Quiz Archive

What is it? # 144 (UPDATE: 1921-23 FIAT 501 S Corsa by Bertone)

An overdosis in difficulty gave us a quiet weekend. We promise to do (a bit) better next weekend. Still we had a few hesitating answers coming in. In the end we had two correct answers by the jury and two by competitors. From this we learned not only the car is rare. Even photos of this car are rare! - We gave one big hint: "a still existing European car manufacturer, but for how long? ". Less then a week before we had in the news that the GM FIAT liaison was over. Leaving FIAT to a very insecure future. Furthermore we said our guess on the car was 1921. Now making use of the web, one could find this link (AisaStoryAuto.it) Somebody who is still basing his assumptions on experience and books is jurymember Hans Compter who comments: "No less than about 2600 Fiat 501S and SS versions were made with three different bodystyles between 1921 and 1926. The majority of the 2600 cars were made as a sports-tourer with a V-windscreen and then there also was an open 2-seater with a V-windscreen. The car in the photo in the former Dutch East Indies is the most desirable and rarest third version, namely the sports-2 seater for "competizione" made by Bertone. A very rare find indeed! I have no data on how many were made. The 501S-tourer bodies were made by Carrozzeria Fiat. I don't know who made the standard-version 2-seater but most likely Fiat itself as well. Proof: There is a picture of this sports/racing car under the Bertone section in the book "Carrozzeria italiana" by Tito Anselmi (page 67), Because that 1923 picture is almost certainly a year-of-introduction /presentation Bertone-factory-photo it puts the year of manufacture of the car in the Dutch East Indies-photo at 1923. (Bertone only started with coachwork for cars in 1921, on a S.P.A. chassis, before that he made bodies for trucks mainly on Lancia chassis)" Bas van Genderen from Holland was late but had it all right and had no competition from others. Congratulations Bas ! Only the year is still a little questionmark. However, just today we found on Bertone's own website a page from which one can conclude this was a 1923 variant: check the Bertone archive. This mornign we contacted Bertone in Italy and await their advise. Hope to see you all back on Saturday! (photo courtesy Jack Braam Ruben ) EARLIER TEXT:It's a great snapshot. We all have sat like that. Dreaming of long and winding roads and maybe of a racing driver career. Click the photo and enjoy for a few moments the meticulous detailing and craftmanship of the coachwork. It's made in Indonesia, that is to say the photo was made there. A client of a renowned European car dealer gave him this photo and told him that one of these boys is her grandfather. She also said that this very European (Italain) car is from 1929. We think it is a 1921 car, but is it? It's up to you to deliver proof (as we do not have it). By the way, you know the marque and it still exists. But for how long? So here you go: 1. What is full name of the make? 2. What is the type? (name AND number is best of course). 3. Who is the coachbuilder? 4. Are you gambling or can you deliver proof of what you think? (if books, please mention title, author and page)

Rules:

1. only responses with nice and neatly numbered answers referring to our questions will be eligible 2. send your answer to \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it BEFORE Monday, 21 February

3. PLEASE mention in the subject line of your e-mail: # 144

4. include, for in case you win: your shirt SIZE, being S,M, XL and the ADDRESS where we should send the shirt

5. unless otherwise stated there is ONE winner

6. please mention if you were an earlier winner (1,2 or J)

7. THREE time winners automatically become Jury member, but of course there is no obligation in any way

Friday, 18 February 2005