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Padova Finarte / Collector Cars

Friday 25 October 2019, 02:30 PM • Padua

9

1949 FIAT Fiat 1100 S Berlinetta (Pinin Farina)

chassis no. 500287

Estimate

€ 40.000 - 60.000

Sold

€ 41.929

The price includes buyer's premium

Information

  • Very rare car. One of only seven surviving of a limited production run.
  • Eligible to the Mille Miglia and to main other races.
  • Eligible to the main Concours d’Elegance.
  • Barn find.
  • Documents in order and updated.

Documents
Registration and old Italian license plates in order.
Eligibility
Mille Miglia. Eligible. Very rare car. One of only five surviving of a limited production run. Moreover, the model has an important past at the Mille Miglia and a significant history of competitions.
  • Giro di Sicilia. Eligible.
  • Targa Florio. Eligible, the model ran the original race.
  • Goodwood Revival. Eligible.
  • Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. Eligible, the model ran the original race.
  • Tour Auto. Eligible, the model ran the original race.
  • Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti. Eligible.
  • Coppa delle Alpi by 1000 Miglia. Eligible.
  • Winther Marathon. Eligible.
  • Vernasca Silver Flag. Eligible.
  • California Mille. Eligible.
  • Nürburgring Classic. Eligible.
  • Concorso d’eleganza Villa D’Este. Eligible, the model was presented in 1949
  • Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille. Eligible.

Provenance

The model
The 1100 S was Fiat’s first post-war sports car, but it had a strong lineage with the pre-war 508C “Nuova Balilla” 1100, appeared in 1937. The 1100S Mille Miglia was based on the light and rigid X-member frame of the 1100 B saloon. It featured a tuned engine and a dramatic streamlined body by Fiat which was loosely based off the pre-war 508 CMM. The two-seater body was produced by Carrozzerie Speciali at Fiat’s own Officine Lingotto under the direction of Giuseppe Cogno. Several of the early cars have a badge with this script on the body. The 1100 cc engine offered significantly more power than its predecessor and produced around 50 bhp. The S-spec engine had bigger water pump, redesigned radiator and different camshafts. Wind-tunnel testing allowed the 1100 S MM to reach speeds of nearly 160 km/h, and 1100 S MMs gained 5th through 9th overall positions at the 1947 Mille Miglia, followed by a 2nd and 3rd overall in 1948. 401 units of the 1100 S were made, but we suspect this might be an overambitious number that includes several other body styles. The chassis numbers went from 500001 to 500401. Just following, the 1949 Fiat 1100 S Berlinetta is the first example of small series Pinin Farina cars built for Fiat. Elegant and sporty at the same time, the car's design incorporates stylistic elements of the Cisitalia 202 and is believed to be a design of Battista Pinin Farina in person. Certainly, more modern than the previous 1100 S produced by Fiat Carrozzerie Speciali, it still had the characteristic split front windscreen. The model was presented and ran in the following events: the 1949 Concorso d’ Eleganza Villa d’Este/Villa Olmo, the 1950, 1951, 1952 Mille Miglia, the 1950 Salone Automobilistico di Bruxelles, the 1951 Coppa delle Dame, the 1952 Monte-Carlo Rally, the 1952 Concorso Eleganza di Taormina, the 1952 Giro del Lario. The 1100 S was followed by the 1100 E/S that was the sports version of the 1100 E saloon. Compared with the previous model 1100 S, the E/S featured a gear lever on the steering wheel, new instrument panel with built-in radio, front seat for 3 persons with continuous single backrest and two rear emergency seats. The chassis numbers started from 500402 to 500451. Currently only 7 examples of this 1100 model, between S and E/S, have survived. It is not known the exact number of how many were produced, about forty different cars were identified in the researches.
The Car
The 1949 Fiat 1100 S Berlinetta bodied by Pinin Farina, chassis number 500287 was registered in Mantova, Italy on 16 September 1949. The chassis shows September 26, 1949 as the date of the certificate of origin at the P.R.A. (Pubblico Registro Automobilistico) and was registered for the first time on 18 July 1950 in Mantova in the name of Schilingi Mario. It is interesting to note that the sales dealer is the Fiat of Brescia. After the Mantova registration, the following Verona, Padova and Venezia plates are known. This latter Venezia plate dates back to March 1961 and, despite the changes in ownership, is fortunately still on the car. The car has a traced history with ten owners until 1985, when it was then abandoned. The engine is not matching and is from a “normal” Fiat 1100. The car needs a radical but not overly demanding restoration. The history researches of this car are still in progress and it is highly probable to reconstruct a sporting past, both before the first registration in Brescia and later, when registered. Many rare details are still present, such as the baffle frames or a sun visor.
State of the Art 
Barn find.

Exhibition



Literature

  • Dante Giacosa, I miei 40 anni di progettazione alla Fiat, Centro Storico Fiat, Torino 2014.
  • Antoine Prunet, Pininfarina Arte e Industria 1930-2000, Giorgio Nada, Mi 2000.