Project Info:
1959 Moretti-Branca Formula Junior Monoposto Chassis no. 018
Extract from a discussion with its current owner:
This car has a very well documented line of ownership and I had quite a lot of correspondence with Aquilina Branca. I have scanned copies of those letters. He was intending to make a small run of Formula Juniors and even produced a catalogue which he gave me. My car is the one that Madero drove in the 1959 Monaco GP Meeting. Not long after that Branca sold it to Augie P. in USA. he raced it with some success and there are coloured period photos of it in his book but it’s racing life ended in about 1963. It is now in very good restored condition. I bought this car in US as well. Augie P. had a number of car dealerships in USA and was probably intending to take on Moretti when he bought the car.
I was tipped off that the FJ might be for sale but it was never advertised. I bought it through Tim R. but it actually came from the collection of Howard B. in Florida. Howard has a lot of cars including some twin cam Morettis. It was expensive at the time…(...) it is a car that only raced for 4-5 years, had a proven history, and was in very original condition when it arrived here. The engine cover was missing but we fabricated another from photos. All the rest of the body and mechanical parts are original. It had simple Fiat 600 wheels (as did all the other FJs) but they were recasting period Amadori magnesium wheels in UK quite a few years ago so I bought a set and it looks much better.