The oldest Italian entry, a 1935 Fiat 508S starts the 1000 event at Meiji Jingu. View larger image.

October 25, 2002

Story and photos by Michitake Isobe

La Festa Mille Miglia is the Japanese version of the Italian historic classic car rally. Like its Italian counterpart, the Japanese event is also run over 1000 miles. This year’s even was held on October 13 – 16.

This year marked the fifth running of "La Festa" which originated in 1993. The first event was in Tokyo and attracted 80 cars from the U.S.A. and Europe with star entries such as Stirling Moss in the Mercedes Benz 300SLR and Jean Alesi in a Ferrari Monza.

A Cisitalia 202SC MM, Fiat Lombardo, an Alfa Giulietta and a 1956 Bandini 750 Sport rests just before the start. View larger image.

The event has become so popular that this year only 103 entries from 141 applications were allowed. All but a few were entrants from overseas. The quality and diversity of the entries had become rich as well. The usual entries of cars from the ‘70s were few in number--for example, the popular Ferrari production GT cars were no longer entered as in earlier years. The 103 cars were divided into three classes: Class A for the years from 1927 to 1945, Class B for 1946 to 1957 and Class C for cars built between 1958 and 1969.

Being the fifth year of the event, Mr. Masuda and his Vintage Car Club Tokyo had taken things a step higher. The cars entered now had to be approved by FIVA (Federation Internationale des Vehicles Ancien) to be accepted. The oldest entry was a 1926 Bugatti T35A and the newest a 1967 Toyota 2000GT, one of the more prominent production sportscars built in Japan. Italian cars topped the list in number, along with the British marques, with 44 cars ranging from an Alfa 2600 SZ to a Giaur.

An early Abarth based on the Fiat 1100 had a body by Boano, which unlike the Ferrari Boano coupe, is stimulating... View larger image.

Small, cute and pretty, the Fiat Panoramica Zagato coupe chirping at the start it would finish the 1000 miles. View larger image.

Special guests included Giacomo Bontempi, president of the Automobile Club Brescia, Martin and Esta Swig, organizer of the California Mille and members of the Argentine Mille Miglia committee. Mr. Swig, having taken part in his own Alfa 1900 in the initial 1993 edition, was impressed with the variety of the entries and how much the event has grown over the years since his last participation.

Mr. Masuda of the Vintage Car Club Tokyo and Dr Constantine Franchi of the Automobile Club Brescia are the organizers of the event.

Among the Alfa Romeos, Lancias, Abarth and Cisitalias being given final preparation and care before the start in the Meiji Jingu (the shrine dedicated to the Meiji Emperor, father of modern Japan) were some rare treats for Italian car buffs.

One was a Roselli 1100 Sport. The Turinese Emmanuelle Roselli - one of the founding members of Volpini - went on to make a few specials on his own with the Fiat Millecento engine mounted in a self-made multi-tubular frame. The body is built by Colli of Alfa Romeo fame and it looks it, having the curves and flowing lines typical of Italian bodywork.

The Fiat Farina is dwarfed even by its taller brother the Fiat 1100S Mille Miglia in the green of the Meiji Jingu. View larger image.

The eventual 2nd over all Alfa Romeo cruises down the Omotesando boulvard right after the start. View larger image.

Another Millecento powered "Italian Bug", as they are so fondly called in Japan, was an early effort by Carlo Abarth. The angular lines of the silver open two seater Cisitalia Abarth 207A Boano Spyder, based on the Fiat 100.

The four-day event goes north from Tokyo Harajuku then back south, over the Tokyo Bay and west to Hakone near Mt Fuji for a full 1000 mile route. Some go out for the win, "Ready or not here I go," while others in large engined cars take it less seriously with the attitude, "I'm taking my wife for an autumn sight seeing tour." Others were worried about their car, "The engine is big enough to speed away, but it's the pre-war brakes which is a handful in today's traffic."

The #34 Branca is greeted by the Mille Miglia girls at the Yokohama Motomachi check point. View larger image.

