Carlo Abarth took over the famous early post-war Italian manufacturer Cisitalia in 1949, renaming cars in inventory Abarths. He set off racing with a who’s-who roster of drivers that included Tazio Nuvolari, Franco Cortese, and Piero Taruffi. He expanded his roster to introduce highly tuned and modified Fiats, including the 750, a Fiat 600 with its engine bored and stroked to 747 cc, a modified camshaft and flywheel, and a larger carburetor, good for nearly 40 bhp and a top speed of more than 80 mph.

Soon the highly respected coachbuilder Zagato took on production of Abarth’s coupe bodies, turning out a rounded, streamlined design that in its initial sketches had a roof so low that there was scant headroom for a person of normal stature. A solution was found in adding twin bulges to the roof contour, the famous “double bubbles” that have since become synonymous with sporting Zagato coupes and continue to influence the firm’s designs to this day.

The Zagato-bodied 750 GT offered here was acquired for the current collection from the famous stable of the late, beloved enthusiast Tom Mittler, known for the fine preparation and enthusiastic use of his vintage racing cars. A long-term resident of the Mittler collection, it had been cosmetically restored and sorted following acquisition from Dennis Veideman in 1989 and has a charming, lightly patinated black interior. Attractive features include Talbot-style racing mirrors and beautiful Campagnolo cast wheels. The bodywork is well preserved, and the paint still has good, deep shine. At the time of cataloguing, the car had recorded 31,089 miles. It is a fabulous competitor!