Siata 208S Prototype | FerrariChat

Siata 208S Prototype

Discussion in 'Other Italian' started by El Wayne, Oct 31, 2016.

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  1. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    #1 El Wayne, Oct 31, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I've split this discussion off from the Seeking 250 Info thread in Vintage in order to not sidetrack that discussion. The discussion began with this photo, posted by Ed Niles, and showing Boano 0429 GT when owned by Ed in 1962. To the very left of the photo, one can just make out a red Siata 208S:
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  2. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Looking back at the the green 0429, I realized that it was in front of a friend's house; he owned a Siata OttoVu prototype with only one door. Prototype City!
     
  3. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    #3 El Wayne, Nov 1, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  4. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Sorry, but if you look at the pic of the green 0429 you'll see a slot (for brakes?) that doesn't appear on yours. My recollection, not to be trusted, is that the grill was the standard shape, i.e., squarish, not roundish.
     
  5. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    Ed, what was your friend's name? That could make it fairly easy to identify which car it was.

    The slots are where the bumpers mount on the standard Motto spiders. Your friend's car may have been modified at some point.

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    As for the single-door Bertone spider prototypes, here's what I come up with:

    1. The first Michelotti-designed Bertone spider prototype (round grille, single door, slotted bonnet) is said to have been built by Bertone on Balbo 208CS coupe CS062 and subsequently shown in New York in 1953 (my earlier B&W pics). I imagine it was given a new chassis number and is actually one of the two existing prototypes.

    2. The blue California car is built on tipo 400L chassis BS502. It has been in CA for some time (Barry Silverman, Ron Busuttil), so it could very well be your friend's car. It may have suffered some modifications to the nose over time, which would explain why its current configuration doesn't match the nose on your friend's car, the nose on the NY '53 prototype, or the production 208S Motto spider nose.

    3. Another Bertone spider prototype also exists, tipo 208S chassis BS501, which is the red car most recently owned by Robert Owens of Haverford, PA, as shown below. I can't completely rule this one out as your friend's car just yet (it was also in CA for some time with Knute Kolmann), as the nose could have been restored to the current round-grille configuration at some later point. But I don't think this is likely.

    I don't keep histories on these cars, so I could be wrong about much of this. I know we have some Siata people on here, though, so hopefully someone will set me straight!

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  6. Mang

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    Apologies for going slightly off your topic gentlemen, just wanted to say I have always had an eye for these cars since way back...

    In 1971,'72 I played youth soccer in walnut creek, ca. One of my first teammates was one of the DeBoer kids, honestly can't remember which. Jarl (dad) had a whole front yard full of amazing looking Italian sports cars parked all over clumpy dirt under big walnut trees. He also had a modified Mercedes mini bus that he hauled us to away soccer games in and why we were hanging out in his front yard. I was the only 12 year old kid who got out of the van and walked around looking closer at these neat little cars. It was something like 25+ Siatas!!

    Fast forward, I'm young, car savvy, have a little dough, early 80's, and have a good feeling about these cars. I meet a guy named Knute Kohlman - do I have that right? We were discussing me acquiring his 208S spare car for $15k - a one that got away story, I passed. :/

    A design GREAT! Lovely cars.
     
  7. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    Yep, you got it right. Unfortunately, it looks like things haven't been going well for Knute.
     
  8. Mang

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    Woah, I got to page 2 and enough.
     
  9. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    By the way, John is actually a registered user on here. When I refer to "Siata people", he's exactly who I'm thinking of.

    And while we're on this confusing topic of the Siata 208 cars, here's an excerpt from one of his previous posts:

     
  10. Mang

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    I did make contact with John years ago about our childhood connection via the Alfa bb. I think we determined it was another brother? I can't remember squat, lol. But I do remember the cool cars all over the place as a kid.
     
  11. El Wayne

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    #11 El Wayne, Nov 2, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    And just because threads like this are always better with more pictures, here are more of BS501. Notice in the "as found" pics that the car had gained a passenger door at some point. Of course, this was corrected during the subsequent restoration.
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  12. Streetsurfer

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    #12 Streetsurfer, Nov 2, 2016
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  13. El Wayne

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    Fixed it for you.
     
  14. Streetsurfer

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    Thank you very much. Don't know if it helps any, but thought I'd share it.
     
  15. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    I met a guy who had a Siatra spider and it was crushed by a collapsed barn or garage. The car was in perfect shape when I saw it. He was able to pull it out and restore it back to what looked like original condition.
     
  16. Ed Niles

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    IMO, the 208 is one of the most desirable of the etceterini. Never had one, but I did have a smaller model (Daina?) that had been a "mule" by dealer Ernie McAfee. It had used several engines, and had a Turner (!) when I had it. What a lump.
     
  17. Ed Niles

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    El Wayne, I can't remember the guy's name, but would know it if I heard it. I think maybe we were partners on 0429GT.
     
  18. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    I was thinking either Barry Silverman or Knute Kohlman, but I have neither associated with 0429 GT.

    The first time you bought 0429 was on September 14, 1962, from Samson Auto Salvage. In June 1963, I believe you sold it to Antonio Nuccio, who was a mechanic at Sal's place. It somehow went back to Samson Auto Salvage soon after, and then you purchased it from Samson again on August 24, 1964 and sold it to Dave Sherriff of Alta Dena in February 1965.

    By the way, who was Samson? There's still a Samson Auto Salvage on Alameda in South Central L.A.--same place?
     
  19. NürScud

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  20. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    El W: No familiar name yet; keep trying. Don't remember who ran Samson, but yeah, still there. My friend was never on title to 0429, but I think he found it and I "restored" it (paint job, front nerf bar, vinyl interior, hid the gold paint)
     

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