IKA Torino 380W Competición
When we think of vehicle producing countries, Argentine isn't the first to leap into the mind. In fact, if it was to feature in the first 25 countries you thought of, it would be impressive. While not having the gravitas of European car manufacturers the Argentine does have a rich history and carriage making features heavily. It should come as no surprise that with the rise of the automobile, the artisans and engineers of Argentina could turn their hand to the servicing, converting, racing and manufacturing of their own vehicles.
Yet the European elite generally continue to underestimate the continent of South America. To balance our ignorance the story of Kaiser Motors, IKA needs to be remembered. Not to mention a feat that has taken on legendary status in the Argentine.
Kaiser Motors, IKA, AMC and Renault
The history of an Argentinian company set up in conjunction with an American firm and then building French based designs is not easy to unpick in a few sentences. But, here we go.
In 1951 the Argentine government was looking to see if any US vehicle manufacturers were interested in building cars in Argentina. Most US firms considered the market too small to bother with but one firm that did see an opportunity was Kaiser. As the next few years rolled by and negotiations ebbed and flowed, Kaiser merged into Willys Motors Inc' which in turn was merged into American Motors Corporation in May 1954. Fortunately the very thing most notable about AMC was the very thing Kaiser saw in the first place. An oppertunity to corner a niche market with minimal competition from the worlds biggest manufacturers. On the 19th of January 1955 an agreement was signed between the government of Argentina and Kaiser-AMC for the building of motorcars and trucks in the Argentine.
The resulting firm, Industrias Kaiser Argentina S.A., or IKA, was created and manufacturing facilities built in the city of Santa Isabel, Córdoba Province by 1956. It was owned by a mixed bag of private investors, the government-owned airplane and vehicle manufacturer, Industrias Aeronáuticas y Mecánicas del Estado (IAME) and Kaiser Automotores, a holding company set up on behalf of Kaiser motors and AMC.
Production of a variety of Kaiser, Jeep and AMC models began, the initial idea being simply to build vehicles designed elsewhere, in Argentina. By 1958 IKA was turning out 81% of all vehicles manufactured in Argentina; the only competition being a state-run utility vehicle manufacturer. However, the IKA management realised that the domestic market required something more. Something which "combined American ruggedness and European style"; and that was beyond the scope of the original agreement. By that time IKA were looking further afield for their partners. The formerly American-Argentine firm shifted toward Renault and Europe in 1959, with the little Renault Dauphine being the first model of the production lines.
Through the 1960s a variety of different designs made up the IKA sales portfolio, including locally designed vehicles using Willys 2480cc four-cylinder engine, Jeep rear suspension and drum brakes and other sundry items like the recently purchased Alfa Romeo body moulds from its 1900 sedan which became the IKA Bergantin, Argentinas first “locally conceived, designed, and engineered car”.
That doesn't mean IKA was going it alone. Not at all. They continued to build AMC's Nash Rambler American, which was later redesigned under licence by Pininfarina to become the IKA Torino in 1966, as well as Renaults Dauphine, Gordini, R4L, and R4F models.
In 1967 Renault became the the largest share holders in IKA, and IKA Renault S.A. came into being. When Kaiser Industries decided to withdraw from motor manufacturing it sold it's shares to Renault in 1970. Thus ended Argentina's indigenous car maker, with all models being of Renault origin. By 1975 Renault Argentina S.A. completely superseded IKA.
The IKA Torino
Arguably Argentina's most iconic car, even quoted as "Argentina's national car", the IKA Torino, was produced at the Santa Isabel plant from 1966 and in evolved forms to 1981. Debuting at the F1 circuit of Buenos Aires on the 30th of November, 1966, the Torino was presented as a new mid-sized car in two-door hardtop and four-door sedan models.
The design was an interesting mix of American, Argentinian and European ideas. The general central bodyshell, rooflines, and trunk compartment was a mix of AMC's 1964-'65 Rambler 'American' and 'Classic' chassis. It included, uniquely, the long unitary "frame rails" from the AMC Classic (and later Marlin), convertible(s) which created a much stiffer chassis that could cope with the rough Argentine road conditions of the era.
