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Thread: 2008 "Dream, cars of the future since 1950" exposition, Turin, December 23rd 2008

  1. #46
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    1966 Italdesign Manta

    The circle closes in the first one-box sports model
    Chassis: Bizzarrini
    Engine: Chevrolet small block V8, 5.400 cc
    Top speed: 325 km/h

    One-off
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    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  2. #47
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    1966 Italdesign Manta

    Considering the relevance of this car, I though it was a good occasion to quote our almighty Wouter :

    A racer at heart, Giotto Bizzarrini set out to expand his line-up with a mid-engined racing car for the 1966 season. His production based GT racers had been mildly successful, but they could achieve class wins at best. It was a very ambitious project as the small company challenged the big boys Ford and Ferrari, who were engaged in their epic war for Le Mans glory.

    After six months development, the first chassis was constructed late in 1965. Designed to cope with the very powerful Chevrolet V8 engine, the chassis was of a tubular design with triangle shaped tubes. With double wishbones and disc brakes added to the mix, the new Bizzarrini was a very conventional racing car. It was dubbed P538, for 'posteriore' or rear(-engined) and 5.3 litre V8. It would get a little more complex when the first customer ordered his car to be equipped with a four litre version of the Bizzarrini designed Lamborghini V12.

    By January of 1966 the rolling chassis was merged with the Lamborghini engine and a fiberglass body constructed by a local boatbuilding firm. While some of the P538 cues were lifted from its front-engined road going cousins, the roadster design was somewhat unusual. The front and rear overhang were very short ending in a chopped off Kamm tail and vents were in abundance. Until this point, it had all gone very well, but fortune quickly ran out when experienced test-driver Edgar Berney flipped the prototype during one of the first test sessions.

    Due to the extent of the damage, Bizzarrini decided to strip the first car of all its (usable) mechanicals and fit them to a second chassis. At the same time a third chassis was also constructed, which would serve as the Works car. Shortly after the second car was completed, with its 400 bhp Lamborghini V12, it was shipped to its customer in the United States. He briefly raced it, but with little success. All the available attention in the factory was now on the third car, which was readied for that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

    The hastily constructed car was shipped to Le Mans just in time for the race, but too late to do any real testing. Seven laps into the race the V8 engined P538 was brought into the pits with a vibration in the wheel. The car was jacked up to examine the problem, but in the process a water hose inside one of the triangular tubes was fatally damaged. It was raced again in the fall, achieving a fourth position in a local race. Bizzarrini returned to Le Mans with the same car in 1967, but for reasons unknown to this day, it did not pass scruteneering.

    For the new season the big prototype racers, including the P538, were banned, so Bizzarrini was left with a virtually useless racing car. In an attempt to sell the P538 as a racing car, Bizzarrini had the roadster body replaced by a more practical coupe. One of his customers, the Duke of Aosta, was very interested in the car, but sadly he did not fit. Especially for the Duke a fourth chassis was constructed and fitted with a tailormade coupe body. This car was appropriately named the 'Duca d'Aosta' Coupe.

    At around the same former Bertone and Ghia designer Giorgietto Giugiaro expressed an interest to build a striking show car based on the P538 chassis. The two men had already worked together on various Iso projects, so Bizzarrini was more than happy to supply the Giugiaro with a chassis. They agreed that when the car was sold, they'd split the profit. Instead of building a brand new chassis, the coupe body was removed from the Le Mans car and that was sent to Turin where Giugiaro had just formed ItalDesign.

    The master designer crafted a road hugging shape somewhat reminiscent of the DeTomaso Mangusta he had designed for Ghia. Glass was extensively used to give the small cockpit an airy look. Inside the passenger sat three-abreast with the driver slightly forward in the middle. This layout allowed for the pedals to be moved further forward, freeing up a lot of space. The dials were mounted in the dash on both sides of the long steering column. Giugiaro christened his first independent design 'Manta'.

    Launched to great acclaim at the 1968 Turin Motorshow, the lime-green Bizzarrini Manta was the spectacular debut of the ItalDesign company, but also one of the last appearances of a Bizzarrini at an international motorshow. Unfortunately the Manta was lost after a trip to the United States, only to resurface in the late 1970s. In the following decade, the unusual green paint scheme was replaced by a kinder-to-the-eye silver and shown at the 20th anniversary party of Italdesign in 1988.

    In recent years the car found a caring owner in the United States, who restored the Manta back to the 1968 livery. With its racing history and importance for the birth of Italdesign, the Manta is no doubt one of the most important show cars in existence. It is seen here at its post-restoration debut at the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won first in class.

    Article by Wouter Melissen
    1968 Bizzarrini Manta - Images, Specifications and Information
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  3. #48
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    1966 Italdesign Manta
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    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  4. #49
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    1972 Italdesign Boomerang

    Brilliant faceting in metal and glass
    Two seater sports saloon
    length: 4,34 m
    Engine: V8, 4.700 cc

    One-off
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  5. #50
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    1972 Italdesign Boomerang
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  6. #51
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    1989 Pininfarina Mythos

    A design of quiet beauty
    Two seater roadster
    Engine: V12, 4.950 cc
    Top speed: 290 km/h

    3 units, one prototypes + two working cars
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  7. #52
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    1989 Pininfarina Mythos #2
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  8. #53
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    1989 Pininfarina Mythos #3
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  9. #54
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    1989 Pininfarina Mythos #4
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  10. #55
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    1967 Bertone Alfa Romeo Montreal Expo Prototipo

    Innovative details on traditional proportions
    Two seater couoé
    Engine: 4 cylinder, 1.600 cc
    Two units produced

    Production model:
    Engine: V8, 2.600 c
    Produced since 1970 in 3.925 units
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  11. #56
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    1967 Bertone Alfa Romeo Montreal Expo Prototipo
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  12. #57
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    1971 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo P/33 Cuneo

    New wedge-shape makes a clean cut with tradition
    for non-Italian speakers, cuneo means wedge

    Two seater roadster
    Engine: V8, 2.600 cc
    One-off
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  13. #58
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    1971 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo P/33 Cuneo

    The car is based on the 1967 Alfa Romeo P/33 prototype, see in-line picture:

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    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  14. #59
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    1967 Bertone Lamborghini Marzal

    A new way to look at the car inside and out
    Four seater sports coupé
    Engine. 6 cylinder, 2.000 cc
    Two units
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

  15. #60
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    1967 Bertone Lamborghini Marzal

    I had quite a difficult time trying to take decent pics of this bloody white car in that bloody white setting.
    still an awesome piece of art.
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    KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008

    *cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*

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