The votes are in for your favorite car competing in the Etceterini Class at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The winner is the 1957 Bandini Saponetta owned by Marc Richelsoph.
“Saponetta” means little soap bar, for being small and slippery. The unique patented oval tubing, lightweight engine, and aluminum body form one of the lightest race cars built in its day.
Built in 1957, this particular car was raced in Italy by Ilario Bandini before being imported into the U.S. in 1959. It was then raced extensively at locations such as Watkins Glen during the 60’s. It is one of nine known to exist and one of the few with its original hand hammered aluminum body and original twin cam engine. The engine consists of a heavily modified Crosley block with an aluminum twin cam cylinder head designed by Ilario Bandini. By using twin Weber 32DCOA3 carburetors, the engine can achieve 68 H.P with a maximum RPM of 8500.
Congratulations Marc and we hope you will enjoy the book “Nardi, A Fast Life,” by Dino Brunori. Our thanks to Dino for contributing this book for our contest with VeloceToday. We look forward to seeing the Saponetta and the rest of the field at Amelia this weekend.
