Raffo Belva. Wolf or Dog?
Discussion
I once hit a pheasant in my Raffo Tipo 12...must be some magnetic attraction between Raffos and game birds. Did negligible damage to the car (was picking feathers out of the radiator matrix for moths afterwards, mind), but the pheasant wasn't very well.
For what it's worth, the Tipo 12 (completely different design, I know)had a very well designed and manufactured chassis and handled as well as any car I've ever driven (and I've owned a Westfield, several Elans and currently run an Elise and a Sylva, so not short of experience in cars which go round corners). The Tipo 12 looked like a shed (NOT a problem the Belva suffers from, IMHO!, but the only blot on it's copy book was a bolt sheared in the rear suspension after going airborn at well over 100mph - definite brown trouser job!
Am I right in thinking that John Raffo has now sold the project on? If so, make sure the new company has the ability to deliver the goods in terms of quality.
Also, I understand that there were some initial handling flaws when the car was first 'launched'. I am certain that John Raffo could have tuned these out, but it would be as well to make sure that the necessary development was done, unless you have the time and ability to do it yourself.
For what it's worth, the Tipo 12 (completely different design, I know)had a very well designed and manufactured chassis and handled as well as any car I've ever driven (and I've owned a Westfield, several Elans and currently run an Elise and a Sylva, so not short of experience in cars which go round corners). The Tipo 12 looked like a shed (NOT a problem the Belva suffers from, IMHO!, but the only blot on it's copy book was a bolt sheared in the rear suspension after going airborn at well over 100mph - definite brown trouser job!
Am I right in thinking that John Raffo has now sold the project on? If so, make sure the new company has the ability to deliver the goods in terms of quality.
Also, I understand that there were some initial handling flaws when the car was first 'launched'. I am certain that John Raffo could have tuned these out, but it would be as well to make sure that the necessary development was done, unless you have the time and ability to do it yourself.
I once hit a pheasant in my Raffo Tipo 12...must be some magnetic attraction between Raffos and game birds. Did negligible damage to the car (was picking feathers out of the radiator matrix for moths afterwards, mind), but the pheasant wasn't very well.
For what it's worth, the Tipo 12 (completely different design, I know)had a very well designed and manufactured chassis and handled as well as any car I've ever driven (and I've owned a Westfield, several Elans and currently run an Elise and a Sylva, so not short of experience in cars which go round corners). The Tipo 12 looked like a shed (NOT a problem the Belva suffers from, IMHO!, but the only blot on it's copy book was a bolt sheared in the rear suspension after going airborn at well over 100mph - definite brown trouser job!
Am I right in thinking that John Raffo has now sold the project on? If so, make sure the new company has the ability to deliver the goods in terms of quality.
Also, I understand that there were some initial handling flaws when the car was first 'launched'. I am certain that John Raffo could have tuned these out, but it would be as well to make sure that the necessary development was done, unless you have the time and ability to do it yourself.
For what it's worth, the Tipo 12 (completely different design, I know)had a very well designed and manufactured chassis and handled as well as any car I've ever driven (and I've owned a Westfield, several Elans and currently run an Elise and a Sylva, so not short of experience in cars which go round corners). The Tipo 12 looked like a shed (NOT a problem the Belva suffers from, IMHO!, but the only blot on it's copy book was a bolt sheared in the rear suspension after going airborn at well over 100mph - definite brown trouser job!
Am I right in thinking that John Raffo has now sold the project on? If so, make sure the new company has the ability to deliver the goods in terms of quality.
Also, I understand that there were some initial handling flaws when the car was first 'launched'. I am certain that John Raffo could have tuned these out, but it would be as well to make sure that the necessary development was done, unless you have the time and ability to do it yourself.
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