13 replies to this topic

[dmj]

I recently found a picture of that car, that was previously unknown to me. I learned a little bit more thanks to - who else? - Leif:
A streamlined variant of the car appeared during the Tripoli GP to be driven by head driver Luigi Villoresi. (about 1939.)
But that's all. Does anyone know what happened to that car, does it still exist, did it entered any more races etc... I would like to know, I was always fascinated with streamliners, from Mercedes to Fageol.

[David McKinney]

I'm fairly sure it was rebodied as a normal 4CL after the race. Will check further and report in due course

[Felix Muelas]

[Marcor]

The all-enveloping body of this car was built at Bologna in collaboration with the engineers from Stabilimenti Farina, the Turinese firm whose coowner and director was Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina. In 1939 Farina was driving the Alfetta and was a direct rival of Maserati. Luigi Villoresi set the fastest practice time in 3' 41"8 at the average speed of 215 kph (170 mph), beating the new W165 Mercedes of Lang and Caracciola and the first Alfetta driven by Farina.

At the start of the race the two 'small' Mercedes W165 took the lead while Luigi Villoresi had difficulty in selecting gears on the start line and retired his aerodynamic Maserati at the end of the lap with a burnt and cracked piston.

I also think the car was transformed in 'normal' configuration after the Tripoli race which was a real debacle for Maserati. Trossi and Cortese also retired for the same reason as Gigi Villoresi: piston failure.

[ry6]

There is a detailed account of this race in the April 1996 edition of Classic Car Africa.
It is a VERY RARE edition so those interested will have to ask those who have the mag to copy the story for them.

[ry6]

I like this car.
Does anybody have the book by Rob de la Rive Box and Richard Crump which may tell about it?

Some notes I have on its Tripoli race -

Luigi Villoresi took pole position with 3 min 41.8 secs at 131.6 mph

So it was fast alright.

It was dropping oil on the startline and Villoresi was unable to select 3rd gear from the start and retired on lap 1.

Their is some brief footage of this car on the Shell History of Motorsport video.

[alessandro silva]

ry6
Four pictures of the Streamliner on de la Rive Box - Crump book pages 87/88. No particular information given.
A picture of the start of the Tripoli race with a very good view of the Streamliner from Venables "First among champions" pag 146.
Many pictures scattered in Italian publications, but always missing what happened to the chassis afterwards.
Did you check David?

[Felix Muelas]

Originally posted by ry6
There is a detailed account of this race in the April 1996 edition of Classic Car Africa.
It is a VERY RARE edition so those interested will have to ask those who have the mag to copy the story for them.

Rob,

And I am one of those that does not have a copy

But hopefully someone else has it...

Felix

[David McKinney]

Yes Sandro I checked, but don't have much to report. It was apparently rebodied straight after the race and may have been fitted with a 6CM engine which may have been the 24-valve unit. Also it may have been c/no 1565, but Doug Nye's history of that car is not the same as mine. No, I don't know who's right. Either way, the car seems to have disappeared during or just after WW2

[ry6]

Felix,
I will try to find a copy of the magazine for you, otherwise I will photocopy the article and post it to Gib.
Hope the postal system has speeded up.
Regards
Rob

[Felix Muelas]

Rob

Thanks ! You are a wonderful person !

BTW, did I tell you that I found a copy of your book "Springbok Grand Prix" in excellent condition at one of the booksellers at the recent Goodwood Revival meeting? Well, I am almost sure I didn´t, if only because I would have mentioned its price. You have become a "classic", my friend...The bookseller was asking 60 GBP for it!
I hope you still get something out of it

Un abrazo

Felix

[Felix Muelas]

Rob Young kept his promise and by 20th February 2002 I received a copy of the April 1996 Classic Car Africa magazine (Volume 2, No1). Received with thanks, of course.

Now that 12 years have elapsed and someone might be interested in some of the articles of that magazine (I will post the index as soon as I can), it is my turn to offer a copy of them, via picture or photocopy, to whomever is looking to read them.

[Felix Muelas]

 

[JoBo]

Rob Young kept his promise and by 20th February 2002 I received a copy of the April 1996 Classic Car Africa magazine (Volume 2, No1). Received with thanks, of course.

Now that 12 years have elapsed and someone might be interested in some of the articles of that magazine (I will post the index as soon as I can), it is my turn to offer a copy of them, via picture or photocopy, to whomever is looking to read them.

 

 

Yes Sandro I checked, but don't have much to report. It was apparently rebodied straight after the race and may have been fitted with a 6CM engine which may have been the 24-valve unit. Also it may have been c/no 1565, but Doug Nye's history of that car is not the same as mine. No, I don't know who's right. Either way, the car seems to have disappeared during or just after WW2

 

The coachwork survived WWII and was stored in the Factory until the early 50s. From then on "Gone with the Wind". No idea if the car -as a standard 6CM- is still existing today.

 

JoBo

Edited by JoBo, 28 December 2013 - 14:55.