62 replies to this topic

[jal43]

I'm searching (colour) pictures about Alfa GTAm of ET of 1970 drived by Toine Hezemans proclamed European Champion



(Unknowd)

[Holger Merten]

Which size? I have no problems to view your posted picture on my 35" screen.

[fausto]

Have a couple of pics, Zandvoort and Spa, different liveries, Spa pic has faded colours....will scan and post this evening/next morning....

[jal43]

Holger Merten -Which size? I have no problems to view your posted picture on my 35" screen. -







Joan Albert

[jal43]

Holger Merten -Which size? I have no problems to view your posted picture on my 35" screen. -







Joan Albert

[Ray Bell]

While on the topic... what are the differences in spec between the GTA and the GTAm?

[jal43]

The most importan was the engine. But if you want a quickly difference, GTA your body is a street car and GTAm or GTAJ the body was larged

[glyn parham]

No colour photos of the Hezemans car, but the rest of the works entries at the Spa 24 hours were painted in the familiar maroon, with different colour stripes to pick out individual cars.

Could be worth getting in touch with Frank de Jong to see if he has any contacts with photos from 1970.

Just remembered that the Hezemans car was painted in a champagne gold colour scheme for 1971.

Glyn

[Reyna]

Very poor colours Hezemans pics at Zandvoort 70....







Some b&w pics.








Sources: Rallye Racing, Autopista, Autosprint, Fórmula.

[jal43]

Thanks a lot Reyna

[Teapot]

Originally posted by Ray Bell

While on the topic... what are the differences in spec between the GTA and the GTAm?

Here are some tech data (from a nice dossier appeared some years ago on "Ruoteclassiche"), just to track down some differences... (the first figure on each line is referred to the GTA 1600, the second to the 2000 GTAm, in the 1971 version)

Engine : 4 Cyl., twin spark, liquid cooled / same
1570 cc / 1985 cc
Twin overhead cam / same
Two Weber 45 DCOE 14 / SPICA injection (indirect)
bore * strike: 78x82 mm / 84.5x88.5 mm
170 bhp @ 7500 rpm / 210 bhp @ 7500 rpm

Bodywork: Steel with aluminium panels / Steel

Wheelbase: 2350 mm / same

Tracks: 1324(f) / 1274 ® mm / 1385 (f) / 1360 ® mm

Weight: 700 kg / 900 kg

Tyres: 5.50 x 14" / 9 x 13"

[dretceterini]

The GT-Am stands for GT AMERICA. It was a homoligation special built specifically for US rules. They are 1972 cc, twin plugs per cylinder, and are steel bodied cars. They are based to a large degree on the 1750 series Giulia GTVs. Later came 1750cc variations, for racing in other countries.

The GTAs are aluminum bodied cars with 1600cc motors.

There are ways in which both 101 series and 105 series motors can be converted to GTA specs.

GT-Am motors are all 105 series based

I have a complete Alfa Romeo competition handbook, written in 1971 by Don Black, Alfa's US technical director, that is about 800 pages thick. It gives the details about every aspect of the cars.

I can make copies at the cost of the xerox plus mailing charges, if anyone wants one.

It has copies of all the homoligation papers covering the GTA and GT-Am.

[Jesper O. Hansen]

I believe the difference between the pre-1970 GTA and the 1970 onwards GTAm was a change in regulations. The way to measure of the cabin dimensions in the back seat was either changed in dimensions or the way they were measured, resulting in the GTA (and the Porsche 911) being outlawed from group 2 saloon car racing. Alfa Romeo (but not Porsche) somehow found the missing exstra centimeter by thinning the cover of the rear seat, and in the process, very sensibly, upgraded the entire car in other areas already discriped.

Jesper

[Ray Bell]

Thanks guys, that's most helpful...

I'm in the middle of doing a story about the one that was fitted with a V8 here. And Jesper, what you say rings a bell now, I have a vague recollection of that rule change.

[fausto]

here they are, the Zandvoort car is very different from the one posted before by Reyna, however the helmet is Hezemans'................





Source: Autosprint




Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

[Paul Newby]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Thanks guys, that's most helpful...

