1950 Fiat 1100 CabrioletChassis no. 369815Engine no. 393200

1950 Fiat 1100 CabrioletCoachwork by Stabilimenti FarinaChassis no. 369815Engine no. 393200
1,089cc OHV Inline 4-Cylinder EngineSingle Twin-Choke Weber Carburetor52bhp at 5,200rpm4-Speed Manual TransmissionIndependent Front Suspension – Live Rear Axle 4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes *Elegant and rare Stabilimenti Farina coachbuilt Cabriolet*Eligible for a host of international Concours and Rally events*Well documented history and provenance from new*Featured in Auto d'Epoca magazine and offered with substantial history fileTHE FIAT 1100Among the first all-new post-WWII cars in Europe was Ing. Dante Giacosa's FIAT 1100. The Italian motor industry had been hit particularly hard during World War II. The ruling fascist government tried to decentralize Italy's manufacturing bases, but Allied bombers had already inflicted massive damage. FIAT - Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino - was a particularly valuable target, and it's recently christened Mirafiori plant on the outskirts of Turin was all but wiped off the map. During the initial post-war reconstruction, the desire to resume building cars was strong, but resources were severely limited. Italy's small coachbuilders were primarily spared from bombings, and they had eager staff ready to get back to work. With so few new cars, many coachbuilders got back in business by producing new bodies for used vehicles. FIAT's 1100 soon provided a steady supply of chassis for Italy's coachbuilders to practice their craft, spurring on an Italian coachbuilding renaissance which would last well into the 1960s. The 1100 was a practical, but spirited and good handling car, able to reach 75 mph when Europeans only expected 60 from a car like a Volkswagen in this class. With a chassis not unlike the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, with precise steering, well-located rear axle and good brakes, many 1100s were entered in the Mille Miglia; 1956 saw over 100 of this model entered! THE MOTORCAR OFFEREDThe great coachbuilding legacy of Stabilimenti Farina has long been known for its elegant and pure designs. In business from 1906 until 1953, the Turin-based firm employed many of the greatest Italian automotive designers in their early years, such as Pietro Frua, Felice Mario Boano, Giovanni Michelotti, Alfredo Vignale, and of course Battista Farina, who went on to establish Pininfarina. This handsome 1100 Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina is undoubtedly true to the most elegant early Italian sportscar designs. The car caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who apparently pleaded with Stabilimenti Farina boss, Atillia Farina, not to use this design on a FIAT chassis, as it too closely resembled a Ferrari 166 Inter Cabriolet. Perhaps Enzo's influence worked, as just a handful of these stylish FIAT 1100 Cabriolets were produced, and only four are believed to have survived. This charming example was sold new in Italy to Sig. Alessandro Alexandri in the summer of 1950. Period photos show a proud Alexandri behind the wheel of his glimmering new coachbuilt FIAT. Around 1952, it is believed to have changed hands and was put into service as a promotional vehicle for US Salco; an Italian cycling team. Another period shot shows the car painted up with the team's logo on the door and a handful of ready cyclists sitting on the hood. The FIAT remained in Italy for much of its life, and in the 1980s was discovered in complete, but somewhat tired condition by the owner of an Italian restoration shop. Over the course of nearly twenty years, he personally and painstakingly restored the FIAT from the ground up. The aluminum coachwork is formed over a steel wire frame, a technique best known as "Superleggera" and perfected by Carrozzeria Touring. Restoration photos show the car was carefully disassembled, and the wire structure was painstakingly rebuilt before the coachwork was carefully restored. When the project began, some of the bespoke exterior trim was missing, including the bumpers which the owner subsequently reproduced in aluminum based on period photos. The restoration consumed over 3,000 hours, and when completed, the car was proudly featured on the cover of the February 2002 issue of Auto d'Epoca, a copy of which is included in the file. Possibly a future entry to the Italian Mille Miglia rally, this charming and rare FIAT 1100 Cabriolet by Stabilimenti Farina is a fine example of early Italian coachbuilding artistry. The sale of the car includes documentation of the restoration, the magazine article, copies of period photographs, and the original Italian registration logbook. This rare and fashionable Fiat 1100 Cabriolet is a beautiful, enjoyable automobile that captures the essence of Stabilimenti Farina's signature sophistication.