​History of the car

Chassis no. 055352 
Coachbuilder: Motto

This car has a Gilco modified chassis. This is the second car from totally 3 cars ever build, this one participate at Mille Miglia - Targa Florio in 1952 and Mille Miglia - Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti in 1953, among others races in the 50s.

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The strong competition, especially with Stanguellini and O.S.C.A.'s cars, became increasingly fierce and convinced the Florentine builder to abandon his project to developed the Ermini-Fiat engine in favor of designing, with the help of engineer Alberto Massimino, a new four cylinder engine. “114” stood for the engine displacement and the number of cilinders, which was common practice at the time. To increase the power of the engine, was adopted a solution which provides an aluminum block with five main bearings with a new project of twin overhead cam.

The new engine, designed and built entirely by Ermini, was one of the few racing engines that did not come from other standard propelling forces, thereby giving further prestige to the Florentine car constructor. Thus, car registrations began to have the word “Ermini”, without the suffix “Fiat”, whilst maintaining the official set of numbers of the chassis. The Florentine car constructor could therefore use its own progressive numbering system for its engines.

In the 1952 the 3rd car built the previous year was equipped with the new Ermini engine for Attilio Brandi. The torpedo-shaped car 
complied with the new regulations of the International Sporting Code which required the fenders to be attached directly to the body – that is why it took the name of Ermini Sport Internazionale.

That same year, with the new engine, Motto of Torino set up two more cars, this time with covered wheels as required by the new rules, one of them was for Aldo Terigi and the other for Ugo Puma.
These cars had a Gilco 203 chassis, modified at the rear for Ermini, and lighter “cantilevered” leaf springs.

Chassis 055352 is the Aldo Terigi car that raced the Mille Miglia in 1952 with Pugi but did not finish the race. Terigi won instead the class in the Targa Florio and he came 2nd in class at the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti. In 1953 Aldo Terigi won the class during the Coppa della Consuma and at the Coppa Balestrero. It also ran the Mille Miglia in 1953 with Bernardeschi without success. This car ran several races and in 1956 it was bought by the Scuderia Centro Sud.

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ENGINE and TRANSMISSION
Front 4-cylinder aluminum base line Ermini 5 main bearings with aluminum head Ermini
Bore 73mm stroke 65,5mm
1.096cc engine capacity
Maximum power 88 hp at 7000 rpm
Distribution to two camshafts in the head
wet sump forced lubrication with delivery pump
Water cooling with pump
Powered by two horizontal carburetors Weber 35 DCO
Single ignition, battery and coil ignition
Transmission 4-speed plus reverse plate dry clutch
 
FRAME
Tube made by the firm Gilco Milan elliptical section (type 203 modified) with a central stiffening cruise
 
SUSPENSIONS
Front wheel independent with lower wishbone, upper link, coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers in an oil bath.
rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear longitudinal cantilever type, telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar.
hydraulic drum brakes, front-derived Fiat 1500, Fiat back in 1100.
 
FEATURES and DIMENSIONS
two-seater bodywork open aluminum barchetta type, the left guide, produced by the firm Motto Torino (two copies).
Pitch 2.200mm
Front track Rear 1.260mm 1.260mm
Front tires 5.00 / 15 Rear 5.50 / 15
estimated dry weight of 540 kg

 

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THE ERMINI ENGINE AND THE TEAM RACES 1952-1954

The competition with Stanguellini and Osca's cars became more and more intense and they convinced the Florentine builder to abandon his project to developed the Ermini –Fiat engine in favor of designing, with the help of engineer Alberto Massimino, a new four cylinder engine.
To increase the power of the engine, was adopted a solution which provides an aluminum block with five main bearings with a new project of twin overhead cam.

In the 1951 sport season, the most prestigious results was obtained by Palmieri(2° in class an 5° overall) At the Targa Florio driving the Berlinetta equipped by Motto Torino.
The same year an Ermini's Berlinetta, debutted abroad at the Grand Prix of Abbazia in Jugoslavia, it was driven by Malagola Anziani, who won his class obtained the 2° place.
In the end of 1950 the best driver Piero Scotti passed to an higher category and they felt the lack of support structure on the official race track.
This lack was soon filled by the birth of a "Ermini's Team corse" that was shown for the first time in 1952 during the Mille Miglia.
In the 1952 the 3° car built in the year before was eqiupped with the new Ermini engine for Attilio Brandi.
The Torped-shaped vehicle was adapted to the new regulations of the International Sporting Code which provided the wings were attached to the body of vehicle taking the name of Iternational Ermini Sport.
In 1952 two other cars were prepared by Motto Torino and they had the covers wheel as required by regulations, one of this was driven by Aldo Tergi and the other by Ugo Puma.

The Glico chassis was refine in the back with the new system of suspension with short leaf spring suck cantilever and reaction rafter replacing the previous heavier long spring. Attilio brandi obtained the 3° place in the Italian Championship 1100 sport, (he won four times his own class: Firenze-Fiesole, Terni-Marmore, Consuma's Cupaand Sassari-Cagliari).
Moreover Aldo Tergi won the Targa Florio and he came 2° in class at the Dolomiti Golden's cup.
This success allowed Brandi to came in 4° in the Italian sport Championship.
In 1953 Aldo Tergi won the class during the Consuma's Cup, and at the Balestrero's Cup, Ugo Puma won the class to Susa-Moncenisio, while Attilio Brandi confirmed the Florentine brand as the absolute protagonist of the Sicilian race, winning the race TARGA FLORIO.This success allowed Brandi to came 4° in the Italian Sport Championship.

In 1953 Ermini commissioned Frua in Turin to build a Gran Turismo 1100 berlinetta on the old tubular chassis of the Gran Premio Sport, which was involved in an accident at the Circuit of Cascine in October 1948. 
The car had a steel body with aluminum doors and hoods. It was well-built and refined thanks to the contrast of the very light pastel color of the body, and dark leather interior. The car was presented at the World Bodywork Exhibition in San Remo and later at the Turin Motor Show with its engine displacement increased to 1390cc. However, the berlinetta stopped being produced. 
As shown in the "Review of new European productions", which appeared in an issue of the famous magazine "Road & Track" dated March 1956, the car remained unsold for some time. It was later sold in Tuscany with a Fiat-Ermini 1100 engine. 
In 1959 the owner of the car replaced the old racing engine, which was not very practical for everyday use, with a more reliable Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1300. 
The reputation of Ermini cross the national border and an Ermini's engine was installed on a Cisitalia for DeRegibus that in 1953 and 1954 he took part at the 12h D'Hers and to the Agadir Grand Prix in Marocco.
The 1954 year was marked by good results like: 3° class place at the TARGA FLORIO, 6° class place at the MILLE MIGLIA, 2° place at the Bolzano-Mendola and the great team result for the Cosuma's Cup (2°/3°/4°/5°/6° class place), in the same year Giulio Cabianca debuted driving an Ermini's car and he came 3° during the II Sassari Track.