1979 Abarth SE033 Formula Fiat Abarth

The Formula Abarth SE 033 is built around a polyurethane foam-filled steel sheet monocoque chassis with front and rear tubular subframes to make eventual repairs cheaper and easier. For the same reason, all four corners of the car share the same suspension components and many mechanical components are derived from a Fiat-Lancia parts bin. The wheel uprights and the push-rods are made of cast aluminium to save weight. The bodywork is made of self-extinguishing fibreglass, while the engine is the same 2000cc DOHC unit that powered the Lancia Beta, uprated to 132hp and 179nm of torque aptly delivered to the rear wheels by the same 5-speed gearbox found on the Beta Montecarlo.

With the premise that this is a well-raced race car, we can say that the fibreglass bodywork, sidepods and ancillaries are in good condition and structurally sound. Some chips and battle scars appear here and there but they can be regarded as cosmetic imperfections and nothing more. From what we were able to see, there are no major signs of repairs, despite the left sidepod showing some bubbling underneath the paint.

We can't talk about luxurious leather and comfy seats in this case so we'll stick to what truly matters: The front roll hoop, made of boxed, gusseted steel and its taller, rear companion appear to be structurally sound with no self-evident traces of impacts.

The tub, which also doubles as a seat, is painted rather well and equally and shows no signs of accidents, something that's quite rare for a vintage formula car. The Abarth stamped pedal box seems to be in good working condition. The brake balance bar and its uniballs are free of excessive play and the throttle linkage is clean and almost wear-free. The clutch pedal pushes directly on the clutch's master cylinder, which seats underneath the Fiat 131 steering box in close proximity to the twin brake master cylinders. The harness and the fire extinguisher are well preserved and look almost new, although we couldn't gather their expiration date. The instrument cluster is rather minimalist in design: there's a large rev meter with a 10k rpm full scale, with a water and oil temperature gauge on either side of it. The only warning lights that found their place on this little panel are the oil level and battery\alternator ones. There are also a few switches here and there, with their function still unknown to us given the lack of tags.

This SE-033 looks solid and almost ready to race. The engine is the same 2000cc, DOHC unit that powered the Lancia Beta and shows no major signs of leaks and is fed by two double-barrel carburettors, while 4 in 1 exhaust manifold connects to a very simple, unsilenced and barely rusted exhaust pipe. The remotely activated fire extinguishing system is in good nick and most hoses appear to have been recently replaced. The oil cooler seems to be an updated version compared to the original one, which was derived from the Fiat 131 parts bin. The almost horizontal water cooler, which hangs in front of the front wheels, appears in good condition as well. The same can be said about the braking system, with Brembo calipers all-around which should be almost ready to use, save from some rusting on some bolts. The anti-roll bars are in equally good condition. The gear-shift linkage seems to have been recently refreshed from what we can see, with only some minor rusting present on the shifter lever. The aluminium 13", 2-piece wheels were made by Speedline for Abarth, according to the castings and, despite some scuffs and marks, can be used without issue.

We weren't able to gather information on this car's track record but its HTP passport states that the car is currently built to 1982 specifications. Given that this car is chassis number 97 of roughly 150, we are not sure that the 1979 stated build date accurately reflects its production year.

With the caveat that we cannot use the same criteria, we follow when we evaluate a road car here's what we have to say about this Formula Abarth: Race car drivers in the 80s were feisty gladiators and their cars often wore, quite proudly, some battle scars. In minor Formulae and the various feeder series, the up-and-coming young guns were eager to prove their worth in order to find a seat in the upper echelons of motorsports. This Abarth SE-033 undoubtedly shows some minor chips and battle scars here and there in its long career that outlasted the Formula Abarth championship, which ended in 1986. At least the new-ish harness and fire extinguishing system make us believe so. However, we couldn't see any signs of major crashes and the car itself appears to be structurally sound. The lucky new owner will therefore face a relatively hard choice between restoring this car to its original conditions, turning it into a museum piece or simply freshening up its safety items, doing a precautionary overhaul when replacing the old bolts and fasteners and enjoying it in one of the many championships dedicated to vintage formula cars. We honestly think that the latter would be a glorious experience, with the distinctive Lancia engine sound pitted against the equally majestic Reynard SF79 "Formula Ford" from the same years.

Price estimate for this Formula Abarth: € 26.000 - € 30.000

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in the province of Bergamo, Italy. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our “Frequently Asked Questions”.