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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Vehicles / Fiat - 500 Topolino - 1949
IN RISALTO: • Rarissima Fiat 500 Topolino A "Maestri Berlinetta" of 1945 with an aerodynamical aluminum body • Historic example that competed in three Mille Miglia editions (1947, 1948 and 1949) • Engine boosted with side-valve configuration to 20 HP on Fiat 569 cc mechanics • Fully documented restoration carried out in Florence in 1994 and preserved in splendid overall condition • Black vintage leather sport interiors with red-toned dashboard and exposed aluminum central tunnel • Supplied with original plates, Italian documents, Italian FIAT Registry membership and Japanese FIVA certification STORY/OVERVIEW: In 1939, Enrico Maestri was commissioned by the driver Paolo Butti to build a competition aerodynamics car for the under-749 cc category for the Mille Miglia. Designed and built at the Via Roma plants in Piacenza on the basis of Fiat 500 Topolino A’s long leaf-spring chassis, the car was fitted with a closed aluminum body (10% lighter than standard) and refined mechanicals. The project was completed in 1945, and Maestri’s overall effort counted only two berlinettas and four boats. This historic example boasts a prestigious competitive career: * 11 May 1947: Participation in the post-war Mille Miglia on the Piacenza Municipal Circuit (historic debut for Ferrari with Franco Cortese, in the presence of Nuccio Bertone, Elio Zagato and Fissore). * 1948: Present as the Mille Miglia muse car. * 1949: Official participation in the Mille Miglia driven by the Guarnaschelli crew. Officially registered in 1949, the car was sold in July 1951 to painter Carlo Luigi Giglio of Ivrea (Turin), keeping its original plates. Later passed to Mario Bemer of Florence in 1994, it underwent a complete restoration lasting 18 months. Purchased by the current owner in January 2022 in Brescia, the car was shipped to Japan in 2023 for refinishing of the paint and removal of minor scratches, returning to Italy in 2024. The latest periodic service dates to February 2025, and the car is today presented in splendid overall condition. BODYWORK/PAINTWORK: The aerodynamic aluminum berlinetta body is in excellent general condition, finished in the classic red shade with vintage racing details. It benefited from conservation refinishing work in Japan in 2023 to remove minor scratches. At the time of the 1994 historical restoration, the car was equipped with rectangular front fog lights. The door glass, wind deflectors and overall glazing remain sound and well preserved. INTERIOR: The cabin presents a sportier, period-correct setup. The anatomically contoured seats and matching door panels (with a stowaway pocket) are upholstered in black leather. The dashboard is painted to match the body and houses the original Jaeger analog instrument cluster (with Veglia odometer), choke control, vintage toggle switches, and a fold-out storage drawer. The steering wheel with metal spokes, the roof lining and metal/aluminum exposed structure, the brushed aluminum central tunnel with gear lever, and the period pedals complete the interior. MECHANICS: The 569 cc side-valve engine has been boosted to a maximum of 20 HP (versus 13 HP in the standard version). The mechanicals have been fully restored and are operable. The braking system features a mechanical/hydraulic pedal and the driver’s compartment reveals the mechanical components in order. The latest periodic service was completed with normal results in February 2025. DOCUMENTS: The car is supplied with the following documentation: * Italian transfer documents in order for ownership change * Original old-plates (Turin province) * Certificate of registration with the Italian FIAT Registry * FIVA certification issued in Japan The car can be viewed and picked up in Bergamo, Italy, by appointment.
Estimate:£77,140.89
To the auctionEstimate:
£77,140.89
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