Guide: De Tomaso Competizione 2000
Background
The Competizione 2000 was one of several De Tomaso racing concepts produced during the mid 1960s. Few saw competition use but, along with myriad experimental engines, they illustrated De Tomaso’s engineering capability ahead of a hoped for tie up with a major manufacturer.
Displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966, the Competizione 2000 was equipped with futuristic Ghia styling. It followed the Fantuzzi-bodied Sport 1000 / 66 which had been unveiled two weeks earlier at the Turin Racing Car Show.
Both cars were based on Vallelunga underpinnings, but whereas the Sport 1000 was originally designed to run Ford engines of between one and two-litres, the Competitione 2000 was marketed as being powered by De Tomaso’s own Flat 8 engine.
The Flat 8 engine had first appeared in De Tomaso’s unsuccessful Formula 1 car of 1961. Designed by Alberto Massimino, it was an all-alloy 135° V8 with dual overhead camshafts, twin plug ignition, 10.0:1 compression and four twin choke Weber downdraught carburettors.
In this configuration, it supposedly produced 170bhp which was about 10bhp less than the Flat 8 used by Porsche during the 1961 F1 season.
The De Tomaso Flat 8 was subsequently enlarged from 1488cc to 1831cc and installed into the Sport 2000 of 1963. Unfortunately, the Sport 2000 was only partially completed when the project was abandoned.
Tellingly, no fresh technical details were published regarding the engine in De Tomaso’s press release that accompanied the Competizione 2000. This would suggest there had been no further development of the engine and that any notion of it actually seeing production were pure fantasy.
Chassis
Under the skin, De Tomaso’s familiar Vallelunga spine chassis was employed. The Competizione 2000 (built on chassis 2002) was numbered out of sequence with other Vallelungas.
Like the firm’s F3 cars, the Vallelunga chassis used rose-jointed suspension with the engine and gearbox acting as load-bearing members.
Suspension was via unequal-length wishbones at the front and reversed lower wishbones, single top links and twin radius arms at the rear. Coil sprung dampers were fitted all round along with anti-roll bars at either end.
The all-wheel disc brakes came from Brevetti and the 13-inch cast magnesium wheels from Campagnolo. Identical to those installed on the Vallelunga, the rims measured 5.5-inches wide at the front and 6.5-inches wide at the rear. They were originally shod with Dunlop SP tyres.
Bodywork
Although by the mid 1960s Ghia were no longer renowned for competition bodywork, the firm produced an impressive aluminium body for the Competizione 2000.
It featured a wide front intake, bulbous fenders, a wraparound Plexiglas winsdshield and a basket handle rollover hoop with neat engine cooling intakes.
The tail was home to a slim full width aperture that housed four rectangular light units.
The rear clam was hinged along the trailing edge and featured a raised central section to clear the carburettors. Overall, the design was well balanced and nicely proportioned.
Interior
The cockpit was suitably bereft of any superfluous equipment.
Two bucket seats were trimmed in black vinyl but there was no other upholstery to speak of.
The basic flat top dash housed an array of instrumentation. A standard wood-rimmed Vallelunga steering wheel was employed.
Engine & Gearbox
Instead of the much-heralded Flat 8 engine, the Competizione 2000 was actually fitted with a specially prepared Ford Kent 120E engine as fitted to the Vallelunga.
In standard trim, these 1498cc inline four cylinder motors produced 78bhp but, upon arrival in Modena, each unit was comprehensively uprated.
They were equipped with special heads and camshafts, compression was increased to 10.3:1 and two Weber 40 DCOE 2 carburettors were installed.
In this configuration, output rose to 105bhp at 6500rpm.
Transmission was via four Hewland gears mounted in a De Tomaso-prepared upturned Volkswagen gearbox bolted to the back of the engine.
Weight / Performance
Overall weight was somewhere in the region of 650kg.
Top speed would have been in the region of 140mph with a 0-62mph time of circa 5.5 seconds.
Subsequent History
After its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, De Tomaso retained the Competizione 2000 until 2004.
At this point, the firm went into liquidation and chassis 2002 was sold to an Italian collector.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: De Tomaso Automobili - https://detomaso-automobili.com/
