Leopoldo Notarianni set up shop among stands of delicious food and live entertainment at the Shepparton Italian Festa at the weekend with his Viva I Motori Italiani motor display.
The display featured a range of vintage Italian memorabilia and impressive motor vehicles.
One such vehicle was a red Ferrari 328 — a highly prized model and real hidden gem.
The owner did not disclose the vehicle’s impressive history until after the judging, so upon opening the boot of the car Notarianni was very surprised to be greeted by a pile of awards.
“He opened his boot and had all these awards and prizes,” Notarianni said.
“It [the car] had won awards all over the state.”
Most surprising was the red folder sitting casually in the boot atop of it all.
Inside the elusive red folder was a certification of merit won at a Concours car show, a very prestigious and sought-after award by collectors.
It can be an extremely difficult award to get your hands on due to the complicated process.
Concours shows focus on the quality of appearance and condition of cars but when it comes to classic cars like the 328, originality is also very important.
“To ensure the car’s a winner, they dissemble the car to ensure it’s not restored. To make sure it’s original,” Notarianni said.
The process of dissembling the car can costs thousands of dollars, and then there’s the process of getting it assessed and putting it back together again.
“The car was perhaps the most impressive and impeccable unrestored sports car I’ve ever had the pleasure of judging,” Notarianni said.
As well as this award-winning car, Notarianni had many other interesting Italian items on display, Including a collection of vintage Italian records and literature.
“Many records and singles were originally from my parents from the ‘60s, but as a collector I have added to it,” Notarianni said.
Notarianni’s vast collection also includes vintage film props which he sources and coordinates for films alongside classic cars.
He sourced classic cars for the Australian-Italian Culture Film The Widow (2018) which won 217 awards at film festivals and contests around the world.
Notarianni stressed the value of all aspects of his display. “It is a display of not just cars, but of Italian culture.”
Notarianni was born and raised in Wangaratta. His parents, Giuseppe Notarianni and Maria Giovanna Nardo, migrated from the Italian region of Calabria to Australia in 1951 and 1959, respectively, as cattle and vegetable farmers.
His dedicated interest in cars and collecting have allowed him to share his Italian heritage and connect with the Greater Shepparton community through many festivals, events and museums over the past 15 years.
For more photos from the Shepparton Italian Festa, head to sheppnews.com.au/news/ciao-shepparton-italian-festa-returns/ or pick up a copy of The News on Friday, March 22.