THE BALILLA BORN TO RACE

Words by Remigio Camilla / Photos by Alessandro Marrone

The 1930s began in conditions that were certainly not favorable for the Italian and worldwide economy, the crisis of ’29 led to serious repercussions on a political and social level, but the decade will fortunately end in a climate of trust and hope for notes of the famous foxtrot swing song “Mille Lire al Mese”.

Probably the ’29 crisis, in its dramatic nature, had stimulated an ambitious project in the intelligent and wise minds of the FIAT management of the era, that of creating a simple and cheap car, with a small engine but with sufficient performance, combined with an unexpected habitability for this displacement and above all by inventing and imposing on the market a class of cars that nobody yet owned. So, in 1932 the 508 sedan was born and built in France under FIAT license, determining the birth of SIMCA, in Germany by motorcycles maker NSU and also in Poland and Czechoslovakia. The success was enormous, but FIAT in addition to imposing the new class of car, that of everyday cars, also stimulated great interest in the coachbuilders of the time and not only Italian ones, who interpreted it in many versions diversifying from mass production (see art. on #82). Giacinto Ghia, who had founded the body shop of the same name in April 1926, in September 1932 presented a sporty prototype of the new Fiat 508 at the Concorso di Eleganza of Villa d’Este. Designed by Count Mario Revelli di Beaumont who was collaborating with Ghia, the car was stylistically very elegant but synthetic and with clear and evident sporty references. Very tapered, with a long and slender bonnet, the tail with the central fin, the motorcycle-type mudguards positioned on the wheels and detached from the rest of the body gave the car lightness and dynamism. The fins for the air vent placed on the sides of the engine hood divided into two parts were also repeated at the base of the body, further strengthening its sportiness. The two front seats were offset in order to obtain a narrower and more adherent line to the underlying chassis, exactly like the racing cars of those years, a proper torpedo.

 

 

This proposal did not go unnoticed by the FIAT management who immediately agreed with Ghia to have the production rights straight away. With the production, compared to the Ghia prototype, the most evident change is found in the fenders which are continuous with footboard and adherent to the bodywork, the finning on the sides of the bonnet is constant and not divided into two parts, the front of the radiator is still inclined but flat and without the central edge with a bow shape, the special external handles are also positioned for opening and closing the doors and the rear hood. The lower part of the tail is slightly lengthened to allow the rear springs to be completely covered, which instead tended to show the joints. The new sports version of the 508 Balilla was presented at the 1933 Milan Auto Show as the 508 Sport Spyder, arousing great enthusiasm among the public, but above all among the drivers of the time. This first version had a three-speed gearbox like the sedan, engine called 108 S and compression ratio brought to 7:1 with an output of 30 horsepower. The following year – 1934 – the model is going to be equipped with the new 108 CS engine, as on the renewed series version, with overhead valves and 4-speed gearbox with power increased to 36 hp.

 

 

In the same year, a racing version was also prepared for the drivers, more responsive to the Ghia prototype, with motorcycle-type mudguards to reduce the weight of the car and re-proposing the continuous finning at the base of the frame to further accentuate the racing character of the car. The official FIAT driver Felice Nazzaro contributed to the development of the 508 SS from the very beginning. The new little sports car was ready and needed to be tested in the most prestigious road rally, where the private drivers were the first to bring a large number of Balilla Sport Spyders (about twenty) to the Mille Miglia in April 1933, ready to be deployed in the class of small cars up to 1,100 cubic centimeters. The Ricci-Maggi team finished 29^th overall and first in class with an average of 86.720 Kph and a time of 19h 01’36”. 12 more Balilla SS followed in the standings, as the success achieved and the enthusiasm of the public and drivers was huge as the car was really robust, reliable and fast. Fuel consumption was low and with a considerable mileage the car could travel about 600 km with a full tank of petrol. With three refuelings it was able to travel easily and abundantly the entire route of the Mille Miglia (1,650 km), moreover its trunk was shaped in such a way as to be able to contain two spare wheels, very useful for easy punctures on the roads as it was back in the days.

But the other resounding success of the little torpedo took place at the Primo Giro Automobilistico d’Italia “Coppa d’Oro del Littorio” in 1934, a very hard and very long race of about 6,000 km and divided into three stages, which allowed to cover the entire peninsula and the complete perimeter of Sicily. On the starting line in the Class up to 1,100 – the most crowded of them all – a swarm of FIAT 508 SS was lined up. In the photos of the time there are more than twenty, both in its normal version and in the lightened racing version with motorcycle mudguards.

