1935 Fiat

This 1935 Fiat 508S Balilla Spider was configured to Corsa specification with cycle-style fenders, sill panels free of running boards, and power from a Siata-tuned 995cc overhead-valve inline-four. According to Italian documentation, the car was first registered in Italy on November 6, 1935, and underwent a refurbishment in Brescia, Italy, in the early 2000s before being imported to the US and later acquired by its current owner in 2016. Finished in red, the car is equipped with a four-speed manual transmission, a single Solex carburetor, Marelli coil ignition fed by a 12-volt electrical system, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, bolt-on 17” wire wheels, red leather upholstery over staggered seating for two, and a black soft top. This 508S Spider Corsa is now offered on dealer consignment in La Jolla, California, with a Registro Fiat Italiano gold plate, documentation from historic registries, a tool kit, and a clean Iowa title. The 508 Balilla platform was introduced in 1932 featuring power from a side-valve inline-four and clothed in a choice of open or closed body styles. Joining the lineup in 1933 was a Spider Sport variant featuring two-door, two-seat bodywork styled by Ghia, which the model retained when it was updated with a Siata-tuned overhead-valve engine in 1934. This collaboration between Fiat, Ghia, and Siata was offered either with full-flowing fenders or as a lighter-weight Corsa version, such as this example, with cycle fenders and absent of running boards. The 508S competition model’s resume included class wins in the Mille Miglia, Le Mans, Targa Florio, and Rallye Monte Carlo. The seller states that this car’s ownership is not known prior to 1999, and as such its early provenance is not verified, making it possible that it was manufactured as a standard Spider and converted to a Corsa or Spider Sport model. The body is said to have been repainted in its current shade of red with gold pinstriping during the refurbishment performed in the early 2000s. Styling features include low-cut doors, a rearward-sloping grille, louvers along the centrally hinged hood and sill panels, and a rear fin integrated into the trunk panel. A bulge at the front right of the hood and adjacent body panel is distinct to the Sport model and accommodates the positioning of a dynamo in the engine bay behind it. The black soft top can be stowed overtop the rear of the body. Four-bolt wire wheels feature black painted rims accented by red pinstripes and are mounted with 4.25-17 Stunner RP 109 tires. A matching spare wheel with a CEAT tire is secured in the tail panel beneath leather straps. Stopping is handled by hydraulic drum brakes with internally acting shoes at each wheel, while a handbrake applies force to a drum between the gearbox and driveshaft. The cockpit houses seating for two with the driver’s seat staggered just forward of the passenger’s accommodations. Red leather with black piping covers the seats and center bolster, while black upholstery covers the doors and kick panels. Additional features include red lap belts, ribbed black floor mats, door pockets, a driver-side mirror, and a tilting windshield with electric wipers. The three-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of a body-color dash panel with gold accents, which houses a 120-km/h speedometer and gauges monitoring fuel level and oil pressure. A coolant temperature gauge is mounted on the left of the steering column. The five-digit odometer shows 1,300 kilometers (~800 miles), a few of which have been added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown. The 995cc Tipo 108CS inline-four features three main bearings and is topped with a Siata-produced cylinder head with pushrod-operated overhead valves, which helped bring the factory-rated output to 46 horsepower at 4,400 rpm. Additional equipment includes a Solex side-draft carburetor, a thermosiphon cooling system with fan assistance, and a 12-volt electrical system with a Marelli coil and a belt-driven dynamo. Service in 2021 included a rebuild of the radiator and replacement of the cooling fan, engine mounts, and fuel line. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission with a dry-plate clutch. Suspension incorporates solid axles with semi-elliptical leaf springs and lever-arm shock absorbers at each corner, while steering is through worm and roller. The cruciform-braced chassis features a wheelbase of 7’6″ and a 3’10” track. The Registro Fiat Italiano gold plate affixed at the rear of the car identifies it as a Corsa MM, or Mille Miglia. Shown in the photo gallery below are Registro Fiat Italiano documents matching the number 1622 recorded on the gold plate as well as the Associazione Amatori Veicoli Storici Registro Storico Nazionale certificate identifying the car as a Spider Mille Miglia. Also shown in the gallery below are plaques affixed inside the engine bay celebrating the car’s participation in various events. Among the car’s accolades are a Best of Marque award at the 2006 Concorso Italiano as well as a Best of Show award at the 2006 Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance. A three-page document in the gallery below lists additional history, specifications, and accolades earned by the car.