Lancia LC2: this is how a gem of technology is reborn – Sports Cars
Thirty years after landing on Earth, stratospheric Launch LC2, a low-level torpedo with a capacity of over 800 hp. (in testing it even broke the 1.000 hp barrier by increasing the turbine pressure to 3,5 bar) remains an almost alien example of how technology can produce superior products that fail at times. to reach their full potential through the large sums of money and attention that require constant renewal and the search for reliability.
Hypothetical queen World Championship Sports Prototypes, who could beat the overbearing Porsche 956 and then 962 (which at the time terrified rivals), limited himself to three overall victories in his short career (from 1983 to early 1986), but won thirteen pole positions, which speaks of volumes on its potential. However, it was the lack of investment required for development that slowed it down more than lead ballast. Not to mention, its high sound quality was not matched by the reliability needed for an endurance car.
It was 1983 when Lancia came out of the hat (racing department of Corso Francia, license plate Abarth), this group C, which on paper was an unrivaled machine: 850 hp. with a weight of 850 kg (!), the maximum speed is over 400 km / h (measured on the legendary Hunaudières right at Le Mans), 0-100 in less than 3 seconds (on long gears!), body in carbon e Kevlar, frame central supporting structure in aluminum with panels Inconel (nickel-chromium superalloy), Ferrari engine All-aluminum 8-cylinder twin-turbo engine and… awesome technology!
The engine was a true horse factory, but also an aesthetic piece of noble aluminum, with fine TIG welding that connected the various components of the intake ducts, giving it a techno-art look. Engineer Nicola Materazzi (Ferrari turbine specialist) was instrumental in the development of the engine and the chassis was designed Giampaolo Dallara (superfine technician and also Miura's father).
In all, only nine examples of this surface-to-surface missile were produced from 1983 to 1986, but the story I want to tell you concerns the LC2 with chassis number 10, which was never built by Lancia and was born out of enthusiasm and dedication. the famous Toni Auto workshop in Maranello, owned by its owner Silvano Tony, his father Franco (who died in 2009) and engineer Vincenzo Conti. Vincenzo himself tells us about the origins of this adventure: "It was 1991 when Silvano and I drove off in a truck to Turin for the workshop of the Mussato team, which owned a lot of the mechanical parts of the LC 2."
“Gianni Mussato, in fact, personally led the Lancia Group C to race from 1986 to 1990 (only one race per season in 1987 and 1988). Unfortunately, the results did not live up to expectations, so Mussato decided to sell all the materials that were left in his warehouse.” Thus began the somewhat sad story of the only Italian car to take part in the Group C World Sports Prototype Championship. Build it in 1:1 scale. In his eyes I see the joy of this unique experience: "Despite the myriad of speakers", Vincenzo then continues: “Unfortunately, the car was incomplete: the front hood, windshield, front radiator, fuel tank were missing. . water and loom! he tells me with a still tormented look. “Fortunately, we knew that the last one with the original license plate was available in Dallar, but we would have had to settle for other things,” he ruefully explains.
Who knows what an adventure like this is and I imagine, given my background in modeling, to find such a kit to build at home. “While making the shopping list,” Vincenzo concludes, “we also realized that the only Speed in stock, the original Hewland (five-speed) wins a prize magnesium box cracked,” he says, as if he noticed it today. “Anyway, we loaded thirty crates of spare parts onto the truck after carefully calculating all the details.” Surprised by the amount of material he talks to me about, I ask Vincenzo if he still remembers in detail all the pieces of this fantastic set that Mussato provided them: “Of course, yes!” he says proudly. "Was engine complete, already refurbished (on which Le Mans was written!) shaft, crankcase with oil pan that also served as a shaft support - a brilliant idea that eliminated the bench supports, with relative weight savings - 4 inconel exhaust manifolds, 4 intake ports, 20 turbos already modified in Inconel (on the first LC2 they were made of cast iron and deformed due to the heat on the long straights of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at full throttle), 100 camshafts in the head, with different profiles for different championship circuits world, 50 timing belts, 100 special spark plugs, 200 pistons, 50 titanium connecting rods and… a hundred valves! Of course, along with all that, there were numerous Aeroquip hoses, fittings, seals and bearings.” In short, a real find!
