Bizzarrini P 538

Bizzarrini P 538

The Bizzarrini P 538 was an open sports car of Italian car manufacturer Bizzarrini, which was produced from 1966. The car was designed for use in racing and should the Bizzarrini GT 5300 to replace. The name of the vehicle refers to the rear-engine concept (P for Posterior ) and the displacement ( 5.3 liters ) and the number of cylinders (eight) of the initially scheduled engine, an eight-cylinder engine from Chevrolet. Bizzarrini presented very few copies of the P 538 fro; in racing the car appeared only occasionally contrary to the original expectation. Production ended with the bankruptcy Bizzarrinis in 1968; however, emerged in later years, many replicas. The P 538 also formed the basis for the Bizzarrini Manta, a building designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro show car. Still all detailed questions related to the P 538 have not been clarified; about its history, few legends.

• 3.1 number 001
• 3.2 number 002
• 3.3 number 003
• 3.4 Number 004: The P 538 Duca D'Aosta
• 3.5 Further Bizzarrini chassis
• 3.6 replicas

• 4.1 The Bizzarrini factory team
• 4.2 Gammino Construction

The background

The initiative for the development of the P 538 goes back to the American racer Mike Gammino. Gammino had a 1965 Iso Grifo A3 / C, which was constructively with the Bizzarrini GT 5300 the same used in the 12 Hours of Sebring and was in the course of the same year in search of a light mid-engined race car. Attempts to have developed such a car at Ferrari failed. Gammino therefore commissioned Giotto Bizzarrini, who agreed and saw an opportunity to realize a more powerful Ferrari competitor.

The vehicle

The structural details of the P 538 deviate from the Bizzarrini GT 5300 from clear; apart from a ( partial) matching drive unit, there are no similarities.

Landing gear

According to the specification Gamminos P 538 was designed as a rear engine car for racing. Giotto Bizzarrini had designed a tubular frame, which carried the body and in the same time circulating the cooling water. All four wheels were individually suspended. Front double wishbone were used. The ventilated, internal brakes, Porsche delivered.

Motor

As a power source two different engines were provided, which transferred their power each have a five-speed transmission from ZF Friedrichshafen on the rear wheels.

• On one hand, a twelve-cylinder engine of Lamborghini was used. It was here in the core of the engine, the Giotto Bizzarrini had developed in winter 1962/63 for the Lamborghini 350 GT and that was available in a four -liter version of the Lamborghini 400 GT from 1966. For use in Bizzarrini, the camshaft have been revised and the intake and exhaust ports polished. At the same time Bizzarrini lifted and installed six Weber downdraft carburetors compaction. Through these measures, the engine performance increased compared to the standard version of 100 hp to 420 hp. The connection of the P 538 with the Lamborghini engine meant that a car from Bizzarrini was equipped with a model developed by Giotto Bizzarrini engine.

• In addition, single copies of the P 538 were equipped with the 5.3 -liter eight-cylinder engine of the Chevrolet Corvette, which is already in the Iso Grifo and - was used in the Bizzarrini GT 5300 - in significantly uprated version with four double carburetors. Also this engine generated 420 hp.

Body

The body had designed himself Giotto Bizzarrini. It was a very flat, open structure in the Barchetta - style, which had a low windshield and an implied roll bar behind the driver. The setup consisted of plastic material. As in the case of the GT 5300, Bizzarrini left the body in the boat builder Vincenzo Catarsi produce. The chassis and body were then alternately assembled at Neri e Bonacini and BBM in Modena, while Bizzarrini Livorno finally performed the last detail work.

The production

How many copies of P 538 were produced overall, is not fully understood. A basic distinction is between the original vehicles and replicas. Automobili Bizzarrini produced the original vehicles 1966-1968 / 69th After the dissolution of the company in 1968 due to insolvency numerous replicas of the P 538, the production of Giotto Bizzarrini at least tolerated, partly probably also supported arisen in addition to in the 1990s,. It is understood that the number of replicas exceeds that of the original vehicles far. Due to missing or ambiguous vehicle papers, the assignment is not always backed up, and it happens repeatedly that replicas are issued as originals.

According to the predominant view Bizzarrini completed until the end of his company's four original cars of the P 538, two of which were equipped with a Chevrolet and two more with a Lamborghini engine. One of these four vehicle was destroyed early, delivered another to Mike Gammino. A third, the Giugiaro newly clothed later, sat Bizzarrini factory in Le Mans, and a fourth chassis with a closed body became known as " Duca d' Aosta ".

Number 001

The first copy of P 538 was fitted with a twelve-cylinder engine of Lamborghini. It was established early 1966 and should be delivered in the course of the spring to Mike Gammino in the U.S., where it should take part in the race in the Canadian - American Challenge Cup ( CanAm ). Before delivery led Edgar Berney, a private Swiss racing driver who was in close contact to Giotto Bizzarrini, the work order in February 1966 on the track La Spianate in Castiglioncello a test drive. Berney accident due to aquaplaning and heavily damaged the car. The ready- motor has been retained, the car itself was not rebuilt.

Number 002

The second copy of P 538 was originally intended to remain in work; It was designed for factory use at the 24 - hour race at Le Mans, at the Automobili Bizzarrini wanted to compete with two P 538 vehicles since Mike Gammino but insisted on a short-term replacement for the destroyed 001, equipped Bizzarrini the 002 with the Lamborghini engine and delivered the car to the U.S.. Gammino took with him in the subsequent period at a single American race part.

