Body Beautiful Off The Shelf: Abarth OT 1000 Coupe/R/S/SS

The 600 model range proved to be a hit in its own right following its introduction in ’59, but within 5 years Fiat was keen to consolidate the success with an improved/uprated new tipo.  Hence, the 850, designated Tipo 100G, which was unveiled in Spring ’64.  A key feature was the larger displacement engine – 843 cc – giving 40 bhp, whereas the 600 had to make do with less than 30.  More power was to come in short order as Coupe and Spyder variants appeared the following year, these equipped with engines capable of 40-45 bhp.  It was immediately clear that the 850 would make an excellent base for a new Abarth type capable of exploiting new technologies to achieve a full range of functional improvements.  At the same time, the styling of the 850 Coupe was good enough to allow the use of its body without aesthetic compromise, obviating the necessity with the previous ‘GT’ models of designing and commissioning hand-built coachwork. 

First available in ’65, the Abarth OT 1000 Coupe was in production until ’69. Motor Sport’s ’67-published road test concluded, ‘The Abarth is faster, quieter and more comfortable than almost any other under-one litre GT car we can think of, and if the price seems a handicap these points should be borne in mind. With good looks and fine economy included, it might make some friends at a retail price of £1,164.’  The magazine quoted an upgraded-since-launch power rating of 68 bhp at 6,200 rpm and assessed tractability as good throughout the rev range despite the performance specification of the camshaft.  0-60 mph was recorded as taking 16.1 seconds, whilst top speed was estimated at 95 mph. 

Then, as now, any Abarth enthusiast would of course have wished for higher performance, especially in regard to the 0-60 mph metric.  So it’s no surprise that faster variants soon emerged: 

OTR 1000 – 74 bhp (and a 95 bhp option for racing), from the #200 engine incorporating the new Radiale cylinder head.  Whereas the OT Coupe had retained the Fiat 850 layout rear radiator, on the OTR it was front-mounted.  Carburetion was by twin Solex C 32 PHH, (single Weber  30 DIC on the OT Coupe).  Gearbox was 5 speed, (4 speed in the OT Coupe). 

OTS 1000 – 202-B engine, quoted a 74 bhp despite a lower compression ratio than used on the #200 unit.  4 speed gearbox. 

OTSS 1000 – OTS with race manifold and carburettors, allowing a 90 bhp power output. 

#53213 is a '65 OT 1000 Coupe sold by Iconic Auctioneers in 2013 for £22,000.  At that time the car had been recently restored and with just under 60,000 Kms on the clock, was in nice condition.  As an example of the ‘basic’ model it has the twin headlamp bluff/aperture-lacking front end. 

#53213  Courtesy Iconic Auctioneers

External badging was restrained – a dummy grill/script to the front panel, a Campione del Mondo badge on the rear quarter panel and script to the rear panel.

Left to right: #53213 Courtesy Iconic Auctioneers; Courtesy Kucarfa; Courtesy UK Sports Cars.com

With its Radiale engine and distinctive front end styling, the OTR was clearly an attention-getter.  Specification was advertised by the factory with publications of the type shown below:

Externally, the OTR’s front end styling indicates the extent of the model’s significantly upgraded power configuration in comparison with the OT Coupe.  The higher output engine required increased cooling capacity/efficiency and this was enabled by the relocation of the radiator to a frontal position behind a chrome grille trimmed air intake aperture.  The radiator’s mounting, as on #067295, is shown to the right below:

Left: #117626 Courtesy Neil Fraser/RM Auctions; right: #067295 Courtesy Sportovnivozy.cz

This car appears to be an exceptional example, having apparently covered only 12,000 miles since new.  RM Auctions reported that it was sold in 2014 for $79,750  It retains the original Tipo 200 engine with its ‘Radiale’ cylinder head, from which the model designation ‘R’ is derived.  Improved gas flow and combustion is achieved in this engine by the combustion chamber form and the orientation of the valves.  Each combustion chamber comprised two overlapping hemispheres, the slightly larger encapsulating the inlet valve, the smaller housing the exhaust valve.  As additional measures of unconventionality, each pair of valves was inclined towards one another and were aligned transversely in relation to the cylinder head.  This arrangement gave rise to a distinctive external shaping of the cylinder head, as can be seen below, left:  A Radiale cylinder head is shown to the right.

