1928 OM Tipo 665 Supercharged Tourer

OM, short for Officine Meccaniche, was funded in Milan in 1889 with the purpose of constructing railway stock. They entered automobile production in 1918 after taking over the Zust automobile company of Brescia. The first cars were basically an updated version of the Zust with four-cylinder L-head engines. Four-cylinder production would continue until 1923 when the new Tipo 665 ‘Superba’ was introduced, featuring a two-liter L-head six. The 665 was very successful in competition, especially in long-distance international sports car racing. Their highlights include a win at the 1925 Tripoli Grand Prix and fourth and fifth at the 1926 24 Hours of LeMans Endurance Race. They won the Rudge-Whitworth Cup for best index of performance. At the inaugural running of the Mille Miglia in 1927, OM captured the first three places. They finished second in the 1928 Mille Miglia w/OM’s successes were to continue with a second the following year, a second plus a 1-2-3 in the 2000cc class. In 1929 a supercharged version of their models could be purchased, though by this point in history, Alfa Romeo had become a very dominant force and the supercharger was no match. The OM Company continued until 1938 when they were taken over by Fiat and ceased passenger car production the following year. They turned to truck and railway component manufacturer for the Italian war effort.This OM Tipo 665 chassis number 26641, with the supercharged engine was created in 1928 and features a Weymann-style fabric body. It is believed that R.F. Oates of Great Britain was the original owner. The car features four-doors, four seats, a top, and a spare wheel, which is built to LeMans requirements. There is a fabric body and many aluminum castings in the chassis’s fabrication. Since new, the car has been fully restored and been well used in sporting and concours events throughout the world. In 2005, it participated in the Argentinean Millas Sport, which is a 1,000-mile rally through the mountain passes of Patagonia. In 2006 it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the exhibit-only category. This marked the first time in the 56-year history of the event that an OM model was on the show field. This very rare automobile can be yours today !