Hello from Portugal

[dragospetres]

Hi,Ramiro
Please inform about the present and the future of the portuguese cars UMM 4X4.
Thanks,

[Ramiro]

Yes, Max

This victory was very important, because the portuguese "Garagem Vitória", who built this Portaro, doesn't have the money or the technique from Mercedes.
They only made a model more slight, and put a protection plate under the engine. 

Hi, Dragospetres

How do you know about UMM?...
I'm gonna tell you all the history about the past and the present of this fantastic portuguese 4x4. About the future, we never know...

[Ramiro]

Portaro in Paris-Dakar 

In 1983, after the victory in Paris-Agadir rally, the portuguese SEMAL (Garagem Vitoria) decided to participate in Paris-Dakar rally with 5 vehicles. 2 jeeps Portaro for racing, and 3 vans Campina for technical assistance.

The jeeps were amended to strengthen the chassis and decrease weight on the body with polyester. The Volvo engine, 4 cylinders and 150 hp, was specially prepared by the Swedes.

Portaro achieved the 10th place, the best obtained til now by a Portuguese brand.
The racing-drivers were the same as in the rally Paris-Agadir, but the technical team was portuguese.
Here are the names of all the heroes:

Racing drivers:
Jean Pierre Kurrer/Pierre Zanone
Jean-Luc Roy/Xavier Beadet

Technical team:
Vitalino Marques/José Fernando
Luís Santos/Serge Proust
Laurentino Reis/Paulo Gomes

[Ramiro]

Hi, Dragospetres!!...
Here's the answer to your request...

The short story of portuguese 4x4 UMM

In 1960, the French Bernard Cournil decided to build a robust 4x4 for agricultural purposes, with spare parts of the Willys Jeep. He Called it "Cournil". In 1977 Monsieur Bernard sold the license of the 4x4 Cournil to the portuguese company UMM (União Metalo-Mecânica) that manufactured the 1st. UMM 4x4 in 1978 with 3 versions: Tracteur; Entrepreneur and Randonneur.

In 1986, UMM built the 1st. version of UMM Alter (Peugeot diesel engine - 2500 CC) for military purposes, but is civilian version still's very popular in Portugal.

Pope John Paul II was carried in a UMM Alter.

[dragospetres]

Dear Ramiro,
I am interested about concepts of the UMM and PORTARO,similar to AM GENERAL-Hummer.
Best regards,
Dragos,

[dragospetres]

-about these:
http://www.autohojett.com/todo-o-terren ... uturo.html

[Ramiro]

Hi, Dragos

I'm surprised with your curiosity and knowledge about these models, and "autohoje online forum" is probably one of the best sites about portuguese cars.

But I regret to inform you that the last UMM Alter II was built in 2000 (is called Alter 2000), with Peugeot 2.1 HDI engine and 110 hp.

There's only one UMM Alter III prototype that was never manufactured and marketed. (Here's the very rare picture) 

These drawings you refer are very interesting but they were made by enthusiasts through photoshop and 3 D paint.

They combine the Hummer concept with UMM and portARO, but it's only a dream. 

However, i prefer the look of my old PORTARO. 

Best Regards.

[Ramiro]

The portuguese Aro (Portaro), and UMM, aren't the only important vehicles produced in Portugal.
Berliet Tramagal was probably the most importante truck used by the portuguese army during the colonial war, in Africa, in the 60's.

The Berliet was a French company founded by Marius Berliet, in 1902, in the city of Lyon, and the first truck he built was called Berliet Gazelle.

In 1964, during the war of Portugal in Africa, the metallurgical company "Duarte Ferreira" began to built the Berliet Tramagal in Portugal, in the factory of Tramagal city, which also produced the Portaro FMAT.

3.300 Berliet Tramagal were produced (2 trucks per day).
The 2 most important models of Berliet Tramagal were the GBH and GBC-8KT

[dragospetres]

-portuguese Tramagal:
Have youinformations about portuguese trucks Bravia:GAZELA,LEOPARDO and PANTERA?

[Ramiro]

Beautiful picture Dragos!!

Certainly we'll talk about these models. Meanwhile here's the basic technical data of Berliet Tramagal:

Engine
Magik MK 520
Multifuel
7.900 CC
125 HP
5 Cylinders

Dimensions
Length: 7,28 M
Height: 2,7 M
Width: 2,4 M
Net Weight: 8.000 Kg
Capacity: 5.000 Kg

Top Speed: 80 Kph
Fuel Tank: 95 L
Submersion to 1.5 Meters
Traction System: 6X6

[Ramiro]

During the portuguese colonial war, in Africa, between 1964 and 1974, the Berliet Tramagal was the most used truck, because when there was no fuel the army used oil (biofuel), which was very advanced for that time.

In the pictures, we see a Berliet Tramagal on the top of two wooden beams crossing a bridge destroyed by a mine, and also a berliet buried in a hole with portuguese troops.

[Ramiro]

Most importante, publicity from 1973 to Berliet with is symbol in a picture of a medieval battle, with the manufacturer's name (Metalúrgica Duarte Ferreira - Angola) and adress in Rua Serpa Pinto, in Luanda, that I knew very well when i was kid.

[Ramiro]

Dear Dragos

Here's the information that you requested about the adventure of Bravia.

In 1971, the Portuguese Army ordered to the Bravia company, with headquarters in the town of Samora Correia, Portugal, to built 20 "Gazela" vehicles (4x4), 10 with petrol engine, and 10 with diesel engine, and more 10 "Leopard" vehicles (6X6), all diesel engine.

6 "Leopard" were to the colonial war in Africa ( 3 to Guiné and 3 to Angola) , and the other 4 remained in Portugal.

The company also manufactured one vehicle "Pantera", and several "Chaimite" armoured vehicles.

Here are some pictures. Soon I'll give you more technical details.

Regards.

[Werner]

Some pictures from UMM Alter 2000.

[Ramiro]

That's correct, Werner

This is the latest prototype of UMM that was never marketed.
There is only one UMM III.

Regards