Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 196
c.1954 Fiat OSCA Barchetta Coachwork in the style of Fantuzzi Chassis no. 0040651
Estimate: US$125,000 - US$150,000
Lot 196
c.1954 Fiat OSCA Barchetta
c.1954 Fiat OSCA Barchetta
Coachwork in the style of Fantuzzi
Chassis no. 0040651
Coachwork in the style of Fantuzzi
Chassis no. 0040651
1,491cc Tipo 372 OSCA Twin Cam 4-Cylinder Engine
Twin Weber 40DCOE
118bhp at 6,300rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front with Live Rear Axle Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*Powerful OSCA engine
*Beautiful Italian styling
*Recently Rebuilt
*Complete with original Italian Registration
THE O.S.C.A. MARQUE
In 1937 the three surviving Maserati brothers sold out to the Orsi Group and after WW2 founded Officine Specializzate per la Costruzione Automobili Fratelli Maserati - OSCA for short - to build limited edition competition cars. One of the reasons for the Maserati brothers' departure was that they did not want to be involved in making road cars - they were racers pure and simple.
OSCAs performed magnificently in international sports car racing throughout the 1950s. In the 1954 Sebring 12-Hours, a round of the World Sports Car Championship, privately entered 1.5-litre OSCAs finished 1st, 4th and 5th against works teams in a category with no limit on engine capacity, an achievement as outstanding as it was unexpected. OSCAs took class wins in the Mille Miglia on ten occasions and also won the Index of Performance at Le Mans.
OSCA was a tiny company, never making more than 30 cars in a single year, all of which were intended for competition. Its first offering, introduced in 1948, was the MT4 (Maserati Tipo 4), a small siluro powered by a 1,092cc overhead-camshaft engine, which was immediately successful in the hands of Luigi Villoresi. Enlarged in stages up to 1,491cc and given a twin-cam cylinder head, the OSCA engine was later taken up by FIAT, for whom it was 'productionized' by ex-Ferrari designer, Aurelio Lampredi.
Barchetta-type bodywork replaced the earlier cycle-winged siluro type in the 1950s while a number of MT4 chassis received coupé coachwork by various carrozzeria including Frua, Michelotti, Vignale, Viotti and Zagato. The MT4 gradually evolved into the TN, the latter featuring a revised chassis (on the same 2,200mm wheelbase) and a new and more powerful (125bhp) 1,491cc engine. The MT4/TN series was manufactured up to 1957.
At the same time as its twin-cam engine was powering FIAT's range-topping sports cars, OSCA began producing its own GT cars, reversing the policy that had prompted the brothers to leave Maserati. In 1963 the Maserati brothers sold out to motorcycle maker MV-Agusta, which continued OSCA production until 1967. The OSCA name was revived in 1998 for a limited edition sports coupé.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
Rebuilt from the ground up, this beautiful Fiat OSCA appears entirely fresh. Photos on file show the brand-new body bare metal body having been constructed in the style of Fantuzzi alongside a partial rebuilt frame. The car is powered a delightful twin-cam Tipo 272 DS twin spark motor. Characteristic of a race derived motor, the little 4-cylinder is high revving, powerful, and wonderfully sonorous. 118hp is more than enough to propel the lithe sportscar and is surely a joy to experience behind the wheel.
As the car has been rebuilt, the car appears with little flaw in its condition. A new coat of bright red paint covers the exterior in classic Italian fashion, while an equally characteristic Carmel leather seats can be found within the stripped-down interior.
With its little, yet powerful motor and beautiful curves, this is the archetypal Italian sports car. Open top motoring at its finest, this OSCA is ready for summer racing.
Saleroom notices
Please note that further research by Bonhams has confirmed that this car is built around a FIAT-OSCA Engine from approximately 1964 which has been converted to twin spark plug configuration, and the front end chassis and suspension of a FIAT 1100E only. It therefore has no direct connection to pure OSCA cars, nor the Tipo 372. Accordingly its estimate has been reduced to $125,000-150,000.
Additional information
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