This one is probably too hard for the three rookies that are left, but it would disappear from the Expert list in five minutes
Makers of the car and of the car it was based on please
Let's see how long the experts take then.
Quite amazing that this is still here: 55 views and not one guess, much less the usual complete description from Grobmotorix, Paul Jaray or @re
Based on a Cisitalia 202?
no
Italian?
yes
Based on a Siata?
no
Any relation with a Ferrari 125 S ?
not a Ferrari, nor relative of one.
Form Russia?
Quote from: KarnUtz on May 08, 2008, 04:57:23 AM
Form Russia?
When you asked if it were Italian, I said yes ???
It's been a long week (new job).
So, it's not from the Russian part if Italy, correct? ;)
Quote from: KarnUtz on May 08, 2008, 04:49:05 PM
So, it's not from the Russian part if Italy, correct? ;)
Nor from the Austrian part so far as I know!
Fiat-based?
Yes
:drive: moved.......................................
Surely the top class can easily get this - most of the work is done!
You know, I´m sure I´ve seen this some time before, but that´s all.
Let´s see what the other guys do know...
Time for a clue: the body seems to be the work of a well-known coachbuilder, and the engine is heavily modified from standard production.
This last clue could mean sometning like an Abarth, Giannini or any other Fiat-tuner.
Quote from: SeaLion on June 28, 2008, 04:23:46 AM
This last clue could mean sometning like an Abarth, Giannini or any other Fiat-tuner.
Yes it could, though not those named.
I'm thinking it's a Nardi-Danese, though I can't find one that looks just like it...
Not that either
This is pure-guessing, is the coachbuilder Zagato? I know he was involved in many racer during those years as the Alfa Romeo, and if it's him, is that a Giusti?
QuoteThe "Drin Drin" was a barchetta bodied Fiat Topolino engined 750cc sports car with a Testadoro cylinder head (cross pushrods, like a BMW 328) built by Giusti's Casa 'dell Auto.
http://forums.autosport.com/
Between them Paul Jaray and Otto Puzzel have got it, and I think a point each.
It seems to be the only known photo of Giusti's Drin Drin, although there are many of his other specials.
I'm proud for this...I was thinking exactly to a Drin-Drin Testadoro but I was not able to find a single picture from the web, I've got a book at home with italian exceterini and when I'll back I'm going to scan some pics!
Unusually for me, this one came of the internet, and is the only photo I can find
=http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1968/testadorodrindrinfw9.th.jpg (http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1968/testadorodrindrinfw9.th.jpg)
Reviving this old one... PJ, did you succeed in finding more photos of Drin Drin? :hail:
In that book, there is a chapter about Testadoro. There is the same picture as the one posted here ( the first Testadoro in the 1947's Varese Circuit), a design of the side of the car with the displacement of the mechanics, a picture of a totally different Testadoro Barchetta at the 1949's Mille Miglia, the Giusti Drin-Drin at the 1947's Varese circuit (different car, it seems....!), Zagato's Giusti Marinella II from the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo in 1948, 2 pictures of the Daniela, the Revelli-Monaco and the Testadoro with a Siata engine. I'll make a quick search in another book of mine...
Is there any chance to see them, if you will have some spare time? :)
If you want, I can take a picture of those pages with my camera, but I can't scan the pages now.
I've sent you a PM. Thanks :)
No problem, I've already take the pictures and resized them, I'll post them and add some info about. I'm thinking to post it as an article for the other section, something like "Testadoro story", but it will take more time...by now, here are the pictures:
...
Thank you so much!!!
My word, what have I started!
Do any pictures/drawings exist of the engine's valvegear which was supposed to be like that of the BMW328?
Quote from: Allan L on February 11, 2009, 03:49:37 AM
My word, what have I started!
Do any pictures/drawings exist of the engine's valvegear which was supposed to be like that of the BMW328?
Seems like you know this book!
Here you are:
Can I ask one more question? How's the make should be properly called after all - Giusti, Testadoro or Casa dell'Auto?
I was going to write an article about, but hey, you really want these info!