 

 

The Gazzetta dello Sport of 4 June 1934 reports the classification and the first four places in the Class up to 1,100 cc are only 508 SS, the first with the Brignone-Aymini crew who won the “Coppa d’Oro” at an average 78.598 kph, the second at an average of 78.234 kph, the third with 77.561 kph and the fourth with 76.527 kph. A respectable average speed held for six thousand kilometers on dusty and dirt roads. From that moment the Balilla Sport Spyder will also take on the prestigious denomination of “Coppa d’Oro”. To be picky, the meritorious model of this prestigious denomination should be the “Corsa” model with motorcycle mudguards, because that of the Brignone-Aymini team, winner of the Coppa d’Oro del Littorio had this specific configuration. The model with wing fenders and platform was also called “Mille Miglia” for the victory obtained in ’33 at the Freccia Rossa race. This version should not be confused with the Balilla Mille Miglia Berlinetta, still produced by FIAT and launched in 1935, for offering greater comfort to the drivers taking part in the race, but it turned out not to be competitive compared to the SS model as it was heavier. Apparently it was produced in only 11 units.

We meet the FIAT 508 Sport Spyder of this article, owned by our friend Marco Luciano – a refined vintage cars collector – at the Cavallerizza Caprilli in Pinerolo, once an important Military Cavalry School and until a few years ago the largest existing equestrian school in Europe. To welcome us with the honors of the house we have: Captain Alessandro Torarolo and Marshal Natale Natale, but we are quickly joined by the young and elegant Amazon Federica Santiano with her splendid steed Eveline, with the black cloak that together with the car create a perfect scenic choreography, added value to this particular moment. The context is unusual and unexpected for a car, but you know, when the “horses” are purebred their pairing is perfect, just as the Liberty architecture of the Cavallerizza is scenically perfect.

 

 

She, the absolute protagonist, sports a very elegant all-black livery with a dark red leather interior in combination with the splendid spoked rims, equipped in the center with hub caps in chromed steel, embossed with the “F” for Fergat, an important brand of motorcycle and sports cars rims. Built by the Reparto Carrozzerie Speciali FIAT and registered in 1933, it belongs to the first series, also known as Mille Miglia, for having raced the Freccia Rossa with surprising and unexpected results. The mudguards are the winged ones adhering to the bodywork with a central platform. Very interesting and of particular shape the front fenders, slightly longer and stretched forward than other 508 SS models, it is not known whether this is due to a further intervention by Mario Revelli di Beaumont (FIAT Carrozzerie Speciali consultant) to make it more flamboyant , as it was in his style in those years, or if following an intervention requested by the previous owners. The line of the car immediately conveys its sportiness in every detail. One of the most fascinating and characterizing elements is the tail, defined as an insect because it resembles a ladybug, but also known as a fish belly due to the central fin that runs along the trunk lid. This fin does not specifically have a precise aerodynamic function, but visually contributes to express the idea of ​​dynamism, speed, ideally bringing us back to a plane with its rudder.

 

 

The passenger compartment is truly torpedo-like, narrow and compact even in length, the seats are fixed, offset without the possibility of adjustment and the backrests create a beautiful movement in the body to be contained. That of the driver in the most advanced position has the backrest equipped with a small lateral vertical bulkhead that allows support and containment of the torso through corners, moreover the greater space in height for the legs is obtained by eliminating the dashboard and the instrumentation in front of the driver, while on the floor there is a cockpit housing that allows you to lengthen the left leg during resting moments. The co-driver’s seat in the rearmost position however allows more space for the legs and the positioning of the on-board instrumentation on the dashboard developed only on the right and therefore asymmetrical positioned on the floor, we find the footrest to be able to counteract body movements in curves. The offset of the seats allows the driver greater movement with his arms, especially in the maneuverability of the gear lever which in certain positions is almost hidden by his same legs, as well as allowing greater visibility on the right side, not having interference with the head of the co-pilot.

 

 

As the cockpit is very narrow and tapered, padded supports are positioned on the side at knee and calf level to keep the body and legs still through the bends. Everything about this car is designed in a rational and ergonomic way aimed at speed, even if entering the passenger compartment especially from the driver’s side is not so immediate and easy, especially if you have long legs. You need to put your right leg on first, try to slide on the seat by slightly twisting your torso, then bend your left one and literally pull it into the cockpit, obviously if you decide to open the small and low door. Otherwise you sit at the level of the backrest, put your legs on and let yourself slide inside in a very sporty way, after all, all this falls within the racing spirit of the car. Despite the narrow passenger compartment, practical pockets have been created on the interior panels of the small red leather-covered doors to hold road maps or driving gloves. Right behind the passenger compartment before the line of the rear bonnet we find another interesting refinement, a tubular chromed steel bar slightly raised and parallel to the bodywork, at that point this slides vertically upwards and once locked, the rear part of the hood which is then attached to the bodyand at the front on the side pillars of the windscreen. In the following model, this chromed rib is eliminated in favor of a channel or depression in the body made behind the seats, in such a way as to contain the folded hood almost entirely in thickness. Modification certainly more practical for its use, but aesthetically less pleasant as it disturbs the overall profile of the bodywork and in particular of the tail. This change was possible because the second series had a slight increase in wheelbase – about 5 cm – with a consequent lengthening of the same body.

