As the years tick by, it’s hard to imagine there are any barn finds left in the world, and yet, as we head into the spring of 2025, Broad Arrow Auctions have consigned what could be one of the coolest barn finds of the year already. The Fiat Abarth OT 1300 was the embodiment of a GT racer that combines a high-revving, small displacement engine with lightweight construction and a natural agility when it comes to the twisty stuff.
Road racing in Italy during the 1960s was all the rage, eventually drawing in the attention of foreign competition, bringing with it higher displacement, larger race cars and high-profile drivers. The Abarth quickly earned its reputation of a "giant killer" and regularly captured class victories against fierce competition. Chassis number 0047, first registered to Fiorenzo Genta-a racing driver from Turin on 8 September 1966, was one of the machines that punched above its weight. Its early life saw it enter three consecutive Targa Florio races, with the 1967 edition being a classic case of ‘first time’s a charm’, resulting in a GT 1.3 class victory for the pairing of Guido Garufi and Giuseppe Ferlito. This remarkable piece of Italian history fought hard in other Targa Florio events, and 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, with the stickers from the events still attached to this time warp machine!
Design wise, the OT 1300 is simplistic and yet purposeful, with raised front and rear arches that hug the bottom window lines and allows the airflow to be maximised at high speed. Racing around a circuit is one thing, but this Abarth was built for endurance, and while the car’s mechanical reliability served it well, early issues came from within the cockpit, with drivers suffering from intense heat and a lack of fresh air. To combat excessive cockpit heat, a roof-mounted "periscope" air intake became a distinctive feature, earning it the nickname "Periscopio” – it may have looked a little unconventional, but a happy driver is a fast driver!
After its glory in period, the car remained inside and was left to "sleep" for a staggering 37 years, and today it remains just as it was left almost four decades prior. To emphasise that claim, the car retains its Automobile Club Palermo 53rd Targa Florio technical inspection decal, and is a true artifact of the golden years of the Targa Florio. With an estimate of 400,000 to 450,000 Euros as it heads to Broad Arrow Auctions’ sale at this year’s Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on May 24th, the choice will be down to the lucky highest bidder on whether to leave the car as a dusty delight, or restore it into the perfect historical racing hero!
Cernobbio, 24 May
