Local enthusiasts are rightfully
proud of the IKA Torino. Mick W. discovers why as he drivers the hottest 380W
around Buenos Aires
Mini, Beetle and Mustang: there are certain
popular cars that inspire dedicated national enthusiasm. The IKA Torino stirs
similar passions in Argentina. Barely have we touched down in La Capital and
our taxi driver's interest sparks up when he discovers that our assignment is
to drive and photograph one of these crisply styled '60s coupés around Buenos
Aires. Our driver Guillermo Marañón better known as Billy takes little
encouragement to talk about Torinos, explaining the links with Juan Manuel
Fangio and relating the legendary 1969 sortie to the Nürburgring, which still
has most local motorsport fans buzzing even after 44 years.
The
IKA Torino stirs similar passions in Argentina
As we weave through the impatient afternoon
traffic along the Avenida Ing Huergo, there's an amazing moment of serendipity.
Billy scoffs at a couple of decrepit Ford Falcons, limping along with the
moderns, just as a mint, slate-blue Torino roars by with a cool-looking
youngest at the wheel. He instantly turns all emotional, his arms raised from
the wheel as he sings its praises.
Few know about the Torino outside
Argentina, and fewer have ever seen one. It’s a car that's long fascinated me,
but it wasn't until a visit to the wonderful Autoclásica at the Hipódromo de
San Isidro (CSC, March) that I finally saw one. After a day of exploring the
event, I mentioned to organizer Alec Daly of Club de Automóviles Clásicos de la
República Argentina that I was disappointed that there were no Torinos. The
next day he had a surprise for me, which again revealed the fervor for these
straight-six-powered saloons and coupés. Heavy overnight rain had caused extra
hassle for the all-volunteer team, but Daly had amazingly still found time to
phone around to source not one but two Torinos, including a prized
high-performance 380W.
Elegant
and spacious cockpit, with Jaeger dials and dished, Nardi-style wheel
The admiration for the Torino model is
again vividly demonstrated when owner Carlos Gadda Thompson shows me the
immaculate engine bat of the triple-carb, 3.7-litre overhead-cam 'six'. An
enthusiast rushes over gazes in wonder at the tuned motor and, after hearing it
start up, drops to his knees and kisses Thompson' s hand to thank him for
bringing out the rare model.
One Torino story is regularly related in
club circles, involving a Maserati 3500 owner who, after acquiring his new
Latin GT. Dismisses the performance of the IKA and confidently takes on a
night-time challenge against the Argentinian coupé. A 1km drag-race is staged
nearby and, from the green light, the Torino confidently outguns the Italian
exotic and crosses the finishing marker with a 20-metre advantage.
"When the Maserati arrived back at the
garage," recalls former owner Rodolfo Iriarte, "everyone already had
their heads under the bonnet of the Torino. The Maserati owner couldn't believe
that he'd lost and another race was staged – with the Torino giving him a head
start – but the 380W still won easily."
Iriarte has owner a wealth of diverse
machines, from Mercedes-Benz SSK to Lotus Seven, yet has fond memories of the
Torino that he bought new in' 67: " There was big excitement when the
Torino was announced and I remember queuing for hours to get a ride with the
great Fangio around the Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez. I was a young architect,
and I went straight out and bought a silver Torino 380 with my first major work
fee. The car was fantastic to drive, and so much better than the crude, locally
built Falcons, Chevys and Dodges. I was used to Peugeot 403s and my Healey
Silverstone, so the Torino's performance was dramatic and it handle so well.
I'll never forget the sound of the exhaust, and that ZF gearbox. I was so happy
as I drove home from the dealership in Buenos Aires that I started singing to
myself."
The
initial design was based on the Rambler American, but it was extensively
refined by IKA engineers resulting in several first for the home market
So why are Argentinians so proud of the
Torino? Was it no more than an American import just repackaged in a sharp
Italian suit? It's easy to make this assumption, although the car deserves
better than such generalizations. Industrias Kaiser Argentina SA had been set
up in '55, in the province of Cordoba where production of the dated Carabela,
Bergantin and Rambler continued under license through the Perón and military
regimes. In the early 1960s, IKA president James McCloud instigated plans to
build a new car to rival the fast-selling Ford Falcon and Chevrolet 400.
Consultants for the project included five-time F1 World Champion Juan Manuel
Fangio, who had established a successful Mercedes-Benz dealership in his
Balcarce home town after he retired from racing.
The initial design was based on the Rambler
American, but it was extensively refined by IKA engineers resulting in several
first for the home market. The central body section was derived from the 1963
Rambler, while the nose and boot were adapter from the '64 American. Compared
to the rival Ford, the coil-sprung rear suspension from the Rambler Classis
featured a four-link set-up that greatly improved handling and traction. The
coil and double-wishbone front end had the bonus of disc brakes, too. To cope
with Argentina's rougher roads, the unitary construction was strengthened with
longer chassis rails that extended all the way to the back.
Subtle
Toro motif on grille badge and horn button
The Argentinian car market had consistently
shown a preference for European instead of American styling, so, rather than
resorting to AMC's in-house designer Richard Teague, McCloud turned to Italy to
fashion the new Torino's appearance. Fangio's contacts at Pininfarina –
particularly his friendship with Battista – proved useful. McCloud and the GP
legend flew out to Italy in' 64. An agreement for the three year development
was drawn up for a fee of $50,000, with a royalty of 3% on each vehicle
produced going to Pininfarina. Fangio's extensive address book of contacts also
came in handy for sourcing the ZF manual transmission.
The busy Turin studio gave 'Proyecto
Vehiculo X' a clean character that had a touch of Glas and Fiat 2300, with its
glasshouse-style top and neat, uncluttered profile. The cabin – also styled by
Pininfarina – again followed European trends with sporty white-on-black gauges,
a wooden Facia and a Nardi-style three-spoke wheel.
The engine was Argentina's first
overhead-cam design. It was developed from the 3.7-liter Tornado 'six' that
Kaiser originated for a range of Jeep Gladiator and Wagoneer 4x4s. Its
specification ranged from the base 117bhp 3-litre, with a Holley carburetor, to
the hottest 3.7-liter packing triple Webers that produced 215bhp and was good
for a 127mph top speed. The original four-bearing, long stroke Tornado unit
didn't like to rec and suffered from vibration at the top end. So a new
seven-bearing motor called the Torino, which greatly improved refinement and
performance, was introduced in 1973.
European
profile in stark contrast to faded splendor of Buenos Aires
'Designed and built in Argentina was a key
tagline in the project's marketing campaign, and the Torino was a success
straight out of the box. Production started in late 1966 and, as Iriarte
remembers, the model was launched at the Buenos Aires circuit with Fangio
giving rides.
