1957 BANDINI 750 SPORT INTERNAZIONALE SAPONETTA

Italian title
Chassis n° 160.150
Engine n° 756

• The ideal car for the Mille Miglia Storica!
• Racing history driven by Bandini himself
• Magnificent styling, one of the most beautiful Italian roadsters of the 1950s

This model is the ultimate 750 Sport for competition. After the Siluro versions, Bandini designed a more streamlined wraparound body, in the great tradition of the Italian roadsters designed for the long straights of the Mille Miglia. The Bandinis had nothing to be ashamed of when up against such renowned makes as Osca, Siata, Stanguellini or sometimes even Maserati. The bodies were hand- built in Bandini’s workshops
by craftsmen from the nearby Caproni aircraft factories. They began by heating the aluminium before beating the metal over sandbags to give it the desired shape.
Ilario Bandini himself nicknamed the body ‘Saponetta’ (little bar of soap) on account of its smooth shape. The car was based on the Siluro, which had already enjoyed success in racing in Italy and the United States. The term ‘Internazionale’ referred to the new name for the category, as well as paying tribute to the firm's successes in America. The Saponetta was fitted with the second version of the Bandini 750 engine, with twin overhead camshafts and the distributor mounted between them.
In all, nine Saponettas were built, according to Dino Bandini. For the car we are presenting a certificate of origin dated 1957 and signed by Ilario Bandini provides some interesting details, such as the weight of
the bare chassis (18kg) and the unladen weight of the car (350kg). It specifies that engine no. 756 was fitted, a 747cc unit developing 68bhp at 8500rpm. Thanks to its light weight and high specific output, it could be compared with the best models in its class, leading to victory in several Italian races.
All the Saponettas had air intakes on the side of the body intended to evacuate hot air from the engine; the minor differences in these intakes help distinguish the different cars. Two identical models were entered in the 1957 Mille Miglia. One (no. 156) was assigned to Carlo Camisotti and Giovanni Sintoni, the other (no.
137) to Bruno Garavini. The two Bandinis had to retire, but the car we are offering for sale has been identified as no. 156.
In 1957, the car was entered in other races, including the 6 Ore di Vallelunga with Bandini himself and the Trento-Bondone hill climb with Massimo Bondi. Bandini competed with the car (chassis 150-160) for several years, fitting an 850cc and then a 1000cc engine, and the last photographs we have of him with it date from around 1964. He sold the car at the end of the 1960s or the start of the 1970s, and nothing more was heard of it until it reappeared in the United States and was bought in 1998 by Dino Bandini from a collector in Pennsylvania. By then, it was in poor condition but complete, and Dino Bandini has confirmed that the 750cc original engine was stored with the car. According to him, it is the only one of the two cars which competed in the 1957 Mille Miglia which still has its original engine. Once its restoration was finished, Dino Bandini enjoyed taking part in the Mille Miglia Storica on two occasions, in 2002 and 2003.
As with the other cars in the collection, the Saponetta has retained its attractive original appearance, thanks to a restoration that has left the traces of its history intact, with the car presented in its 1957 specification. Having taken part that year in the dramatic final edition of the Mille Miglia, it is a rare witness to that period of races on the open road. Over the years that followed, it added further successes in Italy to its tally of results, driven by Ilario Bandini himself. This rich history, combined with its superb styling and brilliant design, makes it an exceptional model. The fact that it is now offered for sale represents a unique opportunity. The car comes with its ASI plate (no. 16861) and its FIA passport.

Photo © Peter Singhof
The auction of this lot will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-1957-bandini-750-sport-internazionale-saponetta-4134-143