This is the 1955 Bisiluro Damolnar. The ‘Bisiluro’, an Italian word which means ‘twin torpedo’, was designed and created by architect and photographer, Carlo Mollino, driver and designer, Mario Damonte, and the famously known steering wheel designer, and Turin-based builder of prototypes and sports cars, Enrico Nardi. The goal behind the development of this car was to create an extremely aerodynamic car that would be able to compete against the best of the best at one of the world’s most prominent racing events, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Damolnar features a design that has no passenger seat, and the engine positioned towards the left side to accommodate for the weight of the driver on the right side. The Damolnar is said to have had a total weight of just around 992lbs, and was equipped with a twin cam 4-cylinder 737cc Giannini engine that is reported to have produced around 62 horsepower. The engine used was related to the one found in the Moro Guzzi GP motorcycle, and although the design and performance was seemingly promising, the car did not have an entirely successful go during the Le Mans race. The Damolnar was blown off the track due to a wind vortex that was created by a close passing Jaguar D-Type, and the damage the was caused was too extensive for the unique racer to finish the race. Just one Damolnar was created, and after an extensive restoration following the bad wreck at Le Mans, the car is said to be kept at Milano’s Leonardo da Vinci Science Museum. The one-off Damolnar is a wonderful combination of aircraft, motorcycle and catamaran styling, mixed with brilliant mechanical components that were impressive in terms of the engineering available at that time. The car was built on a Fiat 500 chassis, and the looks were inspired by the twin-fuselage of World War II aircraft.
How many made? 1
Engine: twin cam 4-cylinder 737cc Giannini
Debut: 1955 Le Mans
Top Speed: around 130mph
0-60mph: n/a
Photo Credit: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Automobile_da_corsa_-_Museo_scienza_tecnologia_Milano_06795_foto.jpg, @pablorivasbao
Research: @rarecarsonly