Siata Daina SL Trasformabile

Vehicle Overview

The Siata Daina Cabriolet: Designed by Mario Felice Boano at Stabilimenti Farina this beautiful Cabriolet has a light alluminum body. Founded in 1926 in Turin, Italy by Giorgio Ambrosini, Siata (Societa Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori) began life as a tuning firm specializing in the modification of FIATs. When the company, now renamed Siata Auto Spa, eventually introduced its first production car in 1949, Fiat components were the logical choice for the new Amica cabriolet. During the 1950s and on into the ’60s a variety of US engines including Crosley, Ford and Chrysler V8s was adopted in addition to Fiat’s home-grown motors. Siata’s Daina model of the early 1950s was based on the Fiat 1400 and built in both Cabriolet and Coupé forms, most of the former being bodied by Stabilimenti Farina and the latter by Bertone. Later cars were designated ‘SL’ (Scatolato Lamiera – literally: sheet metal box). The Daina used the FIAT 1400 overhead-valve engine, modified by Siata with a special cylinder head, pistons and twin-carburettor inlet manifold. A 1,500cc unit was available as an option. Siata was active in racing from its earliest days, and a Siata Daina Cabriolet driven by Dick Irish and Bob Fergus won its class in the inaugural Sebring 12 Hours race of 1952, finishing 3rd overall ahead of many larger-engined cars.