15 replies to this topic

[jadb1]

Who this adorable young man in motorcycle???

[Twin Window]

A very young Emerson Fittipaldi.

[jadb1]

Originally posted by Twin Window
A very young Emerson Fittipaldi.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
It(He,She) was easy and uds know very much and I learn day after day already I am going to look for a difficult photos mas regards to my friends Alejandro !!!

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by jadb1

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
It(He,She)...

He!

Alejandro, perhaps you could place your quiz photos in the 8W thread? It's the place they really belong!

¿Alejandro, quizás usted puede el lugar sus fotos del examen en el hilo 8W? ¡Es el lugar que ellos pertenecen realmente!

[jadb1]

ok amigo

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by jadb1

ok amigo

[guazzoni]

does anybody have any idea what he is riding on?

[550spyder]

Originally posted by guazzoni
does anybody have any idea what he is riding on?

If I remember it was a Mondial 50 or 75 cc two stroke, italian made, quite comon bikes here in the 50/60s. I used to ride one called Mondial Record.

[guazzoni]

I know the mondial record. Truly beautiful bikes, but made for the street, not to race




Fittipaldi surely can't be racing something like that. The mondial record was made in the late sixties, early seventies. By then 50cc racers developed about 20 bhp, while such a mondial probably had around 5 bhp...

[Muzza]

Roberto,


As you, I can't recall the original manufacturer of the bike (hell, I have this in my files in Brazil - if I just could tele-transport myself there...) but I remember that it had been extensively modified by the Fittipaldi brothers themselves. I know it is not a Kreidler - is it an Agusta?

They modified the fork, the frame, exhaust pipe and who-knows-what-else with the help of a mechanic which was a friend of Wilson Fittipaldi (father of "Wilsinho" and Émerson). The chap was extremely impressed with them - teenagers at the time. This picture was taken in Interlagos around 1962, when Emerson was 15.

Abraço,


Muzza

[550spyder]

Originally posted by Muzza
Roberto,


As you, I can't recall the original manufacturer of the bike (hell, I have this in my files in Brazil - if I just could tele-transport myself there...) but I remember that it had been extensively modified by the Fittipaldi brothers themselves. I know it is not a Kreidler - is it an Agusta?

They modified the fork, the frame, exhaust pipe and who-knows-what-else with the help of a mechanic which was a friend of Wilson Fittipaldi (father of "Wilsinho" and Émerson). The chap was extremely impressed with them - teenagers at the time. This picture was taken in Interlagos around 1962, when Emerson was 15.

Abraço,


Muzza

I almost sure that the bike was a Mondial. At that time we do not have Kreidler or Agusta here. I remember that time because I had a Mondial myself and Mondials were very comon here and used in races with different degrees of tunning. Teenagers always have Mondials and after that Ducatis 250. That's all we have. Hondas or Yamahas only appeared after 1969. I raced a Yamaha TD1 at that time.

There is chance that the bike was a Mondial modified by Silvano Pozzi, a well known mecanic that manufatered a bike with his name, only for races. Some of the bikes were a modified Mondials or based on Mondials. Others were 250 with a Pozzi's engine. As far as I know Silvano was friend of the Fittipaldis.

Wilson Senior, O Barão, was a broadcast man and used to race bikes until he had a huge accident in Interlagos. He was broadcasting the race riding a bike as one of the competitors. I believe he fell of the bike due to the weight of the radio and bateries and spent some months in the hospital. This build a horror of the family regarding bikes, chiefly by their mother. Eventhough Wilson Senior were active in the major bike club Centauro, he never raced again. He start to organize the Brazilian Mil Milhas in Interlagos.

Regarding to Emerson carrer, he raced bicicles as a young kid and raced only few races in motorbikes until Dna Juze, his mother, discovered. That was the end of his career as a motorciclist. Maybe we lose an Agostini.

[Muzza]

Fala, Roberto!


Absolutely right, the mechanic working with the Fittipaldi teenagers was indeed Silvano Pozzi - who, amongst other honours, could be called the forefather of karting in Brazil...

Wilson "Barão" Fittipaldi is a larger-than-life persona, unstoppable, hardworking and with an extremely short fuse (as I had the experience of trying myself ). Just like Nélson Piquet, he is a man that, should his life ever become a movie, it would be deemed "a most unbelievable fantasy" - even if it is all true.

(he was once asked to explain the story you told below about his idea of engaging in an endurance motorcycle race with a radio and narrating it to the listeners of Rádio Jovem Pan at the same time. This back in 1953 or so. According to him the radio "was heavier than half a Volkswagen" what "improved traction at some points of the circuit" ( ).

In his typical self-promoting style, he described the idea in words like "I was ahead of the time. Ahead of the technology, ahead of the competitors, ahead of the motorcycle. Before anything I was ahead of the radio... but I was not ahead of myself.")

Cheers,


Muzza

[550spyder]

Actually, the father of karting in Brazil was Claudio Daniel Rodrigues, a famos and efficient MG racer, uncle of Luiz Pereira Bueno.

Silvano came after with his karts SILPO from SILvano POzzi.

Great times.

Where is Oak Park in California? I lived in California from 78 to 80 in Stanford. Great place.

[Muzza]

Roberto, I am sending you a pm.

Cheers,


Muzza

[panzani]

This shot was taken at Interlagos in 1963. Warming up his Mondial 50cc.
A complete article regarding Emmo's first steps in racing -- including this and many other (copyrighted?) original photographs -- can be found here.
It is in Portuguese -- though plenty of images -- sorry...

[Gary C]

Blimey !! & there was me thinking it was Frank Williams !!!