1960 Abarth 850 Allemano

One of Carlo Abarth's most memorable and successful line of vehicles was the 750 GT Zagato Coupe with its distinctive 'Double Bubble' top. Other successes included the highly collectible Record Monza, in both pushrod and twin cam (Bialbero) versions, and the Allemano Spider and Coupe. Perhaps the rarest of his creations were the cars built on the 750/850 GT chassis. Though the exact number is not known, it is believed that there were less than 200 examples built. Only ten examples are known to exist in North America.

This example was acquired by the current owner in 1988 from an Abarth collector in Tampa, Florida. The original owner was an Atlanta, Georgia resident. A short time after the 1988 acquisition, the car was disassembled for restoration. Work continued for a number of years, but was put on hold in 1995 when other higher-priority projects intervened. The work was restarted in 2008 and was completed in late 2009. The original Abarth 850 engine was no longer with the car, so a replica Abarth engine was built. A new factory 'crate' Abarth A112 engine was purchased and all of the external parts were replaced with the proper Abarth 850 components, including the carburetor, tach drive distributor, exhaust manifold, water pump, and other parts. The engine produces an estimated 52 horsepower and is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. There are four-wheel drum brakes and a wheelbase that measures 78.75 inches.

In 2010, the car was offered for sale at the 'Automobiles of Amelia Island' event presented by RM Auctions at Amelia Island, Florida. The car was estimated to sell for $60,000 - $70,000. As bidding came to an end, the car had been sold for the sum of $82,500, inclusive of the buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2010