Rusty But Trusty

The Innocenti Spider is a great example of something the Italians did really well – put a fancy frock on a set of plain mechanicals. In this case, you get the greasy parts from a Mark 2 Sprite/Midget – a 1098cc A-series inline four cylinder and four speed transmission. In the 1950s and 1960s, Innocenti was best known for its Lambretta scooters and a bunch of rebadged BMC products, but this car can drop the names of some very influential people and companies in the Italian car business – it was designed by Tom Tjaarda for Ghia and built by OSI. The original Spider did not include the S in its model designation, featuring the 948cc engine of the bug/frogeye Sprite, while the S got the larger engine and front disc brakes. The car sold well in Italy, but couldn’t compete well in foreign markets due to price, and as demand waned, Innocenti transformed the car into a hardtop. But for today, we’ll have to be happy with a folding roof, or perhaps no roof at all – check out this 1964 Innocenti S Spider for sale for $2500 in Annandale, VA.

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