1933 FIAT BALLILA 508 CS SPIDER SPORT DITE « COPPA D’ORO »

French title
Chassis n° 12473

• Unique aluminum body
• Incredible history
• Sporty, reliable and elegant car

It was his attraction to Italy and the Mille Miglia that prompted Bruno Lafourcade to look for a Fiat Ballila. Perhaps his adventure with an ex-Koupal Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 had left him unsatisfied and he desired a sequel. François Chevalier was looking for an example of this elegant two-seater convertible, which is characterized by its aerodynamic tailfin. He found a car with a complete and extraordinary history, scrupulously compiled by an early "Ballilist", Christian Bodin. Undoubtedly left as a pledge by an unfortunate casino player in the early 1970s, this Ballila was damaged at the front right and was later found by the great collector G. Terzulli; since then the car has had a few owners. None of them undertook the necessary work until a well-known collector P.Rucheton picked up the car. He entrusted it to Gilbert, a virtuoso sheet metal worker who had saved many cars. The wooden frame needs to be changed, but luckily the chassis was not affected. Gilbert decided to make a complete aluminum body rather than redoing the damaged parts in sheet steel! Powered by a 1089cc simca engine fitted with two carburettors on a Stanguellini pipe and a large crankcase in place of the 970cc, the story of this unique Ballila had a few twists and turns before joining the Bruno Lafourcade collection. The engine was completely overhauled in 2014, and the braking (enlarged "Ferry" type drums) was more recently serviced by Ventoux Moteurs Ingénierie in order to serenely take to the road in one of the most emblematic and playful Italian cars of the inter-war period.

The auction of this lot will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-1933-fiat-ballila-508-cs-spider-sport-dite-coppa-doro-no-reserve-4134-113