1965 Fiat Abarth 1000 TC Berlina Corsa
This 1965 Fiat Abarth 1000 TC Berlina Corsa boasts an extensive competition history, having been raced throughout the 1960s by the factory Abarth & Cie team. Among its notable drivers was Arturo Merzario, who campaigned the car in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Four Hours of Monza.
After the 1970 season, chassis 210-1651 was reportedly displayed at various exhibitions before being moved to South Africa in the late 1980s, where it continued to compete in historic racing events. In the late 1990s, the car was exported to Canada and later saw further track use in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Finished in white with red graphics, the car features a front-mounted radiator and an open decklid panel that also serves as a rear spoiler. Power comes from a 982 cc Abarth inline-four engine paired with a synchronized five-speed manual transaxle and a limited-slip differential.
Developed from the Fiat 600D, the Abarth 850 and 1000 TC models were built between 1961 and 1970 for Group 2 and later Group 5 touring car competition, offered in a range of specifications tailored for racing.
This example wears a white finish with a red checkered roof, red side stripes, and period decals. Exterior details include Carello headlights, a bullet-style side mirror, tow hooks, windshield wipers, twin exhaust outlets, and the distinctive front radiator shroud.
The car rides on staggered-width 13-inch silver Campagnolo wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes RA1 tires, measuring 185/60 at the front and 205/60 at the rear. Braking is handled by disc brakes at all four corners.
Inside, the race-prepared cockpit is equipped with a pair of low-back bucket seats upholstered in red vinyl, matching door panels, and a padded driver’s headrest. Multi-point harnesses are secured to a roll bar behind the seats, while a fire extinguisher is mounted ahead of the gated shifter. Additional details include a chrome Abarth shift knob, a dash-mounted kill switch, and a functional defroster.
The wood-rimmed Personal steering wheel with a MOMO horn button sits ahead of Abarth-branded Jaeger instruments, including a 170 km/h speedometer, an 8,000 rpm tachometer, and a combined gauge for coolant temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level. Auxiliary Veglia Borletti gauges are mounted beneath the dashboard. The five-digit odometer shows 550 kilometers, though total mileage is unknown.
The 982 cc OHV inline-four is fitted with a twin-choke Weber downdraft carburetor, an Abarth finned valve cover and oil pan, and has been upgraded with a dry-sump lubrication system incorporating an Accusump oil accumulator. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through the five-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential.
The car is offered on dealer consignment and is accompanied by a copy of a 2019 Victory Lane magazine article featuring the vehicle, along with a collection of documentation. Abarth chassis number 2101651 is stamped into the firewall and displayed on a reproduction data plate, while Fiat chassis number 100D1965262 appears on a separate tag and is listed as the VIN on the current clean California title.
