Motto
1932 - 1965
Carrozzeria Motto (CAMO), was an Italian (Turin) coachbuilding company established in 1932 by Rocco Motto.
They initially produced unfinished bodyshells for various coachbuilders also (like Motto) in the Turin area, as well as low volume models for major constructors such as Fiat (they built the body for the 1100S MM). In 1946 they moved to a new premesis and began specialising in aluminium, producing complete bodies for cars, with an emphasis on sporting models, designed by other companies. Famous examples include the 1960 Flaminia designed by Raymond Loewy and the Cisitalia competition prototypes, other models being built for Maserati, Osca, Ferrari, Giannini, Ermini, Abarth to name but a few.
In 1946 he moved to Bardonecchia, and started to build the first aluminum body, gaining a reputation especially with racing cars light but strong. Car bodies, which were often unique items commissioned by a client, were designed by Rocco and hand made by cutting 12/10-mm-thick sheets of aluminum, which were then shaped by endless beating with wooden mallets. Technical automobile drawings were rarely made for these cars and Motto created full-size shapes directly on the frames of production vehicles using 10 mm diameter metal rods. He developed a U-shaped lapping system for the edges of aluminum sheets, which were then seamed or welded at low-temperature using borax that prevented weakening due to the reheating of the metal. In this way he produced very light shells that were used for all Cisitalia cars and racing Ferraris, Maseratis and Nardis. Rocco’s son Franco recalled how crazy Mollino was about coachbuilding: “He could beat the devil at his own game!” Source
They also made a small number of mainly one-off competition cars for specific customers, including some for Siata, as well as small production runs, such as the very pretty 1100 Sestrière coupe, the latter being built from 1951 using a Fiat 1100E chassis. In 1965 control of the company passed to the son, Francesco, and they changed their emphasis to special purpose and recreational vehicles. [Source]
List of Designs
- Porsche 365B Carera GTL Abarth 1960 first 2 build by Motto
- Austin Healey 1956
- Some Fiat 1100
- Ferrari 195 S
- Ferrari 212 Export 1951
- Lancia Aprillia many versions
- The Lancia Flaminia "Loraymo" 1959
- Jaguar XK 120 Boano/Raymond Loewy design
- 1953 MG TD Sport Special
- Nardi Crosley 1954
- Stranguellini 1100 1949
- Siata 500 Record car 1946
- Some Siata Barchetta
- Talbot Lago Record T26 1952
- Delahaye 135 coupe in 1950 Carrera Panamericana, for Jean Trevoux (sp?)
- Delahaye 175 coupe in 1951/52 Monte Carlo Rally
- French Salmson sports car of about 1954
- Cisitalia Aerodynamic coupe ("The Box") in Mille Miglia
- Cisitalia D46
- Cisitalia 204 Spider Sport
- Cisitalia Tipo 360
- Siata Daina spider for Luigi Segre
- Siata 750 spider siluro
- Stanguellini spider
- Never, according to our knowledge, did they build any Alfa Romeos
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