14 replies to this topic

[Darren Galpin]

To help, the language is Portuguese, and the picture is likely to be from Brazil. And I do not know the answer either!

[BertlF]

The only thing I can contribute: "o cacador de estelas" translates as "the hunter of the stars"....

Bert

[Vitesse2]

Some sort of aero-engined dragster or sprint (in the UK sense) car?

4WD? All wheels the same size by the look of it.

[Darren Galpin]

From http://www.gptotal.c...tas1q_04_02.htm

Bica Votnamis posteriormente construiu alguns protótipos estranhos, todos derivados de um Corvette 59 ou 60, com soluções aerodinâmicas curiosas como o famoso "Caçador de Estrelas", que ganhou esse apelido por possuir uma espécie de farol sobre a capota (moda criada pela equipe DKW, podemos falar sobre isso em outra oportunidade) que ficava focado para o céu, e nas corridas noturnas fazia muito sucesso. Na verdade não consegui ainda localizar nenhuma foto do mesmo. Tenho uma foto de um outro protótipo. Tenho algumas raras edições das revistas 4 Rodas e Auto Esporte, dos anos 60, com reportagens sobre corridas da época. Caetano e Bica não eram dos pilotos mais jovens na época, já regulavam em idade com Chico Landi,
portanto acredito que já tenham passado para o "autódromo lá de cima" e devem estar felizes "dividindo" curvas com Villeneuve (pai), Peterson, Senna, Clark Rindt, Landi, Camilo etc. e recepcionando o Avallone que,recém chegado, deve estar louco para "organizar" aquela bagunça.Tão logo consiga mais informações, passarei com prazer aos amigos do GPTotal, que pelo que sinto felizmente, vai de vento em popa!
Abraços
Romeu Nardini, São Paulo



My Portuguese isn't great, but here goes. Bica Votnamis built foreign prototypes, all derived from '59 and '60 Corvettes, with curious aerodynamic solutions such as his famous "Cacador de Estrelas"......

[tonicco]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin

Bica Votnamis posteriormente construiu alguns protótipos estranhos, todos derivados de um Corvette 59 ou 60, com soluções aerodinâmicas curiosas como o famoso "Caçador de Estrelas".

My Portuguese isn't great, but here goes. Bica Votnamis built foreign prototypes, all derived from '59 and '60 Corvettes, with curious aerodynamic solutions such as his famous "Cacador de Estrelas"...... [/B]

Darren,

Your Portuguese is excelent Allow me to introduce some minor corrections to your translation:

"Bica Votnamis later build some rather strange prototypes, all based/derived from a '59 or '60 Corvette, with curious aerodynamic solutions, as in the well known "Star Hunter"..."

[Darren Galpin]

Additionally found out that it had a ladder frame copied from a Maserati 250F. If anyone else has further details about this car though, I would like to hear from them.

[bobbo]

Man!!!

Another entry into the "Ugliest Racing Car" contest!

Bobbo

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Additionally found out that it had a ladder frame copied from a Maserati 250F

Must have been a fairly bad copy.... the 250F didn't have a ladder frame

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David McKinney
Must have been a fairly bad copy.... the 250F didn't have a ladder frame

Nor the driver ahead of the front axle...

But these are minor details.

[TODave2]

Erm, stupid question, but is the contraption being driven right to left or left to right?

I thought it was driving left to right when I saw it, with the driver at the front... but looking at it again I thought it would look more 'balanced' (ie, like a 50s GP car) if it was going right to left...?

I assume it must be going to the left to right as there's a windscreen and a wiper on it. But... hang on a minute...

[David McKinney]

Well spotted TOD - look at the exhaust pipes

[Geoff E]

The driver's nose is also a bit of a clue (although I never considered anything other than right to left before TODave2 mentioned it).

[Darren Galpin]

But just because you copy something (or bits of), it doesn't mean that you have to then use it that way. Say, for instance, that you took a standard race chassis, turn it through 180 degrees, and then sit the driver where the fuel tank would have been (and also stick a proboscis on it) - it would kind of look like the above photo.

[TODave2]

So... er... it is actually going to the right, yes?!

[Darren Galpin]

Further comment on the car. To clarify earlier ladder frame bit

"had a Corvette engine and a ladder frame , some bits copied from Maser 250f if not the bits".

A misplaced comma makes all the difference!

"...remember seeing it bounce its way around interlagos, it had some lurid spins , remember one at curva 2 , which was PDFast ,presume like driving a VW Kombi on steroids.... Bica was a carretera driver ( the old cut down 36 or 37 cut down chevvy or ford coupes that ran in S America ....) with some strange concepts on design..... but at least did his own original cars, worse was the ex Gancia -Zambello Maserati 4.5 liter that got butchered to make a late 60`s sports car ( I think the blokes name was Salvatore Giancaruso... but not sure...) this was one of the 7 built for the 57 mille miglia.... "