Number 003

The third P 538 was the work vehicle for the racing season 1966. Unlike the specimens 001 and 002, it was equipped with the 5.3 -liter Chevrolet engine. Automobili Bizzarrini reported the car for 24 - hour race at Le Mans in 1966, where he already failed shortly after launch. In July 1966, the car appeared again with Antonio Nieri in Mugello, after that it was no longer racing use.

In 1967, the 003 provided with a solid plastic roof and exhibited in Livorno. The low vehicle was creative director for the P 538 Duca D' Aosta, which was realized in 1968 on the fourth chassis.

In 1968 Giorgietto Giugiaro P 538-003 to make on its basis a new show car. During the year, a flat, extensively glazed sports car, which was presented in October 1968 at the Turin Motor Show, the public was born. The vehicle was given the designation Bizzarrini Manta. It was the first car that Giugiaro presented after founding his company Italdesign.

Number 004: The P 538 Duca D'Aosta

The fourth copy of the Bizzarrini P 538 differs considerably from the previous vehicles. While there corresponds in the art conventional P 538; However, it has a separate closed body with gullwing doors. The initiative for this project goes back to Amadeus of Savoy, an Italian nobleman who in Italy sometimes as fifth Duke of Aosta ( Duca d' Aosta) is called. Amadeus of Savoy in 1967 had shown interest in the meantime with a permanent roof P 538-003, but the low vehicle could not use because of the size of his body. Instead, he commissioned Bizzarrini a new vehicle with a higher, its size adequate roof. Bizzarrini put forth a new chassis and provided it with a closed, aerodynamically efficient body, which strongly reminded 33 Stradale in detail to the Alfa Romeo Tipo. The car was equipped with the 5.3 -liter eight-cylinder engine of the Chevrolet Corvette and is expected to reach a top speed of 327 km / h.

Amadeus of Savoy sold the vehicle in 1972 to an Italian collector who auctioned it in 1999. 2005 and 2006, the " Duca D' Aosta " was shown at exhibitions in Pebble Beach.

More Bizzarrini chassis

Younger documentation assume that Giotto Bizzarrini has not yet established in addition to the four known P 538 models before the onset of insolvency at least a fifth chassis, but has at least begun to develop. This chassis to have been intended for a 3.5 liter engine. Following the insolvency of the chassis disappeared; it was not sold with the bankruptcy estate.

Replicas

According to (at least) four original vehicles numerous replicas of the P 538 were produced since the 1970s. Individual vehicles to have been built by Giotto Bizzarrini himself, but most of them have their origin in the Turin company Autocostruzione SD, which is headed by Salvatore Diomante. Diomante was a time when Automobili Bizzarrini busy and took over after the bankruptcy Bizzarrinis numerous tools and forms of Bizzarrini vehicles. Maybe he also took over the fifth, not completed by Bizzarrini chassis. Autocostruzione deals primarily with the restoration of Bizzarrini cars and other Italian sports cars. Should hinhein Until the 1990s, a total of ten to 12 replicas of the P 538 be created with different engines. The drive engines from Chevrolet, Lamborghini and Fiat served. At the Essen Motor Show 2011 a replica of the 1974 was offered for sale. The car is powered by its original De Tomaso Pantera / Ford Cleveland 5.7 liter engine with 381 hp.

Commitment to motor racing

The Bizzarrini factory team

Prototipi Bizzarrini reported the P 538-003 with Chevrolet engine to the 24- hour race at Le Mans in 1966. Riders were Edgar Berney and André Wicky. The vehicle was not completed until shortly before the qualifying session and could not be tested. The P 538 qualified for the 40th starting position, while proven GT 5300, the the work with Sam Posey and Massimo Natili began when 36 went into the race. Berney turned in P 538 already in the eighth round and damaged the suspension. When attempting to repair the suspension, put a mechanic to the jack on the side member. Thus, the tubular frame was damaged in addition, so that the line passing through the pipes coolant leaked. The vehicle could not be made ready for use again.

After a further attempt to bring the P 538 at a long distance race in Mugello at the start, Bizzarrini ended the factory use of the car. Neither in 1967 nor in 1968 was the P 538 to participate in the 24 - hour race at Le Mans. After changing the regulations sports prototypes with displacements of more than 5 liters were no longer permitted.

Gammino Construction

Fitted with the Lamborghini engine P 538-002 was reported to the Am Championship, held as part of the Can Bridgehampton Grand Prix in September 1966 by the team Gammino Construction. As a driver Mike Gammino was provided, the initiator of the P - 538 project. Gammino qualified for the 37th and last place, the race took no part, however. Another racing use of Mike Gamminos P 538-002 is not occupied. Although a source claims two years later Gammino took part in a Can- Am race in Bridgehampton, had it not terminated due to technical problems. The entry list for this race, however, does not confirm this; it contains no entry for a Bizzarrini.

A new P 538

In May 2008, plans for a new version of the Bizzarrini P 538 have been published. The British company Galmer Engineering showed that they wanted to produce under this name with the consent of Giotto Bizzarrinis a sports car with open and closed body. The powerplant is a 7.0 -liter eight-cylinder Chevrolet was provided, which should make 505 hp. As a designer Stefan Schulze of the body was given. The Bizzarrini P708 and P708 Magnate later called prototype with the reference number 0001 was presented at the Motor Show Thailand 2009. The vehicle is since about 2011 in Nuremberg.