Morelli

1953 - 1960's

1956 Morelli M1000

Morelli was an Italian coachbuilding firm based in Ferrara and active in 1953 and into the 1960's, making primarily Aluminum bodies for OSCA. Of the some 200 cars produced by OSCA, perhaps 80 were Mt4 models, and of the Mt4 models, records show 40 Spiders with Morelli bodies.

In 1953 a study, led by engineer Alberto Morelli, began for an aerodynamic car to be built on a mass-produced chassis, the Fiat 1100/103. The car, completed in 1956 and called the Morelli M1000 and was built on a new chassis and had a rear engine. This car reached 133,140 km/h without changes in the Fiat engine it used. This prototype was too advanced for its time, but Pininfarina noticed Morelli's work and asked him to develop another prototype, the PF-X , with its odd wheel-disposition, and was shown in 1960.

The Morelli "Whale" of 1955. Most Morelli-bodied OSCAs were less extreme, however. Photo by Alessandro Gerelli. Source

As OSCA leaned on Morelli to build their bodies, Morelli responded with a new body style for the cars in 1954, beginning with the TN 1500 series. The classic barrel shaped OSCA, itself derived from the first OSCA "siluros", passed into history. Source

The graceful, classic body was built by Morelli. After 1956, Morelli was responsible for the majority of OSCA bodies. Source

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