40 replies to this topic

[jollydoc]

hi there anyone!

In around 88 l bought a two seater Avellone in Hong Kong. It had a GM 1400 engine with a slightly unusual overhead cam (l'm told as l am a doctor!). Taken to pieces to be sprayed and worked on, the garage mechanic was threatened by the Triads (Hong Kong mafia) and eventually fled leaving my car in pieces. Shipped back to England, l eventually had it resprayed. Then it went with 2K of my money to an upholsterer. He fled also with my cash and that of another garage owner. Retreiving his cars he retreived mine, unbeknown to me. Finally l tracked it down, or had l? No such luck. Car by now in yard of fourth man...in prison!! At last after much wailing and gnashing of teeth l have the car back and am anxious to restore it. Trouble is, no-one knows anything about them. We can see it has one of the strongest fibre glass bodies you can imagine (1/2 " all round) and, as l say, a highly unusual and atypical engine arrangement. Can't just buy spares though and l am hoping someone somewhere knows something.
The car was made in Brazil and the owner of the factory was Carlos Avallone. On the bulletin board his son, fernando, popped up as a manager of racing drivers in USA. More than that l know not!
Can anyone help or make a suggestion. Fernando did hear about my car and was quite excited, intrigued to hear that there was one in UK but l did not contact him.

Any help very gratefully received

Philip

[David McKinney]

Welcome to the forum, Doc

Is your car front- or rear-engined?

Is it a sports/racer or does it look like an MG TF?

[Giraffe]

Carlos Avallone entered a Lola T142 (actually a T140 with nosetabs) in the March 27th 1970 F5000 meeting at Oulton Park. He ran over my foot, badly bruising it when leaving the assembly area and continued on to crash it heavily at Watertower, where it caught fire. The remains were returned to Brazil where they formed the basis of the first Avallone sports car, complete with Lola T222 bodywork.

Edited by Giraffe, 13 August 2010 - 14:47.

[Michael Ferner]

He ran over my foot, badly bruising it when leaving the assembly area and continued on to crash it heavily at Watertower, where it caught fire.

Did you ever retrieve your foot, blackened as it were?

[Giraffe]

Did you ever retrieve your foot, blackened as it were?

It was alway's a bad handling foot before the accident; not enough 'toe-in', I suspected at the time, Michael.

[arttidesco]

Welcome to TNF jollydoc.

You must have a very rare beast when I Googled Avellone Sports Cars Brazil all I got was a picture of David Coultard !

Sorry I can't help but I look forward to seeing how your project develops

[David McKinney]

You might have done better googling "Avallone"...

[arttidesco]

Thanks David

The Avallone looks like something of a cross between an MGTF, without suicide doors and a Siata / ORSA Spring.

Based on the market research that led to the construction of the Siata Spring the Avallone should have been a great success were many made ?

[David McKinney]

Thanks David

The Avallone looks like something of a cross between an MGTF

Some did

That's why I asked the question in Post 2

[arttidesco]

There is a limited amount of information about the '53 MGTF replica and an invitation to contact Fernando Avallone at the end of this thread, might be an opportunity too good to miss ?

[David McKinney]

See Post 1 - he already has

[arttidesco]

Can anyone help or make a suggestion. Fernando did hear about my car and was quite excited, intrigued to hear that there was one in UK but l did not contact him.

Any help very gratefully received

Philip

David I believe jollydoc has so far refrained from contacting Fernando

[David McKinney]

Apologies Art - second time through I only read the "Fernando was excited" bit

[arttidesco]

Apologies Art - second time through I only read the "Fernando was excited" bit

Accepted David, though really none was needed

[jollydoc]

hi there anyone!

In around 88 l bought a two seater Avellone in Hong Kong. It had a GM 1400 engine with a slightly unusual overhead cam (l'm told as l am a doctor!). Taken to pieces to be sprayed and worked on, the garage mechanic was threatened by the Triads (Hong Kong mafia) and eventually fled leaving my car in pieces. Shipped back to England, l eventually had it resprayed. Then it went with 2K of my money to an upholsterer. He fled also with my cash and that of another garage owner. Retreiving his cars he retreived mine, unbeknown to me. Finally l tracked it down, or had l? No such luck. Car by now in yard of fourth man...in prison!! At last after much wailing and gnashing of teeth l have the car back and am anxious to restore it. Trouble is, no-one knows anything about them. We can see it has one of the strongest fibre glass bodies you can imagine (1/2 " all round) and, as l say, a highly unusual and atypical engine arrangement. Can't just buy spares though and l am hoping someone somewhere knows something.
The car was made in Brazil and the owner of the factory was Carlos Avallone. On the bulletin board his son, fernando, popped up as a manager of racing drivers in USA. More than that l know not!
Can anyone help or make a suggestion. Fernando did hear about my car and was quite excited, intrigued to hear that there was one in UK but l did not contact him.

