Ubezzi's 1955 MM Branca Moretti

[dretceterini]

In the 1955 Mille Miglia, as race number 017, George Ubezzi drove a Branca Moretti. The car was built circa 1947, as a Fiat Testadoro Daniela with Zagato body.

The body was modified by Branca, and the Fiat Testadoro motor (basically a modified Fiat topolino motor witth a cylinder head designed by Giusti's Casa 'dell Auto) was removed, and replaced with Moretti 750 motor. Other Branca Morettis were built at a later date.

I would love to learn more about Ubezzi's involvement in this project...

[Nicola]

Stu -
You might try pming mubezzi, I think that he is George's son. I know Michael's dad was an Alfa racecar driver, but do not know for sure what races he participated in. I'm fairly certain he drove in at least one LeMans.

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Stu - You might try pming mubezzi, I think that he is George's son. I know Michael's dad was an Alfa racecar driver, but do not know for sure what races he participated in. I'm fairly certain he drove in at least one LeMans.

[mubezzi]

Thanks for the Picture as I have never seen the car but knew he was in the MM in 1955 with a Moretti. There is still much to learn....you guys probably know more than I. I would love to know more...

[dretceterini]

The Ubezzi 1955 MM car started out as one of the Fiat Testadoro Zagatos with Gilco chassis. I believe about 9 Testadoro cars were built in 1947 and 1948, counting both the Daniela and Marinella versions. The motors of these cars were modified Fiat Topolino, with cylinder heads built by Giusti's Casa 'dell Auto. The head designer for Casa 'dell Auto was Roselli, who was involved with the design of the Alfa Bimotore GP car in 1935, and worked for the Alfa aircraft department as an engineer.

Branca bought the car and modified it sometime between 1949 and 1954, changing the coachwork (have no idea who did the modification) and removed the Testadoro motor and replaced it with a Moretti motor.

Here is a link to a photo of a row of Fiat Tesadoros, circa 1947.

[img=http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1237/fiattestadorozagatosnn1.th.jpg]


Some of the Testadoros were called Danielas and some Marinellas; part of the reason they don't all look identical.

[iicarJohn]

Stu,

Your very nice image shows five cars entered from the "Squadra Zagato" at the Gran Criterium delle 750 "vetturette" race held 26 June 1949 at Monza. There were additional Testadoro cars present as well. Those that I've managed to identify thus far are:

#2 Testadoro Daniela Elio Zagato
#8 Testadoro Daniela Vincenzo Meynardi 1st o/a
#14 Testadoro Daniela Nuccio Bertone rit.
#18 Testadoro Marinella(?) Aquilino Branca
#26 Testadoro Marinella Antonio Stagnoli started
#36 Testadoro Daniela Gastone Puma retired while leading
#42 Testadoro Marinela Giorgio Giusti
#nn Testadoro Daniela "Bis" or "Ris" (spare car?)

This was almost certainly the largest Testadoro gathering at any racing event. In fact, it may be that, of the tubular-chassis production, only one "Marinella" car was missing! But then, there is a lot more that we need to do before we can be certain that there were only four "Marinella" and five (or six?) "Daniela".

It was not much later that Giorgio Giusti's father died and Giorgio was forced to leave his car business and return to the family business. Giusti's patents and designs were mostly turned over to Zagato and, for a short time anyway, Zagato offered speed equipment and tuning as well as lightweight coachwork. One has to wonder what might have been different had Giorgio remained in his car world. And, although he did not travel to race elsewhere to make a name for himself, it is quite clear that he was pretty successful the few times he raced in his own backyard before he gave it up.

I spent a day with him in 1989 and I have to say that he was certainly a marvelous man with wonderful commentary about many of the people that we would like to know better. I wish I had found the nerve to intrude on him again. Even though he never made me feel like I'd intruded, it was clear that he was doing something else at that time and we spent a good deal of time looking at a lot of his art. Which reminds me that I have to find one of his pieces one day.

John

[iicarJohn]

It has been said that nine Testadoro cars were built. That number cannot be correct, as there were at least three 1947 cars built on modified Fiat 500 "Topolino" chassis. Additionally there were at least nine tubular-chassis cars. Theoretically, there were four "Marinella" and five "Daniela" cars built. I would not be surprised if there should turn out to be a sixth "Daniela" that was also built.

