Born to win!
We need really few words to delineate the profile of the LANCIA RALLY 037.
Central posterior engine, supercharging by volumex compressor and beyond 350 Bhp. of power are the main ingredients that compose this fantastic car, unique in its kind and technically refined. Observing it in details, also in the smallest ones, we can establish in which way it manages to interpret the group B rules. Going into the cockpit, undoubtedly small, you have the feeling to find yourself in a race car more than in a rally car. The front visibility is good like on a road car, while the posterior one is practically nonexistent.The seats, SPARCO model, are really wrapping and allow the driver to stay immovable when the car is submitted to strong side accelerations.
The steering wheel, differntly from the road version, is conic, in order to allow a drawn near drive typical of the rally drivers. The instrumentation is essential indeed. In the dashboard center, you can find the revolution counter and a series of leds to point out any eventual trouble. In the central part, slightly low, there are the battery and the fuel gauges. A series of fuses, finally, finds place on the advanced-headquarters of the dashboard beyond to some push-buttons for the radiator impeller, the fire-extinguisher system, the headlights, the starter and the water injection. The car that we are about to test is a model unique in its kind. It is in fact a 037 EVO.1 that Abarth built on purpose for the driver Teodoro Peruggini, that used it in some speed competitions and in some climb races of the Italian and European Mountain Championships.


Observing this "jewel", we immediately note how it has been conserved. Time seems to have been stopped for this car that seems quite new. Really perfect. Furthermore, some small details make it even more unique as, for instance, the external livery, realized according to the MARTINI RACING standard but with the LANCIA HF colors: yellow, blue and red. And then, inside the cockpit, the gear-box vertical lever (usually it was bent to the back), the sponge protection to avoid any bump of the legs against the roll-bar and, finally, a series of additional manometers (oil temperature and pressure, water temperature, fuel pressure and volumex compressor), gathered in one support and turned toward the driver. Furthermore we note the absence of the handbrake lever, essential on a rally car, but not useful on this one, born to race in circuit. The LANCIA RALLY 037 is fascinating also for this reason: each car is as a suit cut custom and therefore different from the others.



Once found the optimal position, we can go! Contact! The relay placed in the central tunnel, near the handbrake lever, carried on position ON makes the fuel pumps to whistle. The start happens thanks to a lever placed on the right behind the driver seat. The engine, a bit uncertain in starting, explodes in a dry and resolute roar. The rumble inside of the cockpit is really impressive. The direct and without noise-suppressor exaust system produces an agreeable metallic sound. Before to start, it is necessary to obtain the right temperatures of water and oil. This in order to avoid to speed up the still cold mechanical organs with the risk to get into irreparable damages.
Some minutes waitinig and we can start. The gearbox, ZF ABARTH, is five speed with frontal power take-off so the first gear is down leftwards. The lever is very short with an optimal grip. Grafting the first gear, we note a certain hard work in executing this operation with the metallic "crack", typical of the race gearboxes.



The road that we are about to face is asphalted with wide curves, alternate to narrow ones with some fast rectilinear: the ideal land to test the 037 qualities. We are in fact inside the secular park of "LA MANDRIA", near Turin, where there is the LANCIA private track. A circuit rich in history and prestige where, in past, experienced drivers such as Munari, Biasion, Alen and Bettega developed the cars that together won 11 world championships: FULVIA, STRATOS, 037 and DELTA. A feeling really unique to be in this speed temple! The clock goes back when the total quiet of the park is brusquely interrupted by the hiss of the "037".
The first feeling is of pure adrenalin. The car accelerates in a impressive way. The engine "shouts" without never losing revolutions. The gears are engaged to the limit of the 6000 rpm. It is necessary to pay attention and ear in the gear changes, in order to avoid dangerous over-revolutions beyond the 8000 rpm. The power that this car demonstrates is really incredible. Fluid, contrarily to the other supercharged engines, never let us feel the so-called "back-soccer", as it happens instead on the turbocharged cars.