Left: #117626 Courtesy Neil Fraser/RM Auctions.  Right - unattributed

Using twin Solex C32PHH carburettors, the Radiale head Tipo 200 engine gave 74 bhp in the production OTR 1000, with race-tuned engines rated at 95 bhp. 

The photograph to the right, shows that the rear is basically unchanged in comparison with the OT 1000 Coupe, except for the script badge, with the inclusion of script indicating ‘OTR.’  As seen below, #117626 is fitted with non-standard, magnesium alloy Campagnolo wheels.

Courtesy Neil Fraser/RM Auctions

Seen below, the later (’67 first registered) #133508, is on Borrani Fergat steel rims:

Courtesy Abarth-Germany.de

In January 2015, #112404 was offered for sale by Bonhams, with an estimate of US$70,000 - US$90,000.  Brand new, it was exported to the U.S. where it was sold in ’67 to John Mitchell, who was working for an Italian-specialist dealer in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Mitchell was an enthusiastic amateur racer and he used the cars for track and hillclimb events.  Subsequently, the car found its way to Australia, where it was subject to full restoration in 2006.  The auction lot description notes that the car is equipped with a four speed gearbox – a replacement presumably since a 5 speed was specified for the OTR.  Various websites have published performance data for the OTR 1000, but the accuracy may be especially in question because a 4 speed ‘box is usually indicated, whereas the factory specification sheet (12-’64) provides ‘5 speed + RM,’’ with a  final drive ratio of 4.1 : 1.  With a 4 speed unit indicated, automobile-catalog.com quotes 0-60 mph in 10.5 seconds and a top speed of 117 mph.  The factory’s figure for the latter was 108 mph.

Courtesy Bonhams Cars

A further model was developed for racing, the OTS 1000.  In effect an OTR but serving as the Group 3 race-homologated variant. Although some sources indicate that the OTS boasted 74 bhp, a 68 bhp output was also indicated and is probably more realistic as the engine did not incorporate the Radiale head.  The factory sheet records the same Solex carburettors as on the OTR, though the homologation paperwork refers to either the Weber 36 DCL 7 or 30 SIC 1.  Another factory publication cites the Weber 30 DIC as the specified carburettor type.  The top speed was a little higher at 112 mph.  Page 1 of the homologation papers set is shown below:

Race Cars Direct handled sold a ’66-registered OTS, #43313, in recent times.  The car was advertised with a sale price of £32,950.

Courtesy Race Cars Direct

This is another OTS - #067295, located in the Czech Republic.  The relatively ‘simple’ non-Radiale engine is shown, centre, below:

Finally, the OT 1000 could be ordered to SS specification.  With a special manifold and further upgraded carburetion, this was intended for amateur racing customers and was priced at 1,330,000 lire .  There is a lack of certainty as to whether or not the OTSS was a specific model in its own right – I have not seen an example with ‘OTSS’ script badge applied to the rear panel. 

In February ’69 a second series of the OT 1000 Coupe was introduced.  This model is largely undocumented and I have not so far discovered an image in order to identify and changes which might have been made to the bodywork.

 

As with many Italian cars of the era, the number of OT 1000s (Coupe, R,S,SS models) is unknown.  Some sources talk about 30-40 OTRs, but then refer to the discrepancy in numbers required for homologation (50), (suggesting that Carlo ‘fiddled’ the FIA inspection at Corso Marche), so one must wonder whether everything is based on misunderstanding, given that the model homologated was the OTS, not the OTR.