Upon that unibody central section the Torino had newly designed front (including a "European" style grille), and rear body panels, and bumpers. These panels, and the all new interior, were the work of Italian car stylists, Pininfarina. This was all specifically done to appeal to the Argentine public, remembering that much of the countries populace can trace their roots back to European immigrants it isn't particularly surprising.
The interior had unique trim and a luxurious feel with leather seats and panels, and a wooden instrument panel that held a multitude of gauges. The gear lever for the ZF four-speed manual transmission was floor mounted, in the European manner. Even the cars badging had a European flavour. Similar to the Turin coat of arms a bull stands on its two hind legs reminiscent of Ferrari's prancing horse logo. Coincidence or mimicry?
Running gear was taken from the AMC Classic, but with a four arm linkage with coil over shock suspension, front disc brakes were also chosen for better stopping power and the whole thing ran on a slightly longer wheelbase than the American, at 2723mm (107in).
Power came from an Argentine-built Kaiser-Jeep based, Tornado 3.7Litre, OHC, inline six cylinder motor with three dual-barrel Weber Bologna 45mm sidedraft carburettors, a low resistance exhaust system, Lucas electronics and a few other high-performance tweaks. The Torino 380 W had 176hp at its disposal. The engine did need a little rejigging to get it to fit but fortunately both designs came from the pen of designer Ralph H. Isebrandt.
IKA's first Argentinian national product was something special indeed. Over the years it would evolve and become more and more an Argentine product with fewer and fewer imported parts. The Torino is an iconic car, an Argentine Classic and it was "a dark year for car enthusiasts in Argentina" when it was dropped by Renault in 1982.
Racing at the Nürburgring
Now, As previously mentioned, people don't generally think of Argentina as having a major car industry. Neither do they easily connect Argentina with motor racing either. In this, too, they are ludicrously out of touch. Some of the most gruelling motor racing has been undertaken in South America and the biggest name in Formula one for decades was Juan Manuel Fangio. His life story is a catalogue of so many of these long distance races before he came to Europe to compete in F1.
That said, the event that has the most gravitas in Argentina was one they didn't win, but it had the entire country glued to the radio and television news programs. The 1969 “Marathon de la Route” race.
IKA introduced a marketing campaign called "Misión Argentina", or Argentine Mission, of 1969. Seeing motor sport as an “investment in brand image”, engineer Oreste Berta and former five times F1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio were asked to collaborate to get the IKA Torino into motor racing. The whole set up became a sort of national Argentinian team followed everywhere by the press.
Why Fangio? He was the man who had the race of his life when he won the 1957 German GP on Nürburgring's Nordschleife, breaking the lap record ten times in his Maserati 250F and charging past the two Ferrari's. Incidentally, another record happened to be broken for Argentina an the Nürburgring Fifty-three years later, in 2010. The road car Nordschleife lap record was broken by Horacio Pagani’s Zonda R, with a time of 6m47.50s. So you can see both Fangio, and Argentina, have a fine record at the Nürburgring.
The idea of sending drivers around the combined north and south circuits of the Nürburgring with the advantage of Fangio's experience is obvious. He lead the cars around the circuit until the Torinos drivers knew it inside out. They would need that experience to defeat Lancias, BMW’s and the mass of other world famous marques at the
Royal Automobile Club of Belgium's 1969 “Le Marathon de la Route”. An extreme challenge, on an incredibly dangerous circuit, and lasting 84 hours!
The cars
IKA modified three cars at the factory. Weight was reduced from 1,407kg to less than 1,365kg, tuned the suspension and made adjustments for wider tires. The engine was tuned further to develop 290hp at 5200rpm; and provide a top speed of 143mph (230kph).
All these changes and the out of category engine size led to the creation of a new category, apparently as a favour to the lobbying Fangio, group 6 prototype.
Three cars were shipped to Germany to head the entry list as numbers 1, 2 and 3. J.M. Fangio's son drove car #1 Oscar Alcides "Cacho" Espinosa Fangio with Rubén Luis Di Palma and Carmelo Galbato. #2 was driven by Gastón Perkins, Jorge Cupeiro and Eduardo Antonio “Chino” Rodriguez Canedo. #3 Eduardo J. Copello, Oscar Mauricio Franco and Alberto “Larry” Rodriguez-Larreta. The substitute driver was Néstor Jesús García Vaiga.
