After leaving Cisitalia in 1948, Austrian-born engineer Carlo Abarth set himself up in Turin, the heart of Italy’s automotive industry, as an independent engineer. What began as a small operation producing induction and exhaust systems soon evolved into supplying performance kits for production cars. From there Abarth moved into creating a highly successful series of aerodynamically focused sports prototypes and limited-series road and competition cars.

Although Abarth became most closely associated with transforming Fiat models, the early 1960s saw Carlo developing an important relationship with Simca in France. This partnership produced a series of tuned Simca-Abarth road cars and in 1962 a particularly attractive 1.3-litre GT coupé. Styled in the same spirit as the Fiat-Abarth 1000, it was notable as the first car powered by a fully Abarth-designed engine. Based on the newly introduced Simca 1000, it used that car’s chassis and suspension in extensively modified form. The all-alloy four-cylinder twin-cam engine followed the same general concept as Abarth’s 1-litre Fiat-derived unit but differed by using horizontal rather than down-draught carburettors and adopting dry-sump lubrication. The prototype was reported to have reached 142mph on the autostrada, which was remarkable for a 1,300cc car and would certainly have caused concern among those racing Alfa Giuliettas at the time.

The next development came in 1963 with the introduction of the 1600GT. While clearly related to the earlier 1300GT, it incorporated the latest aerodynamic thinking most obviously visible in the upturned duck-tail rear that echoed the Ferrari GTs and sports-racers of the same period. The chassis was fundamentally similar to the 1300GT with independent suspension and Girling disc brakes on all four corners. Power came from a cast-iron production-based block topped by an aluminium twin-cam cylinder head with two plugs per cylinder fired by magneto ignition. A six-speed fully synchromesh gearbox completed the package. Abarth claimed 153bhp and a top speed of 150mph.

Although the partnership between Abarth and Simca ended in 1965 following Simca’s takeover by Chrysler, it produced one final and very special car. The result was the Abarth-Simca 2000. Abarth insisted that their name appeared first. This model was built around a Simca 1500 block and fitted with a pair of the largest Weber carburettors ever produced, the huge 58mm-choke DCOs. In its most highly developed form the engine delivered more than 200bhp. Independent road tests recorded top speeds of around 165mph.

Pendine is proud to offer chassis 0054, a genuine ‘short-nose’ Abarth-Simca 2000 Corsa with significant and well-documented period competition history in Italy. Raced extensively between 1964 and 1967, it competed predominantly in hill climbs, which were the natural hunting ground for Abarth competition cars. It also took part in the 1967 Targa Florio, car number 144, driven by Alfonso Vella. Earlier seasons saw the car raced by Gastone Zanarotti and Pierluigi Zanardelli in events including Trofeo Shell, Nave Colle Sant’Eusebio, Vallecamonica and Lumezzane. The history file contains more than sixty period images that confirm its competition use. It is believed that during its period career, the troublesome Colotti-type 6-speed gearbox was replaced with a more reliable Hewland 5-speed gearbox.

The car was imported from Italy in the late 1980s by Fritz Overlander who commissioned a restoration with Abarth specialist Erwin Derichs in Germany. It was sold at auction in 2000 and bought by British collector John Ruston who asked leading Abarth authority Tony Castle-Miller of Middle Barton Garage to inspect and authenticate it prior to purchase. Ruston then instructed GB Race Engineering to carry out a full mechanical rebuild to top competition specification. The car returned to historic racing with impressive results, finishing 5th overall at the Magny-Cours Gentlemen Drivers three-hour race in 2005 and proving to be the fastest car in its class.

Paul Hocking acquired chassis 0054 in 2006 and continued to race it with notable success. The history file includes a detailed record of its modern competition entries, with highlights including the Goodwood Revival (2006), Goodwood Members’ Meeting (2018), Spa Classic (2018) and victory in the 2013 GTSCC Class Championship.

In 2018, the car suffered accident damage at Spa with Paul at the wheel and was entrusted once again to Gareth Burnett and his team. Rather than performing a limited repair, the decision was taken to carry out a full restoration to the highest standard, completed at a cost exceeding £200,000, supported by extensive invoices and photographs.

The car now presents in exceptional race-ready condition and is offered with a generous spares package that includes its original engine block, which was replaced in 2010. It is also accompanied by multiple substantial history files that trace the car’s story back to 1964 along with a significant collection of period archive photographs.

This was a genuine giant-killer in period. It was quicker than the Ferrari 250 GTO at Montlhery in 1964 and remains a front-line historic racer today, fully capable of winning in the right hands. When you set this Abarth-Simca against its period rivals such as the Alfa Romeo TZ2 and the Porsche 904 it becomes clear just how much value it represents in the current market. Please note, for eligibility for fresh HTP papers, the car will need either the homologated 4 or 6-speed gearbox fitted, which, luckily, can be sourced. However, due to its rarity and its important period competition pedigree, it has often been invited to major historic racing events in its current form. Naturally, future acceptance is always at the discretion of the organisers.

This 1964 Abarth-Simca 2000 Corsa stands as one of the most exciting small-capacity GT cars of the 1960s. It carries significant period competition history that includes the Targa Florio, along with a strong and successful modern racing record. Chassis 0054 has also benefited from a recent substantial restoration carried out to the highest standards. Altogether, it offers a rare chance to acquire a highly competitive and beautifully prepared Abarth-Simca with exceptional pedigree.

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