I'm in the middle of doing a story about the one that was fitted with a V8 here. And Jesper, what you say rings a bell now, I have a vague recollection of that rule change.

Hi Ray, this is story is on the famous Brian Foley GTAm with the V8 lifted from one of the Mildren single seaters, correct? There was a 71 SCW article on the GTAm when it first arrived, too.

Most of our GTAs (and sole GTAm) ended up in Western Australia. Bruce Thomas from the Victorian Alfa Club wrote a fantastic article about the whereabouts of all of these Alfas back in 93. I can probably scan you a copy. Also you should talk to (if you haven't already) speak to Andrew Murray and Rod Quinn in Perth who have owned and restored a number of GTAs.

[Ray Bell]

If you could scan and e.mail it to me, Paul, that would be great...

raybell@ramojan.com

Thanks.

[Paul Newby]

Won't be able to do it until next week, but id you are coming out to the Historics at Eastern Creek this weekend I could show you then.

[Ray Bell]

Won't be at EC or able to wait until next week... have to have the story in Monday night before I go away...

[jal43]

Thanks again Fausto

[Reyna]

Originally posted by fausto

This pic is'nt from the 1970 Zandvoort Trophy. I think it's from some Nederlands Toerwagen Championship race at Zandvoort.


Joan Albert, if you're searching information of this GTAm to make some new Fly car, perhaps this decals could help you...


Solido

[jal43]

Thanks a lot Rafa to this sheet of decals

[dretceterini]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
If you could scan and e.mail it to me, Paul, that would be great...

raybell@ramojan.com

Thanks.

I would appreciate a copy too. You can send it by e-mail, or by post. I be happy to pay whatever costs are involved.

Stu Schaller
1995 S.300 East
Salt Lake City, Utah
84115 US
e-mail: dretceterini@hotmail.com

[Patrick Italiano]

Ho, ho! GTAms seem to be of interest to many people, as this thread already got many replies before I happenned to see it.

The request for colour pics has already been satisfied, as I assume the question was about the colours of the stripes on the bonnet. Strange, isn't it? Dutch national colours (red-white-blue), possibly the orange strip is also related to the dutch origins of Hezemans.

While wondering about the flashy, and not always very beautiful, let's face it, coulour shemes of the 1970 GTAms, it seems that it was caused by Chiti's mood that year. You say psychedelic? Well, one hardly can think a Chiti smoking grass... But yet, he obviously had then the head in the skies, since he also had named the single 33s after stars' names (this has already benn discussed in another thread).

Ray's question about the difference between GTAs and GTAms deserve a bit more explanation. Group 2 rules stated a minimum production of 1000 cars. It's now clear that there were never 1000 GTAs, but something in the 500 range. Cheating with production figures and homologations was a championship by its own , back in the 60s, under the CSI ruling. You say GTO?

And indeed, the GTA was a specific model in Alfa's line up. Up to 1969, as stated, both the GTA and the Porsche 911 qualified for the "touring cars" rules, including a measurement of internal room. Rules changed for 1970, the Porsche was out, but Alfa managed to have the 1750 GTV homologated: production well in excess of the requested 1000 for this standard steel bodied coupé. This explains the weight difference, as even at 920kg, the homologated weight was very optimistic if you consider the real 1020 kg of a standard GTV (I have a 2000 GTV I once put on the balance : 1050 kg with full tank ; 53 litres weight more or less 35 kg, thus 1015 dry weight)

As the regulations stated that the engine head was free, but the carburation system had to remain of the same type as the production car, Alfa homologated the US version, fitted with mechanical fuel injection. Hence, as Stu wrote, the « Am » stands for America. While reshaping the engine classes, the new rules also allowed the engines to be rebored up to the class limits. That’s why, although designed as 1750 GTAm and/or 2000 GTAm, they all had 1985cc engines.

So, summarizing, the GTAs were a specific, aluminium bodied model for public sale as such, then successively race prepared (also with wide wheelarches in GTAm style for the post-1970 1300 GTAJuniors), and having specific (somewhat confusing) chassis number sequences, the GTAms were « plain » 1750 GTVs at US specs taken out of the production line and sent to Autodelta for preparation.

