Author Topic: Solved TGF-486: Fiat 1100 BLR based, Advertising car by Castagna. (Read 1426 times)

targhediferro · « **on:** June 25, 2015, 10:34:05 AM »

I don't know what car it is...just some ideas; so I'll give the point to the puzzler who will be able to give a correct answer with a proof. Model and coachbuilder required.

targhediferro · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2015, 05:26:22 AM »

I'd like to know something about this beautiful back...so Pros' time.

pguillem · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2015, 08:07:37 PM »

It seems to be an Alfa Romeo from 1953 for the Giro, but I can't tell the model. Tremendous American-looking body ! Who could have bodied it ?

targhediferro · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2015, 09:08:07 AM »

Fantastic...that's absolutely the same car so I think you deserve a point even if we don't know the coachbuilder yet. I'll give another to who will be able to add the missing part! If I correctly read the caption it seem to be from 1951 (the plate number is from 1949). The Vistotal windscreen would suggest Castagna, but I'd like to have a proof.

thorax · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2015, 06:51:19 PM »

pguillem · « **Reply #5 on:** July 11, 2015, 10:35:35 PM »

The other image, from a Delcampe announcement. Perhaps Ferrara75 knows more...

Paul Jaray · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2015, 07:39:34 AM »

I have that magazine here in front of me...no more info in that article :/

Bill Murray · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2015, 07:53:19 AM »

I have spent far too much time on this one and have found no answer.

However, here are two photos that may start some new thinking.

I thought I recognized the wheel cover/hub cap and I think I found a match, a 1930's or so Packard.
As well, I found a photo from 1938 showing a Packard used as a promotional vehicle in Italy for Campari so this would not be completely unusual. And then............a complete dead end.

Perhaps one of you can come up with something along this line of thinking.

Bill

Hiawatha · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2015, 08:42:25 AM »

Just to confuse the matter..Is it the same car with an elevating roof or two different cars?

Bill Murray · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2015, 08:55:20 AM »

Wow, Luciano, I missed that completely.
I guess I was concentrating on very small details and not the "big picture".

Certainly in looking at the puzzle photo, there appears no seam in the top of the vehicle that would allow the top to be raised or otherwise look like the newer photos. Unless, of course, it was an assembled piece that could be lowered onto the top when the vehicle was not travelling on ordinary roads but in a parade or something.

A very good observation!!

Bill

targhediferro · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2015, 09:00:52 AM »

I missed it too...wow; could they be two cars?
I found some other clues that made me quite sure that the coachbuilder is Castagna...here they are.

pguillem · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2015, 11:35:44 AM »

Quote from: Bill Murray on July 13, 2015, 07:53:19 AM

I have spent far too much time on this one and have found no answer.

However, here are two photos that may start some new thinking.

I thought I recognized the wheel cover/hub cap and I think I found a match, a 1930's or so Packard.
As well, I found a photo from 1938 showing a Packard used as a promotional vehicle in Italy for Campari so this would not be completely unusual. And then............a complete dead end.

Perhaps one of you can come up with something along this line of thinking.

Bill

The hexagonal shape on the hubcaps was found on some other Castagna's creations. But the car is definitely American-looking.

Hiawatha · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2015, 12:42:58 PM »

Would you believe? The base is a very humble Fiat 1100 BLR Furgone...

pguillem · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2015, 01:27:42 PM »

Quote from: Hiawatha on July 16, 2015, 12:42:58 PM

Would you believe? The base is a very humble Fiat 1100 BLR Furgone...

Could you complete this information ? It's rather difficult to find something about this car.

targhediferro · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2015, 04:16:30 PM »

Quote from: Hiawatha on July 16, 2015, 12:42:58 PM

Would you believe? The base is a very humble Fiat 1100 BLR Furgone...

Did you make a research with the plate number?

Hiawatha · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2015, 04:23:07 PM »

Yes..
No mention of coachbuilder unfortunately. Registered in April 1949 and first owners were indeed Tre Teste

Bill Murray · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2015, 05:06:43 PM »

Just a short post to say that I really appreciate the "Group Effort" to solve this puzzle.

