Barn Finds
Italian-bodied rarity barn-found for the second time but fails to find a loving new owner
Coachbuilt Panhard, opulent Daimler, and a real Fiat mystery to solve
This 1953 Panhard X86 Berlinette, with an advanced and streamlined body by Allemano, has been a barn find twice over. The first time it emerged was in 1979, as described by Guillaume Waegemacker, who researched the car’s history for French auction house Artcurial.
‘It was found as a wreck at a Milanese scrap dealer and bought by a collector who died the following year. It was then handed over to Oswaldo Avalle who carried out a careful restoration during the Eighties,
during which it received a more recent 851cc type M5 5cv engine, though it was modified to resemble the original 750cc S3 4cv as closely as possible.
‘It participated in many historic racing events during the Eighties including the Mille Miglia. The restoration has weathered the test of time and developed a beautiful patina. But the car has not been driven for many years now, so will need a service.’
Panhards came to be finished in Italy after a Milanese race team manager, Gaston Crepaldi, negotiated the importation of bare chassis and seemingly commissioned Allemano of Turin to body them. In total, 25 chassis arrived between 1951 and 1953 and were dressed in both open and closed coachwork. Four of these were built to the design of this car, a Giovanni Michelotti creation, one of which competed in the Mille Miglia in 1954 and only two of which are known to survive.
The car failed to find a buyer at Artcurial’s June 17 sale even with all this history and potential, with buyers perhaps intimidated by the €100k-€150k estimate.