• Home
  • Site Info
    • Welcome
    • Contact
    • About
    • Writer’s Guide
  • Privacy Policy
  • Premium Ad-Free Membership
  • E-Mail Subscription
  • Register
  • Log In
Curbside Classic

  • Home
  • Archives
    • American Brands: Ford
    • American Brands: Chrysler
    • American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others
    • Automotive Histories and Misc.
    • Asian Brands
    • UK Brands
    • Australian Brands
    • European Brands
    • Cars Of A Lifetime & Auto-Biography
    • Buses
    • American Brands: GM
    • Trucks, Pickups and Vans
    • Design
    • Trains, Planes & Ships
    • Motorcycles, Trikes, Bicycles
    • Engines, Transmissions and other Tech
    • Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment
    • RVs, Motorhomes, Trailers, Campers
  • Vintage Photos
  • Recent CC’s & Histories
    • American Brands
    • European Brands
    • Asian Brands
    • UK Brands
    • Australian Brands
    • Automotive Histories
  • Vintage Reviews
    • 1950s
      • GM Brands 1950s
      • Ford Brands 1950s
      • Chrysler Brands 1950s
      • Other American Brands 1950s
      • European Brands 1950s
    • 1960s
      • GM Brands 1960s
      • Ford Brands 1960s
      • Chrysler Brands 1960s
      • Other American Brands 1960s
      • European Brands 1960s
      • Asian Brands 1960s
    • 1970s
      • GM Brands 1970s
      • Ford Brands 1970s
      • Chrysler Brands 1970s
      • Other American Brands 1970s
      • European Brands 1970s
      • Asian Brands 1970s
    • 1980s
      • GM Brands 1980s
      • Ford Brands 1980s
      • Chrysler Brands 1980s
      • Other American Brands 1980s
      • European Brands 1980s
      • Asian Brands 1980s
    • 1990s
      • GM Brands 1990s
      • Ford Brands 1990s
      • Asian Brands 1980s
      • Chrysler Brands 1990s
      • Other American Brands 1990s
      • European Brands 1990s
      • Asian Brands 1990s
  • Junkyard
  • CC Cohort
  • US Car Sales Data 1946-1975
  • RSS Feed

CC Follow-Up: 1956 OSCA 750S Barchetta by Morelli – The Bits We Didn’t Get To See

By
Tatra87
– Posted on December 19, 2024

Given how CC hunting is done in Tokyo, one is liable to get a second bite at the apple on occasion. It’s not something you can count on: some cars are there pretty much every week, others just show up once. Earlier this year, we had a look at this rather exceptional Italian racer. It showed up again sometime after I had written the post; the owner opened it up for all to take a deeper gander, I thought I might take a few additional photos. Now’s a perfect time to share these…

It’s a bit like opening a Christmas present, isn’t it? Inside this curiously-styled machine (they used to call these tubo di dentifricio (“toothpaste tube”)) lies a jewel of an Italian engine, designed by the brothers Maserati.

Here it is: a tiny but perfect 748cc 4-cyl. – just like the Austin Seven, but that’s the only thing this OSCA has in common with the venerable Britisher. Here the engine is square, with equal bore and stroke of 62mm.

This was the smallest OSCA engine ever made, but it still bore the hallmarks of its kin: two overhead cams, two twin-barrel Weber carbs, producing 70hp and sending those to a live axle (either leaf- or coil- sprung, sources disagree on this point) via a 4-speed gearbox.

With only about 450kg to haul and what looks like a pretty sleek body, the little OSCA was a force to be reckoned with. This one was raced at the 1956 Mille Miglia and won its class, mere weeks after having had its body fitted by Morelli.

Here’s the back end, which seems to have attracted a lot of attention. Not much room for groceries.

Great example of efficient packaging, isn’t it? There just isn’t any fat to trim off this OSCA. It’s as lean as can be.

Let’s hope we can all claim as much after the upcoming holidays. But this follow-up post will not be the last of 2024, as another exotic Italian we saw (a bit quickly) earlier this year was finally able to stay still long enough to be photographed properly. We’ll see about that one tomorrow.

 

Related post:

Curbside Classic: 1956 OSCA 750S Barchetta by Morelli – Masterly Miniature Maserati, by T87

← Curbside Classics: ’84 & ’89 Mitsubishi Montero – From The Era Of Boxy SUVs
Vintage Snapshots: Parking Lots In The ’60s & ’70s →

9 Comments

  1. Reply
    avatar DougD
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 7:23 AM

    What a find (again!) That sure is a sweet looking little engine, and 70hp from 748cc is no slouch!

    So many great details, like the louvers on the hood.

  2. Reply
    avatar RetroStang Rick
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 9:04 AM

    A brilliant Red Barchetta from a better vanished time…

    Ok, with the obligatory Rush reference out of the way…

    WOW what a tiny little engine! I wonder what the red-line is for it? Somewhere over 10 or 11 thousand I would guess.

