7 replies to this topic

[AdrianThompson]

Listening to the Autosport podcast with Alex Ribeiro the other day, he was relating how he started with some friends. They built an 'ugly duckling' race car around the scrapped remains of his fathers street VW Beetle. I've always loved weird off the wall cars, especially some of the VW based things that used to exist. There are plenty of picks for instance of Fittipaldi's twin engine flat 8 Bug, but I can't find any pics or information on Alex Ribeiro's device. I'm assuming that it kept the Bug floor pan and had some very very rudimentary bodywork that may or may not have covered the wheels. I'm guessing it's somewhere between a dune buggy and a Formula Vee. Are there any pics or more information out there on this car?

thx.

[MCS]

This may be helpful . . . https://blogdojovino...ao-ribeiro.html

 

If not, my apologies.

[B Squared]

Didn't the Fittipaldi brothers also run a VW based home-built racecar?

[AdrianThompson]

MC S.  Thank you, that looks like it.

 

B Squared.  YEs, but it still looked like a Beetle but had two flat fours joined to make a flat eight.

[Ray Bell]

The rollover bar is clearly designed to keep it rolling...

 

Good plan, always land on your feet.

[Lee Nicolle]

MC S.  Thank you, that looks like it.

 

B Squared.  YEs, but it still looked like a Beetle but had two flat fours joined to make a flat eight.

I think that could go in the ugly car thread. 

As for an 8cyl windmill??? OMG. Though I suppose the end was 2.4litre and 80hp, less a few because making engines tandem always loses power.

One of those pics has a group of cars, Renaults, VW Beetles, a sports car of some sort and a Simca Vedette on the front row.

So a 60hp family car!! 

There has been one running in GpN here in Oz. Nice finish, built properly but slow. 

Yet those engines in far smaller and lighter midgets were a serious engine in their day. Though overheating was the biggest issue. I have seen them run as classics and they sound strong.

So I guess some power is available? Ford V8s are still plugging along doing well in historics.  Has anyone else seen anything to make them go? The South Americans seem to be able to cobble things and make them quick.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 07 January 2020 - 07:34.

[AdrianThompson]

 

As for an 8cyl windmill??? OMG. Though I suppose the end was 2.4litre and 80hp, less a few because making engines tandem always loses power.

 

I realize this is tongue in cheek, but per this site it ended up as 3.2L with 260hp.

[ibsenop]

The engine had 3200cc and 160 to 200 HP estimated, based in this article (portuguese language)

article from Quattroruote 1971