Toward the end of 1955 Italian Industrialist Gianni Agnelli known as “L’ Avvocato” commissioned the Chrysler 300B Boano Coupé while he was vice president of Fiat. He tasked Mario Boano, formally Ghia with producing a Body.
“2-seat coupe with a powerful, modern mechanical system, a classic British style coupe, not a modern shape.”
The basic design sketches took just ten days. Mr. Agnelli chose his favorite one and from that single sketch a “master model” was created. In the meantime, a new Chrysler 300 chassis was ordered: 3N561171 was produced by Chrysler on February 1s, 1956. By the fall of 1956 the body panels were welded to the chassis. It would take an additional two months of hand fabrication work to create the individual components.
Toward the end of 1956 the Chrysler 300B Boano was completed and on an invitation from Boano, Agnelli came to inspect the finished coupe. While he was very pleased with the final result, he was bothered by the prospect of being seen in public driving a foreign car while he was ascending to the presidency of Fiat. Ultimately Agnelli decided to give the car to his brother Umberto.
Several days later, Gian Paolo Boano delivered the car to Umberto Agnelli
“at the Milan tollbooth on the Milan-Turin highway.” Umberto took the car to Paris, where he was involved with Fiat of France. Umberto remained in France for three or four years leaving the car In Paris upon his return to Italy.
The construction of the car and its ownership was kept quiet in respect of Mr. Agnelli’s wish for privacy and discretion.
Originally titled in suburban France in 1957 and remaining with two subsequent French owners for over 30 years. The Chrysler 300B Boano came to the US via Los Angeles, sold to a California dealer, Irving Willems in 1989. Mr. Michael Pomerance of Massachusetts purchased the vehicle in the same year and during his ownership the vehicle received a partial freshening. Pomerance retained the car until 2006 selling it to the Ramshead Collection, Inc. of Sacramento, California. Acquired by the Bruno Collection in December of 2018 it was immediately turned over to Rare Classics Restorations. LLC for a complete forensic concours restoration of the highest level.
The Chrysler-Boano coupe features a frame shortened by the coachbuilder from the original 126″-to-119″ to better complement the two-seater layout.
The mechanicals remained the stock Chrysler 300B high performance 354 cubic inches (5.8 liter) Hemi engine combined with a 3 speed Torqueflite push-button automatic transmission. The car maintains its original numbers matching drivetrain and chassis.
Other features include power windows, power sunroof, and AM radio with a power antenna. The original color exterior is finished in a variant of Grigo Ingrid, with a leather roof in English Hunt Club Green and optional Chrysler chrome wire wheels by Kelsey Hays. The Interior is trimmed in English Ivory leather and light green Wilton Wool carpeting, accentuated by the green leather on the package tray and the dash that’s finished with Rose wood behind the instruments.
The Chrysler-Boano Coupe has been featured in the September 1957 Issue of L’Automobile, April 1996 Issue of Car Collector and was last presented to the public at the 2003 Concorso d’Italia.
Why L’Avvocato would commission such a fine automobile and did not take delivery remains a mystery. But the result is one of the finest personal luxury cars to come out of post war Italy.
Story courtesy of Rare Classics Restorations who were also responsable for the restoration of this amazing Fiat 1400 Cabriolet by Vignale. Check the guys out.
By looking at it i thought it was a Ghia, nice job Boano