1919 Fiat, a monstrous special called "Melos Grulli"

[grobmotorix]

Well, I can´t promise, that you will be successful with your search in the internet. I have found it there myself, but this is a very very hard nut.

Those boxes are all gasoline cans, as this was a car for voyages.

The other photo I have - which will not really help also...

[D-type]

I know the later ones were Mercedes based, but is this one of the first of "Count" Zborowski's Chitty Bag Bangs

[grobmotorix]

No.

[4popoid]

Was this "special" prepared for a particular event, and hence named "event special", such that if the name of the event were known, the name of the car would be known?  For example, if this vehicle was prepared for the Peking to Paris Race, the name might be "Peking to Paris Special".

[grobmotorix]

I do not think so.
It just seems to be a special for a quite extrovert person.

[grobmotorix]

To >>> The Black Hole >>>

[pnegyesi]

any connection to Poland?

[grobmotorix]

I don´t think so.

[D-type]

Was the large amount of fuel for desert travel?  Hence Sahara Special?

[grobmotorix]

I has been photographed in Italy in 1919 - maybe the filling stations were on strike...

[Wendax]

It was called Melos-Grulli.

[grobmotorix]

KILLER!

You´ve most probably found the only source available in the whole internet.

Or you were able to read the line beneath the head sculpture in photo #2... 

Maybe one of our Italian guys may know the meaning of the name "Melos Grulli" or if there was a person with this (nick) name??

[Wendax]

 

[thorax]

the word "melos" is latin and the meaning is : poem, melody or melodious song.
the word "grulli" is an ancient tuscany word which means goofy or silly

[grobmotorix]

Thank you.
Who might have been this silly singer??

[Paul Jaray]

Are you sure about that name? 'Grulli' is the plural of 'grullo' that is 'silly' but together they are a joke in Italian...not in Tuscany but more in the area of Rome.
There are several (bad) jokes like that and they consist in put togheter a couple of words that sounds like a name but read togheter reveal the joke...a famous one is Erminio Ottone....I can't translate it but our Italian friends will have a laugh.

[grobmotorix]

Yes - I am sure about the name. There was some text with the photo. I am sure the creator knew exactly what he did while choosing that name...

[grobmotorix]

After some additional research I think this could very probably be a converted Fiat 30/45 HP chassis from around 1911. What makes me stumble is this strange hidden chain drive case in front of the rear wheels...