Hi,
You asked about the Swallow Doretti, so here goes. The Swallow Doretti
2 Litre Sports was built for only a short time in 1953-54. Approx. 276
cars were built as well as 2 or 3 prototypes and as many as 6 cars built
later out of left over parts. The car used Triumph TR2 drivetrain, front
suspension, and a modified TR2 rear suspension. The chassis was unique
to the Doretti. It had two large diameter chromoly steel tubes running
longitudinally with substantial cross bracing. The wheelbase was longer
than a TR2 by 9 inches. Brakes were TR2. The body was aluminum over syeel
inner panels except for the doors which were steel. The car was a bit
heavier than the TR2 but handled better.
Quite a few Dorettis got V8 transplants. The most famous one was built
by West Coast racer Max Balchowski and had a Buick nailhead engine. This
car can be seen in the racing sequence of the film "On The Beach". It is
the black car immediately behind Fred Astaire's Ferrari.
Approx. 100 Dorettis still exist today worldwide, the majority are in the
US.
Cheers
Kurt Oblinger
Redondo Beach, Ca.
'54 Swallow Doretti #1030
c394829@is6.mdc.com
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