1963 Abarth 1300 GT Coupe

This Abarth Simca 1300 GT started life with a regular nose and roundtail body. In 1966, after some racing, including two outings at the Hill Climb Consuma and two at Imola, first owner Renato Arfe traded it back to Abarth Corsa, where it was updated to racing specification with a longer nose and short 'duck lip' Kamm tail. An upgraded twin-spark head was fitted, along with transmission cooling ducts and larger brakes. In 1967 the car was sold to the world-famous Conrero racing outfit and eventually, in 1978, collector Fabrizio Violati acquired the car and placed it in his Maranello Rosso Museum, where it stayed until the breakup of the collection in 2014. The current owner attempted, but failed, to purchase the car at auction in 2014, but succeeded in 2021. Few 1960s race cars possess the organic patina of this Simca, whose exceptional originality is evidenced by the pipes, ignition wires, and even the cardboard and wire air ducts, largely thanks to almost 40 years in a museum where it was expertly preserved.