Beschreibung
Sonoma Classic Motorcars and our new world-wide brokerage Riviera MotorSports located in the Marina de Cascais Portugal is proud to present the 1959 Abarth Zagato Record Monza. The image posted in the advert is for representation purpose only. Images, chassis, engine number and supporting documents will be provided upon request.
Abarth is one of a number of small postwar European automakers best known for producing successful race cars. In Abarth’s case, the custom machines that won races all over the world are primarily based on Fiat underpinnings. But while most of Abarth’s creations relied on Fiat chassis and bodywork, the Record Monza of 1959 used a tube frame and sleek aerodynamic fastback bodywork designed by Pininfarina and made by Zagato. The engine and gearbox were the only major components that were sourced from Fiat.
The result of the project was the 1959 Abarth 750 Record Monza (also known as a Monza Record), developed specifically to break speed records and race in the under-750 cc classes.
The Record Monza bodies were made of hand-formed aluminum, which helped keep the car’s curb weight to a trim 1, 257 lbs. The engine was rear-mounted and coupled to a four-speed manual transaxle driving the rear wheels. Buyers had a choice between a single overhead cam 747 cc Fiat engine with a Weber carburetor making 44 hp at 9. 8:1 compression, or a double overhead cam (Bialbero) version of the same engine that developed 57 hp.
Top speed for the DOHC model was 118 mph with a 0-60 time of 14. 9 seconds and a 21-second quarter mile. Abarth claimed a fuel economy rating of 43 mpg at a constant 50 mph or 32 mpg average in general driving.
The interior of the Record Monza was Spartan to say the least, befitting the car’s racing intentions, with two seats and a full set of gauges. The Record Monza suspension was idiosyncratic, using a transversely-mounted front leaf spring and trailing arms, while the rear suspension used more modern coil springs. Brakes were dual-leading-shoe drums at all four corners, and the cars featured 12-inch wheels.
Exact production numbers are not reliable, but just a few of these cars were made and almost all of them went straight to racing use. The Abarth Record Monza had a successful racing career, taking the top four positions in class for Team Roosevelt at the 1959 12 Hours of Sebring race, and numerous other victories in the United States and Europe. Notably, the U. S. distributor and owner of Team Roosevelt was Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., son of the former U. S. President.
Please contact Marvin for questions, images and supporting documents.
