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Without circulation permit
FIVA passport
UPS Passport
Chassis No. 1001B
Engine No. 1001B
- Unique model, under the direct supervision of Ilario Bandini
- Unique Zagato bodywork of great elegance
- Race history in the USA
- Eligible for the most prestigious world events
In the mid-1950s, Ilario Bandini wanted to launch a small GT coupe. A certificate of origin dated January 11, 1955 precisely describes the technical characteristics of this "Bandini Granturismo Veloce 750 cc", with its chassis n°1001B made of elliptical profile tubes in special steel and weighing 27 kg, and its engine ° 1001B "Bandini-Crosley" twin-cam powered by two Weber carburettors and developing 67 bhp at 7,000 rpm. The sheet also specifies the presence of Borrani rims fitted with 135/80 tires, for an empty weight of 670 kg.
According to Dino Bandini, his uncle would have taken this chassis by road, sitting on a summarily fixed body, from Forli to Milan to entrust it to the workshops of Ugo Zagato and his two sons, Elio and Gianni. Nearly 300 km in these conditions is hardly trivial and reflects the great tolerance of the constabulary! On this brilliant little chassis, Zagato formed a slender and elegant aluminum bodywork, refining the theme adopted on the Moretti 750 of 1954, and which would be carried over to the Abarth 750s before emerging on Zagato's characteristic "double hump" roof. Note that the windshield bears an inscription "Securit, 3-11-1955" suggesting that the bodywork was finished at the end of the year. In any case, his charm earned him the Concorso di Eleganza in Rimini in 1957.
This 750 GT did not stay long in Italy and crossed the Atlantic in 1959 to join the Racemasters team which entered it on several famous circuits, such as Daytona, Watkins Glen and Sebring, in the hands of Victor Lukens and Fred Haynes. White in color, it bore the inscription "Racemasters USA, Scuderia Bandini".
A letter sent by Jerry Greaves (who saved the car) to Dino Bandini provides some details about this time:
"As far as I know the coupe was brought to Sebring in early 1960. It belonged to Victor Lukens (of the Lukens steel family). Victor was an artist and photographer. Haynes (who owned the Lime Rock and Elkhart Lake circuits) and Victor were registered as drivers at Sebring in 1960. Ilario Bandini was present at the race, as an adviser, they started having clutch problems, then Haynes went and hit a bollard. They retired early in the event. In June 1960, Victor raced the coupe at the Watkins Glen Classic. It won its class. Subsequently, Victor went out in the sand at Bridgehampton. The car was not damaged. Victor took it to Jim McGee's shop to have it fixed, which he never did. Victor eventually succumbed to drug problems and McGee left the car under a tree, in his yard, for 13 years. I bought it in 1978 and started looking for the missing parts s."
Dino Bandini bought the car from Jerry Greaves in 1998 and brought it back to Forli where a long restoration began. The damaged aluminum body panels were replaced and the original engine was completely overhauled. Since then, the car has only covered 3,000 km and is presented in beautiful condition, very close to what it was when it left the Zagato workshops. The interior is that of a real Italian sports car, with its round counters on painted sheet metal, its large wooden steering wheel, its small red bucket seats and its quilted headliner. It's a real pleasure to listen to the furious sound of the 4-cylinder, extremely promising in this light car.
This 750 GT berlinetta is obviously eligible for the biggest international events, but also for elegance competitions around the world where it will not fail to distinguish itself. Moreover, the sale is accompanied by an invitation to that of Villa d'Este 2022, in addition to its ASI plate n ° 53317 and its FIVA passport.
The handcrafted chassis of this car, its special engine, its elegant Zagato bodywork, its unique character and its extraordinary history make it a real exception: an opportunity that the market very rarely offers.
Records in the race
03/06/1960 - Daytona - Victor Lukens - 2nd overall, class win
03/26/1960 - 12 Hours of Sebring - Victor Lukens - Retirement
25/05/1960 - Bridgehampton - Victor Lukens - Withdrawal
06/25/1960 - Watkins Glen - Victor Lukens - class win
05/08/1960 - Bridgehampton - Victor Lukens - 23rd overall
05/09/1960 - National Thomson - Victor Lukens - 7th in category