This Vallelunga was supposedly used in hill climbs as a factory racer. It has due to records been hard to confirm. Features the gas lid out of hood and wide body. There were a few that were built after to these specs, flares etc. we have one but it was not original and converted back prior to purchase.
I believe this to be a car that has gained or suffered from "I saw it in print so it must be true" or "I read it on the internet....it must be true". Documents would be required in order to carry the claims that follow the car. If it raced in period then someone somewhere must have pics or documents. I'm not aware of these ever existing. I looked through my photo archives from Rob De La Rive Box and factory press photos......there are many pics but none of this car. It is possibly a story that followed the car after the ownership in SoCal many years ago.
We know Tom Meade used some of those De.... chassis parts on T II. Great car. PS... I was lead builder on Thomassima IIII. Yes. Tom was one of the greatest designers of all time. Fantuzzi taught him and he flew. Tom and I worked side by side for over three years on his amazing supercar. An amazing mind and talent who Enzo gave 45 precious minutes with while testing the T II. The kings got much less time with Enzo. RIP my friend!
I met him only in the last few years of his life, went over to Westwood to meet in front of his favorite coffee shop a couple of times He would tell me stories of cars he owned in the past, but when he told me he had a shop where 2 or 3 cars were being built but that the cars were "secret" I lost interest in visiting him. I have no patience with people who have this or that "secret." Were these last projects all a pipe dream or was something still being built that we enthusiasts might hope to see the light of day? By the way he lived in a sort of "man cave" apartment (I couldn't see any door to it, just an opening with a bamboo curtain) that was under a two story apartment house in a busy part of Westwood by UCLA. I got the impression it was an illegal apartment built out of storage space. I never asked him about the three Ferrari chassis he claimed were stolen from him in recent years that he had stored in another apartment building nearby under the building. I called the West LA police dept. to ask for verification of his story and the lady who answered said that they were not investigating it.
near ZURICH SWITZERLAND DATE 04.07.81 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
near ZURICH SWITZERLAND DATE 04.07.81 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
near ZURICH SWITZERLAND DATE 04.07.81 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
In an article about VL1601 D. (Had to go check) It states 3 prototype , 5 Cometiziones with 130hp, then the 50 glass cars. I may be mistaken on the three.
Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance - 2009 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
DE TOMASO VALLELUNGA #807 DT 110 RESTAURATION 1979 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
DE TOMASO VALLELUNGA #807 DT 110 RESTAURATION 1979 FRONT FRAME Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
DE TOMASO VALLELUNGA #807 DT 110 RESTAURATION 1979 REAR FRAME Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Potenccio, Congrats on saving the Valleleunga. Hopefully we will get to see the evolution of the restoration. I was always told the Mangusta was a 'lengthened' version of the Valleleunga, but from what I see similar but definitely not the same at all (the tunnel is totally different and the rear frame/engine cage/ engine, transaxle mounts are totally different) . Quick question, most (if not all) tubing on the Mangusta is folded over metal not profiles. Is it the same on a Valleleunga? Best D
The Mangusta was a revised version reinforced. The Vallelunga was hollow square tube in all the rear and front. The central spine was a folded square "U" with I believe 6 diagonal hollow tubes spaced inside. A bottom plate with two longitudinal rectangles (for pluming routing) capped off the bottom and welded. Vallelunga frame^
There are for sure similarities, the Valleleunga tunnel looks like it is tapered and all attachments are tubular and/or profiles made in a foundry. The Mangusta on the other hand is a square piece and has all hand folded tubes. Keep the pictures coming!
DE TOMASO VALLELUNGA #807 DT 110 RESTAURATION 1979 REAR FRAME Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login