Shannons Auctions are about to auction off a very rare 1963 Daihatsu Compagnia Convertible. Finished in Red paintwork with contrasting whitewall tyres, the 797cc 4 speed manual is expected to fetch between $5000AU and $8000AU.

This interesting and unusual little Japanese sports car is believed to have been the original Melbourne Motor Show vehicle and has been with the current owner for the past ten years. An older restoration, the car is still in fine condition and comes with a Blaupunkt radio, heater and soft-top. Make no mistake, the Daihatsu Compagno Convertible is a rare machine – so rare, in fact, that it makes the contemporary Nissan Fairladys and Honda S800s look almost common and there are thought to be no more than three examples currently in Australia. Sold unregistered with no reserve.

Daihatsu History

With origins dating back to 1907, when two Osaka University professors first began the Hatsudoki concern, building internal combustion engines at first then moving into trucks in 1919 and by 1930 had built Japan’s first domestic automobile, the Model HA. Early three-wheelers soon gave way to four-wheeled models and a variety of new pint-sized models were appeared before war broke out. When peace returned, Hatsudoki was transformed into Daihatsu in 1951 and resumed production of passenger vehicles for the domestic market. The Daihatsu Compagno (companion in Italian) was launched in 1963 and featured attractive styling by Italian design studio Vignale, a conventional layout, a 41bhp 797cc four-cylinder engine in the original 800 model and an all-synchromesh gearbox. The original sedan was joined by a convertible and, from 1965, a 1000 model with a larger 958cc engine was made available. In total there were 120,000 of these endearing little cars built before production ceased in 1970, by which time Toyota had taken over the company. Building on the success of their Delta trucks, Daihatsu entered the Australian car market in the 1960s with the little Compagno Berlina and the four-door was sold alongside the station wagon, utility and convertible models.

for more info about the auction visit shannons website
 

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