18 replies to this topic

[gdecarli]

Today I visited Museo dell'Automobile Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia in Torino (Italy) and I took some pics. As usual click to enlarge them.

FORMULA 1 CARS
In this section there are 12 racing cars, most of them are F.1. Description are copied (more or les) from museum labels.
Following scheme show their relative position: it's quite important, because I list here only car in frontground, but looking at this scheme you can understand what cars are in background. Front of all cars is on the right in my scheme.

• Maserati Tipo 26B (1928): The Maserati brothers' second racing car built at their Bologna factory, this model is derived from the 26 which made its debut when it came third in the 1927 Targa Florio, driven by Alfieri Maserati. The 26B mounts a straight-eight engine, supercharged by a Roots blower and with twin overhead camshafts. In 1928 that car won Italian Makes Championship thanks to the skill of drivers such as Ernesto Maserati, Baconin Borzacchini, Aymo Maggi and others.
  
  
  
  
• Monaco Trossi - Modello da Competizione (1935): this revolutionary racing car was the brainchild of Augusto Monaco, an engineer, and Carlo Felice Trossi, who tested it during the Grand Prix trials at Monza in 1935. Its most interesting feature is the two stroke radial engine with 16 cylinders in a double stellar scheme with a single combustion chamber for each pair of cylinders. It was air cooled and in frontal position, like on an aircraft. Another particularity, it had front wheel drive!
  Some more details about this strange car on The Golden Era website.
  
  
  
  
• Alfa Romeo 159 (1951)
  
  
  
  
• Ferrari 246 (1960) (see Ferrari 246 Dino Chassis 0003 thread)
  
  
  
  
• Ferrari 500
  
  
  
  
• Mercedes W196
  
  
  
  
• Maserati 250F
  
  
  
  
• Ferrari 156 (1963)
  
  
  
  
• Abarth sigle seater: I don't recal its name and I have no photos (you can see in background of some other photos)
  
• Ferrari 312T5 (1980 - driver: Gilles Villeneuve). Details (in Italian) on museum official website: click here
  
  
  
  
• Alfa Romeo 179B (1981 - driver: Bruno Giacomelli)
  
  
  
  
• Sauber Petronas (1999 - driver: Jean Alesi): no photos, you can see in background of second 250F pic.

Ciao,
Guido

(continue on next post)

[gdecarli]

FERRARI F.1 - SCHUMACHER ERA
In the same room, but separated by previous cars (you can see in background of the second 240F pic), there are two Ferrari driven by Schumacher: a F310 dated 1996 and a F399 dated 1999:




MORE CARS

• Itala (1907): this is the famous Itala who won Beijing (Peking) - Paris raid in 1907
  
  
  
  
• Bisiluro TARF Gilera: this car (?) was made by Piero Taruffi and it had a Gilera 350cc engine. In background, Nibbio 2. I don't recall any more detail, but you can find something on Piero Taruffi Museum site (ITalian only, no photos)
  
  
  
  
• Fiat Campagnola. This car made a raid from Algiers - Cape Town - Algiers in December 1951-January 1952. Few more details on Jeeps in the Mille Miglia thread.
  
  
  
  
• Ferves Ranger (late 1960s): small 4x4 car derived from Fiat 500 F; it used also some parts of Fiat 600. Some more details (in Italian), without photos, on Team Arco Alpino site.
  
  
  
  
• Ferrari Pace Car (1988): this is the only surviving Ferrari like this, but I don't recall any more details (they were 20? I don't recall). See also History of the 1987 Ferrari Pace Car thread
  
  

Ciao,
Guido

[gdecarli]

• Fiat 8HP (1901): Fiat's first front-mounted, two-cylinders engine was initially cooled by a coil radiator and subsequently by a honeycomb radiator. There were eight of these vehicles on the starting line when the first Giro d'Italia (Round Italy) race begun in 1901, and they all complete the 1634-km course.
  One was driven by Fiat's founder Giovanni Agnelli with Felice Nazzaro as his mechanic, whereas the museum's 8 HP was driven by Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio. The coachwork is of the "due" type.
  
