Tag Archives: S

Millionaire Mystery – Scuderia Parravano Pt 1 of 2.

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Today we are looking at the strange case of west coast entrant Antonio Parravano and his team of Ferrari’s which at it’s height was possibly the equal of any on either coast though ultimately less enduring.

Antonio Parravano born in Italy in 1917 became a millionaire building contractor in Los Angeles and built a fabulous racing team of mostly but not exclusively Ferrari’s including three vehicles seen here in a photograph by Carlyle Blackwell.

Ferrari, 750 Monza, 121 LM, 410S, Parrevano, Carlyle Blackwell

Photo Carlyle Blackwell, Publised Courtesy Blackwell Archive, for sales enquiry’s please e-mail infoATpsychoontyres.co.uk and your contact details will be forwarded to the Blackwell Archive.

From back to front the vehicles are a 750 Monza #0538 the subject of next weeks Ferrari Friday blog, a 121 LM #0484LM, and a 410S #0592CM.

As I said I will come back to the 750 Monza at the back next week. Starting with the 121 LM #0484 this car started life with the smaller 3.7 litre Ferrari straight six motor and was as such was originally designated a type 118 driven to victory lane by Pierro Taruffi in the Giro di Sicilia, a version of the Targa Florio race, in 1955.

Halfway through 1955 chassis #0484 was the only 118 to be upgraded 121 spec with a 4.4 litre straight six.

Parravano acquired the car in late 1955 and entered it for Carol Shelby in the Oulton Park International that August where Shelby recorded a DNF due to driver injury.

In 1957 Phil Hill drove #0484 to victory at Palm Springs in 1957, the car was also driven by well known open wheel legend Roger Ward under different ownership in 1959.

#0484 is thought to be the only one of the three original 118 chassis thought to have survived ironically of course with a 121 spec motor.

The car closest to camera is a 410 S built for the South American road races that got cancelled due to safety fears. Equiped with Ferrari the largest available 4900 cc / 299 cui V12 engine capable of delivering 380 hp in twin plug format. The vehicle seen here, not one of the two fitted with twin plug heads, was raced into victory lane by Carroll Shelby at Palm Springs in 1956.

Next week we will continue with the case of Antonio Parravano and his team much of which vanished in 1957.

My thanks to Carlyle Blackwell, Ed Arnaudin and his son Steve for respectively taking, purchasing and forwarding today’s magnificent photograph and to GTO Freak, and Giotto at Ferrari Chat for their help identifying this weeks cars and the back ground on Tony Parravano.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s triple wammy Ferrari Friday and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

28 07 12 PS My thanks to Pamela Blackwell who has kindly retrospectively given me permission to post the photo’s her father took.

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Top Class Mini Racer – MINI Cooper S R56

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When I first started spectating at motor races Mini’s were a feature at many meetings including the very first meeting I went to where my Mum’s boss George Barkhuizen won the days feature handicap race in a beige Mini with a white roof and a fuel barrel hanging out of the boot thanks to a recalcitrant boot lock out in Zambia. Mini’s were also raced in Britain in spec championships including the 850’s seen here at Silverstone usually producing tight racing and close finishes.

1977 World Grand Prix Drivers Champion James Hunt prepared and raced his own Mini when he first got the bug using extreme weight saving measures such as not fitting windscreen wipers. Today spec racing Mini’s like David Kirkpatrick’s seen at a track day here are very much alive and kicking despite having been out of production since 2000 as indeed are many non spec Mini’s with all sort of non standard Mini power units.

On Sunday at the PistonHeads meeting in Cowley I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the latest in retro MINI spec racing with this MINI Cooper S R56 prepared by OX4 Racing for Chris Oakham who races in the top tier JCW Class of the MINI Challenge.

This spec racer is of course light years ahead of an original spec racing Mini, the JCW division calls for turbocharged 215 hp motors up from the standard R56 192 hp thanks to upgraded induction, exhaust, Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and race spec intercooler.

To help keep the wheels on the road and all that power in check these vehicles are fitted with KW suspension, limited slip differential and 6 (six) piston front brake callipers.

17″ control racing tyres, slicks or wets, are mounted on Dynamic rims.