Everyone is trying very hard and sharing their results with the rest of the gang so we can hopefully get a correct identification.

I just spent another hour on Google.it with no good information coming out of it, even using the search term "veicoli pubblicitari" in several different ways. That should have worked, but it did not.

One thought, it may well be a Fiat 1100 BLR, at least that is how the vehicle was originally registered, but it is so heavily modified, and, so heavy from the looks of it, I wonder if the original vehicle purchased by Tre Teste may have had it's registration changed to another chassis later on when the coachbuilder made this creation. Just a thought......

Bill

targhediferro · « **Reply #17 on:** July 17, 2015, 02:41:45 AM »

I begin to think that we actually have two different vehicles: the 1100 BLR based, with a low roof (we don't know if the front looks like the other, if it has a Vistotal windscreen, if it's by Castagna)...and the Alfa Romeo 6c2500 based, by Castagna, with tall roof...interesting, isn't it?

targhediferro · « **Reply #18 on:** July 17, 2015, 06:25:49 AM »

I think that Hiawatha deserves a point too, because his research has allowed us to know that we have not an Alfa Romeo (or almost not only an Alfa Romeo) but a Fiat 1100 BLR.
Who knows if someone will be able to add something more?

grobmotorix · « **Reply #19 on:** July 29, 2015, 11:09:28 AM »

The Tre Treste ad car with the high roof also came by this event in 1950.
It was obviously quite bigger than the low roof car.
I think the high roof car could really be Packard based...

grobmotorix · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2015, 11:23:15 AM »

The hood ornament of the high roof Tre Treste ad car can also be seen:

4popoid · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2015, 11:36:40 AM »

They're proliferating grob! We now have a high roof version, but a fixed roof (not elevating, as seen previously) as shown in the rear view of your first photograph.

Perhaps a whole fleet consisting of several vehicles of various origin?

Bill Murray · « **Reply #22 on:** July 29, 2015, 05:45:42 PM »

Hours and hours spent on this puzzle and no result.

But, this is how my research works..............

For our Italian friends I have found this much.

Tre Teste was apparently marketed by Ferramenta Teresio Vercesi who were based in Stradella, Italy.

In English, Hardware store/marketer/manufacturer Teresio Vercesi in Stradella, Italy.

I have done over 100 Google searches, both Image and Web as well as looking at Wikipedia possibilities and still have nothing.

Perhaps this additional information can help someone else solve this one as I am really wanting to know the answer. And.........yes............ I am now sure as you are that there were at least two different Tre Teste sales promotion vehicles.

Almost forgot, I also did about 20 searches on Giro d'Italia in the 1950's and got nothing and also tried Life magazine archives and got nothing.

A very good mystery indeed!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost forgot. I also did 25 or so Google searches on hood ornaments 1935-1960 and that also gave no results. I think this may have been a special ornament commissioned by the coach builder.

Bill

grobmotorix · « **Reply #23 on:** July 30, 2015, 03:46:06 AM »

In my opinion there were at least THREE Tre Teste cars joining this 1950 Giro di italia tour.

I am quite sure that at the very left of this photo there is even a second smaller car...

4popoid · « **Reply #24 on:** July 30, 2015, 11:36:13 AM »

Quote from: grobmotorix on July 30, 2015, 03:46:06 AM

In my opinion there were at least THREE Tre Teste cars joining this 1950 Giro di italia tour.

I am quite sure that at the very left of this photo there is even a second smaller car...

I think you are correct grob. The car on the extreme left does look yet another Tre Teste vehcle, and, judging from what can be seen of the left front quarter, different from any previously posted. So adding the vehicle with the elevating roof, which is different from any of these three, we now have a fleet of at least FOUR different Tre Testa vehicles.

News:

Author Topic: Solved TGF-486: Fiat 1100 BLR based, Advertising car by Castagna. (Read 1426 times)