Any help very gratefully received

Philip

[jollydoc]

I am struggling with the reply button so will answer as many questions here as possible.
It is a front engined car. The block has GM printed on it and the log book says it is 1400 c.c. There is a black box along the engine block which l am told (l am a total dummy here) is an overhead valve , which is supposed to be an overhead cam. Neither of the mechanics who saw it have ever seen anything like it.
The can itself looks like a morgan with a long bonnet with air vents. The dash has hexagonal instrument pods and the tank is mounted on the back under the spare wheel.
I have not contacted Fwernando Avallone as l do not know his email. I may try facebook but would welcome any help.
With the solid frame l guess running over a foot could be very painful (nmore my field) !!!
I was really grateful for all the replies thanks to you all, l hope to hear more.
Jollydoc

[jollydoc]

Some did

That's why I asked the question in Post 2

I would be really grateful for suggestions about contacting Fernando (or Carlos) Avallone.

[Paulo Coimbra]

I would be really grateful for suggestions about contacting Fernando (or Carlos) Avallone.

Friend, Antonio Carlos Avallone, nice and competent brasilian pilot and builder died some years ago during a proof of the a 1000 Miles Brazilian victim of an enfarto.
regards

[David McKinney]

Does it look like this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

(Posted from artitesco's earlier link)

[arttidesco]

Fernando Avallone can be contacted by e-mail or Personal Message (since he is not a regular visitor probably e-mail is best) by clicking on this link (blue text on this site are links ) then click on the blue 'avasports' name and a menu will drop down with both e-mail and Personal Message (PM) options :-)

Hope that helps if not leave another reply :-)

[Tim Murray]

... or go direct to his personal profile:

http://forums.autosp...?showuser=17525

I would recommend a PM, by the way. When you send a PM the recipient should get an email telling them they have a PM. I've tried emailing direct via the forum, and they generally don't get through, for some reason.

Edited by Tim Murray, 16 August 2010 - 20:51.

[arttidesco]

The reason few mechanics outside Brazil will have seen anything like the engine is that from the sounds of it all of the mechanical running gear came from a car made in and probably only sold in Brazil.

The most likely candidate I could find is the Chevrolet Chevette (click on the blue words to link) in production from 1973 - 1979.

Using Google Translator Portugese - English the text reads :-

The Chevrolet Chevette SL Standard and was released in Brazil in 1973. That year he came to the market with the task of fighting with the successful Beetle, Brasilia and Charger. For the season, our Chevette had modern lines and 1.4-liter 68-horsepower.
He sped up to 145 mph, and had the tank in an unusual place: behind the back seat, with the nozzle to supply at the rear, hidden behind a small grill.
The Chevette was a car not very powerful, but it was very comfortable and pleasing to their owners. He was 4.12 meters long, only slightly more than the Beetle. Had space for four people, five were tight.

The Brazillian Chevrolet Chevette, except the engine, was based on the Opel Kadett C (1973 - 1979) so there might and I emphasise might be some overlap of suspension parts and gearbox, but the engine sounds like a one off for the brazilian market only, possibly to do with the fact that Brazilian cars started running on ethanol around this time but that is pure speculation on my part.

[ibsenop]

You can download three road tests of the Avallone by Quatro Rodas magazine.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/icj4l2

And try to contact Fernando at his blog

http://copabrasil.blogspot.com/

and you can access the Quatro Rodas Magazine archive online here (all issues)

http://quatrorodas.a.../acervodigital/

Edited by ibsenop, 17 August 2010 - 01:23.

[arttidesco]

Thanks ibensop looks like the Avallone engine was indeed sourced from the Chevrolet Chevette

[jollydoc]

Does it look like this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

(Posted from artitesco's earlier link)

What a lovely photo, quite rare.
The answer is, hopefully soon. Certainly this is the car l have and l am busy trying to get it to this stage.
Jollydoc.

