What you need to know:
Is it for sale? SOLD
The vast majority of enthusiasts cannot afford a pre War Italian sports car. This Fiat Balilla, a truly rare barn find, may be the last opportunity to own a genuine pre War Italian classic at an affordable price.
By Steve Gurr and Pete Vack
All photos by Steve Gurr
Last month Steve Gurr and his wife were minding their own business happily driving to their home in Gainesville, Ga. when they spotted what looked like an old Austin Bantam on a trailer a short distance ahead. Catching up, a closer look revealed a pre-war Fiat roadster with a “Balilla” script across the grille.
Steve is a longtime car enthusiast who has owned MGs, Porsches, Miatas. He owned only one Italian car, an Alfa GTV, but was astute enough to know that he should find out more about whatever kind of Fiat was on that trailer. At the next traffic light he hopped out and approached the driver. “What are you going to do with the car?” he asked. The two young men in the truck enthusiastically hollered back, “Want to buy it? We have more!”
By Steve’s watch, it was about 4 P.M. on Sunday when the traffic light turned green.
Ahead of Steve and his wife in the traffic of an Atlanta suburb was a Fiat Balilla, identified by the script on the grille. It turned out to be a 508 M, found in Ethiopia and probably used in the Italian-Ethiopian war in the mid 1930s. This would lead to the discovery of the Balilla Coppa d’ Oro.