Abarth 750 Bialbero Record Monza

The Abarth 750 Record Monza Zagato was launched at the Paris Salon in October 1958, these little cars weighed only 540kg – 1,190lbs – and offered a top speed of 180km/h – c.112mph.  Abarth also had Bertone body a record car version of his new 750, which covered over 3,700kms – c. 2,300 miles – in 24 hours at Monza, and at an average speed of 155.985 km/h – 96mph. This encouraged Abarth to embark upon many more record attempts, over 10,000kms and 72 hours, returning similarly remarkable performances. Through 1957 Zagato’s Fiat Abarth 750 entered quantity production and that competition season in Italy and Europe saw Fiat Abarth productions triumphant in their Touring and Gran Turismo classes. But Carlo Abarth’s engine development still had a major leap to make, with the adoption of twin overhead camshaft. No less an engineer than Gioacchino Colombo – creator of the original Alfetta and Ferrari V12 Grand Prix designs – was engaged to create a twin-camhead with the valves set at 40-degrees and the cam-drive achieved by chain in an overhung cam-drive chest at the rear of the power unit. With compression raised to 9.7:1 and two Weber twin-choke carburettors the result twin-cam or ‘Bialbero’ engine developed 57bhp at 7,000rpm over 80bhp per litre. While Zagato’s streamlined Coupé had made its ‘double-bubble’ roof form famous, Carlo Abarth now decided to put the Bialbero engine only in the ‘Zagato Record Monza‘ production model, with a smooth roof. The competition feats of the little Zagato bodied Abarths then filled the sporting press. The 1959 season saw Abarth 750 Record Monza Zagato taking a string of victories, ranging from the Sestrieres Rally to the year’s Sebring 12-Hours race in Florida – where the Roosevelt Automobile Company’s team shone – to the European Mountain Championship and more. Abarths scored ten outright victories and won their class 96 times.