Seeing me amazed, Vincenzo adds: “But I have not yet talked to you about the most valuable thing,” he says jokingly. “The entire electrical system was essentially made of silver cables, as was the wiring. Then there was the real thinking head: block Weber-Marelli with his computer to start the engine. This external part could change the flow and injection during the starting phase, misleading the control unit to ensure starting even with a cold engine. ”
Looking up, a little bewildered by this list of dream components, I ask him, “What about the mechanics of the chassis, body and interior?” Because, waiting for a question, Vincenzo quickly replies: “In this case, the parts were mostly one-piece, so we took home 2 drive shafts with struts and levers, a special tank with a quick-release cap, 4 shock absorbers, 2 seats, one of which is a fake (passenger ), instrumentation and the entire car dashboard and leather.” Seeing me puzzled by the last listed, Vincenzo clarifies: “Of course, I mean the body: huge Bonnet engine in Kevlar with a wing in carbon, glazed doors and roof. There was really a lot! he adds, as if he thinks he'll have to load it into the truck anyway. “Then together with a complete brake system Brembo, Mussato provided us with 20 collapsible brake discs (the central bells in Ergal were essentially fixed), as well as 50 special pads, which had a "frightening" thickness of at least 3 centimeters. " It takes a lot of heat and braking surface to stop at 400 an hour!
“Then shoes,” continues Vincenzo, “or 4 laps. BBS decomposable with huge smooth tires... However, since these sizes were not readily available, we set about creating new rims for the more common tires (we are always talking about smooth tires). As a final gem, Mussato also provided us with a scuba gear with a refueling compressor, which was necessary to operate the three jacks that lifted the LC3 from the ground to help in the pits. " Vincenzo looks at me and then adds, almost inconsolably, "The beauty is that after all the fuss of loading the crates, we still lacked a frame."
“So, to finish the job, Silvano went to Varano De Melegari, Dallara, and then all the parts related to this important part were assembled in an external workshop. The LC2 had a frame with a center structure to which the engine was attached (with a load-bearing function for the suspension) and a front subframe that supported the front end and the suspensions,” he explains enthusiastically. “Then, when everything was delivered to our workshop in Maranello, we finally started building our puzzle, starting with the frame,” he says proudly.
“It took over a year of work: Silvano, Franco and I were in the workshop after hours, even until midnight, to assemble the creature that continued to amaze us:generatorFor example, it was installed directly on the right axle shaft, and not on the engine, as on conventional cars. This was designed not to affect the power of the engine, which was only operated with, among other things, an anti-knock additive added to the gasoline to keep the temperature in the combustion chambers in check! Another curiosity of this wonderful and sophisticated machine, which we only realized after using it on the track, was that the engine oil tank (LC2 was of course equipped dry sump) placed on the roof had to be emptied immediately after using the car so that the turbines would not be clogged by free flow from the roof tank,” he amused.
“After months and months of hard work, during which it was necessary to specially manufacture some missing parts, such as the front hood and windshieldmade in Lexan instead of a crystal to solve the problem of cracks and cracks due to the vibration of the LC2, our being has taken its final mechanical form.
We relied on specialist work for the bodywork. Nitro Cwho worked for four days at a body shop in Maranello, which gave him access to its design to create an impressive livery martinis what made our LC2 different. "
At the end of the conversation, he proudly looks at me: "Just think that all the painting was done by hand, without any adhesive film, simply by masking the surface in parts and gradually spraying different layers of color." Amazing!
“This car,” continues Vincenzo, “was by far one of the most exciting mechanical jobs we have ever done in Silvano’s workshop and getting it out onto the track when it was ready was an indescribable feeling!”
I had the privilege of photographing her in Mugello, during a rehearsal we did for a reportage and I still remember it as one of the most “disturbing” sports I have ever approached!
While I remember with excitement those days and these pictures, Silvano Tony looks into the office where I am and says to me: “Do you know, Giancarlo, that this was the first sports car that my son Andrea tried? He was hungry for LC2 and when he was 19 I let him drive a few laps in Misano during an event hosted by Dunlop.
My son didn't want to stop anymore, and when he finally got out of the car, he had a big smile that I still remember,” he says, smiling. "Lucky!" I think.
