Original 1963 Fiat-Abarth 850 TC with Abarth stampings
Correct 847cc AB214 type engine
Known ownership history back to new
Old FIA and FIVA papers on file
‘Radiale’ style wheel arches and period magnesium Campagnolo wheels

MODEL HISTORY

From day one, Abarth was associated with Fiat, basing most of their cars on Fiat mechanicals and later creating exhausts and tuning upgrades for Fiat models. The bond was so close and strong that when Carlo Abarth wanted to sell his company, there was only ever one buyer, Fiat.

Introduced at the end of 1960, the 850 TC (Turismo Competizione) was based on Fiat 600 bodywork with a modified front end, for an oil cooler, and flared arches to accommodate larger wheels. The engine was based on a four cylinder Fiat unit with 848cc capacity and produced 51bhp, which although not a hair raising figure on its own, when compared to the 28bhp of the 633cc unit it is based on, is an astonishing power hike from such a small capacity engine. This combination of power in a lightweight car meant the Abarths went on to win hundreds of races around the world, often beating much larger capacity rivals and earning their reputation as ‘Giant Killers’. Their notoriety was such that the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) tried to kerb the dominance of a driver called Alfred Cosentino and his team FAZA, who ran 1000 TCR’s with the newly developed ‘Radiale’ engine, by forcing them to run older engine designs. Despite this handicap they still managed to win 51 out of 53 races, thereby cementing the Abarth reputation in the world of racing.

THIS MOTOR CAR

This Fiat Abarth 850 TC for sale at The Classic Motor Hub was delivered new in June 1963 to a Carlo Boccali of Deruta in Umbria, Italy. The car spent all of its early life in Umbria until it was bought by Carlo Bastiani from Florence in 1973. It is believed to have been in his ownership, that the car received the modifications to the bodywork in the style of the 1000 TCR. Older FIA papers on file dated 1989 show the car in the same ‘style’ as we see it today. In 1991 Carlo sold the car to a Mr. Barbiaccia who kept the car until 2018 when the current owner bought it.

Today this Abarth 850 TC presents well with some lovely original features such as the original instrument cluster with Veglia gauges and the original rev counter reading up to 10,000rpm which only feature on genuine Abarth models. In the engine bay one can find the original Fiat chassis number stamped on the bulkhead, as well as the Abarth number on the panel by the exhaust.. The latter is so often lost when previous owners change the exhaust system and have to cut away this section to make space for the silencers. On the engine, it was common practice for Abarth to grind off the Fiat engine number and stamp their own over the top. This is clear on this example, albeit not the original number to this car, and the correct AB 214 type number is on their as well, which shows it is a correct Abarth engine for the 850TC model. The presence of the magnesium sump, magnesium carburettor intake and Carello external oil filter is rare and again, points to the originality and correctness of this engine for the car. The gearbox is an original Abarth 4 speed with short final drive of 8/39 with a limited slip differential. The wheels are rare 8×13 period Campagnolo magnesium wheels, although not original to this car and probably unusable in competition they are a lovely touch and a set of steel wheels will accompany the car to its new home.

Inside the car has been stripped for competition with an OMP Nurburgring seat and OMP harnesses, as well as a full roll cage, although currently just the rear section of the cage is fitted. In the front, the original fuel tank is present, these were unique to Abarth as opposed to the full width tank fitted to the Fiat’s they were based on, again, this is good evidence to support the fact that this is an original Abarth as opposed to a recreation.

On the road, one word stands out to describe this Fiat Abarth 850 TC for sale, LOUD! The Abarth Stinger exhaust emits a sound that would be more in keeping with a much higher capacity and more powerful competition car, it really is impressive, albeit not ideal for long journeys, but that is not what this car is about. A recent rolling road session show the car is putting out 48.4bhp which means it has only lost 3bhp in 56 years! It is a simple car to drive with an obvious nod towards its competition pedigree with stiff suspension and quick steering, ideal for some back road blasts or sprints and hill climbs.

With FIA papers dated 2004 and a FIVA ID card on file as well, this car has clearly been used competitively and it would be more than likely that a fresh set of papers would be straight forward, making this car eligible for some of the best racing and rallies in the world. In 2018 (before selling the car) the previous owner entered the car on the renowned Vernasca Silver Flag event in Italy.

This wonderful little Fiat Abarth 850 TC for sale at The Classic Motor Hub is an ideal candidate for someone who would either like a competition car to hill climb, sprint or even circuit race. Alternatively, for someone more interested in road use, this car could be returned to it’s original road specification and enjoyed as the makers intended – as a very fast and lightweight little road car. The ultimate Italian ‘Pocket Rocket’! Either way, the car is here in the Hub Hangar Showroom and ready to be inspected for immediate sale.