As Found Classic Number Twenty
Carl Goodwin on a Siata find that needs your help
Somewhere south of the border, a Siata waits for someone.
In his great book on Siata cars, and especially the 8V model, author Tony Andriaensens includes even the remains of a derelict 208 Spyder. That’s the one that John Dunham and a motorcyclist friend found in Tijuana, Mexico. It is Siata serial number BS 527.
A group of friendly guys who protected the Siata in Mexico.
It could have been taken to the scrap yard and sold for the value of the aluminum body, but John and his friend found it first. And now, thanks to this fortuitous event, the car will be saved. In fact it is being saved.
Not bad but no engine.
After its discovery and being towed back to Colorado, it sat in an industrial building that John owns. Then he decided to get going on the project and he interviewed a number of restoration shops, finally settling on the Tin Element in Loveland, Colorado. Here you will find the same bunch of dedicated craftsmen who built the replica Porsche Abarth that knocked people out at the Porsche West Coast Holiday with its outstanding aluminum work.
Should have saved the Renault as well.
And so the car, with a bunch of reference material went up to the shop and they have been steadily working on it ever since.
Completion is nearing and Dunham is still looking for an original 8V engine to power the car. Even parts of one would do. Failing that, he plans to install a 2-liter Alfa Romeo and matching 5-speed transmission to get around while searching for an 8V.
Safe if not sound.
If you know of one, please contact Pete Vack at VeloceToday, vack@cox.net. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of this interesting car.
I’ve been looking for one of these since 1958 when I saw a blue one in Cleveland, Oh. I’ve still got the 1954 sales brochure and I’m still looking. Need to head to Mexico? or maybe Cuba? Of course it helped that my dad was a Crosley power train collector, lead to my first car being a ’50 Crosley Hot Shot, disk brakes and all.
Good luck on the restoration and best wishes.
What would I give to find something like this!!!
A few years back ‘Road & Track’ had an article on a Buick-engined Siata Spider 208. (They were quite impressed from memory, but I don’t recall if there was any mention of the fate of the original engine.)
I always thought that the little Daimler V8 250 engine really deserved to be in something like this. I’m sure it would look very FIAT-like under the hood – just like it belonged there.
Yes, Lloyd, a Buick aluminum V8 would be a good substitute until the Fiat V8 could be found. Actually, the Oldsmobile F85 version would be better because the valve covers look more like Fiat–especially if you cast some that look right–and then use the same style carburetor and air cleaner setup.
As the 208 Siata has now climbed into the stratosphere ( over 1 million dollars ) the chance of getting an 8V engine is highly unlikely at any price since so few were made.
I went with Knut Kolmann to visit Tom Toldrian who sold his Siata collection to Knut
that consisted of 2 8 V Siatas , a roller 208. and a spare 8V engine plus lots of parts for a huge amount of money in the late 70s all for $ 25,000.
John Koontz , I think the Crosley was first American car to have disk brakes fitted as standard ?
Make sure that John DeBoer knows about this. If he cannot find a Fiat 8V engine (or parts thereof), then you may as well give up!
I am the guy in the red shirt in the second picture. You see the beer that those guys are drinking. That was part of the payment of this car deal. It was a once in a lifetime car find…..Frank