1948 Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport

Chassis 014 SMM

• One of approximately 24 Cisitalia 202 SMM Nuvolari Spiders produced
• Known race history in the United States from the 1950s onward
• Campaigned extensively in period by Bob Said, Ken Denston, Oscar Koveleski, and Jim Forno
• Veteran of the Mille Miglia Storica, Targa Florio, Copperstate 1000, and numerous other historic touring events

In modern racing, there are names that are respected, but in the early years of the automobile, there is one name that stood above all else: Nuvolari. In the words of Ferdinand Porsche the greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future. With 150 race wins, 72 being major events, Nuvolari won twice on both the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio, and once at Le Mans, in addition to twenty-four Grand Prix wins. With such a dominant career, it is only fitting that Il Mantovano Volante had a car named after him, but not without a spectacle.

The Mille Miglia returned to Italian roads in 1947 after the end of World War II. In a field full of mostly Fiats, Tazio Nuvolari found himself piloting a Cisitalia 202 Spider Mille Miglia. His biggest competition? An Alfa Romeo 2900B Lungo Berlinetta that had its twin superchargers removed, as per race regulations for that year. The light and nimble spider up against a monstrous 2.9-liter straight-eight. Despite an amazing drive, torrential downpours caused ignition issues and the sheer power of the Alfa 2.9 led to Tazio taking second, with two more Cisitalias following in third and fourth, quite an outing for Piero Dusios firms first go-around! As a result of his magnificent drive, Cisitalia decided to name the Spider Mille Miglia after the Mantuan himself, leading to the Nuvolari Spider.

Chassis 014 SMM is one of approximately twenty-four Nuvolari Spiders constructed by Cisitalia. While its earliest history remains somewhat elusive, correspondence on file suggests the car may have competed in the 1948 Mille Miglia. As with many small-displacement Italian competition cars of the immediate postwar period, surviving factory records are incomplete, making definitive conclusions difficult. Nevertheless, the cars documented history from 1950 onward is both extensive and remarkably well preserved.

By 1950, 014 SMM had arrived in the United States through noted New York importer Antonio Tony Pompeo, one of the earliest and most influential importers of Italian sports cars to America. Pompeo sold the Cisitalia to Dr. William C. Graf of Garden City, Long Island, who quickly put the lightweight spider to its intended use on Americas emerging road-racing circuit.

Period photographs reveal 014 SMM wearing a distinctive Abarth badge on its bonnet, a useful identifying feature that helped connect the car to numerous documented race appearances throughout the Northeast. During Grafs ownership, 014 SMM became a regular entrant on the burgeoning American sports car circuit. Campaigned by accomplished drivers including Ken Denston and Bob Said, the lightweight Cisitalia proved competitive at road races and hillclimbs throughout the Northeast, earning class victories and strong overall finishes against a diverse field of European machinery.

Following its competition career under Grafs stewardship, the Cisitalia was acquired by Oscar Koveleski of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Koveleski was not only a renowned Can-Am driver, SCCA Hall of Fame inductee, and longtime member of BARC, but also the founder of the Autoworld mail-order catalog. Through Autoworld, he introduced countless future racers to the hobby, many of whom got their start building model cars and competing with slot cars purchased from the catalog. Koveleski purchased 014 SMM as a rolling chassis and modified it to his liking into a dedicated racing machine. A highly modified MG powerplant was installed featuring Ford valves, dual Weber carburetors, and a custom intake manifold, paired with an MG gearbox. The bodywork was also revised with a single racing windscreen, a drivers headrest fairing, modified rear deck, and relocated fuel tank.

The 202 was campaigned under Koveleskis ownership before passing to New York dealer Jim Forno. By 1970, the car had found its way to Pennsylvania enthusiast Paul Sebag, beginning a period where the Cisitalia transitioned from active competition car to recognized collector automobile.

During the 1970s, ownership passed to Ron Kradjian, who commissioned noted sports car authority Jack Deren to restore the car. Significantly, Deren had access to another original Nuvolari Spider, 011 SMM, allowing him to reference an authentic example while correcting many of the racing modifications accumulated over the years. Through this work, 014 SMM was returned to the configuration more closely reflecting its original appearance while preserving its fascinating competition history.

In 1998, the Cisitalia was acquired by its most recent owner, beginning another active chapter in the cars life. The familys love affair with 014 SMM began on the Mille Miglia Storica in 1999 and flourished over the next two decades. Embracing the spirit in which the Nuvolari Spider was created, they spent those years touring throughout Europe and North America, participating in events including the Mille Miglia Storica, Targa Florio, Copperstate 1000, and numerous other long-distance rallies. Few Cisitalias can claim such extensive use in the modern era, with 014 SMM completing well over a dozen events exceeding one thousand miles in length.

Today, 014 SMM is fitted with a Fiat 1100 Sport engine, believed to have been enlarged during a rebuild by Leydon Restorations, paired with a synchromesh Toyota five-speed gearbox that enhances drivability on modern touring events. Importantly, an unrestored correct-type engine accompanies the car, offering future custodians additional opportunities for preservation and research.

Campaigned extensively during the formative years of American road racing, thoughtfully restored by recognized Cisitalia specialists, and exercised on countless historic touring events, chassis 014 SMM embodies the very character that made these cars so beloved. Lightweight, nimble, and endlessly engaging, it remains a fitting tribute to Tazio Nuvolari himself: a machine that rewards determination and celebrates momentum.

Results:

1952

• 5/24/52 - Bridgehampton 11th overall, 1st in class 6S K. Denston
• 7/5/52 - Burke Mount Hillclimb result unknown B. Said
• 7/25/52 - Giants Despair Hillclimb 31st overall B. Said
• 8/3/52 - Allentown (GM + HM) 1st overall K. Denston
• 9/20/52 - Watkins Glen Grand Prix (Seneca Cup) 8th overall Bob Said

1953

• 5/23/53 - Bridgehampton 11th overall, 1st in class K. Denston

1957

• 7/19/57 - Giants Despair Hillclimb result unknown O. Koveleski

1959

• 5/30/59 - 3rd Annual Lake Erie Invitational result unknown J. Forno
• 6/26/59 - Watkins Glen Grand Prix DNF J. Forno
• 6/27/59 - Watkins Glen Classic 5th overall, 1st in class FM J. Forno

Offers welcome and trades considered.