Bandini 750 sport siluro

The Bandini 750 sport siluro (torpedo) is a racing car model, produced from 1950 to 1956 by the Italian company Bandini Cars.

Born in 1950, this new type marked the consecration of Bandini as an international challenger in the smaller classes. The 750 sports torpedo brought to Forlì the SCCA H Modified Championship in 1955 and 1957 and the SCCA South-West division championship from 1961 until 1963. They also had many victories in different categories on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

The first Siluros had cycle fenders. Later rules stipulated that cars must have attached fenders so owners simply added aluminum to the fenders and connected them to the body. The Bandini factory then produced them with fully attaching fenders. These fenders could be removed and a tonneau cover placed over the passenger seat which made the cars eligible for the Formula Three open wheeled class.

Ilario Bandini part in a tender in the 750 class race
Two siluros at the start of an uphill in Italy

History

C. Hassan in his Bandini-Crosley at Sebring.
Dick Irish and Hector Scheffer's Bandini-Crosley
Ilario Bandini at the wheel of a 750 siluro.

Tony Pompeo, an American car dealer of Italian origin, was pleased with the previous Bandini 1100 and 1100 sport he had purchased, so he explicitly asked Ilario Bandini for cars to run in the 750 cc engine capacity category.

Pompeo sent a Crosley engine to Bandini for him to study and use. Lightweight and compact, this American engine was very versatile, having been used with boats, aircraft, and even in fire pumps. It had aluminium block with five main bearings, monoblock with to two valves per cylinder, gear driven single overhead cam, and more. Bandini immediately began making modifications for racing, including longer Stroke steel crankshaft (raising the displacement to 747 cc), new pistons, camshafts, and oil pump.

With the modified Crosley engine, the 750 sports torpedo was launched, contesting scores of races: hill climbs, road courses, and airbase circuits, as well as challenging six- and twelve-hour endurance events, such as the 12 Hours of Sebring or Mille Miglia, both of which were World Sports Car Championship rounds.

750ss
1500 Sport Torpedo

The 750 sports torpedo was competitive, versatile, and suited to competing in higher categories.

A front precise and stable, with good traction and drive, low center of mass, and aerodynamic efficiency were the key words of the successes but especially the high power-to-weight ratio that put out the qualities of the pilot. It is no coincidence Jim Pauley (who also rans at Le Mans), Dave Michaels, and Tom O'Brien collected the best results in years when Bandinis (powered by Siata, Offenhauser, and Alfa Romeo) run in SCCA's FM (F Modified) category alongside Ferraris, Maseratis, and Porsches. Michaels in a 1625cc (99 ci) Bandini-Offy for a year and half held the Thompson track record in the under-two liter class.

Speed and quality showed the under-750 category, in the hands of Dolph Vilardi (U.S. Champion 1955), Melvin Sachs (U.S. Champion 1957), Henry Rudkin (second place in U.S. standings 1956), and George Tipsword, to mention only a few; in addition were Massimo Bondi (ninth in the 1953 Mille Miglia), and Ilario Bandini himself (then age 44) won the 1955 and 1956) Predappio 'climbs outright, earned class wins at Raticosa, Consuma, and Reggio Emilia, and fourth in the Italian league standings.

With success came newspaper coverage and showings at exhibitions in Chicago and Madison Square Garden in New York. In 1957 the award-winning author and screenwriter William F. Nolan used a 750 torpedo in a story.

From 1953, the 750 torpedo featured a radically revised and improved engine. It was fitted with a new aluminium cylinder head gear-driven dual overhead camshafts. Also changed was the position of the distributor, which was placed on the head. The block was fitted with cast iron sleeves in the cylinders. Also added were new connecting rods, increased capacity oil pump, a radiator of barrel-shaped calettata and a cup of increased capacity and different shapes to allow a further lowering the centre of gravity of the car. The power of this first Bandini engine, with only the bottom end remaining Crosley, reached 71 hp (53 kW) at 8500 rpm, sufficient to push the 750 to a maximum speed of 175 km/h (109 mph).

Mille Miglia 2008 paddock. Bandini 750 sport siluro (left) and 750 sport siluro C.F. (right)

The chassis

The frame, weighs just 18 kg.
Drawing a Bandini-Offenhauser

The chassis construction Bandini, was an adaptation to the new size category in addition to new technical suggested the experience with the 1100 torpedo.

The body

From 1950 to 1953 Cycle Fenders

Bandini Crosley 750
Bandini 750 ss Motto bodied

The first two-seater aluminium bodies were made by the Rocco Motto's company. The "functional simplicity" that characterizes many Bandini automobiles was inspired by race boats whose lines were drawn for minimal drag. The front is almost entirely made up of an egg crate grille for increased engine cooling. Near the front of the car, fenders in which the headlights are concealed guide air around the front suspension. They taper to form a "Coke bottle" shape aimed at improving stability. The vehicle width does not increase much while still providing a small space for the occasional passenger. The tail tapers to an end with two small fenders and a central light. Gills at the front end of the car vent air from the engine compartment.. Later, to meet the requests coming from the United States, bespoke body types were made for Bandini. The lights were positioned behind the front grille, avoiding the complex hideaway headlights characterising the Motto cars.

From 1953 to 1956

Ilario Bandini in 1956

The technical regulation imposed a restyling to 750 sports torpedo. It was not carried out a body including wheels but were created wheel that could be attached to the body while maintaining the standard of performance and lightness that were requested.

It was amended to make uniform the line; whole body became more smooth and round and away considerably from the model of departure but adding aesthetic pleasantness aerodynamic performance.

A recent contest of elegance in USA

This type is characterized also for the curious position of the headlights, mounted between the wheels and the car body, resting position not oppose any resistance but aerodynamic meet with the mere presence requirements of the regulation. Flourish on 750 sports torpedo in 1953 also new elements for Bandini: rollbar-headrest-tailed long, perfectly organic line overall, a rigid element that covers the appropriate seat passenger, and new openings on the bonnet and on the side of the carburetors to increase the air mass necessary to engines increased.

Engines

Crosley modified

Bandini-Crosley

The engine Bandini 750 first series
The engine Bandini 750 second series

Siata 1500

A motor 1500 cc

Other

The 750 sports torpedo was used often with different engines: Offenhauser (1625 cc), Saab 750 cc Mercury, MG 1250 cc Alfa Romeo 2000 cc. The most striking was the Bandini Dragster, equipped with a Cadillac 410 cu.in. (6.7 lt) engine.

Ilario Bandini departure in 1953.

Trivia

The Bandini 750 sports participated in all editions from 1953 1957 of "Mille Miglia" (as Sebring, valid for the world championship sports) with different crews. In 1953, taken off the same manufacturer Ilario Bandini in pairs with Sintoni, withdrew its around Forlì.

Grandchildren of Ilario Bandini on arrival in 2006

In 2006, 53 years later, the same car, will lead the crew on arrival Bears Bandini: Ilario grandchildren of Bandini.

MilleMiglia 2008

See also

External links

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