1963 ASA 1000 GT

Coupe
Chassis number: 01022
Engine number: 173551

Change is inevitable and as the years ticked away during the 1950s, Enzo Ferrari began to embrace series production of his road cars as a necessary means to finance his road racing endeavors. He also began to consider the creation of a 'Ferrarina' - a smaller Ferrari which would reach a wider range of buyers, provide additional income, and not dilute his Scuderia Ferrari nameplate. At Enzo's end-of-year press conference in December of 1959, Ferrari announced the development of a new four-cylinder OHC engine coded '854' denoting its 850cc displacement and four-cylinders. Pininfarina designed and built a prototype body for the 854, based on a Fiat 1200 chassis and gearbox. Initial selling price projections were $2,600 with production estimates of around 3,000 - 5,000 cars annually.

Although there was strong interest in the Ferrarina, little materialized until October of 1961, when a new car called 'Mille' or 'One Thousand' was put on display at Turin on the Bertone stand. It was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone and rested on a chassis designed and built by Ferrari engineers. The 985cc 'four' was powered by a 96 horsepower engine fitted with dual twin-choke Weber carburetors and its body had no Ferrari identification. The engine was mated to a four-speed Alpine gearbox which included Laycock overdrive on the two top gears.

At the 1962 Turin show, ASA, short for Autocostuzioni Societa per Azioni, emerged, to produce the car. Test drivers included Italian racing drivers Gerino Gerini, Lorenzo Bandini, and Giancarlo Baghetti, and Giotto Bizzarini was retained for engineering. The ASA was produced at the De Nora Company in Milan, headed by Oronzio De Nora and his son Niccolò.

Production began in 1963 and U.S Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti imported and sold the first ASA 1000 GT in September of 1964. Unfortunately, production remain low which forced higher pricing. Although it had attractive styling and excellent road manners, it faced stiff competition from Abarths, Alfas, and Mini-Coopers in Europe and Corvettes in America.

Proving its competition potential, it raced at the 1965 Targa Florio where it finished as high as 3rd and 4th in class.

In October of 1965, a 'Berlinetta 411' version of the 1000 GT with alloy coachwork and an enlarged engine was displayed in Paris. The 'Roll-Bar,' designed by Luigi Chinetti, Jr. and featuring a 1,300 cc six-cylinder engine, was planned and one even won class at Sebring in 1967. A larger 1,800cc four-cylinder version was also considered.

In the end, the low demand and steep prices brought the demise of ASA with total production never reaching 100 units. Just 52 coupes and 14 convertible spyders were built. Also, as many as 20 examples of the 411 were built.

Although short-lived, the ASA possessed Ferrari DNA, Bizzarrini/Chiti engineering, and Giugiaro design.

This particular example is chassis number 01022. Built in 1963, it is the 5th example produced and was the personal car of Mr. De Nora. In 1969, it was sold in Milan to an American serviceman stationed in Italy and later shipped to West Texas. In 1990, the current caretaker acquired the car and began a long-term, total restoration that was completed over the next 24 years to original specifications, based on the records in the official ASA book. Its original features include its paint color, upholstery, Nardi steering wheel, trunk cover, and many other details. It has its numbers-matching engine which has been mated to a five-speed gearbox for enhanced drivability. The original gearbox, however, is still with the car as is its original windshield.

by Dan Vaughan

In most respects, this ASA 1000 GT is a four-cylinder Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari commissioned Giotto Bizzarini in 1961 to construct a chassis and Bertone to construct the body. The chassis was constructed of traditional tubular members similar to a Ferrari. A transverse wishbone suspension was placed in the front, coil springs in the front and rear, and a live rear axle. The body was comprised of steel with an aluminum hood and deck lid. Four-wheel disc brakes were placed on all four corners, something that greatly enhanced the vehicle's performance and at a time when most of the other companies still used drums. Power was supplied by a twin overhead camshaft 1,032 cc four-cylinder engine that produced just under 100 horsepower. It was based on the Ferrari 12-cylinder engine. The top speed was estimated at around 115 mph.

This vehicle was Enzo Ferrari's assault on the small car market, mainly targeted at Alfa Romeo and Abarth. The public was given their first glimpse of the vehicle at the 1961 Turin Motor Show where it was met with great reviews. Some believed it would be named the 'Ferrari Mille' but in fact, it did not grace the Ferrari stand. The following year the designs were sold to ASA (Autocostruzioni Societa per Azioni), an electrochemical Company.

Production versions of the car were ready by 1965 mainly in coupe form. A few cabriolets were produced. It bore the name 'ASA 1000 GT'. After two years enough vehicles had been produced to satisfy the minimum homologation requirements to race in GT racing. Though advanced for 1961, they offered little competition in 1967 and endured only mild success.

Production of the ASA 1000 began in 1964 and soon began arriving in the US with a sticker price of $6,000 apiece. The one-liter car was quick and attractive, but the price was prohibitively high. A Spyder was soon added but this did little to entice interest. Of the circa-50 ASA 1000s built, only a few were Spyders.

It is believed that around 33 examples of the ASA 1000s came to the United States through Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti.

by Dan Vaughan