[jollydoc]

Fernando Avallone can be contacted by e-mail or Personal Message (since he is not a regular visitor probably e-mail is best) by clicking on this link (blue text on this site are links ) then click on the blue 'avasports' name and a menu will drop down with both e-mail and Personal Message (PM) options :-)

Hope that helps if not leave another reply :-)

I have sent a message and will let you know, thanks so much for the help.
jollydoc.

[jatwarks]

The block has GM printed on it and the log book says it is 1400 c.c. There is a black box along the engine block which l am told (l am a total dummy here) is an overhead valve , which is supposed to be an overhead cam. Neither of the mechanics who saw it have ever seen anything like it.

Any chance of a photo ?

[jollydoc]

You can download three road tests of the Avallone by Quatro Rodas magazine.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/icj4l2

And try to contact Fernando at his blog

http://copabrasil.blogspot.com/

and you can access the Quatro Rodas Magazine archive online here (all issues)

http://quatrorodas.a.../acervodigital/

I tried but could not find, possibly not speaking Spanish did not help l'll keep trying.
Thanks for your suggestion,
Jollydoc

[jollydoc]

Any chance of a photo ?

AS soon as l get back to my home computer, it's not very good but it might be recognisable to you.
Jollydoc

[jollydoc]

You might have done better googling "Avallone"...

Hi David,
I have googled everything. In the end l just googled a fustrated desperate message and somehow found my way on to this great forum. At last l seem to be making some progress but it is slow work, can you tell me anything about the car in the picture?

[arttidesco]

I tried but could not find, possibly not speaking Spanish did not help l'll keep trying.
Thanks for your suggestion,
Jollydoc

Speaking Spanish will not help much jollydoc they speak Portuguese in Brazil

[arttidesco]

Glancing through the reports looks like there was a 2.5 litre Turbo version at one point.

If your still having trouble downloading the Portuguese reports jollydoc send me a PM with an e-mail address and I'll forward them to you :-)

[avasports]

Hello all,

Thanks for the help, I just send jollydoc an email and will assist him in any way I can, although I believe you guys already got it well covered over here.

My father built the MG TF replicas in Brazil, and exported some to the USA, some to Europe (he shipped one to Italy, and then drove it himself for weeks up the Med coast in the early 80's), and even exported some to Asia (hence HK), left and right side driving options. The Avallone TF was produced betwen 1976 and 1990.

Most other 'sports cars' and replicas which were abundant in Brazil at the time (import prohibitions created a small niche market then) were mounted over VW Beetle platforms or at least using VW engines so they were somewhat underpowered and a bit unbalanced as real sportscars go (in most cases, fuel tank on the front, passengers on the middle, and engine and spare on the rear, making them very 'light' on the front), and as replicas they also took quite a few 'poetic licenses' to make the cars more modern.

The Avallone TF followed a different route, the builder having been a racer: the whole car chassis was built at the same factory in Interlagos where he had built his successful race cars (Avallone A11/Divisao 4, the Lola car; Avallone F-Ford, the SuperNova car; Avallone Super-V, the Van Diemen car, etc) and was very well balanced (engine on the front, passenger in mid, fuel tank and spare on rear), with a better suspension than the VW Bettle equipped cars. It had a more powerful engine as well: initially Chevette and Opala (6 cilinders GM), then Opala Turbo with a KKK turbo (which was the fastest street car produced in Brazil for a while, edging the similarly equipped Puma GTB, probably on weight alone). Some time later, it was offered with a Chevrolet Monza 1.8 and 2.0 engine, and to be able to be exported to the USA, it had to accept a similar but made in USA engine (pollution regulations), which I believe it was the Opel Kadett engine. GM also supplied different versions/models of brakes, diff, axles, gearbox, and many other parts for the car.

Body was made in the same factory, in the same fiberglass shop which made all the race bodies, and it was made to last a very long time: instead of having a potential customer 'kick the tires' on the car, Avallone would hand them a huge rubber mallet and invite them to go at it over the front wheel cover on the fiberglass, and nothing would happen. I saw him do that numerous times at the factory or at the car shows where he was displaying the car, to the astonishment of all around the car.

As for being a true replica...it won the 1978 Geneve, Switzerland Auto Show "Best Replica" award, prompting a letter from MG England congratulating and complimenting the car and manufacturer... and won the Brazilian Veteran Car Club Award in most shows it competed, the replica having maintained even the (right side driving) position of the dash instruments, as well as the poor luggage space and driver position...many small parts (turn signals, parts of the windshield, dash instruments, etc and etc) had to be custom designed, prototyped and molds made to remain true to the original, again differently from the other replicas which used most parts off the (VW) shelves.

