Autobianchi's A112s are among the most iconic super-mini of the 20th century, with many of the older ones certainly having some memories of them, while the younger ones, who have more or less dealt with the automotive icons of each country, Italy being one of them, have heard, seen, read something about them. The A112, introduced in November 1969, remained in production until 1986. Over time, several of them gradually began to disappear from the Greek roads. One man, however, on a street in Heliopolis, keeps them alive. Let's meet Mantos Dimas. The last "doctor" of Autobianchi in our country.
- When was the passion for the car born?
The car bug was born somewhere in 6th grade, when a neighbor left for America and basically gave me 4 boxes of AutoExpress magazines. I read them more than I had read any other book since high school.
- Tell me 5 things about you
For as long as I can remember, I've been involved with cars. I'm generally into anything with screws, I have a great love for tools and anything you can disassemble, rework and reassemble (hopefully no screws left over), in general. I started my shop in 1990, after a suggestion from a lubricant importing company, as something new (for the time) in the business, purely as a lubrication shop, which at the time only operated in Canada. Slowly along the way, and due to customers having further needs, it became a general auto repair shop.
- What were your first steps in racing?
From 1990 onwards, the virtuosity competitions were the "incubator" for all newcomers to official competitions. We participated, pretty much with whatever car we each had. We basically went with little or no preparation, to do spins, handbrakes or absolute time. I personally started, with an unsuitable car for racing, a Lancia Beta Berlina. It was 1300cc, very big, very heavy, very few horses, but still, we were trying to achieve the best we could.
- How did you get involved with Autobianchi?
The Autobianchi (the burgundy A112), the forgiving one as we tend to call it, came into my hands by accident.
It belonged to a customer, I maintained it with great love as I always liked it as a car and when you don't do something at the right age, you end up doing it later, with a lot of foolishness and a lot of sacrifices, with all that this sometimes implies. From the hands of a customer-friend, it passed into the possession of another friend, who only kept it for a week as he didn't like it and didn't want it, and I ended up getting it as a utility car for the shop.
In the process, however, as the skill races were still going on, being the owner of a Fiat Ciquecento Sporting which I didn't want to disturb with the races, I ended up using the burgundy Autobianchi. That was the "beginning of the bad", the first of the 35 or so that have passed through my hands to date.
- How did today's recently winning grey A112 come into your possession?
The grey one was given to me as a gift from a friend, along with two others for spare parts, after he had tumbled the "late" burgundy one in a race that had taken place at a go-kart track. After his tumbling, the club even obliged us to fit a cage for safety reasons. The grey became the basis on which we developed everything over the years. The cage was the first part, which took 3 months to come to us, from Sparco (paying of course the safety standards set by the FIA), with the suspensions, the geometry of these, to follow. In addition, we've been working on the engine in its basic parts, and that's how the gradual unravelling of every aspect of the A112 actually began.
- What does it mean to you to prepare, set up, test and participate in races with your son?
Hahahaha, very big topic, huge I would say issue, but I'll try to make it as brief as possible. The truth is that I feel touched, as it is a pleasure and an honor to have him follow in my footsteps, considering me beyond a father, a friend, a teacher, even though he doesn't always listen to me, which is nevertheless a positive thing, as he is a man with his own personality, knowledge, opinions, which I respect and am happy about. We work together at a rate of 80%, with the remaining 20% giving a touch of "creative dissent". Of course, like all interpersonal relationships, it is being worked on and I believe it is constantly improving.
- Panos (son of Mantos, you're the host of the TSF1 Greece podcast), what does it mean to you, from the son's point of view?
We may not listen to each other so much, we said there is a 20% creative disagreement after all, he is a father, friend and mentor. We get along, the relationship is "salt and pepper", you can't have one without the other. I'd like to continue as long as possible to be involved with him, although I have my sights set on building something of my own, both on a work and race level.
- Thank you both very much for your time.
In conclusion, I would like to quote the 2 passes of the 3rd Ritsona Hill Climb, where father and son, won 2 firsts, one in the General Classification and one in the category Up to 1000cc, as well as the rest of the photos from Mr.Mantos' archive.
