Franco Sbarro moved in 1957 from Italy to Switzerland when he was eighteen years old.  Until 1967, he worked as a mechanic, but then set-up in business on his own account.  At first he modified Ford GT40 cars for use on the road and built specials that were based on Porsche 908 racing cars.  Sbarro then built a Lola T70 for Eric Broadley in 1968 and went on to build thirteen of them.  He also exhibited at the Geneva Salon for the first time in 1968 and has remained a permanent feature at the show ever since, with a stand always more extensive than the previous year.  Sbarro has shown cars with Ferrari engines but also one with two NSU Ro80 Wankel engines joined together and there has also been a "Bugatti Royale" which was even more impressive than the originals from Mulhouse.