Ian Robinson at Monaco in 2004 with Autosud 0012. Photo credit Philippe Fugier.
In Part I, Mr. Rosa Rosa described how the project was started and by the end of 1958 the first Autosud, chassis 0010, was ready to race, complete with independent four wheel suspension. Part II looks at the design and construction of 0011 and 0012.
By Gioacchino Rosa Rosa
as told to Pete Vack
The 1958 Autosud Formula Junior chassis 0010 was ready in few months and our sponsor, Armando De Martino competed in a few hillclimb events around Naples. But the car needed development, and De Martino was a beginner race driver, so the results were not remarkable.
Paolo Samonà, the first owner of the 1959 Autosud Formula Junior, chassis 0011. Paolo is on right together with Pippo Cavallaro, a wizard in preparing Fiat and Alfa engines. The car is the Fiat 1100 TV, tuned-up from Cavallaro for the Agnano-Cappella dei Cangiani hillclimb (near Naples, now mid=town!) in 1959. Paolo won the 1100cc touring class with Fiat.
Autosuds 0011 and 0012
However, the Autosud perked the interest of two of my “gentleman driver” friends, a Sicilian nobleman by the name of Paolo Samonà and Ronald Boccoli. They asked me if I would produce two more Formula Juniors, but updated and more competitive than the first. After long talk with Ciro & Gioacchino we said yes and started to work.
A clean slate
Taken during construction of 0012, the Autosud was humorously placed in front of a sign painted on the wall telling drivers to 'slow down'.
The rear axle of the first Autosud used Fiat 600 parts, with one central arm, coaxial shocks and coil springs. That solution was better than rigid axle, but for 1959 I designed my own suspension with two unequal length wishbones and adjustable camber on the upper wishbones. This was quite advanced for the day.
Suspension of 0012 as it appears today on Ian Robinson’s Autosud.
The design took me more than 3 months because of many details to study and design. For the chassis, I decided to use a section like an inverted trapezium with tubes of smaller diameter than the 1958 version. At the rear, we decided to make use of a Fiat 600 gearbox, and therefore the 1100 transmission as bolted to the rear of the 1100 engine was used only as a prop shaft and engine support. This idea, coupled with the now-fully independent rear suspension, provided better weight distribution and a far superior rear end. What we did not know yet, however, was whether or not the 600 transmission could take the power and torque of well-tuned 80 hp Fiat 1100! I must confess, we were not accomplished engineers and there were many things which should have been done differently.
The Autosud as constructed in 1958-9. According to current owner Ian Robinson, 'Gear changing takes a bit of practice as the linkage from the gear lever to the inverted box at the back is fairly complex and does require some patience.'
Just missing the boat
Looking back, we never considered a rear engine car when designing the ’59 Juniors. At the time, even Lotus was still running a front engined F2 car, and Cooper was the only rear engine contender. The transaxle system was than considered as the overall best solution. Also the great Enzo Ferrari was saying at that time that the horse must stay in front and not back. Now we know that he was wrong, but at that time he was insisting on front engine cars. So who were we to question this? But in retrospect, I wonder if we could have really made a difference had our ‘clean slate’ included simply placing the engine at the rear! Things might have been very different!
The note under the photo was written personally by Paolo Samonà, and gave the name of the designer as 'Ino' Rosa Rosa. Ino is the diminutive of Gioacchino. This photo of 0012 was taken at the shop of the coachbuilder.
This time the body was made in Rome by a skilled and enthusiastic coachbuilder. We were very proud of the final result, and sure that car could be very competitive due the innovative features given to them. The weight was over the minimum of 400 kgs, but many parts were lightened and the engine, tuned in Naples, could give more than 65/70 hp. We started chassis construction in summer 1959 and both cars were ready in end of winter 1960. But that one year made all the difference in who would rule Formula Junior.