.:: DOWNLOAD THE ROAD TEST VIDEO (4' 34'' - 63 Mb.) ::.

The roadability is remarkable also on uneven roads. The 037 does what do you want. It hops lightly when you are to the limit, then makes long controlled skids in which you always have the feeling to have all under control, even if you are driving at more than 150 Km/h. This thanks to a perfect equilibrium in the suspensions, made by four slick tyres, 16" on the front and 18" on the back, four adjustable BILSTEIN gas shocks-absorbers, single on front and double on back, and from a 75% self-locking differential-gear. Sincerely, after skidding, the car a little hops in phase of resetting but, with the aid of steering-wheel and gas, it is not necessary a big effort to let it return in the right position.
Different is the behavior of the car on uncovered surface. In this situation, the 037 should be drived acting in advance, making it progressively slide towards the outside of the curve, controlling it with the steering-wheel and the accelerator. However, also in difficult situations, it is possible to appreciate its easy-driving qualities.
A merit note goes to the brakes. The brake pedal is rather hard because in the breaking circuit there isn't a vacuum servo. In spite of this, brakes are easy controllable. The four self-ventilating discs are very powerful and always grant an optimal braking, even under a rallystic drive.
At the end of this test, to conclude, we could try to evidence also the defects of this car. For sure they are present, but we can perceive them only in small measure. We could speak about the very noisy and warm cockpit and about the feeling of little confidence supplied from the light chassis made of tubes and kevlar. Small things in comparison with the mechanical characteristics of the 037. An incredible car built expressly to race, with impressive charatteristics both on chassis and on engine level. A really winning car.

ACCELERATION SPEED (Km/h) TIME (sec) 0 - 60 2.2 0 - 80 3.5 0 - 100 4.8 0 - 120 6.5 0 - 140 8.0 0 - 160 10.1 0 - 180 15.2 click here!	BRAKING SPEED (Km/h) DISTANCE (mt) 60 15.8 80 28.2 100 43.9 120 65.2 140 85.3 click here!	engine Rpm POWER (Hp) 4000 150 5000 190 6000 233 6500 254 7000 272 7500 293 8000 310 8250 319 click here!
ORIGINAL ENGINE DIAGRAM OBTAINED WITH SPECIAL EXHAUST PIPE The Peruggini's Lancia Rally 037 has an exhaust system that is different from the other 037's in circulation. It has been studied in 1982 directly by the Abarth, considering the use of this car, more in circuit. The exhaust silencer is smaller than the rally one and the two terminal exhaust pipes don't have flash suppressors. Looking at the original diagram, as it was realized by the Abarth, we note a great power increase at the highest engine rates in comparison to the standard exhaust system adopted on the rally cars. click here!

.:: LANCIA 037 EVO1 - Chassis Nr. 316 ::. .:: PHOTO CURRICULUM ::.
In February 1982 Teodoro Peruggini, having raced with good results on board of a Lancia Stratos in the Italian Speed Mountains Championship, has been invited by the Abarth technicians to test the 037 on the asphalt surface of "La Mandria" circuit, near Turin, the same one where we tested today the car. On 7.3.1982 he ordered to the Abarth a 037 with a more sophisticated level of preparation, to get a car completely identical to those of the Lancia Official Team, but with circuit-climb characteristics. Abarth accepted the order and furthermore, on 07.07.1982, proposed him the two different liveries, whose original sketches, conceived by Ing. Limone, are following here represented. The choice reverted on the one similar to the Martin Racing official cars, but with the yellow, blue and red colors, of course on white background.
The LANCIA RALLY Race Version Evolution l car, with circuit-climb characteristics, chassis n. 316 and special coloration was delivered him on 2.8.1982 by the Abarth in Turin in Corso Marche, 36. This car has never been registered and has never received any restauration. Today it belongs to the son of Teodoro Peruggini, Lucio, that, with the same passion of his father, continues to take good care of this jewel of the Italian technology. Here following the competitions in which Teodoro Peruggini participated during the years 1982-1984.

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