 

 

An element that generally goes unnoticed but which is worthy of attention because it is very rare to find today on the 508 SS is the rear license plate holder, also the result of a careful aerodynamic study, consisting of a single body piece that seen in profile and being in sheet metal it recalls in a small way the section of the wing of an airplane, closed on the front by transparent plexiglass. The windshield is framed only at the base and at the sides with a chromed steel profile, the upper part of the glass is free, visually contributing to greater lightness and sportiness. On the driver’s side pillar there is a rare FIAT accessory provided for this model, an adjustable depth light with the rear-view mirror incorporated on the back, the spotlight has the frosted Balilla writing on its transparent glass.

But the real surprise about this 508 Sport Spyder can be found by examining its splendid Tipo 108 S engine with the maximum of SIATA processing. The famous OHV cylinder head, which not only anticipates the CS-type engine, but is able to achieve greater turbulence, as stated in an advertisement of the time with a consequent significant increase in power. Even the exhaust manifold is different and the carburetor is larger, the aluminum oil pan with a particular shape with side fins improves cooling. The engine thus developed is capable of delivering 46 hp compared to the 30 of the production version and 36 of the second series. The set-up is also modified and uses special shock absorbers – SIATA as well – with hydraulic clutch to improve grip in consideration of the increase in speed obtained. The car was born with a three-speed gearbox but this too was again modified with a SIATA application which consists in inserting the fourth in direct drive and a silent third and a different ratio compared to the original one. With the gearbox modified this way, there is a better acceleration, sparing the engine on uphill routes.

 

 

 

Raising the trunk lid we find another very interesting element, hidden behind the spare wheel, placed vertically there is in fact a double tank for refueling with bulkheads and double filler neck. These modifications are all original of the era and have a precise reason. In 1933, the first owner was the gentleman driver Teodoro Cattani from Siena, who entered the car at the 1934 Mille Miglia in the category up to 1,100 cubic centimeters and entrusted it to the Malucci-Astolfi duo who finished nineteenth overall and fifth in class, for an finishing time of 18h31’52” obtaining a remarkable result for a private crew. The victory went to Varzi who ran in the class up to 3,000, with an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Spyder Brianza raised to 2,600 cc and belonging to the Scuderia Ferrari which completed the race in just 14h 08 ’05”.

 

 

During the restoration several punches emerged on the flap of the front and rear fenders as well as on the firewall and on the internal development of the doors: the punching shows the number 115. These were necessary because in those days the bodies were built by hand and could have slight differences between each other, therefore a fender, a bonnet or other element were not perfectly interchangeable with cars of the same type. Then, as each body was built, the various pieces were punched to be recognized and assembled together correctly. Over the years this 508 SS has changed many owners, landing first in Rome and then in Sicily, in Palermo, where it entered the personal collection of Counts Tasca Bordonaro d’Almeria, which determined its conservation. But its glorious participation in car events does not end here, in more recent times, landing in the north of Italy it has been used in various re-enactments of the historic Mille Miglia, conducted by driver Roberto Vesco who together with his son Andrea won the 2020 edition on the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750.

 

 

The current owner, Architect Marco Luciano, has participated with the car in many important and prestigious events dedicated to vintage cars such as some editions of the “Stella Alpina” in Trentino, 2013 ASI Show in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Louis Vuitton Classic Rally on the occasion of the Louis Vuitton Trophy on the island of La Maddalena in May 2010, “Saint Jean Cap Ferrat Prestige 2017” elegance contest just to name a few, but its participation in sporting or elegance events continues steadily today.

The piece of this article carries within itself a great gift that makes it unique, that of being “Born to Race”, with its high-performance SIATA engine, gearbox and set-up, for the details of the bodywork that enhance its aerodynamics and for the specific FIAT accessories all around. For all these reasons it also represents a precise and precious reference for the restoration of other 508 SS because it is truly complete in all its parts. The FIAT 508 Sport Spyder, generically and popularly better known as BALILLA Coppa d’Oro, today more than ever makes hearts beat faster at first sight or just mentioning it and represents more and more over time a very coveted and sought after piece for lovers of vintage cars especially if gentlemen drivers, for its handling qualities, sturdiness, reliability, for its charm, for having a very favorable coefficient in races – especially the ’33 model – and last but not least the possibility to participate in very coveted and renowned car events such as the historical re-enactment of the Milla Miglia.

 

 

For this article we wish to thank the Cavallerizza di Pinerolo, General Luigi Greco, Captain Alessandro Torarolo, Marshal Natale Natale, the Amazon Federica Santiano and her splendid mare Eveline for the docile collaboration, in addition of course to the architect Marco Luciano, for having made the glorious FIAT 508 Sport Spyder available to us.