Paolo Samonà with Autosud ’59 0011 made a few competition appearances in hill climbing and one at a circuit, the Vallelunga Caltex Grand Prix 1961. (reported with wrong name of “Somona” on Autosud). We completed 0012 for Boccoli, but it was never raced, as far as I know.
Karts Beckon
Once the cars were in the hands of the new owners, we could not do much more, even though we knew that the cars needed testing and more development. We soon forgot about the Formula Junior cars, and Ciro & Giocchino was in the meantime fully engaged in producing and racing karts for competition in 125 cc class with gear box. We started with an Innocenti-Lambretta (old competitor of Piaggio-Vespa) engine, then used a Rumi, two cylinder engine and finally we started to use the nice Spanish Bultaco.
Autosud Go Kart, which was much more successful than the Formula Junior.
Our kart chassis was strongly innovative and particularly suitable and stable for road circuits. We dominated the races in central-south Italy until 1963. In May 1962, Enzo Rippa won a competition at Vallelunga with an average record speed over 100 kmh and I achieved appreciation and compliments from the great Piero Taruffi, top Formula 1 driver, clever engineer and record man.
Also in May of 1962, our friend Armando De Martino, who still owned chassis 0010, died tragically in a car accident. The family put the car in a garage in Sorrento and it was later dismantled. After I delivered the two 1959 Autosud Formula Juniors (0011 & 0012) to first owners, Mr. Paolo Samonà (0011) and Mr. Ronald Boccoli (0012) I was given to understand that both men were distracted from car racing by personal matters, and I assumed they had abandoned cars somewhere. Life went on, and for over forty years I virtually forgot about the Autosud episode: To design karts and cars was not my job, but only a hobby. My job was in the timber business.
Recounting Life
'The Autosud is great fun to drive and handles very well, probably due to the distribution of weight arising from the rear transaxle. Unlike other Italian Juniors, drive is transmitted from the engine to the transaxle through a driveshaft running directly under the driver and this gives the car its characteristic high and rather exposed driving position', says Ian Robinson. Photo credit Philippe Fugier.
Last year I decided to write the story of my hobbies for my two grand-daughters. While doing that I discovered on the Internet that the 0012 (ex Boccoli) was still alive in England and owned by Ian Robinson. I also found that 0012 was tested for VeloceToday in comparison with a Stanguellini and OSCA getting some nice comments from the author, Ed McDonough. (Read story)
I was astonished, confused, excited and proud all at the same time. To get the recognition of good job after 47 years is a strong sensation and satisfaction, believe me. My only regret that Ciro & Gioacchino cannot join my happiness as both died some years ago. I later talked with Samonà and Boccoli, both living now in Rome, and got confirmation that they both sold cars to merchants some years later.
'The Autosud is always popular in the paddock and usually attracts plenty of interest from fans of historic racing,' says current owner Ian Robinson. Photo credit Philippe Fugier.
After discovering 0012 on the Internet, I started an effort to find the sister 0011. I have to thank Duncan Rabagliati of Formula Junior Historic Racing Association and Delio Galassi if I succeed in tracing the car to Bologna. There we found 0011 in the hands of Mario Caliceti, a strong driver for hill climbing races with an Osella/BMW 3000 and owner of precious collection of cars produced before 1960. The Autosud is perfectly conserved and fully operational, just like we delivered it so many years ago.
Mario Caliceti poses in front of Autosud 0011. Mr. Rosa Rosa found Mario and 0011 in Bologna, with the help of Duncan Rabagliati.
Mario loves it and will use it when he retires from competition with actual cars. He refused to sell his cars despite many request received from all over the world. I met Mario last April and enjoyed his friendliness and seeing again my work after so many years.
In the basket of so many compliments received, I always have in mind one from Delio Galassi, a skilled technician for competition and old cars. He knows 0012 very well, and he said me, “The car is wonderful and well done–perhaps a bit over weight. Why didn’t you decide just to build racing cars?” So I explained to him that Autosud was just a hobby. My own business was different, and much more serious!