A Zagato in America

Like “gullwing” for the 300SL, the nickname stuck. As an arm’s length Fiat product, the little Abarths could be ordered via a growing network of dealers. Recognition was also enhanced by an advertising campaign afforded by the East Coast Distributor, Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., and racing success on both coasts.

This is the story of one such Double Bubble. Serial number–really Fiat chassis number– 100*446004, originally built in mid 1958 as a series III coupe, was rescued in the 1970s from certain death by a young Viet Nam veteran who had recently returned from that war in far worse shape than which he had left. He found a restoration project great therapy, and proceeded to repair the rust and rot so typical with these long neglected old cars.

Though his name is now forgotten, the recovering ‘Nam vet did a wonderful job, welding in new chassis sheet metal and making the once dented body smooth again. Even more important, he carefully saved almost all of the important and extremely fragile bits and pieces from the body and interior. Still not finished, the car passed to an Abarth enthusiast in the Atlanta area, Mike Blumberg. Mike had other Abarths in the fire an eventually sold it, the restoration still not completed, to me, sometime in 1985. Not quite a basket case, the light blue Abarth was running with a 600D engine, and running very well, noisy with a straight exhaust. However, the interior was in boxes, incomplete, and a complete mystery. The tires and wheels were from a Fiat 850, necessarily larger because 850 disc brakes had replaced the inefficient drum brakes up front. The glass was intact aside from the front windshield, which I thought might be replaced by Plexiglas. Such was the status as delivered.
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We started to collect old Fiat 600 bits, but a real breakthrough came when I found another 750GT Zagato https://velocetoday.com/archives/128 in the woods north of Baltimore. A boy named Bonnie was the owner and soon we were. This second Abarth was totally intact but also totally rusted.

It had a complete, original interior and body trim, which held the key to all the mysterious interior bits and pieces that came with the ex-Blumberg Abarth. In particular, the headliner—intact, original, was in perfect shape. We learned that at least on this Zagato, the leatherette material was stitched lengthwise, and not transversal. In the meantime, we had also learned that although the ex-Blumberg Abarth had a Zagato body number of 1, it did not mean that it was the first Abarth 750GT Zagato, but the first in a series of a particular batch—although how the factory tracked them that way is still beyond this author.

Zagato bodies were typical superleggera construction–a steel framework of tubes and supports for doors, tops, inner fenders, etc, was covered by the actual body of sheet aluminum and rolled and screwed to the steel framework. Strips of a cloth-like material were often placed between the steel framework and the aluminum to prevent corrosion. Zagato’s search for reduced weight, however was also evident in the trim and interior of the car.

The dashboard, windshield trim inside and out, A and B post trim, levers, door trim, and inside door handles were aluminum. Where aluminum parts, including the dashboard and window surrounds had to be mounted to the body, they were screwed to wood supports which were in turn screwed to various points on the steel support structure. Screws were both wood and sheet metal screws. Leatherette and cloth completed the materials. The interior, aside from the instruments and switches, was totally handmade, puzzling, and a masterful display of craftsmanship and brilliant design. We also found that since every single Zagato was hand built, Zagato-made trim items were unique to each body, and rarely if ever could be used in a different car (hence each part was stamped with the body number). For example, the headliner from Bonnie’s car was two inches too short to fit in the blue Abarth. This extended to windshields and windows as well

Over a period of time, the blue Abarth took shape; an original Abarth modified 600 engine along with an Abarth camshaft and muffler were found, and it seemed all the bits and pieces were coming together. The non-standard front discs were replaced by 600 Multipla drum brakes, larger but as drums were still legal for VSCCA eligibility requirements. This seemingly retrograde step was to restore the car to it’s original configuration. I remember arguing in vain with Jerry Greaves, the VSCCA Competition chairman, to try to retain the discs. He said, “If the drum brakes are lousy, drive slower!” An Abarth oil cooler was fitted, and we test drove the car, sans muffler, windshield, tags, etc. on regular occasions until one day a large, very large, sedan with unusually large bumpers followed me around the block. Friendly neighbors had called the local police, complaining about the noisy blue car with no windshield. The officers pulled me over, but muffling guffaws let me go on my noisy way on the promise that I not break the law again.

After a few years another car was found that demanded much more time and money—and the Abarth Zagato, still unfinished, had to go. It found a home with a collector in New York. I drove it again after the restoration was complete, and found it much like it had been when the police cruiser pulled us over— noisy, revvy, rather slow, extremely light steering, fun in a masochistic way, and delicate, as delicate as the artfully thin plexiglas and aluminum rain guards above the windup windows. But it was far more comfortable now, complete with a windshield, proper seats, license plates, muffler and even a radio. Almost civilized.

Everything was all in one piece, almost everything was original and properly fitted–aside from the twelve inch alumumin rimmed Borranis what were not standard on the U.S. issued 750GT. I can’t even remember where I found them anymore–but I don’t blame the new owner for retaining them, even with the spinner hubcaps which were designed for the standard wheel. No qualms though, and it was very satisfying to see the completion of a 30-odd year restoration and drive the car once again.

For more information about Roosevelt, Abarths and Zagato, order the “Abarth Buyer’s Guide” by Pete Vack, available now.