The last of my 2011 reviews covers a few more personal firsts and highlights from my Ferrari Friday blogs that I started thanks to a suggestion from Mike also known as Junior Cracker.

With special thanks to the much missed Ed Arnaudin and his son Steve who scanned all of his Dad’s racing slides for me. Eds photo’s have provided a fascinating glimpse of a by gone era of the sport and many interesting stories not least the one behind the Ferrari 375 Pininfarina America seen at Bridgehampton in 1957.

During my visit to the Prodrive factory we were invited to sit in some of the exhibits in the museum and so it was that I came to sit in a Ferrari for the first time, this was not just any old Ferrari either but a 550 Maranello chassis #ZFFZR49B000108462 which was driven to a GTS class winning 10th place over all finish at Le Mans by Tomáš Enge / Jamie Davies / Peter Kox the experience was a mixture of agony and extacy the seat was made for a 12 year old but the feeling of purposefulness was overwhelming. My thanks to everybody at Prodrive who made my visit such a memorable one.

The Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival, which is held every April, brought an overwhelming number of Ferrari’s to town to mark
Ferrari’s sixtieth anniversary, the Ferrari that stood out above all the others, being the first time I had seen an example of this type, was one of the 272 twin turbo Ferrari (288) GTO’s.

Goodwood Festival of Speed has a habit of bringing out top quality Ferrari’s every year, this year two really grabbed me. Above the Ferrari 312 B3 possibly the very first Ferrari I ever saw on the race track driven by Niki Lauda at Brands Hatch in 1974.

The second Ferrari that really grabbed me at the Festival of Speed was this 1973 312 P which I have never seen in action but remember reading about back in my school days.

In September at the Goodwood Revival I came across the last front engined car ever to win a Grand Prix. The Ferrari 246 #0007 was driven to victory in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix by Phil Hill. That same #12 car is seen here with Tony Smith at the wheel.

Finally I have seen several Ferrari 512 M’s this year but while on a recent visit to London I stumbled across this older 1970 Ferrari 512 S with a shorter tail in the ‘Atelier’ of HR Owen at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge. This car is chassis #0126 which after coming third in the 1970 Daytona 24 hours with Andretti/Merzario and Ickx sharing the driving famously beat Peter Revson and Steve McQueen in the Sebring 12 hours when Andretti joined Nino Vaccarella and Ignazio Giunti in chasing down the Solar Porsche 908. #1026 was driven to 4th place finishes at Monza and Spa. After retiring from ‘Le Mans’ in 1970 it was used in the Steve McQueen film of the same name. During filming Derek Bell was sitting in the car prior to a take when it appears to have burst into flames, Derek escaped with minor burns but the car was destroyed. In 1978 Nick Mason (remember him ?), acquired the wreckage and had it ‘recreated’ with the open top spyder bodywork with which the car can be seen here.

I’d like to thank greyboxer, for picking up some spelling mistakes, jtremlett, and DAYTONASME at Ferrari Chat for confirming the identity of #1026.

There are many events and vehicles I have overlooked this past week, but I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed photographs, stories and helped the identities of so many storied vehicles which have made GALPOT the success that it has become.

Special thanks particularly to everyone at Ferrari Chat who helped me identify and uncover the stories behind the vehicles featured on GALPOT Ferrari Friday blogs.

Thanks for joining my on this Ferrari Friday review edition, I hope you will join me again tomorrow, Don’t forget to come back now !

PS Don’t forget …

Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz

December 26th – January 2nd

Win a set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards

Set 1 Sports & GT Cars

Set 2 Phil Hill World Drivers Championship 50th Anniversary Edition

Set 3 1934 Season

Set 4 Grand Prix Engines of the 1950’s

or

Set 5 Mike Hawthorn’s Race Cars

The Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will comprise 8 categories.

Overall winner chooses one set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards from the five sets shown above.

The cards measure 15.24cm x 11.43cm, come in packs of 12 with 3 copies of 4 designs in each set, plus A6 envelopes.

Which set will you choose ?

The free to enter Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will run from December 26th – January 2nd Entries close January 8th 2012, Winner announced January 16th 2012.

Full details on December 26th at GALPOT.

Looking for Automotive Seasonal Gift Idea’s? Visit Automobiliart Now !