Extraordinary document

[tryphon]

Hello to all,

It's been several decades that I thought I knew everything on the Lancia Stratos. The people involved in its conception, its history, prototypes and all that revolves around it.
I have all the books, magazines, articles, pictures ever produced on the Stratos.
Well, I have just discovered this extraordinary document, unfortunately only in Italian, that contains aspects of the Stratos history that I read for the first time.
I thought you might be interested. It's a conference by Pierugo Gobbato, one fo the fathers of the Stratos, dated 11 march 2001.
It was presented to the Italian association for the history of the automobile.
You can find the conference content starting here:
http://www.enzociliberto.it/aisastoryauto/fascicoli/110300/mono110300-1.php
or download it as a Wrod document here:
http://www.enzociliberto.it/aisastoryauto/fascicoli/110300/AISAStratos110300.zip

Even if you're not too good in Italian I suggest you try to read it it's amazing.

Cheers,
Tryphon

[Stephenos]

I tried one of the on-line translators. http://www.google.com/language_tools
(There is also) http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr
These are not perfect and with a slow dial up service like mine it's very time consuming.
Maybe one of our Italian members (or some one with a high speed connection) would be willing to translate it for the rest of us and post here.

[tryphon]

The document is 22 pages long so it's a lot of work.

Just some highlights:

Lancia were very close and had obtained Maserati agreement on equipping the Stratos with the Merak 3L V6 and even the Quattroporte 4L V8!
This is the first time anyone, in this case Gobbato himself Lancia GM at the time, ever mentionned this fact. When Agneli was told about it and as Maserati was not yet owned by FIAT as Ferrari was, he pressed the commendatore and the Stratos ended up using the Dino V6 which was up to then denied by Ferrari.

Also Munari explains why he never got to win the Safari and this obviously affects him a lot.

A discussion is also present regarding the suspension issues that were known to affect the Stratos prototype and first racing versions and new light is shed into this story by Munari himself.

Anyone knows if these rear suspension problems were passed onto the road versions? My guess is yes.

Cheers,

[David May]

It's a nicely informal discussion from some hugely important people, but I'm not sure there are any secrets let out - all details that I'd read about before.

As far as I know, the rear suspension was redesigned in the first months of competition and well before the car was homologated, so no road cars would have been made with the stamped uprights.

Dave May

[Stratos]

I thought the Maserati thing was a bluff by the Lancia bods to frighten Enzo Ferrari into letting them have the Dino engine.

I recall Munari saying at the World Stratos Meeting in 2000, that he would have won the Safari but for a puncture on the road section into Niarobi. Apparently the service crew had left by plane for Niarobi and so could not be contacted to get a spare wheel to him.

Are these the things that are discussed in this document?

[tryphon]

There has never been mention of the intention of Lancia to use Maserati powerplants. This idea derived from the fact that Citroën had the intention of licensing their hydro-pneumatic suspension to FIAT subsidiaries. Citroën were using the Maserati 3L V6 in their SM at the time and in the conference it is mentioned that Gobato went to Paris to see Citroën and discuss the licensing scheme. Hence sparkled the idea of using Maserati plants. The deal was almost finalized and Gobato, or anyone else for this matter, has never mentioned this fact before.

Cheers,

[tryphon]

Yes Munari relates that story. He also adds that in his previous attempt to win the Safari Lancia had to retire because they had no more spare brake calipers...It seems it had rained and the mud would accumulate inside the wheels slowly removing material from the brake caliper. At one point the caliper's hydraulic circuit would break. When no more calipers were left to repair they retired...

[Stratos]

Tryphon,

Not trying to have a go at you or anything, but, pg39 of the Nigel Trow book, reads as follows:-

"Meanwhile, a diplomatic strategy of masterly was being practised by the opposition at Maranello and the Via Vincenzo Lancia, who hoped that despite its growing potential the glamorous Stratos would simply die. This Fiorio and Gobbato would not allow and, in defence of the whole project, Lancia's Managing Director played his trump card. On 3 November 1972, the Stratos made its Group 5 debut in the Tour de Corse. Four days later with the blessing of Umberto Agnelli, he sent Ing Cattanero to Masertati to ask 'Can we have a Bora engine, please, to put in the Stratos?' Maserati, delighted at the prospect, said 'Yes', while on the other side of Modena Ferrari hair stood on end.

Source:-
Lancia Stratos, World Champion Rally Car
(c) Nigel Trow 1990

[Stratos]

Originally posted by tryphon
Yes Munari relates that story. He also adds that in his previous attempt to win the Safari Lancia had to retire because they had no more spare brake calipers...It seems it had rained and the mud would accumulate inside the wheels slowly removing material from the brake caliper. At one point the caliper's hydraulic circuit would break. When no more calipers were left to repair they retired...

I'm sure all rally drivers have similar stories concerning events they could have won, IF ONLY ...........

As, an example, Waldergaard and the rocks on the Monte when Darniche won.



However, I would love to see a proper translation of this document.

I think with all history, automotive or otherwise, it becomes more colourful in the telling, and you have to read between the lines and compare different versions of events to get anywhere near the real truth.

Tryphon, thanks for letting us know about this document.

[tryphon]

Not trying to have a go at you or anything, but, pg39 of the Nigel Trow book, reads as follows:-

No offense, I was not aware, or had forgotten, too much information to keep it all in mind. Anyway I still think that this document is of great historic value and recommend it to everyone.

Cheers,

[Stratos]

Originally posted by tryphon
[Anyway I still think that this document is of great historic value and recommend it to everyone.

Cheers,

I agree, and thanks again for bringing it to our attention.