Solved - NEH 772: Abarth Sprite

[Carnut]

What's this?
1 point for correct full description.

[thorax]

a Steyr Puch 500 based

[Carnut]

a Steyr Puch 500 based

No - nothing to do with Steyr Puch.

[Carnut]

Experts?

[Amsterdam]

Fiat 500 based Abarth Sprite. most likely late fifties, early sixties

[Carnut]

Fiat 500 based Abarth Sprite. most likely late fifties, early sixties

That's the car!
Here's the story:

QUOTE
The Abarth Sprite started life as a Fiat 500. After a couple of races in the early 1960's the owner (Warwick Holyoake) decided more power was needed. He fitted a Sprite engine to the rear, mated to the Fiat gearbox. Due to the engine protruding out the back of the car a new alloy tail was formed by alloy whiz Stan Brown. The critics said that it would never work, with all that weight hanging out the back. (I guess the opposition had never heard of Porsches!) It did work, and the car set a few class lap records.

The Abarth Sprite has sat since 1965 in Warwicks shed, it's magnificent metallic purple with yellow stripes slowly fading. Amazingly it has been owned by Warwick since being purchased new in Italy in 1958.

The car has just been purchased by Dave Pagano, who will be restoring it to compete in Historic Race Meetings. It should pose no problem for Dave, who restores classic speed boats and cars.
UNQUOTE

[el_monty]

Puzzle pic not visible