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Cisitalia 202 Coupe racing history HELP!


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#1 jwmoore

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Posted 11 July 2019 - 16:32

I am trying to research the racing history of 1947 Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport Coupe chassis number 102. It was purchased from a car dealer Glen Cove, NY in 1968. Supposedly it was previously owned buy Rob de la Rive Box (automotive book author). The car had obviously been raced, its bumpers had been removed, holes filled, plexiglass side and rear windows. trafficators removed and filled, etc. It also has the Mille Miglia spec. two carb. engine (original). It looks like the original color was french blue but, was red when purchased from New York in 1968. According to Racing Sports Cars website there were several gentlemen racing Cisitalia 202's in the Northeast, Russ Boss, Jim McGee, Joseph Ferguson, Bob Said, Dick Gent, Bruce Taylor, and Ken Denston. I have a webpage with photos of the car at:  http://www.autoarch....sitalia202.html

 

I have Zero history prior to 1968 when my friend bought the car and it would be wonderful to discover some. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

jwmoore



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#2 Rupertlt1

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Posted 11 July 2019 - 19:06

Russell Boss, Providence R.I., ran Queen Catharine Cup, Watkins Glen, 1951.

Car could be said to be "french blue." Looks like it had wheel-arch extensions (on further examination I discount this).

I've reviewed your pictures - this could be the car. #98 Fitch Ferrari also blue?

Also Jim McGee and Joseph Ferguson at Bridgehampton, 1951.

Queen Catharine Cup, Watkins Glen, 1952: #58 Richard Gent, Cisitalia, Cleveland, OH, 10th O/A, car was red.

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 12 July 2019 - 14:01.


#3 jwmoore

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Posted 12 July 2019 - 14:06

Ruperlt1, Do you have a picture of the Cisitalia Russ Boss raced? Here is a picture of the blue paint color. IMG_1077.jpg



#4 Rupertlt1

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Posted 12 July 2019 - 14:20

I wonder whether what I have is the Fitch Ferrari - but will send in case. PM me. RGDS RLT



#5 john medley

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Posted 12 July 2019 - 21:27

Nino Borsari raced one in Australia around 1950



#6 iicarJohn

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Posted 05 March 2020 - 17:08

The Stabilimenti Farina body number for chassis 102 is "8836". Chassis 103 (one of two valid Cisitalia cars with that chassis number) has body #8837. Each of these (chassis 102 and 103) seem to be solid "1948" examples rather than "1947".

 

Ursula Messmer of Kloten, Switzerland was the owner from whom Rob de la Rive Box purchased the car around 1966. It had a Zurich license plate that might be researched if one has the right connections? That information came to me from Rob Box himself.

 

Although anything is possible, it seems to me that a USA racing use history is no more likely than a European history, whether or not any racing was done by this particular car.

 

If you wonder about the statement that chassis 103 is one of two cars bearing the chassis number "103", then you may wish to know that one car bearing chassis "103" is very similar to the subject car, also with a berlinetta body by Stabilimenti Farina bearing a body number consecutively later than the subject car. The engine number is also one number higher. We should probably avoid assuming that they were completed in numerical order? The other car numbered "103" is a cabriolet by Vignale and its history seems to begin 1949 rather than 1948. Its Cisitalia engine number is much higher.

 

It has proven to be quite common to find duplicate chassis numbers on Cisitalia cars that can be documented as being historically valid. It is not common to find duplicate engine numbers from Cisitalia. My studies reveal more than 20 examples of chassis number duplications thus far. Sometimes there is a letter suffix that differentiates them and sometimes there is not. Each story is its own. But, this also tells us that we cannot simply take the highest chassis number and lowest and do simple math to arrive at any meaningful production numbers. More cars were built than a simple count implies. This also allows us to think it is POSSIBLE that there may be another car numbered "102" that is simply not yet known to us?

 

Nino Borsari's car (mentioned above) was chassis 036 and it has Pinin Farina body number "9935". It had a declared chassis origin date in its papers that stated "20 October 1947" but was first sold and registered (in Trieste) one full year later. Borsari, an Italian champion bicyclist, purchased the car during April 1950 and registered it in Milano before taking it with him when he moved to Australia later that year.

 

Entertaining stuff, the study of Cisitalia production and histories!