All that made the car a lot more expensive than the others on the market as well.

Nowadays, we still have some in the family, and you can see one of ours in a recent article, here:

http://quatrorodas.a...78-473746.shtml

I had the pleasure of driving that one a little bit, a few months ago while in Brazil...what a joy. There are a few Avallone TF owners we have identified in Brazil (yes, we will start a club soon, send your info if interested), but it has been very hard to get them to part with their cars...here is one for sale there: http://www.autoclass...ficados_/?p=143

One was also sold in the USA some time ago (http://www.bobsclass...m/sold/55tf.htm); I have myself seen two other Avallone TFs on the streets in the USA.

The other Quatro Rodas links on this thread are also great. On their digital archives, if you search for Avallone, disregard the mentions of "Avallone Neto" as this is a race engineer with the same name but unrelated; Antonio (Carlos) Avallone's mentions begin in 1962 as a race driver and continue for a few decades including the tests and mentions to the Avallone TF replicas.

Now, on a different subject, Giraffe, it seems like you were in Oulton Park the day (March 27 1970) my dad had his F5000 accident with the Lola. I would love to correspond with you and gather some more memories, as I am working on his biography...

Thanks again to all here. Let's keep it up, and let me know any quesitons you may have !

Cheers, Fernando Avallone

[arttidesco]

Thanks for saving me several days with the google Portuguese English translator Fernando

[jollydoc]

Glancing through the reports looks like there was a 2.5 litre Turbo version at one point.

If your still having trouble downloading the Portuguese reports jollydoc send me a PM with an e-mail address and I'll forward them to you :-)

Hi Artidesco,

I am a bit stuck. I have emailed Fernando with some specific questions about my engine. So far no reply. I would be very grateful for your offer. This might just be the help l need. If l take out the present engine have you any suggestions for a replacement? Some guys round here have suggested a 2L Vauxhall engine and someone else a turbo diesel! I will be doing a lot of motoring, 100 miles to Heathrow and back three times a week.
Cheers

Philip Ranger (jollydoc)
jollydoc@talk21,com

[arttidesco]

Hi Artidesco,

I am a bit stuck. I have emailed Fernando with some specific questions about my engine. So far no reply. I would be very grateful for your offer. This might just be the help l need. If l take out the present engine have you any suggestions for a replacement? Some guys round here have suggested a 2L Vauxhall engine and someone else a turbo diesel! I will be doing a lot of motoring, 100 miles to Heathrow and back three times a week.
Cheers

Philip Ranger (jollydoc)
jollydoc@talk21,com

Copies should be in your inbox Philip.

I can't say I am familiar enough with GM engine mountings to know how easy putting either the turbo diesel or 2L in to your Avallone would be.

If you need any further assistance please do not hesitate to ask :-)

[jollydoc]

A while ago, l brought up some problems l was having finding out information about my Avellone. Many of you kindly sent helpful suggestions which l have followed up. Some of you may also have read the very helpful article by Fernando Avallone. I did down load and print the road tests from the magazine but as yet have not managed to get them in English. Not a huge problem, though for two reasons. Firstly fernando summarised the information in his remarks and secondly the guy have now found to do the restoration is mightily unphased by not knowing. The sort of miracle guy who says, if you need it l can make it! We will almost certainly put in a new (i.e. different) engine though l am not sure what yet. I will keep you posted. When the old engine comes out l will take a photo and hope to log the whole project as we go along. One of you posted a picture which was indeed like my car and one day l shall try and post a picture of me in mine. As a flying nut and Spitfire freak l have a couple of extras l intent to have fitted. Firstly l have a small scale replica of a Spitfire instrument panel which will fit nicely in the passenger glove compartment. Secondly l bought on e bay the pod which were mounted in Shoguns with altitude, horizon indicators and a fixed compass l think. This has a lead and with luck can be made to function, though l do not see it flying!!
It was, as l said earlier, so great of you all to contribute and show an interest and l shall post progress if any of you are interested.
Cheers Jollydoc. Philip Ranger

Edited by jollydoc, 21 September 2010 - 10:18.

[arttidesco]

Looks forward to seeing the pics of progress Philip sounds like you have found the right man for the job at last

[jollydoc]

Hello all,

Thanks for the help, I just send jollydoc an email and will assist him in any way I can, although I believe you guys already got it well covered over here.