And I'm also highly interested in getting a copy of the article on Australian Gtas, including the V8. As for Stu, refunding the costs is not an issue.

[Nanni Dietrich]

Originally posted by fausto
here they are, the Zandvoort car is very different from the one posted before by Reyna, however the helmet is Hezemans'................




Source: Autosprint




Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

Here is GTAm #24 Toine Hezemans-Gerard Larrouse at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours 1970.

I'm looking for a simple difference between GTA and GTAm: the headlamps! 2 for GTA, and 4 for GTAm...


OT
Ciao Patrick!
EOT

[dretceterini]

Thanks Patrick

The competition book I mentioned give someone who is REALLY interested in these cars insight as to exactly when specific parts were changed and approved for homoligation. There are literally hundreds of parts that were changed from the beginning to the 1970s, and I'm sure dozens more after that date, when the cars became national rather than international competitors, or involved in "historic" racing. It also gives those who are interested a lot of technical details, should they want to reproduce specific parts applicable to a specific time in history.

[dretceterini]

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich


Here is GTAm #24 Toine Hezemans-Gerard Larrouse at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours 1970.

I'm looking for a simple difference between GTA and GTAm: the headlamps! 2 for GTA, and 4 for GTAm...


OT
Ciao Patrick!

EOT

Nanni:

The GT-Am also does not have the step in the nose, as on the GTA. The GT-Am is larger in size too.

[Patrick Italiano]

Originally posted by dretceterini
Thanks Patrick

The competition book I mentioned give someone who is REALLY interested in these cars insight as to exactly when specific parts were changed and approved for homoligation. There are literally hundreds of parts that were changed from the beginning to the 1970s, and I'm sure dozens more after that date, when the cars became national rather than international competitors, or involved in "historic" racing. It also gives those who are interested a lot of technical details, should they want to reproduce specific parts applicable to a specific time in history.

Well, indeed there are lots of specific parts. A more accesible source than the book you refer to, yet an out-of-print one, is Tony Adriaenssens' "Allegerita". I recommend to GTA aficionados to try and secure oneself a copy of that great contribution to the TECHNICAL (only) history of the GTA.

Without going into too much detail, it's worth noting that, for instance, altough GTAms were steel bodied cars, both aluminium and fiberglass doors and hood were homologated. So, check the door handle type on the GTAm pictures, you'll spot some with the aluminium doors. A few (fibreglass) bonnets also featured a small bulge on the right side to give more clearance to the injection system.

For 1971, the GTAM homologation weight was further raised (by memory 940kg) That caused some lightweight parts to be useless. And note that the same year, the Escort Twincams weresomewhere in the 780 kg range... I guess they homologated the Escort 1100, outbored to 1800 then 2000 and a twincam head fell from the sky.

As for the post-official race history of such cars, well, are you telling about butchery?

I have not my archives at hand here, but I seem to remember Francorchamps 1970 #24 car being red. Is it possible that the Autosprint poster scanned abovefaded away? I should have it original among my Autosprint collections, but I have not much time to dig there and check for the moment.

/OT mode/

Nanni

/end OT mode/

[VDP]

imageshack.us][/URL]

Jus to add more trouble

Robert

[Reyna]

24 Heures du Spa 1970.

[Ray Bell]

Patrick... and others...

First, I thank you for consideration of my questions and appreciate the great help it's being to me as I write the story.

But another question if I may... specific parts... I have found a race report where Foley's car (while still running as a GTAm) touched another car and it broke its fibreglass front bumper.

Was this a part for these cars as homologated?

[dretceterini]

As to bodywork, various fenders, fender extensions, hoods, bumpers, trunk lids, windshields, doors, lightweight instrument panels, and seats were homoligated along the way. There are many variations.

[Ray Bell]

Thank you... that would settle that, the car first raced here early in '71.

[Patrick Italiano]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Patrick... and others...

First, I thank you for consideration of my questions and appreciate the great help it's being to me as I write the story.