    It’s probably a hoot to drive while leaving the giants stranded at the riverside.

    Ok, I’ll stop now… WAIT one more…

    Referencing a comment I left on the post last week on Japanese license plate decoding, if ever a tag screams for the number 21-12, it’s this one. And yes, I know 2112 was not the correct album for the song Red Barchetta, although considering its story line, if ever there was something the Solar Federation was going to ban, it would be the ICE, or just cars in general.

    Pretty car and nice find, T-87!

  3. Reply
    avatar Owl
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 1:57 PM

    Do you drive your Italian racer through the streets of Tokyo or do you hide the trailer round the corner? So many out of the ordinary cars get trailered in England : always give extra marks for those who brave traffic, not to mention wind and rain here, in something precious

  4. Reply
    avatar JM Solberg
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 3:57 PM

    Pretty neat! Thank you!

    The front end has some shades of the Arnolt-Bristol. Perhaps a twee bit less wacky.

    That is a sweet engine! American companies would periodically employ European body designers, but never do I remember one employing a European engine designer. Could have helped!

    • Reply
      avatar Paul Niedermeyer
      Posted December 19, 2024 at 4:06 PM

      It’s an Italian car, through and through.

      • Reply
        avatar JM Solberg
        Posted December 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM

        Yes, but the Arnolt-Bristol had an Italian (Bertone) body. It’s the first car that came to mind, they were both two-seaters with vaguely tubular bodies and headlights stuck down low at “bumper level”, almost as an afterthought.

  5. Reply
    avatar Paul Niedermeyer
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 4:05 PM

    A truly exquisite car, and engine too. I’m not sure I’d fit but I would love t take it for a spin.

  6. Reply
    avatar doandroidsdreamofelectriccars
    Posted December 19, 2024 at 7:19 PM

    That speedtail is so sweet with its lack of bumper. Like a prototype sports car of the 50s with a fully functioning state of the art engine and drivetrain that matches its beauty. Whoever decided to mount the brake lights and turn signals by cutting into that sensuous unobstructed lip shall be forever ridiculed for doing so. Perhaps that was or is the law regarding placement, however I would have mounted them on top and inward a few inches inside enclosures modeled after the drivers streamlined headrest.

    A gem of Italian design and engineering.

  7. Reply
    avatar Peter Wilding
    Posted December 20, 2024 at 12:16 AM

    What a power to weight ratio this thing has! At 70hp for 450kg, this would be very sensitive to the driver’s weight. That rules me out…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Search
  • Subscribe to email notifications

  • Become a Curbside Member

  • Curbside Classics Archives
     American Brands - GMAmerican Brands: GM
    American Brands - FordAmerican Brands: Ford
    American Brands - ChryslerAmerican Brands:
    Chrysler
    American Brands - OtherAmerican Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others
    Automotive HistoriesAutomotive
    Histories and Misc.
    Curbside Classics - Asian Brands Asian Brands
     UK BrandsUK Brands
    Curbside Classic: Australian BrandsAustralian Brands
    Curbside Classics - European Brands European Brands
    Auto-BiographyCars Of A Lifetime & Auto-Biography
    Buses
    Trucks, Pickups and Vans
    Design
    Trains, Planes & Ships
    Motorcycles, Trikes, Bicycles
    Engines, Transmissions and other Tech
    Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment
    RVs, Motorhomes, Trailers, Campers
  • Privacy

    Click for CC’s Privacy Policy

  • Recent Comments
    • Eric703 on CC Find: 1985 Jeep Grand Wagoneer – Placeholder Cream Puff
    • rudiger on Car Show Classic: 1955 Studebaker Speedster – A Star (Luxury) Liner
    • Aaron Severson on 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Vs. Chrysler Cordoba – Personal Luxury Coupes For The Disco Inferno
    • Aaron Severson on 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Vs. Chrysler Cordoba – Personal Luxury Coupes For The Disco Inferno
    • Rollo Grande on 1975 Dodge Monaco CHP Police Pursuit Cars: True Bluesmobiles (Two of ’em!)
    • MikeFromUpNorth on 2003 Honda CR-V: Desperate Car Shopping in 2025 – A Hopeless Hooptie Adventure
    • Aaron Severson on 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Vs. Chrysler Cordoba – Personal Luxury Coupes For The Disco Inferno
    • Aaron Severson on 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Vs. Chrysler Cordoba – Personal Luxury Coupes For The Disco Inferno
    • Ward Wagher on 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Vs. Chrysler Cordoba – Personal Luxury Coupes For The Disco Inferno
    • Paul Niedermeyer on CC Find: 1985 Jeep Grand Wagoneer – Placeholder Cream Puff
Avatars by Sterling Adventures

Copyright 2011 - 2025 Curbside Classics. All Rights Reserved.