1959 Taraschi 1100 FJ

This car was one of two Taraschi factory team FJ race cars. It was shipped specially to the importer in New York (Biener Pontiac Company) for its employee, Jerry Titus, who went on to become a noted race driver and automotive journalist. However, the car showed up late for that race, and Jerry ended up driving another car. This car is one of only two Taraschi Formula Juniors whose bodywork was produced in the Taraschi workshop.

It is powered by a four-cylinder engine that produces 70 horsepower and 50 foot pounds of torque. There is a four-speed manual gearbox that is suspended in place by a DeDion rear suspension and an independent front suspension setup.

Taraschi BT058 was originally purchased in 1959 by Bill Von Esser (owner of Von Esser's Speed Shop in Northwest Chicago) for J.C. Kilburn to drive. One of only six bodied by Filacchioni, who subsequently became Goldsmith to the Papacy. Of the other five, four are in the Taraschi family museum in Teramo, Italy, and one was crashed and destroyed. J.C. Kilburn drove the car twice in testing and raced it seven times during the four months it campaigned. He won two of the races, but because of the rapid development of cars in the class it was no longer competitive and was parked. J.C. Kilburn purchased it from Von Esser and kept it as a backup car before selling it 19 months later and then bought it back in 1988. The car has never been restored, only maintained and repaired as needed. It was never badly crashed.