Hi Folks, by popular demand, got something special for you here. Ron
San Giovanni (Ronnie Roadster) kindly sent me a story to expand on last
year when he and Mike Hart worked on the ex-Zora Arkus-Duntov Allard and
succeeded in getting it to run the way it should. He also included a
photo.
There are some slight differences in the present story from what I got
myself when I interviewed Zora in August 1995 at Corvettes at Carlisle,
and previously related to you. Zora told me "about 300" sets of big
Ardun heads were made, and he told me re Chrysler Hemi, the first he
knew of them was '53 when he went to work at GM. He saw a poster of the
new Chrysler Firepower Hemi, cross section, and saw at once there were
so many similarities to his '47 Ardun head, that he assumed Chrysler
must have copied his design. Which made him feel very proud.
Zora's charming French wife is named Elfi, and as far as I know is still
with us. The Bean Bandits Founder is usually rendered Joaquim Arnett, I
believe. Cheers Bill
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From: RonnieRoadster@aol.com
Message-ID: <32.15641b5e.283dc058@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 21:39:36 EDT
Subject: The Duntov Allard
To: ardunbill@webtv.net
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Hi Bill I have attached 3 photos in jpeg format these pics were taken at my
home when I worked on the Allard for Jerry Latrerio who is the present owner
of the Allard. I took the photos next to my roadster to have proof that the
Duntov Allard was at my home. Since the LSR group is interested in the
Arduns and the related storys about them maybe some more info about this car
and the Ardun gathering held in 91 with Zora would interest them. Its long so
here goes the first time I saw this car was at the vintage sports car event
held at that Watkins Glen in 1991. I was invited to the event by Tom Turner
the guy who found and restored this Allard. His guest was none other than
Zora himself Toms plan was to have the first ever Ardun gathering with Zora
as the honored guest. Since I had a hot rod powered by one of Zoras
inventions I made sure at least one Hot Rod was there. At the time Tom Turner
sent out invites to as many know Ardun owners as he could find. A number of
Allards Ardun powered of course attended. Besides the cars some guys brought
Ardun literature including photos of the original Ardun heads being machined
in the factory from around 1948. Also included was the original press release
from the New York times Date 1948 announcing the revolutionary new engine
using aircraft techniques in the build process this press release was about
the Ardun motor for trucks. Another item that was on display for all to see
was a complete set of Ardun V8 60 heads. Thankfully the owner of the V8 60
heads was a nice guy because I had to pick them up and look them over. I
figured this was probably as close as I would ever come to a set of the V8 60
heads. Up to this point I still had not meet Zora. Well, as things went I was
getting hungry so Tom Turner pointed me in the direction of the food
concession area. I got a burger and went to sit down at the table by the food
stand when I noticed Tom Turners wife sitting there. So down I with Toms wife
and she asks me if I have ever met Zora I say no and she says your sitting
next to him! So I introduce myself and I congratulate him on designing the
Arduns. Now here I am talking to probably the most important guy I will ever
meet I decided to ask him a couple of Questions. As far as I knew up to that
point no one knew for sure how many heads were actually made. So I just asked
him he said to me in his broken English voice 225, 250 sets. Well, not
wanting to stop talking to him just yet I asked him did Chrysler copy your
heads and he said yes. Now I know this debate about the Hemi heads being
copied for the Arduns will always be a controversy but at least I know what
he told me when I asked! Zoras wife Effy was also sitting there and she
related a story about how in 1951 she was ridding in a car with Zora when
they see a large bill board on the side of the road advertised the new Hemi
V8 engine she says Zora sid Effy thats my motor. Well, enough about Zora
and me now about the Allard. At the 91 Watkins Glen event the car ran poorly.
Since I had lots of time running a 3 carb Ardun motor doind so since 1981 I
knew it need a little attention to make it run better. The trouble was Tom
Turner had his engine builder with him and he would have nothing to do with a
Hot Rodder trying to give him guidance. So need less to say the car never ran
right the whole time at this event. Now fast forward to 2000 I receive a call
from Jerry Laterio he says he is thinking about buying this very same Allard
he was told that I knew of it so I told him what I could including how poorly
it ran in 91 when I last saw the car. Well, next call from Jerry he tells me
he is now the owner of this very historic car and guess what it still runs
poorly. Here it was 9 years later and no one was able to fix it. As Mike said
to you before we were able to get this car to finally run as it should. Some
of the additions besides the carb work and distributor was the addition of a
MSD 6A ignition system, conversion to 12 volts the correction of a major oil
leak in the fuel pump push rod hole causing the engine to have very low oil
pressure and the rewiring of the plug wires making thermostat mounts that
went into the upper radiator hoses so the engine would get warm and machining
of the intake bridge manifolds and spacers. Jerry has continued to find other
info about this car. I had always wondered if this car was the first to ever
have an Ardun in it. It turns out that it was the heads in the car are not
the originals though. The only original parts are the Valve spec plates on
the valve covers. The original heads that were in this car are owned by the
founder of the Bean Bandits the one and only Arkin Arnet (sic) . Jerry has
been in contact with him to verify the facts and all is true. He still has
the Ardun engine on his engine stand minus the valve lash plates and no he
wont sell it. RON
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