Whilst Fiat was best known in the late 1950s for making small, inexpensive, and very dependable automobiles, it took the magic of Carlos Abarth, a gifted mechanic who in today's world would be called a “tuner”, to bring out the fire in the belly of those little four-bangers. The Abarth Zagato Coupé was unveiled in 1956, and it didn't take long for it to start making news, as it took a 2nd in class at the Mille Miglia and, in the following year, a total of five cars finished the Mille Miglia, with Alfonso Thiele driving one to a 1st place finish in the 750-cubic centimetre class. Many a racer felt the “sting” of being passed and ending up behind a car with the Abarth touch, which could be one of the reasons why the company adopted the scorpion on its coat of arms.

This example spent three decades in the hands of enthusiast Rik Beeson, of Santa Cruz, California, who had several Fiat-Abarths over the years. In 2001, it was purchased from Beeson by another Californian, Dana MacDuff. At the time of MacDuff’s acquisition, the car was in largely original condition and sported traces of roundels on the bonnet and doors, which is indicative of racing activity prior to Beeson’s circa 1971 acquisition of the car.

At the time of MacDuff’s acquisition, the car was virtually complete, including the soft materials used for the patterns, which are verified by photos that have recently been supplied by MacDuff. The current motor, number 693328, has been rebuilt and was supplied by Beeson shortly after MacDuff acquired the car. It is a true Abarth Mille Miglia 750 engine which is equipped with a billet crankshaft and correct Abarth stamps, and photos of it are on file. The engine is also equipped with the correct Weber 32 IMP/e carburettor, as well as a correct Abarth intake manifold and cylinder head. The car is also fitted with original Abarth wheels and a correct tachometer and steering wheel.

The Fiat-Abarth was acquired by the current owner-restorer around 2005, and he was responsible for bringing the project to its conclusion in the beautiful form seen today. The beautiful red exterior is complemented by brown leather seats and light brown carpeting. Today, the car remains adorned with a number of original items, including the Sekurit glass, Lucas lenses, a Magneti Marelli distributor, and Raydyot headlamps, as well as the desirable Mille Miglia-specification engine with its original components. Some items, such as the taillight bezels, which were found to be in excellent original condition, have been detailed and nicely blend with the overall quality and presentation of the car. This is a great opportunity to acquire a Fiat-Abarth with the stunning Zagato “Double Bubble” coachwork, and this example, which is eligible for a number of vintage events, would make a great addition to any collection.