The fugacious Tipo A and the Bimotore

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD-583 Simon Favre is at least half right, which is good enough these days-
the Tipo A of 1931 (which was never called a Bimotore) did have two 1750
engines and gearboxes and driveshafts and differentials, side by side. It had
a very brief history. Fusi says "After a fugacious appearance in the 1931
Italy GP in may, it won an extraordinary victory at the Acerbo Cup at Pescara
in August the same year. It would have also won the classic Susa-Montcenisio
hill climb in July, if only Campari, although a skilled driver, had not
exploited the qualities of his car to a severe extent."

The layout was a briefly popular one, being used also by Maserati and by
Miller for the Blackhawk Stutz. 

Simon Says " A pair of straight 8's end to end would make an awfully loonnggg
machine." Actually the true Bimotore 1935 was not all that long a car- the
wheelbase was 2.8 meters, as opposed to 2.65 meters for the preceding Tipo B
and 2.75 meters for the following Tipo C. The front of the rear engine was in
line with the front of the rear tires, and both engines fed a single
transmission and differential with two driveshafts in a "V" like that of the
Tipo B.

Both cars were heavier than their peers (930 kg for the A and 1030 for the
Bimotore, as opposed to 725 for the Tipo B and 735 for the Tipo C) and the
weight, the power, and the driver's responsibility to beat the Mercedes and
Auto-Union cars were a bit much for the tires. As Fusi says, "They would have
won, if - -"

Simon is certainly correct that the Alfa Museum's Bimotore is a recreation,
but I am not certain whether the second of the two built may have survived. At
least one of the cars was run successfully in England as a single engined car,
and I have an impression that it was restored.

John H.
Raleigh N.C.

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