1968 | ATS 1000 SP

ATS 1000SP
We offer for sale our very rare ATS 1000 Sport Prototipo - chassis 001. And thereby the unique opportunity has arisen for you to acquire 1 of only 2 ever built - and said to be the only one in existence - ATS 1000 SP. In total 2 cars were built, of 3 intended. Chassis 001 and 002 raced, and 003 was never finished. This is chassis 001, the car that won the Mugello GP in 1968 with Shangri Là and Alberto Mostardini behind the wheel. Amongst other races, this car also ran the famous Targa Florio in 1969.

Chassis 001 & 002
Chassis 001 and 002 are also not identical cars, 001 has 'quattro fari' - 4 round headlights - and larger air intakes in the back. Whereas 002 has 2 small round headlights in the front, in a significantly smaller housing, and very narrow air intakes in the back. Also the overall shape of the body of 002 seems 'boxier'. Next to the fact that in my humble opinion 001 is the prettier car, it also has the more significant race history. 
* On top of this it is also said that 001 is the only ATS 1000 SP that still exists! * 

Restoration
Around 2010 the body of the car was restored by Faralli Restauri (Officina Faralli Restauri Di Faralli Walter e C SNC), and after they finished restoring the body the entire mechanical part was restored by Landi Motors in Lucca. Where the car has subsequently been maintained for the following 12 years. The car is part of a larger collection, and has driven very little after its restoration. Firenze Fiesole in 2011 with Giorgio Billi as a passenger (the father of ATS), Vernasca Silver Flag 2013, Mugello Classico 2013 and some non driving events here and there. 

You can contact us in: English, Italian, Dutch, German, French and Spanish.

Race history:
- 1st at Gran Premio de mugello 28-07-1968 (Shangri Là & Alberto mostardini). # 38
- 8th overall at Coppa Città di Enna, 2nd in class 15-08-1968 (Shangri Là).
- DNF at 1000KM di Monza 25-04-1969 (Shangri Là & Hoga) (DNF reason: Oil Pressure). # 28
- DNF at 53 ° Targa Florio 04-05-1969 (Shangri Là & Hoga) (DNF Reason: Gearbox). # 212
- 8th overall, 1st in class at 16th Gran Premio de Mugello 20-07-1969 (Hoga & Alessandro Federico). # 51

History of ATS and the development of the ATS 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
ATS was founded in Bologna in 1962, first as Automobili Serenissima Bologna SpA and, the following year, assuming the final name as ATS-Automobili Turismo Sport SpA. The shareholders , the founders and financiers of the initiative are the Tuscan industrialist Giorgio Billi, the Bolivian mining magnate Jaime Ortiz Patiño and count Giovanni Volpi, all great characters, and car and racing enthusiasts. The same Count Volpi is the owner of the well-known SSS stable Serenissima of Modena. The declared goal of the initiative is the production of high performance Gran Turismo cars, as well as the participation in various sports programs including the Formula 1 World Championship.

For the technical and managerial staff ATS hires many dissidents that recently left Ferrari, namely engineers Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini, the sporting director Romolo Tavoni and the sales manager Gerolamo Gardini. Test driver is Englishman Jack Fairman, with Phil Hill (fresh world champion of Formula 1) and Giancarlo Baghetti as their Formula 1 driver lineup. The headquarters of ATS is established in Pontecchio Marconi, near Bologna, in a modern factory adjacent to the Autostrada del Sole. The company soon found itself facing a series of internal vicissitudes including abandonment of the company by Count Volpi and the resignation of engineer Bizzarrini, events that do not however, have any particular effects on the business programs, as evidenced by the marketing of the new 1963 2500 GT, a very refined Gran Turismo with central V8 powertrain. In the same year the final tests started for the single-seater Formula 1 Type 100.

The operation of ATS must however contend with a financial situation gradually more and more worrying, due to a number of factors such as the huge set-up and management costs, the loss of the capital share of Count Volpi, the slow commercial start of the 2500 GT / GTS and the difficult setting up of the Formula 1 cars.

