Here we go. This letter to Bob Estes clarifies the aforementioned, and speaks to the dangers of testing these cars to the limit on the road. Image Unavailable, Please Login
He was kind enough to sign my book for me, but said not to believe everything thats been written about Lamborghini Image Unavailable, Please Login
I check it is : "The Complete Book of Lamborghini" by Pete Lyons, from page 50 up to 63. here you can buy one : THE Complete Book OF Lamborghini BY Pete Lyons 1988 Hardcover Signed | eBay
Hi Joe, Funny that you mention lunch, just today I had lunch here in Burgundy with another important classic Modenese car man from the US west coast: Frank Mandarano who did a lot for classic Maseratis in the US I certainly will let you know when I come back to LA and look forward to that! All the best, Marc
Olivier how is your Islero and is Le Mans Classic 2014 an eventuality? If so will the brakes etc be up to it? In any case best of luck, Marc
On behalf of Bob's family, we would like to add the following: Bob Wallace left N.Z in 1960 with John Ohlson. They both were involved in the early Hot Rod scene in Auckland. He spent a bit of time working for Lotus and absolutely hated it. The workers had to tip their hats when any management went passed. The class system was very much alive and well in England. He previously worked with Ray Stone on the Mansell 250F at Ardmore and met the Temple Buell team with the Piccolo 250F of Harry Schell and Carol Shelby. He left England to go to Italy and ended up getting a job with Camoradi running a team of light weight Corvettes with a non existant all-alloy motor plus a couple of Birdcage Maserati. He crashed one of the Corvettes at LeMans and it ended part way up a tree. Bob spent sometime in hospital after the crash. The motor from that car ended up in N.Z. in Rod Coppins Techmec. He spent 1961 with Ferrari as Phil Hills head mechanic, when he won the F1 championship with the 1.5 litre car. When Lamborghini was starting Bob, very much enjoyed his time there as he pretty much had free reign on what he did. I visited Modena in 1974 not long after he had married Anna. Lamborghini had allowed him to build a lightweight Urraco and we had several fast drives over part of the old MilleMillglia course, leaping of the ground while going past an up market restaurant. The patrons would hear him coming and be out on the balcony to cheer him on. The car was nicknamed "Urraco Bob". With the rise in industrial unrest and the rise of communism, Bob and Anna came to NZ in 1975, but they never settled and about eighteen months later went to the States. In 1977 they were hit by a car in the side and Anna had head injuries which started a 21 year slide until her death. I visited regularly. A couple of years ago when I was there I said to Bob you need a hobby, his reply was "I have a hobby, I go to work". He had a test frame on wheels on which we used to run up the motors he had rebuilt with short exhaust and no muffler. The sound of the 12 cylinder Ferrari at full noise was enough to wake the dead! Bob did not suffer fools gladly, but if he liked you it was ok. RIP BIG BROTHER CHARLIE AND FAMILY.
Thank you so much for that History Charlie. So very sorry for your loss. I grew up reading all the Lambo books I could get my hands on and loved seeing photos of Bob's involvement. Regards, Mike
Fantastic tribute. I'd like to add these two images. The first is the only one I know of showing Bob and his fully-completed creation, the Miura Jota in 1971. The second shows Bob in the prototype Countach in 1973 doing what he did best: testing. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
a Belgian touch... here Bob with Dallara and our 1st Belgian Lamborghini importer, one of the 2 partners of S.O.C.A.R.I.A., Mr Roisin Joe, pay attention to the end pipe, it seems a twin tube instead of the big one we all know !!! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Very cool detail. Quad exhaust tips clearly shown in my Miura book The Lamborghini Miura Bible ? Joe Sackey | Joe Sackey Classics on pages 27 & 48. Also shown in this thread previously here http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/142592412-post26.html
The external quad-tips configuration was in fact the second of three different configurations tried by Wallace, the last being the traditional one that went into production on the P400. The one imaged below is the first attempt at exhaust extrusion using quad pipes, facilitated by apertures in the rear hexagonal-patterned valance. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I hope at Lamborghini they decide to put his name to a special edition on Aventador or Cabrera, like they did with Balboni. It would be great...
Hi, Just wondering about this quote attributed to the late Mr. Wallace from another site (the Miura Registry) about the Shah of Iran SVJ: "6/2004- Bob Wallace again confirms that car was supplied with studded snow tyres to Shah in St. Moritz. "The development engineer at Pirelli for high performance tyres was a fellow called Ing. Mezzanotte. The Pirelli people were very helpful- I don't know why. They did lots of special favours for the factory." Was the Shah of Iran SVJ supplied with snow tires ? It would seem to make an already special car all the more interesting. In any case, may he rest in peace and condolences to the family. Regards, Ramin
I too was one who read every Lamborghini book I could get my hands on. I remember fondly the references to Bob and his contributions to the company, and his antics! It makes me sad I never acted on the desire to make the pilgrimage to meet him. I built a Prova Countach replica 20 yrs ago since I could not afford an original. It was a decent one built on a tube frame chassis. I had to experience the car one way or another. I have fortunately owned a couple Ferraris, but a real Countach has still eluded me. One day it will happen! I believe Bob is mixing it up with his cohorts and loved ones upstairs currently. He would want us to be happy for him I believe. RIP Bob, and thanks for all you did in your life to inspire me and others! Ed.
He was mentioned at the recent 50th anniversary celebrations in Bologna from what I've seen on YouTube. To see him and Balboni together there would have been amazing but it sounds like he felt he'd "moved on" so perhaps he was not interested in attending personally. RIP Mr. Wallace.
