We have to thank Johnny Gaudette for the tip on this amazing old Fiat Topolino drag car that he found while goofing off in study hall or something yesterday. The steel bodied cars was built in 1959 and has lived and raced in New England for its life, apparently. It looks to be in awesome shape and has obviously been touched up/restored recently judging by the freshness of the paint on the body and the chassis as well as the vibrant and clean looks of the flathead engine. It was raced under two names during its competition life. First it was called the Chinese Bandit and later it was renamed the Swamp Yankee. The ad contains some old clippings that show the car held an NHRA record at one point. It was classed as a D/Altered and ran 12s at about 110mph. We dig the fact that this is a truly old school car with the mult-carb’d flathead providing the power. Was it run on fuel? Who knows.
Something that true BangShifters will appreciate is the fact that the car comes on the original trailer that was fabricated to haul it around on in the late 1950s. That stubby single axle, unsuspended piece probably has as many war stories than the race car does. We can imagine it hurtling down the road behind whatever sedan or wagon that was hauling it, a group of young guys full of excitement and anticipation on the way to places like Sanford, Maine, Colchester, Connecticut, Charlestown, Rhode Island, Orange, Massachusetts, and any of the other myriad of drag strips that operated during that time frame.
The $20,000 asking price is certainly not cheap but let’s apprise the situation. Starting from the bottom there are four REAL old school Halibrand wheels. The spoked spindle mounts up front and the kidney bean mags out back. Those alone are worth insano money. There’s the original Moon tank, there’s the ancient hand fabbed and probably gas welded chassis, there’s the steel Fiat Topolino body, and there’s the same 3-3/8″ stroker Flathead that made the umph back in the day living in the front along with the Lincoln transmission and narrowed ’40 rear end. Think you could even compile all that stuff for less than $20,000? We didn’t think so either.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS AND THEN HIT THE LINK TO SEE THE CRAIGSLIST AD WITH MORE PHOTOS AND INFO!
CRAIGSLIST FIND: A PERFECT AND ORIGINAL LATE 1950S STEEL FIAT BODIED ALTERED
Too cool for words.
“that he found while goofing off in study hall or something yesterday. ”
That’s is 100% accurate
Ya better hope your momma doesn’t read this 🙂
You think he’ll take $15,500?
I’ve druelling over this topo here in my home town and this one will run 9.xx’s — You should see all the other stuff he has in his garage besides this — I need another Fiat LOL
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4194720233.html
That is too cool and worth the asking price.
I wonder if it has a firewall and would even be allowed at tracks… I feel like it wouldnt pass tech with the gas tank and engine right there up front without a firewall shielding the driver.
Look at the Craigslist photos. The “Chinese Bandit” has a square cut-out in its hood and its front axle is much more forward than the car for sale. The car for sale looks more like the “Swamp Yankee.” The prospective buyer should ask for documentation.
Have we found a home for the new turbo LS?
i wonder if i can talkk my wife into putting off the kitchen remodel
I remember when cool stuff like this sat behind repair shops and gas stations in most town you’d go through, when I was a kid and
I’d want everyone I’d see!!
have a 1948 roller for sale if anyone interested
Did this sell?