Chassis #136-0117 – 1965 Abarth Simca 2Mila Longnose
If you’re reading this magazine, you’re probably passionate about vintage racecars. You love the sounds they make, the smells that waft from them, the sensation of driving them as close to the limit as your skills will allow. You also love the specific histories associated with each of these machines. Who drove them, when, at what event, and, of course, how did they match up against the competition? These are the details that keep us engaged in the hobby, keep us expanding our knowledge about our sport’s history.
But what about a racing machine with a lost history? One that is obviously genuine (perhaps even important) whose past has been obscured by decades of cobwebs. This month’s Hidden Treasure is just such a beast. Les Burd is an Abarth fanatic. At 67 years of age, Burd says he’s been collecting the cars of Carlo Abarth for more than 50 years and blames his father for the affliction. It’s the build quality, engineering excellence and Abarth ingenuity that have kept him engaged. Over the years Burd has owned a number of Abarth 750 Zagato Double Bubbles, Record Monzas and even a Prototype Abarth Simca 1300 with genuine 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans racing history.