By the fourth day, 87 cars had made it to Yokohama Motomachi on time, the last major check point and 72 cars officially finished the event later on at Hakone.

The highest placed Italian car result was the second overall dark grey metallic Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ driven the team of Emil Yamano/Luciano Vialo with third overall going to Hiroyuki and Keiko Takigawa team in their Roselli Sport.

A rare Roselli sports a fancy bodywork more like a small Maserati. View larger image.

This Giaur is a popular entrant in recent events here in Japan. Would Taraschi, who built it, ever dream that it would be cherished in Japan 45 years later?? View larger image.

Overall victory went to the Bontempi/ Annibacetto team. They had used their wealth of experience in the Italian Mille Miglia and driving diligently for the victory in a power blue Triumph TR3 loaned from a local friend.

Selected top finishers of this year's event will no doubt be allowed entry in the Mille Miglia in Brescia next year. The "La Festa" is becoming one of the major historic events in Japan.

LA FESTA MILLE MIGLIA Italian Car Entries

NO -- Year --Car -- Entrant
• 19 1935 Fiat 508S Kitami / Kitami
• 20 1946 Fiat 750 Siata Tasaka / Tasaka
• 22 1940 Fiat 500A Sport Marino Nonaka / Stefano
• 24 1946 Stanguellini 1100 Sport Sato / Fukuda
• 25 1947 Fiat Farina Yamazaki / Yamada
• 26 1948 Fiat 1100S Mille Miglia Hashimoto / Otsuka
• 27 1947 Fiat Topolino Zagato Panoramica Kitajima / Nomura
• 28 1948 Cisitalia 202 SMM Sasaki / Sasaki
• 29 1948 Roselli 1100 Sport Takigawa / Takigawa
• 30 1957 Maserati 200SI Kojima / Kojima
• 31 1950 Ferrari 166MM Oyama / Oyama
• 32 1948 Cisitalia 202 SC Kamiya / Kamiya
• 34 1951 Branca Fiat Sport Nakao / Tanaka
• 35 1949 Ermini 1100 Sport Ayukawa / Katayama
• 36 1948 Cisitalia 202SC Mille Miglia Kinoshita / Kinoshita
• 38 1957 Alfa Romeo SVZ Ziletti / Moshina
• 40 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS Swig / Swig
• 45 1955 Fiat Lombardo 1100S Angyal / Finlay
• 49 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Nishimura / Nishimura
• 50 1954 Fiat 1100 TV Ghia Kageyama / Watanabe
• 51 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder Kondo / Kondo
• 52 1951 Siata 300BC Gowa / Nishidome
• 53 1952 Lancia Aurelia B20 Series 2 Hisada / Hagiwara
• 54 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ Yamano / Vialo
• 55 1956 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce Bemer / Bemer
• 56 1956 Bandini 750 Sport Sato / Yamada
• 57 1959 Abarth Record Monza Okamoto / Kusuhara
• 59 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spyder Sakai / Sakai
• 63 1957 Lancia Appia Zagato Uno / Miyauchi
• 64 1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S convertible Hoshino / Hoshino
• 67 1953 Fiat 1100 ZagatoIshi / Kawamata
• 74 1955 OSCA MT 4 Takano / Takano
• 75 1957 Giaur Yoshida / Yamashita
• 76 1956 Fiat 600 Derivagione Abarth 750 Ishii / Ishii
• 79 1957Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder Kojima / Kojima
• 85 1955Cisitalia Abarth 207A Boano Spyder Suzuki / Maruyama
• 87 1965Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ Imafuku / Imafuku
• 89 1956Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Gomachi / Gomachi
• 95 1957Abarth 750 Zagato Corsa Okabe / Okabe
• 99 1958Abarth 750 Zagato Mizushima / Mizushima
• 101 1962Lancia Flaminia 3C Sport Zagato Kawada / Hattori
• 102 1963Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder Kojima / Kojima
• 104 1964Alfa Romeo Giulia SSYamaji / Yamaji
• 106 1966Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ Nonaka / Murakami