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1928 OM Tipo 665

1928 OM Tipo 665 1928 OM Tipo 665 1928 OM Tipo 665 Sold for $150,500 at 2007 Gooding & Company.
Sold for $85,250 at 2010 Gooding and Company - Scottsdale Auction.
OM, short for Officine Meccaniche, was founded in Milan in 1889 with the purpose of constructing railway stock. They entered automobile production in 1918 after taking over the Zust automobile company of Brescia. The first cars were basically an updated version of the Zust with four-cylinder L-head engines. Four-cylinder production would continue until 1923, when the new Tipo 665 'Superba' was introduced, featuring a two-liter L-head six.

The 665 was very successful in competition, especially in long-distance international sports car racing. Their highlights include a win at the 1925 Tripoli Grand Prix and fourth and fifth at the 1926 24 Hours of LeMans Endurance Race. They won the Rudge-Whitworth Cup for best index of performance. At the inaugural running of the Mille Miglia in 1927, OM captured the first three places. They finished second in the 1928 and 1929 Milles and third in the event in 1931.

In 1929 a supercharged version of their models could be purchased, though by this point in history, Alfa Romeo had become a dominant force, and the supercharger was no match. The OM Company continued until 1938, when they were taken over by Fiat and ceased passenger car production the following year. They turned to truck and railway component manufacturing for the Italian war effort.

This OM Tipo 665 with the supercharged engine was created in 1928 and features a Weymann-style fabric body. It is believed that R.F. Oates of Great Britain was the original owner.

The car features four doors, four seats, a top, and a spare wheel, which is built to LeMans requirements. There is a fabric body and many aluminum castings in the chassis's fabrication.

Since new, the car has been fully restored and has been well used in sporting and concours events throughout the world. In 2005, it participated in the Argentinean Millas Sport, which is a 1,000-mile rally through the mountain passes of Patagonia. In 2006 it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in the exhibit-only category. This marked the first time in the 56-year history of the event that an OM model was on the show field.

This Supercharged Tourer is chassis number 26641 and was brought to the 2007 Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA, where it was estimated to sell for $300,000 - $450,000. Bidding failed to generate the expected estimates, yet the lot was sold for $150,500, including the buyer's premium.

In 2010, it was brought to Gooding & Company's Scottsdale Auction, offered without reserve, and estimated to sell for $90,000 - $120,000. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for $85,250, inclusive of the buyer's premium.


By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2010
OM, meaning Officine Meccaniche, was founded in 1899 in Milan, Italy, initially producing railway stock. The company was the result of a merger between Grondona Comi & C and Miani Silvestri & C. By 1918, the company switched production to automobiles after taking over the Zust Car Company of Brescia, Northern Italy.

OM's first car was the Tipo S305 which borrowed heavily from the prior Zust vehicles. It was the first vehicle to wear the OM badge and remained in production until 1923. It was powered by a four-cylinder side-valve engine that displaced 4712cc and produced 30 horsepower. In 1919, a new model was introduced, which was not based on prior Zust vehicles. It was dubbed the 465 and powered by a 1327cc four-cylinder engine. The name '465' was chosen to represent the engine configuration, mainly the '4' cylinders and the stroke of 65mm. There was a three-speed manual gearbox that sent the power to the rear wheels. This vehicle was offered in a variety of body styles in a 2700mm short wheelbase or on a longer, 2900mm wheelbase. The torpedo configuration with seating for four was the most popular setup.

In 1921, OM introduced the Tipo 467, which stayed in production until 1923. It was followed by the Tipo 469 in 1922. The 467 had four cylinders and a 67mm stroke. The 469 had a 69mm stroke and would remain in production the longest of all the OM models, lasting until 1934. The engine in the 469 displaced 1496cc's and produced 30 horsepower. The only wheelbase offered was 2800mm.

The most famous and memorable model from OM was the Tipo 665, also known as the Superba. It was in production from 1923 through 1932 and was available in two versions, the 665N, and the 665S. The 'N' version sat atop a 3100mm wheelbase while the 'S' remained on the traditional 2800mm unit. Both versions had the same mechanical configuration, being powered by a six-cylinder 1991cc side-valve engine capable of producing 40 horsepower initially. As the years progressed, so did the engine and the vehicle.

The beginning of the 1930s saw a new 2200cc engine that increased horsepower to 55. This was used in the 665 N5 and the 665 SMM. The N5 was built atop a wheelbase that measured 2790 and had a narrower track, though it increased in 1930. The 665 SMM entered production in 1928 and replaced the 665S. Improvements included a wheelbase of 2790mm.

Horsepower increased when OM attached a supercharger to their 2200cc engine. The result was the 665 SS MM Superba Compressore which was constructed in small numbers between 1930 and 1931.

In 1933, the OM company was merged with Fiat, and soon, OM's efforts would be turned toward the production of commercial vehicles.


By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2007

1928 OM Tipo 665 Vehicle Profiles

1928 OM Tipo 665 vehicle information
Tourer

Coachwork: Weymann
Chassis #: 26641
Engine #: 25683

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

665 SMM

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
112.00 in.
6 cyl., 121.50 CID., 40.00hp
6 cyl., 140.36 CID.

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