Oreste Berta, who would go on to design F5000 and F1 Chassis 1970s, also organised the mechanics. They too are heroes of the race and the Torino loving world, even if their names aren't spoken in the wider world. Without the backing of professional, dedicated mechanics, racing cars don't win; they might not even run! So, here is a liitle recognition for the few. Batelli, Andrew, Casarín, Comari, José Diez, Cordero, Huerta, Pablo Macagno, San Feliu, Zagaglia, J.C. Zurita and Giaconi. Berta also 'press'ganged Argentinian radio and newspaper reporters, who followed the team relentlessly, into helping out as and when required. It was rapidly becoming a truly national effort which the whole country was supporting.
After the three Torinos on the entry list came a quite daunting array of motor racing marques, and some very interesting names too. There were Porsches, three private 911’s and a semi-works Kauhsen Porsche, driven by Willi Kauhsen no less. No works Mercedes entries were made, but the private Écurie Azur team had three 220D diesel cars on hand to uphold the marques honour. Ford Deutschland entered a 2300GT Capri, complemented by two private Ford Escorts. More German entries came from BMW in the form of some private 2002’s, a 1600Ti and a 2500. NSU were represented by a TTS and a Rallye Kadett.
Italian hopes rested with Lancia Squadra Corse were represented by three Fulvias. They had names like Innes Ireland and Sandro Munari on the driving staff. A Fiat 125S of Scuderia Pinerolo with a guy driving called Luca di Cordero Montezemolo (later of Ferrari fame). Alfa Romeo had entries for a 1300 Junior and a GS.
For Japan, Mazda entered three rotary engined Familia R100 M10A coupés. Datsun Belgium entered Three Datsun 1600s and an 1800, and a lone Honda S800.
France had a number of cars to support. A Simca 1100 and a 1000S. Three Renault 8 Gordinis, a Peugeot 204 coupé, and a Matra saw a 1255cc Djet6 take to the track.
Dutch firm, Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek were represented by two group2 1108cc Daf 55’s (55hp), a group5 Daf 55 coupé (66hp), and an 844cc Daf 44; all in private entries.
Two Firma Volvo Garnradt - Volvo 144 and a Firma Volvo Garnradt - Volvo 122 S ran for Sweden's reputation while Britain was represented by a Lotus Elan, a Triumph TR6, and several Mini Coopers.
If the idea of driving the combined Nord and Südschleife is scary enough, imagine the extreme differences in the speeds of some of the cars on that list. And the wide gulfs in driver abilities too. If ever a race had the propensity for accidents one might well expect it to happen at some point in an 84 hour event!
The race history and rules
Le Marathon de la Route, also known as the Nürburgring 84 Hours, was conceived as a replacement for the Liége Rome Liége and Liége Sofia Liège type rallies. Long tough rallies which eventually were stopped when certain countries declined to allow the event to cross into their country. The 84 hour Marathon de la Route has been described variously as “a serious race” or, “the most gruelling race in the world”; to, a “ludicrous endurance epic”. One 28 kilometre lap of the Nurburgring's combined Nord and Südschleife is dangerous enough at high speed. But 84 hours; three and a half days; of racing around the whole of “the Green Hell” is simply too dangerous to contemplate in our modern world. Especially in production cars.
If that wasn't enough to make you question the judgement of the organisers (and competitors for that matter), then consider the rules; which never seem to be the same two years in a row.
Each car had a given maximum time to complete each lap, with an extra allotment for driving at night. Go over the time and there was a penalty, a minute over and the lap was discounted. That was followed by having to complete the same amount laps in each 12hr segment in they did in the first 12hrs. The penalty for not managing that feet would be an automatic removal from the race. And pit stops, a maximum time of 20 minutes was allowed. For every minute over that time a penalty of 30 km +- 1 lap was applied. For 1969 the organisers changed that part of the rules to a 15 minute maximum stop. Going over that pit stop time resulted in immediate disqualification. Equally harsh was that any pit stop of over one minute would accrue a one lap penalty.
