WHO KNOWS THIS MAN?

Lowell · Mar 13, 2017

The Strad said: ↑

Exactly! The one and only Gemino Battilani, Head of the Ferrari Foundry department, for many decades. He worked, from a very early age together with the Commendatore, until he went on retirement.
I had the great honor, and pleasure, to meet this fantastic man in the heart of Maranello, in the bar/restaurant Drake, in May 2013. He is a typical Maranello local, as they are so proud about "their cars". He is so proud about "his"more than 1000 engine blocks he made. We chatted for hours and hours, and invited me in his home.
As I drove him to his house in my Challenge Stradale, he grumbled between his teeth, with a big smile on his warm but rinkled face: "Dio, che macchina!"

As we live in this fast changing era, with relatively little time and intrest for the past, I thought it would be nice to stand still and pay respect to the people who, far away from the taste of champagne on the racetracks, have made Ferrari to what it is today.

At the recent auctions of Scottsdale, Paris and Amelia Island, astronomical amounts of money are paid for fabulous, historic, rare and sometimes unique Ferraris. But let's never forget the magnificent men and women who, in the shadow of Enzo and his sale successes, and for rather low salaries, have litteraly manufactured those magnificent cars.
Battilani is one of those, one of the really greatest.
Click to expand...

Who is the author and what is the title of the book whose pages you show?
Thanks

GIOTTO · Mar 13, 2017

Lowell said: ↑

Who is the author and what is the title of the book whose pages you show?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Auto-Hebdo 1985/86. In French.
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Aardy · Mar 13, 2017

Lowell said: ↑

Who is the author and what is the title of the book whose pages you show?
Thanks
Click to expand...

See also this book of the excellent Graham Gauld...
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///Mike · Mar 13, 2017

The Strad said: ↑

Exactly! The one and only Gemino Battilani, Head of the Ferrari Foundry department, for many decades. He worked, from a very early age together with the Commendatore, until he went on retirement.
I had the great honor, and pleasure, to meet this fantastic man in the heart of Maranello, in the bar/restaurant Drake, in May 2013. He is a typical Maranello local, as they are so proud about "their cars". He is so proud about "his"more than 1000 engine blocks he made. We chatted for hours and hours, and invited me in his home.
As I drove him to his house in my Challenge Stradale, he grumbled between his teeth, with a big smile on his warm but rinkled face: "Dio, che macchina!"

As we live in this fast changing era, with relatively little time and intrest for the past, I thought it would be nice to stand still and pay respect to the people who, far away from the taste of champagne on the racetracks, have made Ferrari to what it is today.

At the recent auctions of Scottsdale, Paris and Amelia Island, astronomical amounts of money are paid for fabulous, historic, rare and sometimes unique Ferraris. But let's never forget the magnificent men and women who, in the shadow of Enzo and his sale successes, and for rather low salaries, have litteraly manufactured those magnificent cars.
Battilani is one of those, one of the really greatest.
Click to expand...

Very well said! And thank you for the history lesson.

Lowell · Mar 14, 2017

GIOTTO said: ↑

Auto-Hebdo 1985/86. In French.
Click to expand...

The words on the pages shown were in English.

GIOTTO · Mar 14, 2017

Lowell said: ↑

The words on the pages shown were in English.
Click to expand...

Only the framed page (in French) is from Auto-Hebdo.

Lowell · Mar 14, 2017

Aardy said: ↑

See also this book of the excellent Graham Gauld...
Click to expand...

OK. Photo of Ferrari foundry right top page 81. No one there.
Small photo of "foundry-master" not named, bottom left page 82.

That's all there is there.

I do agree that this is a nice book.

But I would still like to know the book whose pages are shown at the bottom in post 25.

Dino2010 · Mar 14, 2017

Lowell said: ↑

OK. Photo of Ferrari foundry right top page 81. No one there.
Small photo of "foundry-master" not named, bottom left page 82.

That's all there is there.

I do agree that this is a nice book.

But I would still like to know the book whose pages are shown at the bottom in post 25.
Click to expand...

Quite disappointing that such a historically important man gets so little intrest, here on Fchat.... Not one single word or comment from the historians on this thread. Battilani is an icon, the engines he made in his foundry are housed in the rarest, most breathtaking Ferraris of the '50, '60, '70 and '80s.
Anyway, some here are really passionate about a gentleman like Battilani, which is nice. The text below in post 25 is definitely from the book 'Modena racing memories' , mentioned here above.
Here 's the link! ��

https://books.google.be/books?redir_esc=y&hl=nl&id=B7d2V-QyCmQC&q=Gemino+Battilani#v=snippet&q=Gemino%20Battilani&f=false

Lowell · Mar 15, 2017

The Strad said: ↑

Quite disappointing that such a historically important man gets so little intrest, here on Fchat.... Not one single word or comment from the historians on this thread. Battilani is an icon, the engines he made in his foundry are housed in the rarest, most breathtaking Ferraris of the '50, '60, '70 and '80s.
Anyway, some here are really passionate about a gentleman like Battilani, which is nice. The text below in post 25 is definitely from the book 'Modena racing memories' , mentioned here above.
Here 's the link! ��

https://books.google.be/books?redir_esc=y&hl=nl&id=B7d2V-QyCmQC&q=Gemino+Battilani#v=snippet&q=Gemino%20Battilani&f=false
Click to expand...

I apologize. He is there in the Chapter on Maserati. I should have looked in the Index.

Gauld then talks about driving "along the Route of the Midieval Castles" towards Bologna.

My wife and I drove up that road one afternoon in Summer 2000. We stopped at a bar
with an outdoor area were retired men were relaxing. I asked them how to get to the
Mario Righini (I hope I remember the name right) castle. They told me. I told them that
I wanted to be able to see the 'Ferrari' 815. Every single man laughed at me. We found
the castle, but could find no way whatsoever to get inside. No door bell, no anything.
We walked all around the outside of the place. At least we got within one or two hundred
meters of the car. I rather doubt that that can be considered any accomplishment to put on my vita.

Dino2010 · Mar 15, 2017

Lowell said: ↑

I apologize. He is there in the Chapter on Maserati. I should have looked in the Index.

Gauld then talks about driving "along the Route of the Midieval Castles" towards Bologna.

My wife and I drove up that road one afternoon in Summer 2000. We stopped at a bar
with an outdoor area were retired men were relaxing. I asked them how to get to the
Mario Righini (I hope I remember the name right) castle. They told me. I told them that
I wanted to be able to see the 'Ferrari' 815. Every single man laughed at me. We found
the castle, but could find no way whatsoever to get inside. No door bell, no anything.
We walked all around the outside of the place. At least we got within one or two hundred
meters of the car. I rather doubt that that can be considered any accomplishment to put on my vita.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a very inviting road! Maybe something to repeat during the second week of September? I wonder how many people will come to attend the 70th Anniversary Celebrations in Maranello.
Maybe a new thread should be started?

Dino2010 · Mar 17, 2017

When many of us will be in Maranello, the second week of September, a meet & visit at Bar/ristorante Drake could be fun. Especially for those who 'd like to meet some locals! But... Italian spoken!

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