1953 Abarth 205 Ghia Coupé
- Engine
- Fiat 1100-103 derived engine and transmission
The fourth and final Abarth 205 competition chassis built, this car is unique among the series as the sole example fitted with mechanicals derived from the Fiat 1100-103 and the only one bodied by Ghia, with styling attributed to Giovanni Michelotti. Displayed at the 1953 Turin Salon and later exhibited in the United States by Bill Vaughn at the 1954 New York Auto Show, it subsequently disappeared until rediscovered in a Maryland barn in 1982. Following a meticulous five-year restoration, it won its class at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and was nominated for Best of Show.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$891,000
- 1982 →Acquisition unknownRuss Baerpartial documentation
Discovered the car sitting dormant in a barn in Maryland and played a role in its preservation and historical documentation.
- 2010 →Private saleConsignorfull documentation
Dedicated enthusiast who undertook a meticulous five-year restoration, building a history file that includes period photographs and supporting documentation from throughout the car's life.
- Date unknownFactory deliveryGhiapartial documentation
Bodywork constructor that also exhibited the car at the 1953 Turin Salon before it passed to its first retail buyer.
- Date unknownPrivate saleBill Vaughnpartial documentation
American buyer who displayed the car at the 1954 New York Auto Show under a new name, reportedly planning to repower it with a domestic V-8 for limited production, though no evidence of that conversion survives.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownPat Bradenpartial documentation
Well-known enthusiast who helped rescue and preserve the car, contributing significantly to assembling its historical record.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownUnidentified collector 1none documentation
One of two unnamed collectors through whose hands the car passed before reaching the consignor.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownUnidentified collector 2none documentation
Second of two unnamed collectors in the chain before the consignor acquired the car.
Competition
- 19531953 Turin SalonExhibited on Ghia stand
Debuted alongside the Fiat 1100-103, with the display intended to highlight what both coachbuilder and tuner could achieve with the new platform.
- 19541954 New York Auto ShowExhibited as Vaughn SS Wildcat
Shown by owner Bill Vaughn under a rebranded identity, with claims of a new overhead-cam V-8 powerplant, though no photographic evidence of that engine exists.
- 20152015 Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceClass winner; nominated for Best of Show
First major showing after the consignor completed the restoration; the Best of Show nomination was noted as an exceptional distinction for a postwar vehicle.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2010Restoration
A comprehensive and historically accurate restoration carried out over approximately five years, with careful research into the authenticity of every component.
Commissioned by the consignor; the history file includes period photographic and documentary evidence supporting the restoration work.
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