Of the Giubo, Metalastic and Rotoflex

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

Jaap Bouma writes, re: the origin of Giubos, "Interesting. The fact that ing. 
Boschi patented the thing makes me wonder though where that leaves the 
Rotoflex coupling as used by the likes of Triumph. Introduced after the giubo 
patent expired? Or just different enough to get around it?

I was first aware of them on British cars as "Metalastic" joints when they 
were used on the Ford-engined Lola which preceded the Ferrari-slaying Ford 
GT40; I don't know whether "Metalastic" was the company name and "Rotoflex" 
the product name (sounds possible, as rubber-bonded-to-metal is a product 
category with far older and broader applications) or whether they were two 
different products. I understand that the main difference is that the British 
ones are in inches and the Giubos metric. I also understood that the British 
ones were made under license, but may indeed have been "just different enough 
to get around" Boschi's patents. Perhaps someone more familiar with British 
cars will know.

Joints similar in principle but more primitive in technology had been used by 
Alfa in the thirties on the 6C 2500 and before that on the 6C 2300, possibly 
earlier, and I have an impression Boschi may have been involved in their 
development and application. I also have an impression that rubberized fabric 
joints are almost as ancient as vulcanization.

Cordially,

John H. 
Raleigh, N.C.

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