Testadoro was the commercial name for a special head for the Fiat 500 A, distributed by G.R. Casa dell'Auto srl in Torino, and Giorgio Giusti was the owner. This was a project of the engineer Arnaldo Roselli (involved in the Volpini cars and the "R" in G.R.) and the name (testa d'oro = golden head) was due to the bronze color of it. It was made of bronze because, even if more expensive, that material had better qualities. There were 3 versions of this head, N,S and C, with an increasing diameter of the valves and compression ratio. To increase his business Giusti realized a Sport car, called Drin-Drin after his wife's nickname Andreina. This car (the one of this puzzle) had a modified Fiat 500A chassis and the engine was raised to 660cc, the top of the category in his class. The head was of course a Testadoro Tipo C (corsa). This car raced in Montlhery and other minor races in 1947 with success. It received a new body by Zagato soon after(pic.#3-4-5). In 1948 was ready the Marinella, named after Giusti's daughter. This car was a totally new project, with a Gilco's chassis and an original engine, with 742cc and an alloy head. It was built in a cigar-body by Zagato (pic.#9 with Elio's signature) and it race successfully in 1948 in the Michelin's cup, in the Valentino's circuit and, in a new Barchetta-body by Zagato (pic.#8), in the Giro di sicilia and Mille Miglia in 1949. In 1949 was ready the Daniela (pic.#6-7), named after Giusti's 2nd daughter, with the Marinella's engine raised to 48cv. Once again it had a Gilco's chassis and an Alfa Romeo 158 lookalike body by Zagato. With the death of Roselli in a car accident in that year, Giusti left the races. The Testadoro Specials kept on racing in private hands and in 1952 Dario Dal Monte Casoni took a Daniela with a Testadoro engine equipped with a Siata type B head and called it the Acme Special (pic.#10 in the bottom-left corner). Mauro Vinattieri in 1952 raced with a Testarossa (!) Special (pic.#10 in the bottom-right corner), actually a Daniela equipped with a Giannini G1 engine. Angelo Poggio raced with a Siata-engined Testadoro (last picture) in the 1952's Coppa della Consuma.
In 1947, Gino Valenzano ordered a "Sport Internazionale" racing car for the 1100's class to Count M. Revelli di Beaumont and Augusto Monaco and this car was built in Turin and equipped with a Testadoro head. The body was (of course) designed by Mr Revelli but wasn't successful.
I love that period sportscars :) Thanks for the information.
I've also found this version of Testadoro at one of the well-known forums, called Branca-Moretti. A little bit of information is on the picture.
I knew that car, but I tried to summarize the chapter in my book (4 pages in italiano!). The Branca-Moretti was a Marinella with a dohc engine by Moretti driven by Giusti's friend Aquilino first, and a Daniela with the same engine later, driven by Ubezzi in the 1955's Mille Miglia. If you like those car, I strongly recommand you this book " La Sport e i suoi artigiani, 1937-1965" by Andrea Curami and Piero Vergnano, http://www.giorgionadaeditore.it/italiano/index.asp?a=dett&ID=569, it is a fantastic book!
Seems great. 500 photos on 360 pages...
and finally...
Awesome! Those late 40s-50s sportscars are among the greatest cars ever...
Quote from: faksta on April 10, 2009, 09:52:51 AM
Awesome! Those late 40s-50s sportscars are among the greatest cars ever...
For me they have too much of a DIY-in-a-shed looks ;)
Quote from: ImpishGrin on April 10, 2009, 09:57:44 AM
For me they have too much of a DIY-in-a-shed looks ;)
Banned :P ;D
On a serious note, does anyone know anything about the other cars on 1947 Michelin Trophy photo? Especially that silver(?) one, with a 'propeller' in the front.
Stay tuned....
Quote from: faksta on April 10, 2009, 10:04:05 AM
Quote from: ImpishGrin on April 10, 2009, 09:57:44 AM
For me they have too much of a DIY-in-a-shed looks ;)
Banned :P ;D
On a serious note, does anyone know anything about the other cars on 1947 Michelin Trophy photo? Especially that silver(?) one, with a 'propeller' in the front.
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=7625.0
Yep, thanks. I have recognized it when you posted that puzzle :)