The revival of a motor that is more than a hundred years old is far more than a technical fix; it is an act of cultural preservation. On Tuesday 10 November at 18:30, the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile di Torino (MAUTO) will host a public talk that places this idea at its core. The event brings together a master craftsman, a museum conservator, and an audience eager to understand how historic engineering can be kept alive for future generations.
At the heart of the evening is the Fiat 130 HP of 1907, a rare example of early 20th-century automotive ambition. The car has been mechanically restored by Gianni Torelli, a veteran restorer with more than fifty years of hands-on experience. Together with Davide Lorenzone, head of MAUTO’s Centro di Conservazione e Restauro, Torelli will pop the bonnet and walk spectators through the engine’s original architecture, the obstacles faced during the rebuild, and the specialised knowledge required to coax life back into a century-old power-train.
The discussion will not stop at the mechanical details. Both speakers will stress the value of transmitting specialised know-how that has accumulated over decades of painstaking work. According to the museum’s policy, preserving the material authenticity of historic vehicles must go hand-in-hand with safeguarding the tacit skills of the craftsmen who keep them operational. MAUTO therefore treats historic car conservation as a strategic pillar, investing in research, experimental conservation methods, and collaborations with experts such as Torelli.
Winter School 2026: merging art restoration with automotive heritage
The talk is embedded in the third edition of the Winter School – Il restauro dell’automobile d’epoca, scheduled from 9 to 13 November 2026. Co-organized by MAUTO and the Fondazione Centro Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale”, the program draws parallels between the restoration of fine art and that of historic automobiles. Participants – ranging from university students and recent graduates to seasoned restorers – will attend lectures, live demonstrations, workshops, and guided tours that expose the interdisciplinary nature of preserving a vehicle’s mechanics, materials, design and cultural context.
From museum floors to historic rallies: recent milestones
MAUTO’s conservation efforts are already bearing fruit on the road. On Sunday 1 November, the museum’s own Fiat 16/20 HP (1903, chassis 599) successfully completed the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The achievement illustrates how, when a vehicle’s condition permits, preservation can include dynamic use, allowing historic machines to be experienced as living artifacts rather than static displays.
Further engagement with the public is planned for Saturday 7 November and 12 December, when the museum will open the laboratory behind the restoration of the Carrozza a vapore di Bordino. Restorers Chiara Armigliato and Beatrice Zucchelli, together with conservator Davide Lorenzone, will present two years of material analysis, research decisions and hands-on interventions, offering an intimate look at one of MAUTO’s most demanding projects.
Overall, the event on 10 November serves as a focal point for a broader narrative: the convergence of a master restorer’s practical expertise, an institution’s methodological framework, and a new generation of scholars eager to keep historic automotive heritage both authentic and functional.
