Hi Franco, This is text from your excellent narrative on these cars: "On 7 October 1954, 2059 was presented at the 41st Paris Show (Mondiale de l’Automobile). Although in the same livery, this berlinetta was now fitted with an unusual air inlet at the top of its rear fenders. It is worth mentioning that one original rendering by Aldo Brovarone, at Pinin Farina, shows this solution, occasionally used by Pinin Farina on other racing cars of this same era. Owned by count Alberto Magi Diligenti, of Florence, on 5 May 1955 the car was entered in the Mille Miglia (No. 643). He raced the car in a white livery together with Ilfo Minzoni, without much success: 13th in class and 109th overall. By the way, the Milano road plates fitted to the car at that time belong to a Fiat 1100. They just grabbed something to reach Brescia on the road, as it was not unusual practice in those days…In a letter to the organizers, Magi Diligenti wrote: “our car received nevertheless more applause then any other entry”. "I must now presume the text was aimed at 2060? Best regards Boudewijn
Attention, the license plate is right. In the past it is not very common to find plates exchanged to go running. Let's say that it is more difficult to identify an old brand or a model from Pra documents or simply to read the chassis number, especially if the chassis number it's an office assignment (for a craft product, for a car assembled with different parts, for a damaged car, for a single model, etc.), but the use of an incorrect license plate for a run of 1600 km would have been impossible ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Boudewijn and Corrado, My apologies: first, sorry of being late in getting back to you, but I was travelling abroad in vacation with extremely poor internet connection. Sorry also for my mistakes. Of course, my original text was correct. I simply had a senior moment answering your post in a rush without double-checking my notes. No. 643 at the 1955 Mille Miglia was 2059. My research at the Milan PRA of long time ago was done on a different photo, a very poor one, and obviously I misinterpreted at least a number from the plate, ending-up with a Fiat 1100. Nevertheless, I would not totally agree on the last point Corrado is making. While not a “normal” procedure, quick temporary “loans” of different documents for racing purposes or to overcome formal difficulties were not unknown at all in Italy in those happy and tumultuous days. Andrea Curami mentioned having found a few similar cases in relationship to early ecceterinis racing life. Getting back to 2059 and 2060, all this confirms that the initial life of 2060 as a PF Berlinetta is rather obscure and very poorly documented. I only have one photo showing it with its original livery in red with a light blue (celeste) strip. Does anybody have further photos? Thank you for your attention and your contributions. Franco Lombardi