More staggering is that drivers would drive up to 14 hour stints. That did reduce when the organisers decided that three driver teams per car would be better than just two!
Imagine doing 14hrs at high speed around a circuit with an unimaginable amount of corners, in all that mountain weather can throw at you, then doing it again the next day, and the next, and half the next one too. 84 hours is so much more than 24hrs. The exhaustion build up alone would lead to accidents in any normal person. So in 1971, they made it run 96 Hours!
Constant rule changes and ridiculous challenges on top of high speed, I wouldn't want to drive such an event.
The 1969 race report
The 1969 event was held over a stormy 19th to the 23rd of August 1969. Of the 64 remarkably international field of starters, only 19 completed the full 84 hours. Pole position was taken by the #1 Torino of Palma, Fangio and Galbato. For most of the race the Torinos and Lancias battled it out. The Fulvias lost two of their team along the way due to brake problems and an accident., as did the "Misión Argentina" squad in both cases due to accidents. The Rain and fog that the Eifel Mountains threw at the competitors, even the occasional sunshine, all added to the issues the competitors had to face.
The Mazda team was reduced to only one car in the closing stages two. The Capri GT put up a good fight, even leading the race for a while until it blew the head gasket 24 hours from the finish.
An intervention by the Adenau Police caused chaos when they “threatened to cancel the race if not all cars had a proper exhaust system”, in such an damaging race and running for such a long time, it was to be expected that some cars would loose their exhausts.
At the end of the 84hrs the #3 Torino of Copello, “Larry”, and Franco,crossed the line having completed the most laps, 334. Then the penalties were applied and the team were demoted to 4th place. The #38 Lancia Fulvia HF of Harry Källström, Sergio Barbasio, and Tony Fall was promoted to 1st place; even though it had only finished 332 laps. The winning Lancia also and an exhaust problem but they were able to change their exhaust unit without penalty. Tony Fall’s foresight, craftsmanship and good preparation gave them the win. The #26 AC Mayen run BMW 2002 of Dutching, Wolfgang Scheider and G. Degen was 2nd with 318laps. Third place went to the #4 Triumph TR6 of Roger Barbara, Carpentier and Duvauchel having a total of 315 laps.
The legacy of the race
For Three and a half days people all over Argentina were listening to the race reports on their radios and televisions, as the Argentinian press and radio reporters brought the race to life. They willed on "their" cars, suffered with the downturns and felt the pain of their great racing heroes. The penalizations under the confusing rules meant little to the people of Argentina. But they still saw the result for the remarkable success it was. Argentinian built IKA Torinos had dominated an most gruelling event against some of the worlds top marques.
Most of the teams and cars could not take the pounding of the combined Nord-und-Südschleife. The Torino's had taken on the best the “best of Europe on, Europe’s toughest circuit" and collected a moral victory. The first car home with the most amount of laps, cruelly robbed of the laurels by an over officious police force and some unfathomable rules. To their credit, the people of Argentina didn't go down a road of recrimination. They built up the IKA Torino success as "one of the great feats of Argentine motorsport having managed to gather the support of the entire national industry in a feat that showed the world the potential of this model built entirely in the country." Before long the Team were superstars and the Torino was "the pride and joy of Argentine car enthusiasts".
What happened to the cars?
Cars usually end up failing with age and due to being too uneconomical to repair they end up on a scrap heap somewhere. With racing cars, things are a little different. Those with a successful history are saves and go to a museum, if they are lucky they even get to go out and race again from time to time. But, more often than we care to think, even historically important cars can slip off the radar and get lost.
All three race prepared Torinos returned to Argentina after the race. One was honoured and passed to the Fangio collection.
#3 car
Of the "Misión Argentina" cars, the car that completed the 84hrs of the race was always going to get the limelight. The #3 car is displayed in the Juan Manuel Fangio Museum in Balcarce, the great man's birthplace in Buenos Aires Province. But what of the other two cars? Argentinian petrolheads, Mario Suárez and his son Francisco, have restored the original #1 and #2 Torinos. They know the ins and outs of how the cars have re-emerged from shadows.
