Students of the coachbuilt automobile know that a design, if it was a good one, was frequently adapted by an enterprising carrozzeria to fit a range of chassis. So it was with this post-war cabriolet style by Stabilimenti Farina. With a very pretty, very modern, “envelope” body expertly rendered in a mix of steel and aluminum, the basic impression was quite like that of the award-winning Cisitalia 202—created, of course, by Giovanni Carlo Farina’s brother Battista, founder of Pininfarina. Underpinnings from Siata to Ferrari served as blank canvases for versions of this Stabilimenti Farina offering, but none are more interesting than the Abarth-Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet offered here.

A unique creation in many respects, this 8 Sport Cabriolet was made specifically for Roger Barlow. A colorful, California-based sportsman, author, and racer, Barlow was the proprietor of Hollywood’s International Motors sports car dealership, which counted Bing Crosby and Clark Gable among its clientele. He was also a great champion of France’s Simca brand in the United States and abroad, but while Barlow’s three race-prepped “little blue Simcas” challenged all comers on the circuit—often successfully—he needed something a little more comfortable for off-track transportation.

A Simca 8 (effectively a French-built Fiat 1100) chassis served as the starting point, though the humble 1,221-cubic-centimeter engine would hardly be suitable for a racing driver…and an American one at that. Legendary Italian tuning firm Abarth supplied a modified head and an exhaust, but it was a S.Co.T (Supercharger Company of Turin) blower, paired with a substantial Weber carburetor, that really upped the ante, increasing output to an estimated 90-100 horsepower.

Stabilimenti Farina’s bodywork was equally unique, incorporating special aluminum bumpers, a trio of Cisitalia-esque vents on each fender, and a functional hood scoop like that on the Farina-bodied Ferrari 166 Inter Cabriolet. “Extra Lusso” badging emphasized this car’s nature as a comfortable, if spirited, luxury tourer, rather than a bare-bones racer.

Barlow would retain his coachbuilt cabriolet until his death in 1990, after which it was stored by his daughter in Connecticut. Restored in the mid-2010s with a two-tone finish over a red interior, the car was acquired by Sam and Emily Mann in 2015, and soon benefitted from a repaint in its present dark blue. Mr. Mann notes that this cabriolet is “fast and pleasant to drive,” with four-wheel hydraulic brakes and independent front suspension affording a degree of confidence on spirited jaunts.

With French underpinnings courtesy of Simca, and delightful bodywork and a punchy little engine via Italy’s Stabilimenti Farina and Abarth, this truly is a fascinating car built for a fascinating character. Roger Barlow’s one-of-a-kind Abarth-Simca would be a beautiful addition to a curated collection of a sports cars, and an eager companion on any number of tours and rallies.