The Mouse That Roared.... [PIC]

In the early days of the Gasser class drag cars, I found the choice of bodies fascinating and educational. I had never seen those different Willys bodies prior to their use, but the cutest bodies IMHO was the Fiat 500 "Tupolino" or 'little mouse'. The original 13hp, 0.6 liter city car seemed to be the inspiration for the VW "people's car" designed by Porsche and the French Citroen 2CV. The Tupolino was produced from 1936 to 1955 and I never saw one on the road in the US but only in those post-war B&W Italian movies. I always wondered where the bodies came from for these drag cars and if they were all imported from Europe (NSU/Fiat also built them in Weinsburg, West Germany). Anyway, when Acme released a lineup of these Fiat bodied gassers, I had to have at least one. I randomly bought this Reath Automotive model only to be told by resident savant Bill Bennett how inaccurate it was. The engine detail and chassis are phenomenally well done and Bill supplied the proper blue tinted glazing and nose art.