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Originally Posted by Mike Bell
Fascinating car, but very little info around about gearbox, suspension etc?
Very much in the same vein as the Clio V6, which I still lust after.....  |
5 speed ZF Mike. Front Suspension was from the Sprint donor car, the monocoque frame, front suspension, steering and dashboard was also used.
Brembo disc brakes were taken from the GTA.
A lot of the fabrication was done by former McLaren engineer Barry Lock. Halstead, the owner behinf the project, wealthy from hitting big in the seventies with IT, and always playing with cars. He owned the Toy Shop in Sydney providing cars for the wealthy. He had originally employed Lock to build a ground effect Pantera for GT racing. That surfaced at PI a couple of years ago with Larry Perkins, Aussie touring car legend who did well in Europe, getting briefly to F1. Lock was retained for the Giogottalo project
Back to the Giogottallo, the mid-mounted engine necessitated redesigning the rear suspension. Lock produced a Lamborghini Countach-inspired double wishbone design with cast-alloy uprights and twin coil shock absorbers. Wide 285/40 rear and 195/50 front tyres shod 15 inch Simmons alloy wheels.
A bit more info Mike......
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Initial talks with Alfa’s local management sounded promising until it became clear there was a certain financial deal required in exchange for co-operation.
Things got nasty very quickly, with local Alfa dealers instructed not to supply Halstead with cars.
"So we just imported new Alfasud Sprints from New Zealand, sold off the bits we didn’t need and built from there."
The lack of engine availability saw Lock tasked to shoehorn a Walkinshaw tickled 5lt Holden V8 into the diminutive hatchback.
The engine, however, used a custom twin throttle body and plenum set up that was unique to the Giocattolo.
"It wasn’t the most cost-effective way of doing things," Halstead reflects, "What was meant to be an affordable V6 sports car quickly became an expensive V8 one."
The suspension, brakes and sub frame were unique to the car and the panels formed from Kevlar, an exotic lightweight material that was virtually unheard of in road cars at the time.
A 5-speed ZF transaxle was used to get power to the back wheels.
The result was a 300hp mid-engined sports car that, even with touches like leather and air con, tipped the scales at under 1100kg.
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More info here:
https://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/f...attolo-group-b
Some other pics I found
Note the bottle of Bundaberg Rum in the toolbox. Standard fitment!
A pic of the Halstead De Tomaso at PI in 2013