In early 1964, the situation became so compromised as to lead to mass liquidation of the company, with the suspension of automotive manufacturing and business of Formula 1. From this provision remains and excluding only the Light Alloy Foundry, one structure that currently enjoys excellent reputation (among its customers Olivetti, Siemens, Alfa Romeo and Abarth) and still today it is fully active in the specific field of investment casting. The liquidation of ATS however, only marks the end of the automotive production, since the Tipo 100 will continue to tread the slopes for a few more year thanks to the British coach Alf Francis. Former personal mechanic of Stirling Moss, Francis will be able to keep the car of Pontecchio Marconi under the aegis of three different ones operational structures, initially Francis-Cabral,

Development of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian): 
Meanwhile, the activity of the ATS Foundry Leghe Leggi is deeply reorganized below the direction of Alfonso Galvani, a technician that joined the Chiti staff after major spent at Mondial and Stanguellini. Galvani consolidates the foundry business making use of the collaboration of the best names of the Technical Office, including engineers Giacomo Bianco (former OSI designer of Turin) and Tancredi Simonetti (who shortly thereafter will found AMS). In 1967, Giorgio Billi was solicited by the technical staff to resume some sporting activity, a request that is gladly accepted providing that the operation has a reasonable spending ceiling to promote foundry activity. Reasons both practical and economical advise to go in the Group 6 two-seaters, first in the 1000 class and then in the higher classes, however, using the same basic frame. The idea is to optimize the project through direct participation in races, then starting the construction of a small lot of cars to be sold to individuals in order to cover up investments. Designed by the engineers Simonetti and Bianco, the new two-seater is set on a trellis in various chromomolybdenum steel tubes diameter, frame which is completed by classic suspensions with deformable quadrilaterals set up with the advice of the specialist from Bologna: Dal Fiume.

Suspension of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
The front is characterized by double overlapping transverse triangles, with Coaxial Koni shock absorbers with coil springs and stabilizer bar; the rear end adopts a simplified kinematics with single arms, always with coaxial spring-shock absorber groups and anti-roll bar. Each of the four groups swinging is complemented by double struts longitudinal.

Frame and brakes of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
The characteristic measures of the frame are the following: front track 1442 mm, rear track 1444 mm, pitch 2350 mm (significant value for a two-seater of only 1000 cm ", however, such as to allow the installation of even larger motors) . There two-seater is equipped with double side tanks of the total capacity of 60 liters. It is an entirely done realization in the home, even with regards to components accessories such as the steering box and rims light alloy. The latter are of measure 8x13 "front and 10x13" rear, with tires Dunlop type 184-5.25 and respectively 180-5.5. The first tests are carried out with a Campagnolo braking system, passing later to a more powerful and updated Girling plant The bodywork is also the result of a design all internal to the ATS, but upon execution of the Fantuzzi from Modena.

Body of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
Made of aluminum sheet metal (but foreseen for the series in fiberglass), the bodywork is distinguished by an extremely soft and clean design, with a low and penetrating front, a side of very low height and a rounded tail with a very small overhang. On the sides of the car there are two large triangular air intakes aimed at motor breathing and al brake cooling. The rear hood it goes down to the middle of the side and opens in the direction of the gearbox. The doors have a butterfly opening, with hinges positioned flush to the sideskirts. The car is also available in a berlinetta version, with gull-wing doors and lowered fuel tanks to facilitate access on board. From berlinetta could in turn result in a Gran Turismo, a sort of ATS 2500 GT on a smaller scale.

Engine of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
A Ford formula 3 unit is used for the motorization, with special head and powered by two Weber double-barrel carburettors. Prepared with great care by ATS (which in the past has already had the opportunity to set up one similar example for the De Sanctis), the engine develops over 115 hp at 9800 rpm. However, it is a provisional motorization, which in the intentions of the designers has the sole purpose of allowing a rapid definition of chassis and aerodynamics. The highlight of the new two-seater must in fact be one amazing injection V8 already at an advanced stage of realization, unit initially set up in the cubic volume of a liter but that can easily grow to 1.3, 1.6 and possibly 2.0 liters.

Gearbox of the 1000SP (Translated from Italian):
Made by Colotti, the transmission is a 5-speed with front grafts and self-locking mechanism.

Racing return of ATS (Translated from Italian):
The return of ATS to races takes place in the Gran Mugello Prize of 28 July 1968, where 2 two-seaters are registered with the crews Romano Martini | Alberto Mostardini (frame n ° 002) Dino Marniga / Sergio Mingotti (loom n ° 001). Better known as Shangry Là - the Fiorentino also has duties as official test driver. The first car takes the victory in class to an excellent average, by the way competing without rear hood and with suspension in disorder, as well as walking the last 50 meters racing with the starter motor only; the second example is instead forced to retire for overheating of the motor. The rest of the season yields a 2nd class place in the Città di Etna Cup with Shangry Là and in the 500 Kilometers of Imola with the couple Marniga / Facetti. The next year,