Lancia Rally 037 successor

[Stratos Fear]

- Yep - that looks really good Nik - you've obviously spent a lot of time finessing the detail - good luck with the project !

[rally037]

Thank you Peter, genuinely appreciated, it is a real labour of love for me.

[Karnevil]

https://www.hotcars.com/first-photos...aB03rYDAyejw8s

[rally037]

Hi Andy, we have mentioned Kimora's project couple of times further up - they claim their project is aimed at a restomod of the 037, while the task I set myself is what a contemporary MkII version would look like, similar to the way the Escort, the Mini and numerous other models have evolved. If I was to do a restomod, I would have stayed significantly closer to the original styling, tweak tiny details and exchange certain components for modern more reliable ones, while Kimora have strayed too much away from the original for my liking. Or it could be the fact that their styling reminds me so much of the state of my project back in 1987 and the not too talented hand sketches in my school books .

One interesting thing is that according to their press release, they have involved Abarth people working there in the 80's on the original Lancia branded models, but the names mentioned means they were more involved in the models following the 037, i.e. the S4 and the Delta Gr.A, and their influence is evident in some of the styling details (Integrale wheel arches) and engine solution (mechanical and turbo chargers). Also, although I haven't analysed it yet, but just visually (so I could be wrong), the wheelbase appears stretched without properly integrating the drivers' comportment into this longer (if correct) wheelbase.

I know that the internet is raving about Kimora's project, but when I have been at it for so long, I notice all these details and cannot help but feel they have turned a beautiful swan into an ugly duckling. There are some exceptional restomods out there that take the originals to the next level, for me that is Singer and couple of Alfa ones (Alfaholics and Totem Automobili), while this project provokes thoughts of chasing the quick buck by jumping on the restomod bandwagon and coming up with over glorified kit car (though I guess many would argue that is what every restomod is ).

[rally037]

Hi Andy, we have mentioned Kimera's project couple of times further up - they claim their project is aimed at a restomod of the 037, while the task I set myself to do is what a contemporary MkII version would look like, similar to the way the Escort, the Mini and numerous other models have evolved. If I was to do a restomod, I would have stayed significantly closer to the original styling, tweak tiny details and exchange certain components for modern more reliable ones, while Kimera have strayed too much away from the original for my liking. Or it could be the fact that their styling reminds me so much of the state of my project back in 1987 and the not too talented hand sketches in my school books ��.

One interesting thing is that according to their press release, they have involved Abarth people working there in the 80's on the original Lancia branded models, but the names mentioned means they were more involved in the models following the 037, i.e. the S4 and the Delta Gr.A, and their influence is evident in some of the styling details (Integrale wheel arches) and engine solution (mechanical and turbo chargers). Also, although I haven't analysed it yet, but just visually (so I could be wrong), the wheelbase appears stretched without properly integrating the drivers' compartment into this longer (if correct) wheelbase.

I know that the internet is raving about Kimera's project, but when I have been at it for so long, I notice all these details and cannot help but feel they have turned a beautiful swan into an ugly duckling. There are some exceptional restomods out there that take the originals to the next level, for me that is Singer and couple of Alfa ones (Alfaholics and Totem Automobili), while this project provokes thoughts of chasing the quick buck by jumping on the restomod bandwagon and coming up with over glorified kit car (though I guess many would argue that is what every restomod is).

[Karnevil]

I posted it for the pics.
it don't look that much different really does it

[rally037]

Thanks Andy, I guess "professional deformation" is to blame for my views

[rally037]

While the design of the car is progressing in my head, I thought perhaps a post on the family tree of the 037 would provide a useful reference for the project. Nothing really new here, with all the information available on the net, but just summarised in one place.

1960’s end: Fiat considers a new two seater sports car as a replacement for their aging ones, commissions Bertone and Pininfarina to come up with ideas.

1970: Pininfarina builds first prototype of their answer to Fiat’s call, project X1/8 displaying that lovely canopy profile, proposed engine (3L V6) larger than in Bertone’s own X1/9.


1972: Pininfarina’s project code altered to X1/20, another prototype built, intention is to use smaller (2L I4) than the X1/8 engine


1974: Abarth builds a competition version of the X1/8/20, codenamed SE030 with longitudinally mounted naturally aspirated 3L V6 engine


1975: Fiat chooses to place a Lancia badge on X1/20 and present it at the Geneva Motor Show as Beta Montecarlo, engine is transversely mounted naturally aspirated 2L I4


1979: The Lancia Corse camp of the merged Fiat competition department, with Dallara's help on the engineering side, develops and presents the Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo, engine is transversely mounted turbo charged 1.425L I4


1979: Short tail version of the Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo


1980: Abarth project SE036, once again mainly driven by the Lancia Corse group of people, intended for the newly proposed Group B but never built as deemed too complex for the time available, tubular spaceframe rally car with a suggested Ferrari V8 engine

1980: Work starts at Abarth on a simpler alternative to the SE036, codenamed SE037 using the central section from the Beta Montecarlo Group 5 car, but with longitudinally mounted mechanically supercharged 2L I4

1982: Abarth SE037 is presented to the public, Fiat brands it Lancia, named Rally, first proper Group B car


1983: Lancia Rally 037 wins the world rally championship manufacturers title
Image taken at the end of the 1983 Monte Carlo Rally


What strikes me most is that so many different companies have contributed to the development of a project that ultimately led to the Lancia Rally 037 and at the same time the variety of engines fitted on the same base platform, in effect it means that any engine can be fitted to a potential MkII version and claim made to be historically justified .