Alfredo Vignale
Other
Vignale was, quite literally, born into the work of Italian custom bodywork. His birthplace was Turin, where his father worked as foreman in charge of the Stabilimenti Farina paint shop. Vignale was only 11 when he left school to become a metalworking apprentice. He later followed his father's legacy by joining Stabilimenti Farina, in 1929.
He remained there until 1940. By the end of World War II, Vignale had his own shop in Turin, and accomplished his professional coming-out by fitting a body of his own vision to his tired Fiat Topolino. That was the beginning of Carrozzeria Vignale, financed at its outset by Angelo Balma and also including Vignale's brothers, Giuseppe and Guglielmo. In 1948, the house of Vignale captured real attention with a prize-winning body design for a Fiat 1500. Quickly, next came the 1949 BRM V-16 race car and two Ferraris, the 212 Export and the 340 America Spyder.
Subject ID: 78239
MoreVignale was, quite literally, born into the work of Italian custom bodywork. His birthplace was Turin, where his father worked as foreman in charge of the Stabilimenti Farina paint shop. Vignale was only 11 when he left school to become a metalworking apprentice. He later followed his father's legacy by joining Stabilimenti Farina, in 1929.
He remained there until 1940. By the end of World War II, Vignale had his own shop in Turin, and accomplished his professional coming-out by fitting a body of his own vision to his tired Fiat Topolino. That was the beginning of Carrozzeria Vignale, financed at its outset by Angelo Balma and also including Vignale's brothers, Giuseppe and Guglielmo. In 1948, the house of Vignale captured real attention with a prize-winning body design for a Fiat 1500. Quickly, next came the 1949 BRM V-16 race car and two Ferraris, the 212 Export and the 340 America Spyder.
Perhaps the most enduringly offbeat Vignale shapes were those of the Jensen Interceptor and the Czech-built Tatra 613. In 1969, Vignale agreed to sell the firm to Alessandro de Tomaso, who owned Ghia. The day he signed the contract, Alfredo Vignale died in a traffic accident near his factory. De Tomaso built Pantera bodies for Ford at the plant, but Carrozzeria Vignale ceased to exist.
Subject ID: 78239
Subject ID: 78239