My father built the MG TF replicas in Brazil, and exported some to the USA, some to Europe (he shipped one to Italy, and then drove it himself for weeks up the Med coast in the early 80's), and even exported some to Asia (hence HK), left and right side driving options. The Avallone TF was produced betwen 1976 and 1990.

Most other 'sports cars' and replicas which were abundant in Brazil at the time (import prohibitions created a small niche market then) were mounted over VW Beetle platforms or at least using VW engines so they were somewhat underpowered and a bit unbalanced as real sportscars go (in most cases, fuel tank on the front, passengers on the middle, and engine and spare on the rear, making them very 'light' on the front), and as replicas they also took quite a few 'poetic licenses' to make the cars more modern.

The Avallone TF followed a different route, the builder having been a racer: the whole car chassis was built at the same factory in Interlagos where he had built his successful race cars (Avallone A11/Divisao 4, the Lola car; Avallone F-Ford, the SuperNova car; Avallone Super-V, the Van Diemen car, etc) and was very well balanced (engine on the front, passenger in mid, fuel tank and spare on rear), with a better suspension than the VW Bettle equipped cars. It had a more powerful engine as well: initially Chevette and Opala (6 cilinders GM), then Opala Turbo with a KKK turbo (which was the fastest street car produced in Brazil for a while, edging the similarly equipped Puma GTB, probably on weight alone). Some time later, it was offered with a Chevrolet Monza 1.8 and 2.0 engine, and to be able to be exported to the USA, it had to accept a similar but made in USA engine (pollution regulations), which I believe it was the Opel Kadett engine. GM also supplied different versions/models of brakes, diff, axles, gearbox, and many other parts for the car.

Body was made in the same factory, in the same fiberglass shop which made all the race bodies, and it was made to last a very long time: instead of having a potential customer 'kick the tires' on the car, Avallone would hand them a huge rubber mallet and invite them to go at it over the front wheel cover on the fiberglass, and nothing would happen. I saw him do that numerous times at the factory or at the car shows where he was displaying the car, to the astonishment of all around the car.

As for being a true replica...it won the 1978 Geneve, Switzerland Auto Show "Best Replica" award, prompting a letter from MG England congratulating and complimenting the car and manufacturer... and won the Brazilian Veteran Car Club Award in most shows it competed, the replica having maintained even the (right side driving) position of the dash instruments, as well as the poor luggage space and driver position...many small parts (turn signals, parts of the windshield, dash instruments, etc and etc) had to be custom designed, prototyped and molds made to remain true to the original, again differently from the other replicas which used most parts off the (VW) shelves.

All that made the car a lot more expensive than the others on the market as well.

Nowadays, we still have some in the family, and you can see one of ours in a recent article, here:

http://quatrorodas.a...78-473746.shtml

I had the pleasure of driving that one a little bit, a few months ago while in Brazil...what a joy. There are a few Avallone TF owners we have identified in Brazil (yes, we will start a club soon, send your info if interested), but it has been very hard to get them to part with their cars...here is one for sale there: http://www.autoclass...ficados_/?p=143

One was also sold in the USA some time ago (http://www.bobsclass...m/sold/55tf.htm); I have myself seen two other Avallone TFs on the streets in the USA.

The other Quatro Rodas links on this thread are also great. On their digital archives, if you search for Avallone, disregard the mentions of "Avallone Neto" as this is a race engineer with the same name but unrelated; Antonio (Carlos) Avallone's mentions begin in 1962 as a race driver and continue for a few decades including the tests and mentions to the Avallone TF replicas.

Now, on a different subject, Giraffe, it seems like you were in Oulton Park the day (March 27 1970) my dad had his F5000 accident with the Lola. I would love to correspond with you and gather some more memories, as I am working on his biography...

Thanks again to all here. Let's keep it up, and let me know any quesitons you may have !

Cheers, Fernando Avallone

[Bloggsworth]

Speaking Spanish will not help much jollydoc they speak Portuguese in Brazil

And they probably understand Spanish very well - It's not that much different...

[arttidesco]

As for being a true replica...it won the 1978 Geneve, Switzerland Auto Show "Best Replica" award, prompting a letter from MG England congratulating and complimenting the car and manufacturer...

The Avallone show car chassis #A1110 016 that is thought to have been the show car that won the 1978 Best Replica award in Geneva turned up in one of my blogs some months ago.

Wonder how jollydocs car is coming along ?