#1 car
The #1 and #2 cars went missing for a few years after their return from Europe. Apparently, 35 years later Francisco Suárez' uncle told Mario and Francsisco of a place where lots of cars were stored and the #1 Torino from the Marathon was held in that collection. They investigated and found the tip-off to be true. They could not afford the asking price to buy it themselves but they did join up with a rich car collector who jumped at the chance to buy it. As far as we know it is still owned by Daniel Van Lierde and runs beautifully after it's Suárez restoration.
#2 car
The #2 car remained lost though. There were conflicting stories of it being destroyed in a motor racing crash but there was no proof. Francisco Suárez was not ready to accept that and spent ages searching through old magazines. Eventually he found a 1971 reference to a driver called Juan Carlos Palma having purchased a Torino with the intention of racing in the TC series (the popular stock car racing series in Argentina, Turismo Carretera, organized by Asociación Corredores de Turismo Carretera).
Francisco was able to contact Mr. Palma and found out a few things about the ca rthat suggested it was indeed one of the three Marathon cars. Palma raced for a year, winning the championship, then sold it. Fortunately, Mr. Palma could still provide the cars plate number which could then be traced through Argentina's “National Registry of Motor Vehicles”.
This led down a road that confirmed the suspected vehicles chassis number, which was right alongside that of the other Marathon cars. Furthermore, he could trace the last owner who said he remembered the car because his son and his granddaughter had a terrible accident in the car in 1990; it was the roll cage that had saved their lives.
From there the wrecked car was stripped for parts which went all over Argentine, some were even discovered attached to a truck. Francisco Suárez tracked down as many of the original parts as he could. Including the wrecked body. Restoration was the not going to be easy.
Mario Suárez contacted the owner of the #1 car, knowing that it needed some restoration work and they agree to restore the two cars together. As a collective, we approached the Fangio Museum, again knowing the #3 car had been poorly repainted in the past. They also agreed to a group restoration, so all three cars were back together, some 45 years after their race in Europe.
The full story can be read on the wonderful Petrolicious site along with some fantastic photos of the three restored cars. We really recommend a visit.
Argentine motor racing results for Torinos
Torinos also raced in domestic series in Argentina. They won the Turismo Carretera series in, 1967 with Eduardo Copello, 1969 with Gastón Perkins, and 1970 and 1971 with Rubén Luis di Palma. All great names from the Marathon team. There is even a Torino still bing raced in a silhouette series.
The IKA Turino's legacy
If there was a sense of disappointment at the time of just missing the podium, then over the years the realisation of just what was achieved has taken the cars on to a legendary status. These cars are rightly revered in Argentina to this day.
Famous owners of Torinos include people from all parts of the world, from Fidel Castro and Leonid Brezhnev, through to Muammar al-Gaddafi. Juan Manuel Fangio, used a 1970 IKA Torino 380S four-door sedan as his main car for years. A gift from IKA after the 1969 Nürburgring 84hrs, he only gave it up when he became president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina in 1974. He didn't sell it though. It remained in his personal ownership until his death and was then kept by his family up until 2013. It was then sold at auction during the Silverstone NEC Classic Motor Show raising £28,175.
Remaining in production until 1982 the Torino was the last non-Renault car to be manufactured in the Argentine plant. It could also be considered the last front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout Renault. That shows how much the brand had moved on from the 1960s in design terms.
Production may have ended Argentina's national car has remained a classic. Many fan clubs exist and parts are still available. Internationally the interest from collectors is very low. Not because of any problems with the IKA Torino but because of Argentina's numerous registration and ownership regulations making exporting one so difficult and time consuming.
In the end, the real level of respect for a car is how it fits into the culture of a country. Fangio, Maradona, Pagani, they're revered. But the Torino is on the big, positivity inducing posters. Symbolising a unity and national togetherness, and what can be achieved when the people of a nation work together.
I believe it to be a Minarge motor art studio 1/43 item but otherwise wait for someone to give us more detailed information.
Ricardo's message is the important thing and we are deeply grateful to him for his kindness over many years. His own
words speak to his level of kindness.
“Hi Ian, it is my pleasure to have built and share the IKA Torino with the Museum and that you use it among your projects.”
Thanks Ricardo, we're very grateful to you for your generosity. You've done your country proud.
