Tag Archives: 340

Ham Handed Texan – Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta #0222AT

Allen Guiberson struck it rich in his early ’20’s and became a Ferrari collecting Dallas oilman who was once described in Time Magazine as a ham handed Texan.

Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

In 1952 he bought today’s featured Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta, the first of three built for the Carrera Panamericana road race, sometimes referred to as a 340 Mexico Berlinetta.

Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Sponsored by Industrias 1-2-3 #0222AT was driven by Luigi Villoresi and either Piero Cassani or Franco Cornacchia in the 1952 Carerra Panamerica, but failed to finish after a gearbox problem manifested it’s self.

Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

The following year Phil Hill and Richie Ginther drove the same car in the event and retired after an accident, the cars only other known appearance was in the 1954 1000 km race at Buenos Aires where Phil shared the car with Dave Sykes until they retired with a clutch problem.

Ferrari 340 Vignale Berlinetta, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

After 14 changes of ownership during which time #0222AT had it’s original engine swapped out for a Chevy V8 in the 1950’s and then replaced by a larger 342 Ferrari V12 in the 1980’s the current owner bought the car in 2000.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photograph’s taken at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance earlier this year.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ham Handed Texan” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another open wheel Chevron. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Ferrari Friday – Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance

Welcome to another Ferrari Friday this week brought to you courtesy of Geoffrey Horton who took today’s photographs at the recent Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance.

Ferrari 166 MM, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Regular GALPOT readers might remember the 1949 Ferrari 166 MM chassis #0022 M as a Hillsborough regular having appeared there in 2012.

Ferrari 340 Vignale Mexico Berlinetta, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

In 1952 Vignale built 3 Berlinetta bodied and one Barchetta bodied Ferrari 340 Mexicos for the Carrera Pan America, above is the first Berlinetta bodied chassis #0222AT which started the 1952 and 1953 events and retired from both.

Ferrari 342 America, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

This gorgeous, even in black, Ferrari 342 America with bodywork by Pinin Farina was delivered to King Leopold III. of Belgium in May 1953, he appears to have kept it for only a year or so.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

From 1954 this Ferrari 750 Monza chassis #0462MB above was the first to be delivered into private hands and it allegedly ended up being covertly inspected at the Jaguar factory before being sold to Jack Brabham in 1955.

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Geoffrey first sent me a photo of this 1958 Testa Rossa chassis #0754 TR in 2009, but I have never heard anyone complain of looking at a Testa Tossa too often.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB Nembo Spyder, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

A completely new to me builder of bodies for Ferrari’s is “Nembo” otherwise known as Neri and Bonacini of Modena who built this Spyder body, styled by Californian Tom Meade, on a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta chassis #3771 GT between 1966 and 1968, only two other Ferrari’s received a Nembo body.

Ferrari 250 LM, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Carrying the #8 it wore at Reims in 1964 for the 12 hour race above is the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM chassis #5909 which was driven to, it’s greatest success on it’s third outing, a 2nd place finish by works drivers John Surtees and Lorenzo Bandini.

Ferrari 500 Superfast, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

After being taken to the 1966 Brussels Motor Show in Belgium this Ferrari 500 Superfast chassis #8019 was purchased by Judge Samuel Simon Leibowitz, Glen Cove, NY, USA from US dealer Chinetti later the same year, since then I believe it may have had only three other owners.

My thanks to Geoffrey for supplying so many photo’s for future Ferrari Friday blogs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Friday” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Hillsborough for a third time to look at another selection of European Cars at the event. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

African Adventurer – Ferrari 340 America #0122A Touring Coupé

Today’s featured car is the 340 America, seen here at Gooodwood Festival of Speed, a bye product of Ferrari’s Lamperdi V12 powered Grand Prix programme. With the failure of Ferrari’s Colombo designed 1.5 litre / 122 cui supercharged V12 Grand prix cars to make any impression on the pre war Colombo designed straight 8 supercharged 1.5 litre / 122cui Grand Prix cars thanks to poor fuel economy, Enzo Ferrari asked Lamperdi to design what has become known as the all alloy 4.5 litre / 274 cui long block V12 which was to run in Grand Prix racing without a super charger.

Ferrari 340 America Touring Coupé, Goodwood, FoS

The new V12 was first built in a 3.3 litre / 201 cui guise and then in a 4.1 litre / 250 cui configuration before being stretched to a full 4.5 litre / 274 cui specification. No sooner had the new motor been developed into a winner, in the 375 chassis, than it was made redundant for World Championship Grand Prix racing thanks to a lack of competition which led to an immediate rule change.

Ferrari 340 America Touring Coupé, Goodwood, FoS

As the 375 Grand Prix programme was in progress in 1950 Ferrari started to build a series of 23 340 America sports car chassis fitted with the 200 hp 4.1 litre / 250 cui spec motor. Only 2 of these chassis were fitted with a Coupé body by Touring, a model fitted with a Vignale Barchetta body won the 1951 Mille Miglia with Luigi Villoresi at the wheel and Pierro Cassani doing the co driving.

Ferrari 340 America Touring Coupé, Goodwood, FoS

So far as I can establish this car might be chassis #0122A which was sent to the 1951 Brussels Motor Show and sold to a Belgian. I believe this is the same car as entered by Equipe Nationale Belge for Alain de Changy in the 1958 Grand Prix Leopodville now known as Kinshasa in Belgian Congo where it did not finish. Two weeks later the car was entered in the Angolan Grand Prix for Yves Tassin who finished 10th behind a far more modern D type Jaguar, a Riley Special, unspecified Triumph and Austin Healey amongst others.

Ferrari 340 America Touring Coupé, Goodwood, FoS

As seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed Councour’s d’Elegance the car won the best in show Award.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘African Adventurer’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share