Tag Archives: Ferrari

Additions And Corrections – Ferrari 166MM #0040M

Having run well over 50 consecutive Ferrari Friday blog’s I have to confess I have temporarily run out of Ferrari’s to write about, however while I find some more I will recover some of the vehicles that I first blogged about on the much missed rowdy.com website, adding additional information and corrections where ever applicable in the light of new sources of information.

Only 25 166 MM’s were commissioned by Enzo Ferrari to be built by Carrozzeria Touring who built the roadsters nick named Brachetta’s (small boat) using the patented Superleggra technique of fixing aluminium alloy panels directly to a tubular space frame.

The cars featured a 135 hp 1992cc / 121 cui V12 single overhead cam all alloy engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. Each cylinder has a displacement of 166 cc / 10 cui from which the model derives its 166 name the MM comes from Mille Miglia, the name of a 1000 mile road race from Brescia to Rome and back which the 166 MM won in 1949.

The 166 in various guises put Ferrari on the the sports car map, a 166 S being driven to victory in the 1948 Milie Miglia by Clemente Biondetti and Giuseppe Navine. In 1949 Biondetti repeated the feat at the wheel of a 166 MM (chassis 0008M) he shared with Ettore Salani.

The same #0008M chassis was then entered by Lord Selsdon, for the 24 hour Le Mans race, who let his team mate Luigi Chinetti drive for an amazing 23 (twenty three) hours en route to victory. Another 166MM, chassis #0010, with Luigi Chinetti and Jean Lucas sharing the driving went on to win the 1949 Spa 24 hour race.

Today’s featured car chassis #0040M vehicle was driven by Luigi Villoresi and Pasquale Cassani finished 12th overall in the 1950 Targa Florio. Note, some sources using “Targa Florio: 20th Century Epic” by Pino Fondi as reference material suggest that Villoresi did not finish, this is probably because Fondi only lists the top ten finishers.

Several weeks later chassis #0040M was entered in the 1950 Mille Miglia for Aldo Bassi with Aldo Berardi in the co drivers seat. The car left the road in wet conditions and hit a tree outside Ponte San Marco, Bassi succumbed to his injuries later that day.

After repairs which included a replacement body, Touring body #3453, the car went to Portugal where Vasco Sameiro is known to have driven it to 9th place in a race at Vila Real on June 20th 1950. The car remained in Portugal changing hands at least twice before turning up in the UK in 1973.

Ferrari 166 MM #0040M has been owned by the Mason-Styrron family since 1989 who have used it in many classic competitions since. #0040M was restored by the Ferrari factory prior to it’s appearance at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of speed where the car is seen here.

Thanks for joining me on this “Additions and Corrections” editions of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Coffee, Croissant & Cars #3 – Avenue Drivers Club

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Last Sunday being the second Sunday of the month it was time to amble down St Micheal’s Hill towards Queen Square for another Avenue Drivers club meeting.

Where I was greeted Ted who brought along his DP Motorsports tuned Porsche 993 GT2 which came complete with matching yellow dash instruments. If your looking for photographs of old competition cars in action Ted’s Ferret Fotographics is a great place to start.

Keeping the Lanchester flag flying at the Avenue Drivers Club was this 3 liter / 183 cui 1925 Lanchester 21.

With signs of tyre rub on both sides to the bumper there was no doubt this Porsche Boxster prepared by Porscheshop and driven by novice driver Stuart Ings. You can see an in car video of Stuart in action at Oulton Park a couple of weeks ago on this link.

Flying the flag for Jaguar was this lush E-type.

This Austin 10 motor powers an Austin 10/24 Ripley sport that is a regular at Avenue Drivers Club meetings and was featured in GALPOT blog early last year.

I’ve been meaning to write a blog about this Triumph GT6 Mk II for some time, it was great to see and hear it last weekend.

BMW had originally intended their entry level 8 series cars to be powered by 3 liter motor’s however it would appear they decided better of it by allegedly chopping most of the 18 built up and introducing the 4 liter V8 powered 840 Ci instead. Above is one of the last built in 1999 with a 4398 cc / 268 cui V8 with 5 speed automatic transmission.

The Spirit of Starsky and Hutch is obviously alive and well in Bristol, for the second time in two days I saw a vehicle with a laser stripe ! Above on a humble Golf III.

Entering into the ranks of classics, 20 years old this year, is the immaculate Vauxhall Nova Spin above, a badge engineered Opel Corsa which like it’s German badged counterpart was built in Spain.