But another question if I may... specific parts... I have found a race report where Foley's car (while still running as a GTAm) touched another car and it broke its fibreglass front bumper.

Was this a part for these cars as homologated?

Unless your quote is somewhat of a misinterpretation of "bumper" - not so much of an useful accessory for racing, I would guess it is referred to an homologated fibreglass part looking like a standard bumper and used, as far as I know, only for rallying, where it was either mandatory or useful for mounting foglamps. The only event where I recall for sure the use of such "bumpers" was the Tour de France, a long distance event with special stages, hill climbs, circuit races and night runs. Possibly other rallies run by GTAms in Italy and France saw so fitted GTAms.

Sorry, no digitalized pic at hand.

Jus to add more trouble

Robert, I suspect YOU coloured that poor car in yellow with photoshop or something like that.


Seriously, I have not checked at home for further colour pics of Spa 1970 #24 GTAm, but it looks like a strange scheme of mustard with yellow stripes. But what did Chiti smoke?

[VDP]

THE ORIGINAL GTA 1966 spa

I took the yellow off

Robert

[Ray Bell]

If Paul Newby is out there...

Who bought the V8 car from Foley? It went to Western Australia, I know, but I don't have my magazines here.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Patrick... and others...

First, I thank you for consideration of my questions and appreciate the great help it's being to me as I write the story.

But another question if I may... specific parts... I have found a race report where Foley's car (while still running as a GTAm) touched another car and it broke its fibreglass front bumper.

Was this a part for these cars as homologated?

Ray....I have an Australian Classic Car somewheres with a story on one of these aloominumb lwt spls...I think the fella was in Sydney....

[Ray Bell]

I remember seeing pics of it racing in WA... so it went there at least for a while...

And I think Paul said earlier that it's still there, didn't he?

[Ray Bell]

Yeah, the Foley/Chesterfield Alfa GTAm fitted with the 2.5 Alfa V8 went there, I'm sure...

I just don't remember who raced it. I don't think it was Gordon Stephenson, I guess I just have to phone Gordon Mitchell... he'll remember.

And by the way, didn't Gordon put his turbocharged Rover V8 into Frank Cecchele's Alfa GTV for a while?

[Paul Newby]

Hi Ray, I'm currently at home and the article that I talked about is at work awaiting to be scanned. I just haven't had the time, but maybe tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that Gordon Stephenson ran more than one GTA (I think he wrote off the original LHD car at the Mt Brown Hillclimb) but it could've gone to mmm, what was his name, Ciciele (or something similar) in Perth.

[cavvy]

Originally posted by Paul Newby
Hi Ray, I'm currently at home and the article that I talked about is at work awaiting to be scanned. I just haven't had the time, but maybe tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that Gordon Stephenson ran more than one GTA (I think he wrote off the original LHD car at the Mt Brown Hillclimb) but it could've gone to mmm, what was his name, Ciciele (or something similar) in Perth.

This is all from memory but: the ex Mildren Bartlett GTA went to Gordon Stephenson who raced it with support from Frank Cecchele - this included a roll at Caversham (1967). That car went through a couple of hands & was raced as a sports sedan by Leon Magistro then to Basil Ricciardello. I think it was returned to its road car status after Ricciardello built his first Chev powered Alfetta (driven by Brian Smith).
The GTam with V8 was first raced by Stephenson (I think) & owned by Cecchele - other drivers included Max Fletcher & Gordon Mitchell.
Stephenson also raced the ex Wherret GTV sports sedan for a time.

Frank Cecchele also owns (still I think) 2 x 131 Fiat Abarth Turbos - Mitchell drove one at Wanneroo for Cecchele in the street car class - one is an ex- Rohrl car.

Memo to Ray, check through Gordon Mitchell.

[Ray Bell]

Rang Gordon, he was on his way to the movies, but confirmed that Frank Cecchele bought the car... eventually somebody twigged that the engine wasn't really eligible for Sports Sedans and so it was reefed out...

That was eventually sold to the owner of the Brabham-sans-Alfa, who is still working on preparation for Historic racing. It's been an awful long project... sometimes I wonder if racing cars that were built in five or six weeks orginally should really take 18 years to be rebuilt!

