For many, a dream job: go to Lamborghini. Bob Wallace just did it.
New Zealand. You might but be born. The country where everyone want to go. Serene surroundings, amazing flora & fauna and very friendly locals. Now it seems like the grass at the neighbours is always greener, but much greener than in New Zealand, the grass is not. New Zealand happens to be the country on 4 October, 1938, one Bob Wallace was born in Auckland. At a young age he is already infected with the autovirus. As a child, he visited several races in New Zealand. He is not only interested in the cars, but also in the people who work on the cars. Bob wanted to know how one of street-legal car’s true racers could build. Not only does he speak to the people behind the race cars, he also works with them together. Thus teaches the young Wallace the finer points of the profession. But he knew that he was on the wrong island was born to a career to start in the sport.
According to many publications moved Bob Wallace as soon as possible to Italy. This is not entirely correct. Wallace went first to Great Britain to of the master a lot to learn: Colin Chapman. He was included in the development team in Hethel (Norfolk), in accordance with the principles of Chapman cars to develop. The efforts of Wallace is in the industry big news. He receives from the team Camoradi USA the invitation to be there, to go and work on the race cars. And that were not in the least. He was with this team work on the Maserati Birdcage. A car that in 1960 and 1961 is particularly dominant in the 1,000-km races on the nüburgring racing track. Wallace had been reprocessed as technical chief of the staff. In addition to the Birdcages, there was also raced with Chevrolet Corvettes and also who were by Wallace prepared. Best handsome enough technical know-how with both delicate racers as the Birdcage as the untamed monsters as the Corvettes.
In 1963 it was for Bob Wallace time to look further. His successes were a certain Enzo Ferrari did not fail to notice, and he seemed actually tried to have the talented New Zealander to add to the Scuderia. But Ferruccio Lamborghini had also heard of the qualities of the best man. Ferruccio was familiar with how Ferrari went about with his staff, and could the map, evidently well-off. Instead, Ferrari went Wallace to Lamborghini at the time that the factory is building.
Wallace didn’t have much cheese and have eaten from street-legal car. For Lamborghini it didn’t matter. They recognized that he has a special gift and had wanted to be Bob, whatever it may cost them. It could not be done with internship, so it was Bob Wallace appointed hoofdtestrijder. Lamborghini made only tractors and they needed someone somewhat would know where it all would go.
Street-legal car. The first was the prototype of the Lamborghini 350GT. Lamborghini wanted the car as soon as possible on the market. For the body was the help of Touring on, the engine was designed by no one less than Bizzarini; his V12 would be a long time to keep going, because up until the Murcielago LP670 SV was used a Bizzarini V12.
You have to understand that Lamborghini out of nothing was working to build an ultimate supercar, so it quickly recruited staff was not always as good in their work. Each prototype was Wallace first a cube around to check if the car has no death wish on wheels. Then came his assistants deal with the fine tuning of the cars. Lamborghini was impressed by Wallace and gave him carte blanche. Wallace should make use of all the materials and techniques then available were, as long as Lamborghini’s but were better than Ferrari’s. There was an essential difference between Ferrari and Lamborghini. Ferrari’s were sober equipped. According to Ferrari because of a low weight, according to Lamborghini was doing just stingy. So Lamborghini’s were always a luxury to get dressed.
Wallace did so, not only is the 350GT, but also its successors. In fact, all of the Lamborghini’s to 1975 were by Wallace tested. Models such as the Islero, Espada and Jarama. But the absolute showpiece for Wallace must surely be the Lamborghini Miura. A gorgeous Supercar that even the proud Ferrari in embarrassment. Thanks to the immunity which Bob Wallace enjoyed at Lamborghini, he would himself now and then, keeping busy with projects where Ferruccio himself not behind. In total there are 3 Lamborghini’s that Bob Wallace independent under hands has taken.
1970: Lamborghini Miura P400 Jota
The first and most famous creation of Bob Wallace is the P400 J. J speak out as Iota, in Spanish. Despite the fact that the Miura is a spectacular car, dropped the top speed a bit. The car had 300 km/pick you up, but at 288 was the cake. Wallace made a lot of received more potent V12 to have the limit of 300 is reached. The Miura was indeed faster, but the nose caused a lot of lift, making the car, as it were, took off.
Wallace goes to work for his knowledge of racing cars to apply on the Miura. The steel chassis is replaced by one of aluminum, while the body is constructed from a material called ‘Avional’. All in all, it was the Miura P400 Jota 400 kg lighter than the standard Miura.
The engine also got a oppepbeurt. The oil bath was removed for a much more compact dry-sump lubrication. The compression was greatly increased, and the exhaust was almost a straight pipe. Most of the gain was due to extra ‘wild’ camshafts. This was the V12 at nukkiger, but it was rated at a lot higher: 440 hp. The car was unfortunately a sad end: a mechanic wanted to make an impression on a clean deerne and drove a little bit too enthusiastic. The Iota crashed and burned completely.
1972: Lamborghini Jarama ‘Bob’
This project was actually a lot of aparter. That you of a Supercar as a Miura, a faster version is not so strange, but the Jarama was not a supercar. The Jarama was a GT in the true sense of the word. That made for a Wallace not out, he saw huge potential in the car. Also here was the car from the platform, re-built. Everything out could, and went out. The chassis was strengthened and the V12 was further to the rear for better weight distribution.
The brakes were replaced with larger Brembo copies and there was an adjustable Koni suspension fitted. Furthermore, you could be the Jarama ‘Bob’ recognize the color scheme: orange with a black hood. The Jarama was also the other headlights, air tubes, and a front spoiler. Also the V12 was addressed: at 8,000 resulted in the block 380 hp. Not wrong.
1974: Lamborghini Urraco ‘Bob’
Again a separate model to address. The Urraco was the entry-level model at the time. Instead of the glorious V12, this car has a V8. Also this car was to be semi-race specifications converted. So the interior was completely stripped and a race-spec fuel tank was added. Just as in the Jarama ‘Bob’ got the Urraco ‘Bob’ adjustable Koni dampers. The looks were more dramatic, thanks to the magnesium Campagnolo rims, front spoiler and a large wing on the rear door. Thanks also amber varnish was in any case no muurbloempje.
Also the engine was adapted, of course. This was tuned to a healthy 310 hp. These horses were through a manual zesbak transfer to the wheels. Since the car is now capable of much higher speeds, was the chassis strengthened by welding by means of a roll cage.
In 1975, thinks that Bob Wallace, the enough, and he passed on the baton to Valentino Balboni. He takes his resignation to again move, this time to the United States. He starts in Phoenix, Arizona for themselves with the company, ” Bob Wallace Cars.” There does Bob where he does best: make it faster of exotic Italian sports cars. On september 19, 2013 dies Bob Wallace at the age of 75.
Actually there is, not much has changed in the meantime. Ferrari builds still brilliant sports cars, Maserati manufactures Gran Turismo’s (literally) and sportsedans. And Lamborghini is the bizarre exception to the rule. Kicking against the established order with a perfectionist design, bright colors and ridiculous engines. The Superveloce’s, Supertrofeo’s and Perfomante’s are perfect exponents of. Faster, lighter, is suitable for the circuit, but intended for on the street. That the approach of Wallace was successful is shown by the fact that Lamborghini is still the recipe of Wallace employs.