I first came across this wailing Ferrari F430 on my way to Sherborne Castle last month. The owner had just spent a considerable sum on a new exhaust, however the vacuum operated exhaust valve had been plumbed incorrectly and still needs sorting out, meantime the exhaust volume has been set permanently at volume 10 !

Representation of two wheeled transport was very thin last week, however these matching Suzuki RV 125 VanVan’s reminded me of my schooldays, an older lad had one imported from Japan in the mid 70’s when RV 125’s were powered by two stroke motors.

This 1997 TVR Cerbera powered by the larger 4578 cc / 279 cui TVR V8 motor turned up late in the morning just as I was leaving. The Cerebra name is derived from Cerberus the mythical Greek three headed beast that guarded Hades which is fitting for a car that is considered a three plus one thanks to it’s front passenger seat which moves further forward than the drivers seat to afford the rear passenger behind a little more leg room than on the drivers side.

Thanks for joining me on this Coffee, Croissant & Cars #3 edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Drogo Nose Needs Fuel – Ferrari 250 LM #6217.

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Completed on January 14th 1965 today’s featured Ferrari 250 LM #6217 was delivered to Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi, a well known racer and hillclimb competitor, in time to take part in the 1965 season.

Unlike chassis #5843 which I looked at a few weeks ago that has an extensive racing history, Edoardo appears to have used the car for primarily for hillclimbing a use to which it was eminently suited as evidenced by at least 8 overall wins he recorded in 1965 and at least a further four recorded in 1966 before Edoardo returned the car to the Ferrari factory.

This particular 250 LM carries a distinctive ‘Drogo’ long nose that replaced the standard Scaglietti item at the end of 1965.

Towards the end of 1966 #6217 was shipped to North America and ended up being converted for street use in New York of the same year.

In 1969 this Ferrari was traded for a Lamborghini Muira which with the benefit of 50 years of hind sight may not have been the smartest of financial moves.

Since then #6217 has resided in Gstaad Switzerland, Bologna Italy, Nelson New Zealand and Düsseldorf Germany before it was acquired by it’s present owner in the USA.

Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi appears to have started racing by 1950 when he shared the #024 FIAT 500 with a driver named Ranzini with whom he came home 160th in the 1950 Mille Miglia completing the 1000 miles 20 hours, 10 mins and 51.8 seconds some 6 hours behind the winning #724 Ferrari 195 S driven by Giannino Marzotto and Marco Crosara.

Edoardo progressed through a variety of cars including a Dragada, Lancia, OSCA and numerous Ferrari’s to become a regular winner on the European Hillclimb Circuit.

He stopped competing somewhere around 1971 when he was the owner of the one off 2 litre / 122 cui flat twelve Ferrari 212E sportscar, though he is also recorded as having destroyed an Osella on a hillclimb in 1972.

When Ferrari 250 LM’s were first built in 1963 they came with a 3 litre / 183 cui V12 motor fitted.

Later examples like the one featured today were fitted with 3286cc / 200.5 cui motors good for 320 hp. The later cars with the bigger motors should have been renamed 275 LM’s according to Ferrari nomenclature in use at the time, but they were not.

As a result of the complete lack of factory support for it’s GT teams in 1965, stemming from the FIA governing bodies refusal to recognise the 250 LM as a GT car Shelby Cobra succeeded in winning the 1965 World Sports Car Championship, run for GT cars.

Just 32 250 LM’s, of the 100 required to be recognised as a GT car, were built between 1963 and 1965.

My thanks to John Aibel who kindly sent me the photo’s of today’s featured car.

Thanks for joining me on the “Drogo Nose Needs Fuel” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Big John’s Return – Ferrari 512M

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Today’s featured Ferrari is a 512M replica of the type that I looked at last June.

My research indicates this car appears to be one of at least 2 replica’s built by Bob Houghton in the UK around 1990.

While I was looking into the history of todays featured car I was surprised to learn that 1964 World Champion ‘Big’ John Surtess drove a Ferrari 512S, chassis #1038, in a little remembered return to the Ferrari fold, with Jacky Ickx to finish 2nd in 1970 Spa 1000 kms behind the Porsche 917 driven by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman.

Surtees who became World Champion, driving for Ferrari in 1964, walked out on the team at Le Mans in 1966 after a disagreement over driver arrangements for the 24 hour classic. In the process Surtees threw away a good shot at the 1966 World Championship in which he eventually finished 2nd despite driving an unfancied and unreliable Cooper Maserati for the balance of the 1966 season which had started well with a win for Ferrari in the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix.

Jacky Ickx again drove chassis #1038 on it’s second and final outing at Le Mans in 1970 sharing with Peter Schetty. A single accident in the rain had eliminated four other Ferrari 512S’s and a fifth had dropped out soon after the start. Ickx was in 6th place four hours after the start of the race and climbed all the way up to second around midnight before skidding off at the Ford Chicane killing one marshal injuring a second and writing off the car which was never to be seen again.

Thanks for joining me on this “Big John’s Return” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

PS 18 08 12 Thanks to Tim Murray for pointing out that John Surtees won the Belgian Grand Prix driving a Ferrari 1966 not the Monaco Grand Prix as originally stated.

Le Mans & Targa Class Winner – Ferrari 500 TRC #0682MDTR

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The Ferrari 500 TRC was the last of a line of 4 cylinder sports racing cars built by Ferrari between 1953 and 1957.

Today’s featured 500 TRC chassis #0682MDTR, seen above at the recent Silverstone Classic where it was driven by David and James Cottingham, was built for Belgian entrant Jaques Swatters in 1957.

The high light of Swatters “Ecurie Francochamps” 1957 season was the class win, 7th overall, recorded at Le Mans with Lucien Bianchi and Georges Harris at the wheel of #0682MDTR.

The following season Gaetano Starraba acquired the car and with Franco Cortese finished 7th overall, 1st in class, in the 1958 Targa Florio.

Starrabba returned to the Targa the following year with Domenico Lo Coco however the car was wrecked in accident which ended it’s ‘in period history’.

Present owner David Cottingham next appeared with the car in Classic and Sportscar in 1991 and he has raced this most famous of TRC’s regularly ever since.

Thanks for joining me on this “Le Mans & Targa Class Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Enzo’s Big Banger – Ferrari 712 #1010

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Today’s featured Ferrari began life as a Ferrari 512S chassis #1010 which was qualified on pole for it’s first race by Mario Andretti at the 1970 Sebring 12 hours. Andretti and co driver Art Mezario retired from the race leaving Andretti free to jump into the sister car, chassis #1026, which up to that point had been driven by Ignazio Giunti / Nino Vaccarella, from seventh on the grid. Andretti famously chased down the Solar Productions Porsche 908 which was driven primarily by Peter Revson and shared with Steve McQueen to win the race.

During the remainder of the 1970 season #1010 was driven by the likes of Jackie Oliver, Peter Schetty and Jackie Ickx who teamed up with Giunti won the season finale 1970 Kayalami 9 Hours.

For 1971 a larger 6.3 litre / 384 cui V12 replaced the original 5 litre / 305 cui motor and Art Mezario used it to win the Interserie (Unlimitied Can Am style) race at Imola under the watchful of eye of Enzo Ferrari himself. Later in 1971 #1010 appeared at Watkins Glen with new open body work and now with a 6.86 litre / 418 cui V12 for Mario Andretti to drive in the Can Am Series. Despite a lack of development Andretti managed to qualify 5th and finish 4th only for the car to disappear for the remainder of the season.

For 1972 Luigi Chinetti acquired the largest Ferrari V12 engine ever built along with chassis #1010 in which to run it and entered Jean-Pierre Jarier in for two more Can Am races, he finished 4th from 10th on the grid at Road America where it had become obvious the by now turbo charged Porsche 917’s were in a completely different class from the Ferrari 712 and indeed the rest of the field.

Brian Redman had the honour of driving the car for the last time in the 1974 in the Watkins Glen Can Am round, which almost eliminated all non turbocharged vehicles with a maximum permitted fuel limit, he qualified 19th and retired with broken rear suspension. Today Enzo’s Big Banger chassis #1010 is run by Paul Knapfield and is seen here at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Thanks for joining me on this “Enzo’s Big Banger” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”. I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at the original version of the Lotus 49 that revolutionised Grand Prix Racing in 1967. Don’t forget to come back now !

Classics At The Castle – Sherborne Castle

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Sherborne Castle is a 16th Century Tudor Mansion built for Sir Walter Raleigh who leased the grounds of the ruined old Castle from the crown in 1592. Last weekend David Root, wearing his Italian Auto Moto Club hat, kindly invited me to Sherborne Castle to visit a very busy Classics at the Castle event.

As one might expect from the grounds of such a storied estate many interesting automotive stories, myths and legends emerged from the day. The Lancia Delta Integrale seen above parked next to David’s Lenham Alfa was painted pearlescent white when it was purchased by Lance Bombardier Mark (Bing) Chandler several years ago. Mark intended to return the car to it’s original factory specification however before he could fulfill that dream he was killed in action in the Helmand province of Afghanistan while protecting the local population from insurgent intimidation. In memory to their son Marks parents have had the Lancia restored to it’s original factory specification.

As can be seen by the striking contrast between the Austin 7 Hamblin Cadet and the second generation Toyota 4Runner Sunday’s event catered for a diverse range of motoring tastes.

Some years ago the special above was labeled as being the Aston Martin DP155 however once some experts has compared it to period photo’s of DP155, a car that was raced in New Zealand by Reg Parnell in 1956, it was noticed the driver sat in a central position atop the transmission in DP155 and that a number of other features of the special in my photograph above did not match the description of DP155. The mystery of this specials identity has still not been solved four years after this linked thread was started on The Nostalgia Forum.

The AC (Brooklands) Ace above was the first of two Ace prototypes, the car seen above was also known at the “Ace of Spades” featured a Ford Taraus V6 motor and all wheel drive. Curiously both the prototype Aces, the second second Ace prototype is powered by a Lotus Engine and was built in 1997, are coming up for auction at Dorset Vintage & Classic Auction on September 20th.

Despite being born in an age where Ian Gilmore once told his sound engineers “We want everything louder than everything else”, it’s been a while since I sat in a vehicle with a hi fidelity system big enough to host a rave, I remember the first time I did so, in 1990, I played Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No:3 in G and was very moved despite not turning the volume passed the number 4 on the dial. The four door Escort Mark V is reminiscent of the 2 door Project 2000 Ford Escort Mk VI RS2000 built by Max Power magazine towards the end of the last century.

According to the blurb in the window of this 1937 32hp Daimler “… is widely repudiated to be the personal transport of King Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor and Mrs Wallis Simpson following his abdication and exile to France.” An odd use of the word repudiate which I have neither been able to refute or repute.

Perversely while the original 1973-1976 MGB V8 was only available with a GT Coupé body while the retro 1993-1995 MG RV8 was only available with a Roadster body. Some enthusiasts have taken it into their own hands to bring older GT’s up to RV8 spec complete with all the lower body panels from the newer model like the owner of the 1972 GT above which features a 190 hp 3947 cc / 240.8 cui RV8 motor.

With an 85 hp aluminium block motor with origins that date back to 1922, solid front and rear axles and a wooden frame to carry the body the 1955 AC 2 litre Saloon was not exactly ground braking, but it did handle and perform well with an 80 mph top speed, though not as well as the contemporary Bristol 403 which was capable of over 100 mph.

David and i looked at each other in disbelief as bidding got underway for Lot 15 a 1987 Bentley Mulsanne previously owned by Geoffrey Rose chairman of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) got underway for just £1,500 in the Charterhouse Auctions tent. Surprisingly what must be nearly a 3 ton vehicle finally went to someone for just £2,300 excluding the auctioneers commission. That is a lot of car for not much money, though taxing it and keeping it running for a year might cost a lot more than the car is actually worth.

Over a year ago some of you may remember I attended a Piston Heads meeting in the car park of the BMW factory, for the Classics in the Castle event the Piston Heads were asked to organise a classic and sports car run, the vehicles that took part in this event with in an event is deserving of it’s own blog which I may get round to when there are not quite so many events to cover in the off season. Among my favorites was this 1954 Austin Healey 100 BN1 which was first fitted with a Chevrolet V8 by Greg Gatehouse in California around 1965. It is now on it’s third V8 a Fastco 6276 cc / 383 cui crate unit. Amongst the other interesting upgrades is an button actuated hydraulic handbrake which replaces the conventional cable operated system.

FN are well known Belgian manufactuers of fire arms, in the early twentieth century they also manufactured cars and motorcycles. Above is a 1912 FN Roadster that was taking part in a smaller Vintage Run which also finished at Sherborne Castle last Sunday.

Disappointingly there was no Concours d’Elegance or even an audience vote for a popular car but the stands of the various clubs taking part were judged in a competition with the Austin A30/A35 owners club coming third, Porsche Club GB second and Wessex Ferrari being awarded first prize.

Many thanks to David Root and the members of the Italian Auto Moto Club who made today’s blog possible, and to Tim Murray who pointed me in the right direction regarding the green open wheel special.

Thanks for joining me on this “Classics At The Castle” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when all being well I be bringing you the latest from this weekends Silverstone Classic event. Don’t forget to come back now !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring

Tag Archives: Ferrari

Additions And Corrections – Ferrari 166MM #0040M

Coffee, Croissant & Cars #3 – Avenue Drivers Club

Drogo Nose Needs Fuel – Ferrari 250 LM #6217.

Big John’s Return – Ferrari 512M

Le Mans & Targa Class Winner – Ferrari 500 TRC #0682MDTR

Enzo’s Big Banger – Ferrari 712 #1010

Classics At The Castle – Sherborne Castle