Álex Vèrges & Paris French
The Hispakart Formula 1430 and 1800
At the beginning of 1970 SEAT had announced the creation for the following year of a promotional championship of formulas whose driving base would be the propellant of its model 1430. Although scared by the failure of the old Formula IV, which had been on the verge of ruining him, Ramón López believed in the guarantees and the solvency of the Catalan brand and decided to build a new car.
The Hispakart of F-1430 has a tubular chassis, circular section and solid construction and impeccable workmanship. The car is slightly wider, at the frame and body level, than most of its rivals, prioritizing comfort in the driving position. Ramón took advantage of part of the stock of unsold parts of the old F-IV, such as the special steering boxes of his own design or the rear steering wheels and knuckles. A total of 11 chassis were built (although some were never finished) between 1970 and 1974, and were tuned by Jorge de Bagration at the Jarama Circuit. Initially, Jorge himself was expected to be the official pilot, but a SEAT regulation in which certain well-known pilots were prohibited from participating, prevented "the Roman" from aligning himself with the new Hispakarts.
[su_quote] “I remember that the cars had to pass a homologation at the Higher School of Automotive Engineers, and there I presented myself with my own. The first thing they asked me was to show them the plans and, since I hadn't made any, I took a tape measure out of my pocket and told them that I had only used that to make it. The guys looked at me in surprise and kept the car. After a few days, when I returned to pick up the homologation sheet, they told me that it was perfectly built and that the Hispakart chassis was the most rigid of all the ones they had studied up to then. " [/ su_quote]
of the inaugural race of the 1971 Championship (By Javier del Arco)
The Hispakart de Fórmula 1430 will make its debut at the Jarama Circuit on April 4, 1971, in the inaugural race of the new Championship attended by the King of Spain, who greeted all the participants on the starting grid. It will be his only moment of glory: the pilot was the fast Malaga-born Gregorio van Dulken, who managed to classify him in second position. Unfortunately, the car was involved in a multiple accident that took him out of the race. Van Dulken will be quickly signed by Lince, and the Hispakart will be relegated to the last rows of the grills, being surpassed, like almost all brands, by the brilliant design of the Selex ST 3 by Miquel Molons or the Lince by Paco Sanjuán. . "Say better the De Sanctis de Sanjuán", Ramón comments ironically.
In spite of everything, Francisco Carceller and Echevarría would go on to win some hill races, of a very minor nature, starting in 1972.
[su_quote] “A very curious story happened in late 1973 or early 1974, I don't remember very well. I was in the workshop and when I looked up
I met Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio asked me if I knew him and it is evident that I said yes. He told me that they were trying to promote an Argentine boy named Carlos Alberto Jarque and that they had bought him a Hispakart to compete in the Spanish F-1430 Championship. He asked me for help, but I knew they had the wrong car; Besides, he was involved with the new Renault dealership and didn't have much time. I told him that the only thing I could offer him was all the stock of spare parts he needed. Now I regret not having helped you a little more. " [/ su_quote]
It was equipped with a German Ylo engine and its elaborate suspensions are particularly noteworthy.
Finally, Jarque's season, with the F-1430 maintained by Van Hool in Zaragoza, was a real disaster.
Another unfinished project, apart from the aforementioned GT sports car, is the Formula 1800 Hispakart. SEAT created this new formula in 1974 in order to promote F-1430 pilots to a higher echelon, and Ramón received a Hewland engine and gearbox and built a new multi-tube chassis for the occasion. The car had to use the lower part of the body of the F-1430 and a front in the form of a tray, from which the mold was built. The suspension elements were also manufactured, as well as the stub axles. The new F-1800 Hispakart was practically finished and it only remained to be assembled ...
[su_quote] "In the end, I didn't quite see the history of the F-1800s clearly and I decided not to finish it and return the engine and the Hewland to SEAT." [/ su_quote]
The chassis rests today on a Hispakart loft and the bodywork elements and other mechanical components are perfectly located. Will we ever see the unpublished Hispakart Formula 1800 roll?
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Hispakart from 1972
On Sunday, August 20, 1972, a fire broke out in the building on Calle Padilla, where the Hispakart facilities were located. It started in a nearby carpentry and affected the entire structure. “Everything was destroyed, eleven racing minis were burned to check, a Triumph TR 3, a Norton 350cc Featherbed, outboard engines that were officially serviced: Jhonson, Evinrude, Wales, Volvo Penta…”. That incident logically affected productivity. Ramón López had to find a new location, on Palermo Street (or Andorra), taking the opportunity to rethink the future of the company.
[su_quote] “I wanted to set up a large Renault brand dealer and I offered them my facilities… The guys were looking at the premises and the space dedicated to the exhibition. My idea was to set up something big and with all the services that clients might need. However, they made me start from the bottom, simply as an Official Service. In addition, they suggested that I forget about the preparation of racing cars, including those of the brand ”. [/ su_quote]
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However, Ramón continued with the construction of karts, of which he came to manufacture his own engines, as well as his continued presence in karting races. The manufacture of Hispakart small cars and trailers ended at the beginning of the 90s, after having produced more than 1.500 new chassis. That date coincided with the end of the contracts with the General Directorate of Traffic, as the old Sanglas were replaced by modern Guzzi faired by the factory itself.
He kept his Renault dealership until 2004, many years past his retirement date, having created an exemplary establishment with more than 50 employees. "There was a time when I wanted to change brands and sell SEAT, Audi and Volkswagen, but since at first they only let me sell SEAT, I forgot everything."
Since 1997, he has lived his passion for sports car racing through classic sports car racing. Chevrolet Corvette, TVR or the Chevron B8GT that we brought to the electronic pages of this magazine have traveled the Spanish circuits during these years. They are not the only ones: it also has two Porsche 992 GT2s with more than 500 hp that it uses occasionally, complaining (incredibly) about its… low power.
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A tireless worker, perfectly assisted by "Surtees", his faithful secretary for 35 years, Ramón does not waste a second of his time. Every day (including some Saturdays and Sundays) he goes to the magnificent facilities available in Torrejón de Ardóz and, engulfed in his overalls, continues to work on the restoration of the cars that make up his impeccable collection. Eternally concerned for his Spain, he does not stop thinking about new projects.
Don Ramón López Villalba, a true Spanish character… and an example for all of us.
The authors wish to express their gratitude to Ramón López Villalba and “Surtees” (José Mª Arranz Notario) for the facilities offered and for the familiar treatment that they have always been given.
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