I doubt this Abarth is a Simca Abarth 1300 or 2000.
1 It lacks the air-inlets just behind the rearmost side-windows, which is a feature on most of the ducktail style Simca Abarths.
2 I believe all Abarth Simca ducktails have the exhaust hanging partly through the rear panel. They have a support frame on the rear panel which attaches the exhaust to the rear panel. I believe Bialberos have the exhaust hanging under the rear panel (like the car in the picture) in stead of through the rear panel.
3 It is hard to see but I think I recognize the Fiat 600 style engine support in the centre of the engine bay. This is also a Bialbero feature. The Simcas used different supports for the engine.
I am a little puzzled by the rear fenders, which do look like Simca Abarth style. I thought the Bialbero had round rear fender flares and the Simcas had round fender flares with a flat edge at the top. But maybe this feature is just a difference in early or late body types and both types of fenders were used on the Simca Abarth as well as the Bialbero?
Steven, do you have any more pictures of this car? If you have a picture from the back and/or engine bay, we can see if it has one large oil sump, which is a feature of a Bialbero or two small oil sumps which is a feature of the Abarth Simca.
Just like “naegeli”, my guess is, that this is a Bialbero (or even a Monomille with a modified front).
The front end sure looks strange. I don’t think this is genuine Abarth,
If you ask me the “nose” is too wide and the covered lights and inlets are not the correct shape for a Bialbero or Simca Abarth. Another stange thing is the cavity in the front end near the windscreen and the fact that the front end seems to be in one piece; I don’t see any latches.
The owner probably lacked the original front and constructed a new front end for the car. I can imagine it is hard to find good reference for an accurate replica Bialbero nose in the States?
Alex
Bialbero:
Simca Abarth:
Bialbero:
