In 1950 5 Swiss MG TC owners, Jean Cottin, Richard Crot, Willy Ducrey, Jaques Jonneret and Edmond Tocchio in Geneva founded Ecurie La Meute, The Pack Team, because the MG Car Club Switzerland did not meet their sporting ambitions.
Nine years later Ferrari produced seven 250 GT LWB Interim models using 250 GT Long Wheel Base chassis as used in the 250 GT LWB Berlinetta and LWB California Spider models but with a Pinin Farina body featuring a rear 1/4 light window.
Today’s featured car, chassis #1519GT, seen at Goodwood earlier this year with owner P Paul Pappalardo at the wheel is the fifth of the seven Interims to be built.
#1519GT was originally sold to Ecurie La Meute member Jean-Pierre Schild who entered the car with co driver Roger de Lageneste in the 1959 Tour d’France in which they finished 3rd.
Jean Pierre is known to have driven the car on one further occasion the 1959 Coupes du Salon at Montlhéry which he won beating the much smaller Lotus Eleven of Bob Hicks.
In May 1960 new owner Dean McCarthy entered the car for the SCCA National Cumberland race but was disqualified, undeterred Dean went to Watkins Glen the following month and won the SCCA sanctioned Glen Classic.
During the remainder of the 1960 season Dean recorded two 2n place finishes at Thompson and Montgomery before retiring from the Haybale Governor’s Cup at Montgomery with a damaged car.
The last known event for 1519GT was the 13th Annual Grand Prix Watkins Glen at the end of 1960 where Dean drove the repaired car to a seventh place overall and class victory.
Since then the car spent some time without either engine or gearbox but the original engine and gearbox was reunited with the car when it underwent a two year restoration by Ferrari Clasiche which was completed earlier this year.
Thanks for joining me on this “The Pack Team” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow I’ll be looking at the Flash Special 500 Formula 3 car. Don’t forget to come back now !