  - Engine: 2 cylinders - 1082 cm3 - 10 CV, 1100 rpm
  - Max speed: 45 km/h
  - Weight: 1000 kg
  
  
  
  (this car is usually in Biscaretti's museum, but this photo was taken at Automotoretrò, an exhibiton held at Torino Lingotto, on February 22-23 2004. This description is copied from museum label)

MORE FROM AUTOMOTORETRO'

Following cars are not in Biscaretti museum; I took these pics at AutoMotoRetrò 2004, at Lingotto, Torino. I think they could be interesting even if they aren't racing cars, so they are a little OT.

• Citroën DS: do you think original DS was too long? Don't worry, look at this one! It was on sale, of course it has no documents for using it into traffic. I racall it has original 2.1 engine, but I don't have any more detail
  
  
  
  
• Old prototype (by Bertone?): I don't recall anything about it, but I think it was made by Bertone some years ago
  
  
  
  
• Bus (1930s): I don't recall anything about this Grand Tourism Bus, neither its name
  
  

Ciao,
Guido

• Fiat 8HP (1901): Fiat's first front-mounted, two-cylinders engine was initially cooled by a coil radiator and subsequently by a honeycomb radiator. There were eight of these vehicles on the starting line when the first Giro d'Italia (Round Italy) race begun in 1901, and they all complete the 1634-km course.
  One was driven by Fiat's founder Giovanni Agnelli with Felice Nazzaro as his mechanic, whereas the museum's 8 HP was driven by Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio. The coachwork is of the "due" type.
  
  - Engine: 2 cylinders - 1082 cm3 - 10 CV, 1100 rpm
  - Max speed: 45 km/h
  - Weight: 1000 kg
  
  
  
  (this car is usually in Biscaretti's museum, but this photo was taken at Automotoretrò, an exhibiton held at Torino Lingotto, on February 22-23 2004. This description is copied from museum label)

MORE FROM AUTOMOTORETRO'

Following cars are not in Biscaretti museum; I took these pics at AutoMotoRetrò 2004, at Lingotto, Torino. I think they could be interesting even if they aren't racing cars, so they are a little OT.

• Citroën DS: do you think original DS was too long? Don't worry, look at this one! It was on sale, of course it has no documents for using it into traffic. I racall it has original 2.1 engine, but I don't have any more detail
  
  
  
  
• Old prototype (by Bertone?): I don't recall anything about it, but I think it was made by Bertone some years ago
  
  
  
  
• Bus (1930s): I don't recall anything about this Grand Tourism Bus, neither its name
  
  

Ciao,
Guido

[Hans Etzrodt]

Thanks for taking us on your trip through this remarkable museum. Do you know the library hours?

[gdecarli]

No, I don't; I only know it's open by appointment and it's closed on Sunday and Monday.
From official website I know you can contact Mrs. Donatella Biffignandi or Mrs. Paola Masetta:

• phone: +39 011 677 666
• fax: +39 011 6647148
• mail: Corso Unità d'Italia 40 - 10126 Torino - Italy
• e-mail: museoauto.centrodoc@tin.it

Ciao,
Guido

[gdecarli]

Originally posted by gdecarli

• Bisiluro TARF Gilera: this car (?) was made by Piero Taruffi and it had a Gilera 350cc engine. In background, Nibbio 2. I don't recall any more detail, but you can find something on Piero Taruffi Museum site (Italian only, no photos)
  
  

Taruffi graduated engineer in 1932 and before WW2 worked on two popular motorbikes (C.N.A. Rondine and Gilera), both used for setting new records. After the war, he wanted to build a car with same feature of motorbikes. It thought about a bisiluro (= twin torpedo), with one torpedo for fuel and driver and the other one for the engine.

