Etceterini; Small Italian race cars built from 1937 to 1965

[khyndart in CA]

The later version of the 1959 Volpini FJ was not off set and a bit sleeker.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]64293[/ATTACH]


The main USA Dealer for Italian Formula Junior racers in 1959.

(Note who was in charge of the competition department.)


(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

Italian, Berardo Taraschi did an amazing job after WW 2 building cars using surplus war materials, that competed in the Sport 750 Category in the Targa Florio starting in 1948 with his 2 seater car named the "Uraina" model.
Uraina cars were built from 1947 to 1949 and were based on the Fiat 500 Topolino tubular chassis and had BMW motorcycle engines. Berardo Taraschi later merged these cars with Giannini engines to form Giaur.

1947 750cc Sport BMW Boxer

He also produced a Formula 2 car in 1947 with a Roots supercharger and a 500 cc BMW engine.

1947 500cc Supercharged F2 BMW Boxer


(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

The Taraschi cars over the years.
•Urania 750 Sport (1947)
•Urania 750 Sport (1948)
•Urania 500 F.2 Compressor (1948)
•Urania 500 rear engine (1949)
•Urania 750 Sport (1949)
Giaur •Giaur 750 Sport (1949)
•Giaur F3 500 (1949)
•Giaur 750 Berlinetta (1950)
•Giaur 750 Sports Champion (1953)
•Giaur 750 Berlinetta San Remo (1954)
•Giaur 750 Red Blitz (1954)
•Giaur 750 Record (1954)
•Giaur 750 Single Seater (1955)
•Giaur 750 Sport Record (1956)
•Giaur 750 Sport G2 (1958)
•Giaur 1100 Junior (1958)
Taraschi •Taraschi 1100 Junior De Dion (1958)
•Taraschi 1100 Junior independent suspension (1960)
•Taraschi 1100 Junior USA (1960)

Some Taraschi Urania photos.

Famous Italian women driver Maria Teresa de Filippis competing in the 1950 Targa Florio in her Urania.

A short clip regarding Maria Teresa de Filippis.
[video=youtube;rK_W5wCZw9E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK_W5wCZw9E[/video]

Still attracting attention today from all ages.
(Cliff Reuter photos and the Taraschi collection.)


(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

I love the optimism of those BMW rocker covers out in the breeze!

Which 750 engine did he use?

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
Giaur was formed in 1950 by Berardo Taraschi (previously of Urania) and the Giannini brothers, the name coming from GIAnnini and URania. The engines were originally Giannini units, and Crosley engines were later used in America. They raced throughout Europe in races such as the legendary Mille Miglia and also competed heavily in American SCCA racing. Only 48 cars were made, 13 were the 750cc "Champion" which had removable fenders and were therefore eligible for both the Italian formula 3 series (open wheel 750 cc) and sportscar races. Only five Giaur Champions are known in the world today. Following the second world war Giannini continued to develop the small Fiat engines, especially the OHV unit from the 500B. They then went on to develop their own engines, first the G1, a sohc 660cc and later the G2 which was a dohc 750cc.

A Giannini 750cc dohc G2 engine.

(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

1950 Giaur at 1952 Targa Florio_ Francesco Donato



(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

Enterprising lads, Ken...

It's wonderful to plumb the depths of these various endeavours.

[khyndart in CA]

In the 1954 Mille Miglia the DeAngelis brothers competed in their Teraschi Giaur 750 Sport in the Sports 750cc Class.
Although the Panhard Dyna took the top placings in this class. http://www.mcpheatautomotive.co.uk/dyna-x86-sprint/4577598170

The Giaur # 2337 battled to 12th place in their class and finished in 186th overall.
Here are some period photos from the 1954 Mille Miglia.

(Ken H

[Oldfart]

Those Italians certainly managed to turn out some pretty little cars, and I'm told they did it in a very short time! Blending the shape to be so good on a very small car can't be easy! Maybe lots of ex aircraft skills?

[Milan Fistonic]

I have no idea what it is but it was carrying one of the drivers in the parade lap at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix.

[Ray Bell]

Looks like it might be Renault 750-based...

But Fiat 600 is also a possibility.

[Oldfart]

Brake drums look more like early Fiat 1100 to me. At least the front ones.

[Kwaussie]

Might be an early Renault Alpine?

https://f1i.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/XPB_1006729_1200px-545x363.jpg

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Oldfart
Brake drums look more like early Fiat 1100 to me. At least the front ones.

I'd agree with that, but both ends...

It's the height and placement of the engine cover that tends to indicate that it's built around a power unit that hung out the back and was a vertical inline four.

[khyndart in CA]

Here are a couple of photos that may help nail it down.

[Oldfart]

Sure looks like REAR engined.

[Ray Bell]

Also rear swing-axled...

[Roger Dowding]

Tried to resize - expand the photo but lost clarity - the chrome lettering on the nose has the right number of letters for
" R - E - N - A - U - L - T ".

That will fit in with rear engined - swing axle - [color="#FF0000"]R 4 ! - ?[/color] [ 4CV ] the 750 cc .. the 1950's era.

4CV - [color="#FF0000"]a correction[/color]

[Oldfart]

Might be an early Renault Alpine?

https://f1i.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/XPB_1006729_1200px-545x363.jpg

Being an Alpine fanatic/rivet counter (not really a rivet counter) I know of no Alpine that looks remotely like that.
While I would like it to be Renault, or Alpine, there are too many clues of other bits to not be one. Brakes for one, Renault don't have anything like it.
Italian GP suggests Italian origin, even though the F1 guest is a Renault based one according to the ha etc.
My gut feel is a lovely little later "Etceterini" special. Roger, R4 was front engined. 4cv/750,Dauphine, R8 or what the Ozzies call a 760 was rear engine.

[Ray Bell]

The Aussies call them 750s...

Probably modern enough to be from a Dauphine, were they about 900cc?

The R4, Roger, was front engine, front wheel drive.