Miguel Sánchez
PHOTOS ABARTH 1000 TCR REPLICA: POWERART
Few brands have as much personality as Abarth. You like it more or less, the truth is that the creations of Carlo Abarth they are the canon to understand a certain form of motorsport. First everything here sounds like racing. But not to those of high cubic capacity and outstanding teams. Far from it his cars were the kings in the lowest displacements and semi-professional rallies. The perfect instrument for amateur riders wanting to customize their mounts.
Something that, after all, happened in creations signed by the factory itself; to compose the genealogy of your models is to dive into an archipelago of references. Very limited series, unique models, change of mechanical elements almost in any unit ... In short, just the opposite of the clean technical sheets of commercial vehicles. And this is Abarth: the mechanical craftsmanship applied to racing from series models.
Among all of them there is one that is, thanks to its impressive record, the indisputable reference when we trace the history of the brand. We are talking about Abarth 1000 TCR. This "giant slayer" it is the culmination of the different evolutions for competition carried out by Abarth from the base of the simple FIAT 600. A gem with "Fat sound" of which very few units were made. Therefore, if you have also been bitten by the scorpion, you will have to resort to a replica like the one in this video.
ABARTH 1000 TCR. SPLIT BY GIANNI AGNELLI'S CHECKS
The 60s were very special years for small city cars. And it is that both the Austin Mini and the FIAT 600 managed to put much larger sports cars in trouble. Thanks to the preparations that they made John Cooper and Carlo Abarth respectively, these models were regular winners at venues like Montecarlo or Nurburgring. That seemed the world upside down. However, the truth is that they were very different cars from the series.
In the case of the Abarth it all started with the FIAT 1955 being launched on the market in 600. With the idea of making it a valid car for weekend races, Carlo Abarth launched a preparation kit with which to increase the displacement to the 750cc. The success of this idea leads him to sign an agreement with FIAT, which provides cars to Abarth for it to sell modified.
This is how the 850 TC was born, already with the mythical image of the rear hood open, leaving the engine in view.
From there, the FIAT-Abarth binomial begins to be recurrent in racing, so the Agnelli's company decides to give a substantial check to Carlo Abarth for each victory. Spurred on by this, the coach makes a wise decision: focus on the lower categories. Moving in large displacements it would be easily swept away by the Alfa Romeo, Maserati or Ferrari. But if he stayed in the one liter or less, there he would be the king. A king who dominated with your Abarth 1000 TCR.
A TRUE REPLICA DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL
In Spain the Abarth 1000 became popular in the world of rallying thanks to pilots like Manuel Juncosa. However, finding a unit today is very difficult. Let's not even talk if you want it with the least possible interventions since it left the factory. Therefore, the most logical thing is be done with a lot of patience and a certain capital in order to make an exact copy. This is the case of Antonio, who has obtained original pieces as concrete as a fiber spoiler.
Its replica has been made from a SEAT 600E, to which an important sheet metal work has been done on the fins, as well as the incorporation of the mythical mustache for radiators. The rims are Campagnolo fitted with Dunlop Racing tires. Just what the Abarth 1000 TCRs that came out of the factory in the late sixties wore. As with the brakes: disc with four pistons at the front and two at the rear.
A block has been mounted in the engine compartment 1050cc Autobianchi with two Weber carburettors, yielding about 116CV. The most playful, especially when you learn to trust the rear grip. Anyway, what will surely delight the most purists is the gearbox. Abarth original, with straight teeth and the first of the reverse gears. The best finish for an exact replica of this Abarth "Old School".
P.D. If you don't follow the channel power art We advise you to start doing it. In addition to testing many current cars, they give great importance to classics, having made videos as interesting as that of a Dyane racing or a Alpine A110 1300 FASA.
