Chassis No. 0047

It's often said that the best road-going sports cars are homologated counterparts to a race-only version. Yet, where does that leave those road legal race cars built in small batches before the road car homologation era began? Perhaps it is the sweetest spot of all! The Fiat Abarth OT 1300 needs no introduction as the embodiment of a GT racer that combines a high-revving small displacement engine, lightweight construction, and inherent agility. The classic motorsport road races in Italy (think the Targa Florio) lend themselves to cars like this, and the Abarth OT 1300 was no exception, earning a "giant killer" reputation and regularly capturing class victories. To combat excessive cockpit heat from racing, a roof-mounted "periscope" air intake became a distinctive feature, earning it the nickname "Periscopio."

According to Pubblico Registro Automobilistico (PRA) documentation, this 1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300, chassis number 0047, was first registered to Fiorenzo Genta-a racing driver from Turin-on 8 September 1966. Under Genta's ownership, which lasted until 1971, the car was entered in three consecutive Targa Florio races, always wearing "TO829442" number plates. The 1967 Targa was a classic "first time lucky," resulting in a GT 1.3 first in class victory for the paring of Guido Garufi and Giuseppe Ferlito as start number 98 in light yellow completing nine laps of the 44.739-mile circuit. The 1300 OT returned to the Targa the next year as start number 106-again in light yellow, but this time with a central dark blue stripe. Scuderia Etna entered the car for Giuseppe Virgilio and Salvatore Panepinto; they ran six laps and even though they retired, the car was still classified having run the minimum distance. The Abarth would return to the island of Sicily for one final run in the 53rd Targa Florio now numbered 128 and painted light blue with white flashes including its new periscope. The car was once again entered by Scuderia Etna in 1969 and this time Virgilio was joined by Angelo Bonaccorsi with the Italian duo completing another successful race banking eight laps and finishing 2nd in the GT 1.3-liter class. Remarkably, after 56 years, chassis number 0047 continues to wear its Automobile Club Palermo 53rd Targa Florio technical inspection decal! It should be noted that chassis 0047 was classified as a finisher at each of its three Targa Florios-a streak of luck and good driving many of its competitors cannot boast.

In March 1971, Genta parted ways with his highly successful Targa Florio Abarth, selling to Paolo Vitale, also of Torino. A short time later, the car was acquired by Bucci Renzo and then, quickly thereafter, by Vincenzo Osella. The Osella name should be a familiar one for fans of the scorpion brand. That year, Fiat acquired Abarth, yet they held little interest in the Reparto Corse race department which was then taken over by Osella. Its next owner, a French doctor and rally racer Jean-François Thaon, acquired the car from Osella; yet the registrations remained in Imperia Italy, a town an hour's drive from the French border under the name "Teresa Pino." Thaon extended the race career of 0047 by entering it in multiple rallies in 1972. By 1978, Thaon sold the car Dominique Bouvier of Cormicy France. Invoices on file record that Bouvier had work done to the car under his ownership; however, by the time it was acquired in 1983 by Guido Bartolomeo of Lorrez-le-Bocage-Préaux, it was noted to be disassembled yet still complete.

After five years of Bartolomeo ownership, the car returned to Italy, where it was acquired by the consignor on a hand-written sales contract that included a Ferrari Dino Type 246 GT and a Fiat Topolino 500 in trade. Of note, after acquisition, the father of the consignor sent the car to Piero Falorni a well-known Abarth racer and specialist to rebuild the engine. As evidenced by its current "barnfind" condition-after the Abarth was acquired and repatriated to Italy-it was simply stored inside and left to "sleep" for the next 37 years! This artifact of the golden years of the Targa Florio, Group 4 racing, and Fiat Abarth as a constructor will no doubt require recommissioning; yet the opportunity to return it to the road in one of three attractive Targa liveries-one of them a class winner-should prove an irresistible and intriguing restoration project for its next caretaker.