SALVATORE DIOMANTE AT BIZZARRINI SpA

On 16 June 1956, with the train, the 15 year old Salvatore Diomante arrives in Turin from Sicily. His baggage consists of a small cardboard suitcase filled with clothes and a ticket on which the address of a relative who is hosting him is written. During the first months after his arrival, the boy worked here and there but then, in 1957, he was hired by Amandonico, a company specialized in the refinishing of small series of cars. Salvatore is bones on the first Abarth 500 with fixed roof, the Alfa Romeo 1900 Ministerial, the Fiat 1400 elongated and the Triumph Italia 2000. The customers are coachbuilders from Turin, among which Allemano, Lombardi and Vignale stand out. In 1963 he moved to the Carel where he took over the task of chief workshop. Also in this company, the finishing of the cars is the main activity for customers such as Scioneri, Giannini, Intermeccanica, Zagato, Vignale. The newly assembled bodyworks arrive at the factory where the Carel workers proceed to the finishing of the doors and the bonnet, the painting of the cars, the electrical wiring, the interior fittings, the dashboard assembly, the windows, the windshield and the lights.

In the same year from the collaboration with Carel-Sargiotto, ex Carrozzeria Monterosa, the first Lamborghini prototype is realized.

In April 1964, Diomante, who became an expert in the field, founded Carbondio together with his friend Bonifaci (CARROzzeria BONifaci DIOmante), which carries out the same activity as Carel for similar customers, Scioneri, Lombradi, Intermeccanica and Giannini.

During the years of activity of Carbondio, Diomante realizes several cars among which there are the Titania of Scaglione, the 2 prototypes of the SIVA Sirio, an Intermeccanica Break and an Intermeccanica 2 + 2.

At the end of 1964, the Intermeccanica customer for the sheet metal part went to Grosso & Veci, already a Vignale supplier; Grosso appointed by a seller of Bizzarrini in Turin, proposes Diomante to make some improvements on the ISO A3C owned by an important Turin customer.

Giotto Bizzarrini appreciates Diomante’s work and as a test bench he proposes to customize the ISO GRIFO A3C for the famous RAI journalist, Gino Baglìo, appreciating the result.

In 1965, the Sports Cars of Modena stopped supplying the Bizzarrini body shops and the BBM was commissioned.

Giotto, despite having a good order backlog, meets great difficulties with the new supplier who fails to deliver the necessary amount of finished bodywork. Later, Giotto, having learned of the changes made by Carbondio to the 2 Bizzarrini, turned to Salvatore and asked him to replace the BBM as a supplier. Diomante accepts and at the beginning of 1966, he goes to Modena to recover all the equipment and starts painting and finishing the Bizzarrini bodyworks in Turin. The rough aluminum bodywork is built by Grosso & Veci.

In 1965, at the initiative of Stile Italia, Sibona & Basano began working on the first Bizzarrini Targa 5300 GT Strada. The car is displayed incomplete at the Geneva Motor Show. Abandoned the project by Sibona & Basano for ceased business, in 1966 Carbondio brings some improvements to the car and presents it at the Turin Motor Show, during which the baby Bizzarrini, 1500 Berlinetta is also exhibited. To date the first Targa 5300 GT Strada car has never been completed due to the rigidity of the chassis and it is not known whether any work has been done to stiffen the chassis. Between 1966 and 1967 two new cars were built making all the necessary changes that had not been made on the first car.

To bring it into production, Salvatore makes frequent trips to Livorno, often on Sunday, with the aim of developing the fiberglass body together with Labronplastic. In order to achieve consistent production volumes in a new factory, Bizzarrini asks for funding from the state. However, during 1967, Giotto realizes that he can not count on this support, but decides nevertheless to continue the development of the car.

At the beginning of 1966, another machine was completed, a Barchetta with a rear engine, the 4-liter V12 of the Lamborghini, which is the evolution of the 3.5 liter V12 developed by Giotto. The body is in fiberglass. However, immediately after delivery, the car goes out of the way in the corners and ends up destroyed. Later, at the request of the same customer, the car is rebuilt using a new chassis. Later, Giotto built the third model, this time with the Corvette engine. This car participates in competitions in which it demonstrates its full potential. This machine is called P538, which stands for Rear, 5.3 liters, 8 cylinders.

At the end of 1966, Bizzarrini encounters major financial problems. Despite the production of the 5300 GT Strada reaches a certain stability, due to the ambitious projects, the money invested does not yet see a return. Giotto finds new lenders and to integrate them into society, the company name is changed to Bizzarrini S.p.A. based in Via della Padula.

