Born in 1939 in Italy’s Apulia region, Sbarro spent years working as a mechanic for Scuderia Filipinetti before establishing his own design firm, A.C.A., in Grandson, near Lake Neuchâtel, in 1968. Among his favorite projects were those powered by American V8 engines, such as this 1987 “Spatula.” The car took its name from the kitchen tool, thanks to its flat front end and an upward-sweeping rear section with an integrated spoiler.
The prototype was modeled after the spectacular Can-Am racers from manufacturers like McLaren and Lola. These machines needed only two seats and bodywork covering the wheels, with the regulations leaving almost everything else open to interpretation. Sbarro’s one-off creation combines a tubular space-frame chassis with a Chevrolet small-block V8, an engine familiar from the Can-Am era. Its racing history is limited to an entry in the Casablanca Grand Prix with Gérard Pillon at the wheel, as well as appearances in a few hill-climb events.
In 1990, while owned by Patrick Lesur, the car received an FIA technical passport. Lesur later entered it in the 1995 Coupes de l’Âge d’Or at Montlhéry, before it joined the collection of its most recent owner in 2001. For collectors interested in independent manufacturers and the history of prototypes, this V8-powered machine offers a rare opportunity to acquire a creation from the early years of Sbarro’s Grandson studio.
Chassieu, 8 Nov
