car features a 1,000 cubic centimeter twin cam engine with 40 mm Weber carburetors producing 92 horsepower. It sports an alloy body by Beccaris, four-wheel disk brakes, and either a four or five-speed gearbox. this car, driven by Eberhard Mable, started on the pole at the Nurburgring in 1961. In November, the car was sold to John Norwood. It was raced at Nassau by Paul Richards and raced at Sebring in 1962. Abarth produced seventy 1000 GTs.