First record attempt was made on Bergamo-Brescia motorway on November 28-29 1948 using a Guzzi 2-cylinders 500cc engine and he scored 6 new records.
In 1951 a second TARF was built: it was quite similar, but right torpedo had a radiator in front and no vertical wing. No mention about the engine, but looking at my photo, I think I saw this second one. Taruffi attempted (and failed) new records in November 1951, then he tried in early 1952 and from January to April he scored 50 km, 100 km, 50 mi, 100 mi and hour records. These record were scored on Via Appia, old National Road near Rome. Later, between 1954 and 1957, he improved his own record at Monza.

Engine I saw in Turin was a Gilera 4 cylinders 350cc 40 CV 11500 rpm taken from a motorbike; weight of the whole car was 300 kg only!

(from Piero Taruffi Museum and ModenaTur, both in Italian)

Ciao,
Guido

[gdecarli]

Sorry, I have just discovered that many links to big photos were wrong. Now I corrected them and you should be able to see all of them.

Ciao,
Guido

[Patrick Italiano]

I've been at the Biscaretti archive one week ago.

Opening hours are 10-13 and 14-18. However, you should arrange your visit in order to have your needed material at your disposal one a table when you come in! Closed on Monday. Huge lots of documents available. Your main concern will be the hotel bill to stay in Turin the time you need:eek:

Contact Dottoressa Biffignandi or Dssa. Massetta as indicated by Guido.

You may get there with a computer and scanner, however the most interesting material for us (Auto Italiana collections, for instance) are reputed too fragile to be photocopied or scanned. You'll be allowed to take digital pics.

BTW, Guido, the Alfa is a 158, even if the chassis plate says 159-109. Refer to the "Alfetta chassis numbers" thread about that point.

[dretceterini]

Patrick:

Did you find any more info on the Alfa 412 sportscars?

[Patrick Italiano]

Originally posted by dretceterini
Patrick:

Did you find any more info on the Alfa 412 sportscars?

Nothing that really helps about the main points, i.e. chassis identities and/or number of cars built.

I might have a couple of extra pics digitally pictured from old magazines, but I havea huge lot of copies to sort out and I don't recall any very sensible material about 412s. Unfortunately.

[anjakub]

Originally posted by gdecarli
Bisiluro TARF Gilera: this car (?) was made by Piero Taruffi and it had a Gilera 350cc engine. In background, Nibbio 2. I don't recall any more detail, but you can find something on Piero Taruffi Museum site (Italian only, no photos)

Another multi-body racing car (project) of Piero Taruffi see:
http://l2.espacenet.... 2608264A1 I

[D-Type]

I've never seen the 'trimaran' before.

As to the 'catamarans'
As far as I know there were two Tarfs (there could have been more). The first is the one featured here which ran with 350cc Gilera and 500cc Guzzi motorcycle engines. The second had a 1.5 litre superchaged Maserati engine and somehow ended up in an Australian museum. It has been featured somewhere on TNF but It's too late to go looking tonight.
A cousin to the Tarf was the twin boom Nardi that ran at the 1955(?) Le Mans, also featured on TNF somewhere.
Then there were a couple of Indianapolis affairs which have also been featured on TNF.

Thanks for the picture of the Borghese ITALA. It will enable me to customise the Rio model in my 'miniature museum'

Duncan

[David McKinney]

At Monaco last week I heard the alarming suggestion that the Biscaretti musuem is to close
Anyone know if there's any truth in this?

[gdecarli]

I have never read anything about like this on Italian magazines I read (Quattroruote and Autosprint). I don't know if I miss this info, if they didn't write anything or of this info is wrong.