Race entries and results tend to list these cars as "T.O." or "Testadoro" or "Testa d'Oro" but there are other possibilities.

Doing research on the Turin number plate used on the car that was raced 1953 and 1954 by (Alfredo?) Morbidelli we find the following information, not all of which is likely to be precisely accurate.

The marque name given is not "Testadoro" or "Testa d'Oro" but is noted as "Gilco Senza Marchio" (Gilco, without marque name) No. 004.

The Gilco chassis was declared as dating from 26 April 1951 when it was almost certainly from 1949.

As of 1951, the engine was listed as "Giannini" and on 11 June 1951 the car was declared sold to Aldo Anselmino in Turin. It was raced at times by "Morbidelli", probably Alfredo Morbidelli(?). Later, it was sold to someone in Cuneo, not far from Turin. I have not yet followed the trail any farther but it could be the source of the car sold to Branca or Ubezzi.

I will attach two or three photos of N. 004

Another "Daniela" was offered 1954 in the USA by Tony Pompeo and it was eventually sold in 1957 to George ("Giorgio") Waltman who fitted it with a tuned Fiat 1100 engine and raced it in some FJ races (after trying out one of Biener's Taraschi FJ?) and then more recently in historic races. Obviously, this cannot be the Branca/Ubezzi "Moretti".

[Zaagmans]

A better shot of the # 14 Daniela Testadoro:


And this is how it was depicted in the 1947 Zagato brochure:

[Ritmo100S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iicarJohn It has been said that nine Testadoro cars were built. That number cannot be correct, as there were at least three 1947 cars built on modified Fiat 500 "Topolino" chassis. Additionally there were at least nine tubular-chassis cars. Theoretically, there were four "Marinella" and five "Daniela" cars built. I would not be surprised if there should turn out to be a sixth "Daniela" that was also built. Race entries and results tend to list these cars as "T.O." or "Testadoro" or "Testa d'Oro" but there are other possibilities. Doing research on the Turin number plate used on the car that was raced 1953 and 1954 by (Alfredo?) Morbidelli we find the following information, not all of which is likely to be precisely accurate. The marque name given is not "Testadoro" or "Testa d'Oro" but is noted as "Gilco Senza Marchio" (Gilco, without marque name) No. 004. The Gilco chassis was declared as dating from 26 April 1951 when it was almost certainly from 1949. As of 1951, the engine was listed as "Giannini" and on 11 June 1951 the car was declared sold to Aldo Anselmino in Turin. It was raced at times by "Morbidelli", probably Alfredo Morbidelli(?). Later, it was sold to someone in Cuneo, not far from Turin. I have not yet followed the trail any farther but it could be the source of the car sold to Branca or Ubezzi. I will attach two or three photos of N. 004 Another "Daniela" was offered 1954 in the USA by Tony Pompeo and it was eventually sold in 1957 to George ("Giorgio") Waltman who fitted it with a tuned Fiat 1100 engine and raced it in some FJ races (after trying out one of Biener's Taraschi FJ?) and then more recently in historic races. Obviously, this cannot be the Branca/Ubezzi "Moretti".

[bikesandcars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iicarJohn ...Another "Daniela" was offered 1954 in the USA by Tony Pompeo and it was eventually sold in 1957 to George ("Giorgio") Waltman who fitted it with a tuned Fiat 1100 engine and raced it in some FJ races (after trying out one of Biener's Taraschi FJ?) and then more recently in historic races. Obviously, this cannot be the Branca/Ubezzi "Moretti".

[Ritmo100S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikesandcars Thank you for the posting, I can't believe I actually found some info on the web about this car. I am George's son and we still have the car he bought from Tony. It hasn't ran since Limerock in 1988 but I'd like to get it to an event in the next year or two. If anyone has more info on this car please email me! I can confirm it has an 1100 CC fiat engine, modified from the original 750 CC, and was raced in FIA sanctioned FJ races and I believe a hill climb or two. Unfortunately that engine may need to be changed as it overheated in its last race.

[bikesandcars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritmo100S Photos please!

[AR58SprintV]

Bravo Mr. Waltman!

[nilake]

This class seems like it would be amazing. I'm new to this site and I am so sad that I am going to miss out on it...

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