Between 1955 and 1957, in the period after having leaved Ghia and before joining the just-created Centro Stile Fiat, Felice Mario Boano created his own factory, called Boano Lavorazioni Speciali. In those three years Boano created such unique cars like Ferrari 250 low roof, Abarth 207 A, Lincoln Indianapolis, Boano Nardi Corsair. He created also some little masterpieces like this car, based on a Fiat 1100/103 TV chassis. The body is made of aluminium, with steel doors and perspex rear window. Very few of these cars were built, and very probably this one is the only survivor.

This is a 1956 magazine advertisement. It declares a 10 km/h more top speed than the stock Fiat 1100 TV on which this coupé is based, because of the 220 pounds lighter body. But this is not the whole story.

The engine was indeed tuned by Giannini brothers of Rome, adding more spice to a car addressed to the 1100 class gentlemen drivers. The tuning included also a displacement rised to 1250 c.c. thanks to special pistons with an increased stroke.

The only photo of this model taken at a race was this one related to the 1959 Targa Florio: the car pictured is a sister of the blue one. This car arrived 4th in 751-1300 c.c. class and 15th overall, driven by Bartoccelli, Parla, Panepinto.

Comparing this little special with the Ferrari 250 Gt Boano it’s not a sacrilege, but it indeed shows that these cars have been drawn by the same pencil, especially when you look at the roof/side window/rear screen lines. Who made it? Felice Mario Boano himself? His son Giampaolo? Michelotti? We don’t know.

It’s odd to think that these two cars share the same chassis and mechanical, but it’s just here where the great coachbuilders skills live. Most of these cars were just drawn on towels, and then the metal artists transformed those raw sketches into a car, with the right proportions and the right things in the right place. Hail to the great coachbuilders era, we will miss it.