Following the decision to concentrate the activities in Livorno and therefore Salvatore Diomante, together with 4 collaborators, moves and becomes responsible for the body shops. To have enough space during the various production phases, Giotto rents out the sheds, in one of which Salvatore builds the finishing lines for the machines. On the other side of the wall, Labronplastic builds the fiberglass bodywork of the small model, called 1900 GT Europe, a new version that no longer mounts the mechanics of a Fiat 1500 but that of an Opel.
Bizzarrini seems to lose faith in the future and advises Mauro Prampolini, his most loyal collaborator, to leave the company. In fact, the production of the 1900 GT Europe is delayed and to replace the 5300 GT Road, which begins to feel the ravages of time, it would serve a boat of money again. Moreover, in 1967, the P538 did not obtain the homologation for registration in the “24 Hours of Le Mans” and for this reason Giotto decided to retire from racing.

In 1967, Grosso & Veci went bankrupt and Subalpina in the province of Cuneo was commissioned for the supply of rough body shops. When, at the end of the same year, Iso stops delivering the frames, the Subalpina also assumes responsibility for the construction of the complete chassis.
In July 1968, the bank informs Bizzarrini that the lines of credit are not continued and therefore the suppliers are not paid. The company is involved in a whirlwind of fictitious money, a castle of cards destined to collapse. Giotto still tries to sell the company to the American Motors Corporation, a new client who has just presented, but the attempt is in vain. In the last quarter of 1968, Bizzarrini S.p.A. closes and a bankruptcy trustee is appointed.

The administrator asks Salvatore Diomante, who occupies the warehouses in Via della Padula and founded the company Auto-Officina SD, to complete the cars under construction and complete the fourth P538, ordered by the Duke of Aosta. On the chassis of the third P538 that was destined for competitions and was dismantled, Giugiaro builds a concept car, called Manta. By order of the curator, the prototype of the 5300 GT 2 + 2, a four-wheeler ever tested on the road, is sold.

Salvatore takes over the equipment and components of both the 1900 GT Europe and the 5300 GT Strada and starts taking care of the maintenance of the Bizzarrini.
In February 1970, Salvatore leaves Livorno and returns to Turin. He founded the Autocostruzioni SD company in Moncalieri where he works in collaboration with the Z2, Giotto Bizzarrini’s consulting firm. Using the mechanics of the Fiat 128, they design the GT Europa with a rear engine together. The car is proposed to Fiat but is rejected because it is too similar to the current project, which will give life to the Lancia Beta Montecarlo.

Both work as consultants for Scioneri, Coriasco, Lombardi and Iso.

The AMX / 3 project in collaboration with the American Motors Corporation continues and the first prototype is completed in Livorno by the SD workshop. 9 frames will survive.

In 1972, Salvatore built the Sinthesis, the first car in history equipped with airbags, designed by Ing. Giacobbi and designed by Tom Tjaarda. Meanwhile, Bizzarrini works on the Iso Varedo designed by Ercole Spada, a prototype with a fiberglass body that is presented at the 1972 Turin Motor Show.
In 1973, Salvatore Diomante moved the business to Nichelino, focusing on the maintenance of the Bizzarrini. In 1976 he discovered a new market by building elongated specimens of the Fiat 131.

Between the years 1973-1980 Diomante restores and rebuilds several Bugatti type 57, Maserati, Ferrari, Lancia and Alfa Romeo

In the 80s he built Cabriolet Limousines for the Royal Saudi family and the Sultan of Brunei, Mercedes Gullwing and Roadster, transforming some Jaguar, he built a series of electric vehicles including the first electric Panda.

In the years 80-90 it transforms some Lamborghini LM, builds a series of Bugatti EB110, some prototypes for Audi and rebuilds the Auto Union currently exhibited at the Deutsches Museum in Monaco.

Between 1997 and 2003 he also built 3 Papamobile cars for the Holy Father, DeTomaso Biguà and the Pantera 2000 prototype began.

Despite all the cars on which he worked, Diomante has never stopped giving his assistance to the Bizzarrini during all the years of his work.

Currently, Diomante is dedicated to the restoration of vintage cars among which stand out the Lamborghini Miura, the Mercedes 300 Gullwing, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Ferrari and of course the Bizzarrini and Iso. In addition, Salvatore is able to build prototypes or customize cars.

During the restoration, Diomante always introduces technical improvements able to eliminate the “small defects” found on the cars (rigidity, comfort, safety, cooling system …).