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1907 Itala Model 36/45 Grand Prix Racer

Early road races usually took place over routes between major cities in Europe. But in 1907  the Paris newspaper Le Matin sponsored a far more demanding event - a transcontinental race between Peking, China and Paris, France. This competition took the entries across the deserts of central Asia, through mountain passes thousands of feet in elevation and along the most primitive of trails.

In 1907 Itala earned a place among the great racing cars of all time by winning this epic event. This rugged automobile  had a 35-40 horsepower engine, a four-speed gearbox and a shaft drive. It was a production car with only a few modifications for the race. The gearbox, for example, was made of tough nickel steel and survived the entire race with no signs of wear. The chassis which also emerged unscathed, was made of girder steel somewhat thicker than that used for regular production models. In addition a supplementary fan was added to provide extra cooling, but  this was removed after the race was under way. Another special feature, a large chest full of spare parts, was also discarded to save weight. In preparation for traveling long distances through sparsely settled territory, the car was equipped with extra gas, oil and water capacity. Its tires were larger than those ordinarily used on production models, and this proved to be a big advantage in negotiating rough terrain.

The owner of the car was Prince Scipione Borghese, a wealthy Italian with a penchant for adventure and fine automobiles. He was familiar with central Asia, having explored the Pamir Mountains and having followed the course of rivers in Siberia to the pacific Ocean. A member of the Italian Parliament, he became a national hero after carrying the Italian colors triumphantly into Paris as the winner of the Peking-Paris Race.

Ettore Guizzardi, the prince's chief chauffeur and mechanic, and journalist Luigi Barzini accompanied the prince during the race. Guizzardi was an expert mechanic Who could dismantle the 1907 Itala and reassemble it in a matter of hours, and Barzini wrote regular accounts of the race that captured the attention of readers throughout italy and England, for his dispatches appeared in both the Milan Corriere della Sera and the London Daily Telegraph.

Competing against both French and Dutch cars, Itala completed the race in 60 days. Aside from broken springs, which delayed the car while replacements were installed in Moscow, the Itala performed magnificently throughout the transcontinental trek. It was a great triumph for Itala, for the prince and for Italy as well as  it marked the emergence of the Italian auto industry as a contender for world leadership.
     
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Viewed: Apr 28, 2024
Updated: Apr 10, 2024
Priced: Apr 10, 2024

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