Fiat introduced the 1400 in 1950. This was their first new post-war model. It was immediately a favorite with Italian designers and coachbuilders. It is fitted with a 4-cylinder 1374 cc engine producing 44 horsepower, attached to a 4-speed manual transmission and capable of 75 mph while achieving 20 mpg. Alfredo Vignale apprenticed with Stabilimenti Farina and established his own company. They were responsible for designs for Fiat 1400 such as the one shown here. It debuted at the 1952 Turin Auto Show and went on to be shown all over Europe.
The car was purchased by Mrs. Dorothea Herrsher from Vignale himself. She brought the car to the U.S. where it was shown and featured on the cover of the February 1953 issue of Motor Trend. The car was last seen at the 1953 Concour d'Elegance Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles where it was escorted by actor John Hart (The Lone Ranger).
In 2015 the car was found in the care of Kahn Chinn who had owned the car for 40+ years although he had never driven the car himself as he had purchased it as a project.
You may purchase a print in our dElegance 2019 online gallery.
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