Drivers were principally Gordon Stephenson (which Bartlett Alfa GTA did he have, by the way? The LHD or the RHD... I feel sure there was both at some time) and Max Fletcher.

After a sojourn engineless in the workshop, Frank formed an alliance with Gordon Mitchell. You remember him, Warren, slim bloke, worked for Telecom. Got on well with the bloke who raced the Abarth, had a turbocharged Rover V8 in a Morris Marina that had originally been built for the London-Munich World Cup Rally.

Anyway, he had a good engine, Frank had a good chassis, so they came together. But with Frank's meticulous preparation, attention to detail and desire for further development backing Gordon's good driving. This was the period that turned most of the other drivers against Gordon, but that's another story.

The car finished its circuit life with Frank years ago... replaced by the Fiats... and only recently the shell was sold to someone in Melbourne who has acquired an original GTAm engine with which he will unite it.

[Paul Newby]

Hi Ray, please check your PM for the Bruce Thomas GTA article from 1993 as promised.

If anyone else wants a copy of this then PM me.

I should be able to fill in some of the gaps since 1993 ....

[Ray Bell]

Thanks Paul... one fact emerged from that that I didn't have... the car was raced at Wanneroo by Foley...

[cavvy]

Ray,
are you saying the car raced with a Rover V8 in the Mitchell days. I'm sure it had the Alfa V8 in Gordon Stephensons days.

Are you aware of Max Fletcher, a local who raced in England & South America, with success?

I will check my slides on the weekend but LHD was the ex Bartlett GTA run at Caversham by Gordon Stephenson (he purchased the Shelby Mustang from Neil Allen running both cars for a while at Wanneroo).

[Ray Bell]

Shelby Mustang? Nahhh...

That car was built by Bruce Burr and Jimmy Daniel for Greg Cusack initially. Allen bought it and sometimes wasted it on Fred Gibson's driving, then sold it to Stephenson. Stephenson also had the GTA, it's true.

But as for the GTAm, I thought I explained that it raced under Stephenson and Fletcher with the Alfa V8, then they had to dice that because it wasn't acceptable under the rules and it lay fallow for some time.

Gordon Mitchell had the Rover V8 and Frank developed this further and put it into the car for Mitchel to drive. Now... that kept the Gordons in perspective by keeping their surnames in place through the story... right?

[cavvy]

Yes Ray,
well gordon-ed.

Re the Mustang: the Stephensons certainly believed they bought a 350GTR - I stood in the control tower at Wanneroo with Mrs S (Fleur) during Gordons first drive in private practice - seem to remember articles in reputable (?) mags of the day, right down to very American #7 in the Cusack days - is that a rattle in the closet?

[Ray Bell]

I could be wrong, of course... I don't have my RCNs with me...

It certainly never carried any identification of anything special.

[Frank de Jong]

I've been in contact with Joan before about the Hezemans car. At the Zandvoort trophy, the left-hand and right-hand side were even different!
The "wild" car was Hezemans Dutch championship car, but in the ETCC he drove other Autodelta cars. At the Zandvoort Trophy, he drove his "Dutch" car.

[Zagato_Olaf]

I've been in contact with Joan before about the Hezemans car. At the Zandvoort trophy, the left-hand and right-hand side were even different!
The "wild" car was Hezemans Dutch championship car, but in the ETCC he drove other Autodelta cars. At the Zandvoort Trophy, he drove his "Dutch" car.

Hello Frank,

That Dutch championship car is parked in a garage in the centre of Amsterdam as we speak. It has been there since approx. 1974? after is was bought from Alfa Romeo Nederland by an Alfisti who worked there. The same Alfisti is guarding it since then and is planning on rebuilding it. I hope he eventually will because these plans have been made a long time ago.
To all the TNF people; have a look at this thread were we are trying to make up a list of the GTAm's which were period-built (late sixties & early seventies).
http://www.alfabb.co...snumbers-8.html Maybe people can add information to the list or the details?
I will post the list here as well.

Ciao! Olaf

Edited by Zagato_Olaf, 15 January 2011 - 15:06.