1954 Fiat 8V Coupe
Price on request
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Body
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Coupe
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Transmission
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Manual
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Exterior Color
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Red
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Upholstery
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Leather
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Steering
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Lhd
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Fiat 8V Coupe
One of only 114 8Vs built; one of only 29 cars from the second series that Fiat built itself.
Enthusiastic ownership history since arriving in England in 1965
Lots of fun both on the road and on the track, including the 2015 Goodwood Revival and 2016 Vernasca Silver Flag
Retains its matching numbers engine
Equipped with a synchromesh 8V gearbox
The Fiat 8V is one of the most legendary cars of the Italian brand ever. Its short production run, from 1952 to 1954, resulted in 114 examples of the 8V, or Ottovù in Italian. Intriguingly, some cars were designed and made almost entirely in-house by Fiat's Dipartimento Carrozzerie Derivate e Speciali, or Special Bodywork Department. A total of 63 were designed by Fiat's chief designer, Fabio Rapi; 34 cars from the first series and 29 from the second series. The impressive new powertrain was developed by Dante Giacosa, and the 2.0-litre Tipo 104 all-aluminium engine was fitted with a finned oil pan, forged crankshaft, polished intakes and ports, and tubular stainless steel exhaust manifolds.
This example was originally delivered to Austria on June 22, 1954, after being completed by Fiat as one of only 29 factory-built second-series 8Vs, easily distinguished by the double-layered headlights. Chassis number 000104 spent most of its life in Britain, having been delivered new in Austria and remaining in mainland Europe until the mid-11s. It was then exported from Germany and registered in Britain on January 1965, 1965 by Anthony Roy Nichols of Norwich. The car's original logbook from 104.000 is included in the history file and describes the car as a red coupe with engine 000156 XNUMX, the same one fitted to the car to this day.
In 1971 the 8V changed hands and was registered to a Commander Allison in Berkshire, and was purchased later that year by David Baldock, apparently painted silver gray and not running at the time, according to correspondence from the time in the history file. After two years, Baldock sold the car to Peter Gant, a classic car dealer in Hastings, who in turn sold the car to Robert Mansfield, who kept the car for 30 years before it was acquired by John Baker.
In 2007, Baker abandoned the car, which had to be partially restored and completed. The car was sent to specialists at IN Racing in Nottingham and was completed approximately ten years ago. A chance meeting with the Duke of Richmond at Donington resulted in the car being invited to race in the Fordwater Trophy at Goodwood Revival in 2015, where it finished 15th. The following year the car was driven to Italy by the current owner, where it competed in the Vernasca Silver Flag hill climb and then drove home again, a round trip of over 3.000 km and a testament to the car's reliability. Its handful of events and long journeys typify the car's intention to be restored and enjoyed as a road car. For its participation in the Goodwood Revival, the car was fitted with a bespoke, synchromesh gearbox for ease of use.
For decades this car has been enjoyed by enthusiastic owners in England, including the penultimate owner who had the car under his care for 13 years and had it overhauled by Ian Nuthall at INRacing in 2021.