Ciao,
Guido

[arttidesco]

I know I'm catching on to this thread several years late but I'd be I'd be interested to know when, how and why Bruno's 179 (B) got that 1982 era paint job ? I have seen any number of pics of 179's with suspect paint jobs including one with blue numbers 1981 ish Marlboro chevrons, 1980 Goodyear stickers, and shod of course with Avon Tyres :-)

[Pullman99]

[quote name='arttidesco' date='Apr 23 2010, 18:31' post='4310980']I'd be interested to know when, how and why Bruno's 179 (B) got that 1982 era paint job ? I have seen any number of pics of 179's with suspect paint jobs including one with blue numbers 1981 ish Marlboro chevrons, 1980 Goodyear stickers, and shod of course with Avon Tyres :-)/quote]

I was last in the Biscaretti about 12 months ago. and I had not realised it before I left for Italy, although I had noted a different address on one of the websites, but the original building on the Corso Unita d'Italia is being rebuilt. It looked like it had been bombed as we approached but still with the "tourist" brown direction signs pointing to it. I asked in a nearby cafe where it had gone and was redirected to the Turin Exhibition Centre on Corso Massimo d'Azeglio. Here there are key vehicles from the collection on show in themed exhibitions - when I was there it ws on the evolution of the automobile - and will remain so until the original complex is reopened in 2011 as part of the celebrations marking Italy's unification in 1861. When reopened back in the previous and very interesting building (which won several architectural awards in its original form) and judging by the plans, models and video presentation on view last year, the new museum will be much expanded and will be one of the greatest - possibly the VERY BEST - transport museums in the world

On the 179, I am not sure which one it is. It was exhibited alongside one of the later turbocars in Benetton livery. An email to the museum would no doubt elicit a response as they seemed to be very helpful when I enquired about the Peking to Paris Itala. As soon as I can do so, I will add a pic or two. The Donington Collection also has an Alfa Romeo from (I think) the 1980 season.

Slightly OT: Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia also produced some fine illustration and artwork including a series of cartoons depicting, amongst other things, various contemporary sports as imagined in former centuries (XVI Century I believe). I wondered if anyone on the Forum knew of these and whether they were published commercially. An example was a game of Rugby with the participants (combatants?) wearing suits of armour. Not very Johnny Wilkinson really!

Edited by Pullman99, 26 April 2010 - 12:24.

[Pullman99]

Here are some pics of Alfa Romeo F1 cars in the Biscaretti, May 2009





Alfa Romeo 179



Benetton liveried Alfa Romeo F1 turbocar

Plus the Donington Collection car, photographed February2010

Edited by Pullman99, 26 April 2010 - 08:02.

[arttidesco]

Thanks for the latest pictures from Biscaretti, when I have finished working out the complete story of the 179 chassis 1979 to 1982, I have a look at writing a piece about the Museum Alfa Romeo F1 chassis. :-)

[dax]

A piece of history from 1961: Museo Nazionale dell'automobile Biscaretti
On the right column you have to choose the video format (wmv, Real Video or Quicktime) and resolution (low/high) based on your PC platform.

A pair of translations for non-italian speaking people (sorry for bad english, I try to do my best):

at ~04m15s - Luigi Barzini jr.

Anywhere the famous Itala arrives.
It was the first car you saw in this Chinese village, or that Russian one.
For example, my father remembered the wondering, the amazement, the pain of the Mongols when they saw their Imperial Mandarin on the Scipione car, because untill then, through the ages, these Mongols, who arrived in the heart of Europe, were certain to have the fastest animal in the world, their mongols horses, but when they tried to follow Scipione car, they cant.... it was the first time in history that they meet an animal faster than them.

at ~07m04s Alessandro Cagno speaks:

Today drivers have an easy task, because they only have to drive. The mechanicals prepare the car and everything else needed for the race.
For us yesterday racers, things were not so easy: we married our car; we follow the car in the building, preparation and tuning till the race.
This is a race car, a 1907 FIAT, which gave me much satisfaction, but also much pain.
At that time, due to the roads, the rules, the tires changes, the trivial incidents, the crashes, our races exposed us to an hard labor, starting at 5 in the morning, till the afternoon... a lot of drawbacks, off the road, not asphalted roads, wheels changes, sacrifices for personal needs...
Despite this, this car carry me a lot of times to victory.