Too make sure every one plays fair the Mini Challenge has dedicated championship scales, enforced ‘parc ferme’ rules control fuel, limits on the number of tyres used and to keep the driving standards up each vehicle has an on board camera allowing officials to a valuable source of evidence should things appear to get out of hand !

To complete the purpose bred racer look the JCW Class vehicles have an aero package to play around with too !

On the Lo ‘E’ Nuf Vee Dub Club site Chris Oakham the driver of the #51 Mini Cooper S R56 is known for lashing up Mini’s and ripping up cats’ eyes with his Passat in between his racing activities. Chris took the #51 to victory lane at Snetterton and finished 6th in the JCW Class rankings last year, it is still unclear what his plans are for this year but I’m sure you will all join me in wishing him every success.

Any one wishing to join in the fun here is a link to the Mini Challenge prospectus. There was a MINI Challenge try out day at Brands Hatch on Saturday 29th January which included trials for novices, those keen to continue could gain medical certification and attend Approved Racing Drivers School courses the same day in order to qualify for racing licences.

If you missed the boat and are interested in taking part you could try sending an e-mail to the address on the Mini Challenge home page, they seem particularly encouraging to fresh recruits. Wishing all competitors a fun and safe championship.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s recruiting office edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will all join me again tomorrow for a look at one of my favourite BMW’s. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Sweet and predictable – #43 Maserati 150 S #1643

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Thanks to again to Ed Arnaudin for today’s photograph of a Maserati 150 S owned by EF Spicer seen here at Thompson CT 20th July 1958.

7 43 27s

By the time the smallest ever Maserati, the 150S, was built in 1955 the Maserati brothers were long gone from the company bearing their name working on their new OSCA vehicles.

The popularity of the 1500 cc / 91.5 CUI sports car class racing led Maserati to fill the gap in the lower end of their range with this vehicle.

Following Ferrari who in turn was inspired by the fuel efficient advantages of an HWM four cylinder Alta engine, Vittorio Bellanti also ditched the prevalent smooth 6 cylinder engine architecture in favour of a new 4 cylinder alloy block, dry sump lubricated engine featuring hemispherical combustion chambers, double overhead cams and twin plug ignition which produced 140 hp at 7,500 rpm.

Valerio Colotti designed the chassis with independent front and de Dion rear suspension originally covered in a 300S derived body by Celestino Fiandri in 1955.

For 1956 the slightly less derivative body seen here was designed by Medardo Fantuzzi. Stirling Moss drove one of the factory entered 150 S’s in a sports car race to second place on the Nurburgring in 1956 beaten by margin of ‘just’ 3 seconds over 100 miles by Hans Hermann in a Porsche 550 A.

Stirling is alleged to have said of the 150 S that it was ” sweet-handling and predictable but overbodied and gutless.”

EF (Edward Farnham) Spicer drove the #43 in the photo to 9th place in the final all comers race on July 20th, 8 spots behind the winning Porsche 550 of Newton Davis.

My thanks and best wishes to Ed Arnaudin and his son Steve for todays photograph, Jerry Entin for vehicle identification and Terry O’Neil for the results.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s sweet & predictable edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow, don’t forget to come back now !

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Variable Turbine Geometry – Porsche 997 Turbo S

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This is one of the last series 1 2008 model year Porsche 997’s distinguished by the LED indicators across the outer intakes and bug eye headlights lights from the older 996 with which it shares a four wheel drive power train.

With over 100,000 units sold the 997 is without doubt the most popular model Porsche have ever made even the TDM who is not a noted Porsche fan thinks a 997 will “make love to your fingertips and stir your soul.” Lets hope he washes his hands regularly.

The 997 Turbo was tested by TDM on an empty German Autobahn with an indicated 200 mph on the clock 2 mph faster than the top speed claimed by Porsche, Motor Trend tested the same model as capable of accelerating 0 – 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.2 seconds a full 0.5 secs ahead of the manufacturers claims.

The turbo S comes with a 525 hp 3,824 cc 233.4 cui flat six cylinder engine which introduced variable turbine geometry on the twin turbo’s.

Sadly this vehicle is already a late model a series 2 997 Turbo S was launched in 2010.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s variable turbine geometry edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a look at a performance water cooled edition as we round out Porsche week. Don’t forget to feed the fish before you leave and please don’t forget to come back now !

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