Abarth Coupe - was Biba's '60 Alfa Spider Veloce pages

[alfacybersite <acs@domain.elided>]

TJ Noto comments on a very special Abarth: "...especially when the owner
did the
work themselves, which is very rare these days.  Among the most
incredible stories I've ever seen/heard was that of a special
competition built Abarth Coupe that I saw at the Concorso Italiano last
year at the Quail Lodge.  The car had been stored in a building that
caught on fire and the floor above it had collaped on to the top of the
car.  The body looked like a crushed aluminum can, and yet it was
rebuilt to one of the most stunning levels of finish I've ever seen."

*******

TJ, not trying to outdo your story but the car you describe (I'm quite
certain) is one which influenced me greatly to get into the restoration
biz.

At the time it was owned (might still be but heard a divorce meant
selling it) by Scott Emsley (and his wife), who was / is an architect in
San Diego.

If we're talking about the same car, it is a 205-A and I was fortunate
enough to see it in the early nineties at its first showing at Pebble
Beach. I believe it won its class. Scott was kind enough to talk (let me
bother him) to me and introduced me to the restorer. I took photos but
backed away when the judges came back for a second look. One of my
favorite photos is the judges in their blue blazers on their hands and
knees, butts up in the air, examining the undercarriage of the Abarth.

I also saw and photographed the car again at the Newport concours later
that year.

Because of the fire, and consequent straightening, the aluminum body
must be incredibly fragile. Logic would have been to have it re-skinned,
but Scott was quite proud they'd preserved the original, including
finding the rivet holes on the front where the nose cone had been
attached for high speed record runs.

You have very good tastes in automobiles. This one is quite special.

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided