Tag Archives: TR

Ferrari Friday – Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic

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Welcome to another Ferrari Friday edition of “Gettin’ a l’il psycho on tyres” this week brought to you from last month’s Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic.

Ferrari 365 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

There were plenty of disguised Ferrari’s present such as this 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 chassis #16643 which left the factory as a 2+2 Berlinetta and was converted into a Spyder in 1988, this car is reported to have recently been upgraded with a Traffic Master tracker, Autowatch immobiliser and iPod stereo connection.

Ferrari 365 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Still carrying it’s original Scaglietti 2+2 Berlinetta body above is the 1970 365 GTB/4 chassis #13775 that was owned by “20th Century Boy” Marc Bolan who famously never learned to drive fearing premature death only to be tragically killed when a passenger in a Purple Mini 1275GT driven by his partner in 1977.

Ferrari 275 GTS, Silverstone Classic

Another Ferrari with a famous owner is the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS chassis #07395 seen above which once belonged to 1980 Australian Formula One world champion Alan Jones.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Halusa/Halusa, Silverstone Classic

Also no longer carrying the body it left the factory with is the famous 250 GT SWB chassis #2819 which Count Volponi had hastily converted to a GTO spec with Breadvan body by Giotto Bizzarini and other ex Ferrari personnel. The car was shared by L & N Halusa and is seen during qualifying for the Sunday TT race in which it finished 17th from 16th on the grid.

Ferrari 250 GTE, Silverstone Classic

I have not yet been able to discern a chassis number for the 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE above, if you know it don’t hesitate to chime in below.

Ferrari 250 GTE, Silverstone Classic

The replicated TR body above also sits on a V12 250 GTE which I believe is the 1963 chassis #4873.

Ferrari 246S, Gregor Fiskin, Silverstone Classic

Finally congratulations to Gregor Fisken who is seen above dancing the, GALPOT site banner car, 246S #0784 through Chapel on his way to a win in the Stirling Moss Trophy.

Thanks for joining me on this Ferrari Friday edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me tomorrow for more highlights from the Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Ferrari Testarossa

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Sometime in the early 1990’s I was tootling a long a one track country lane in Hampshire on a wonderful summers afternoon, with the roof of my Citroen 2CV down, when I caught site of a bright red object in my rear view mirror.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

Behind me was a Ferrari Testarossa with absolutely nowhere to go until we got to the next junction. Fortunately I went straight and the Testarossa went left. A couple of minuets later I got to my friends house where there was a note requesting that I go and pick up their kids from primary school, something I had done once or twice before.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

When I got to the tiny village school there in the car park was the bright red Testarossa. I had arrived a couple of minuets early and the school secretary motioned that I sit down to wait for class to be dismissed. As I did so I noticed through the glass door to one of the classrooms was the familiar, to me through hundreds of images I had seen, figure of James Hunt reading a story to what turned out to be his son Freddies class.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

The kids were absolutely captivated by his magnetism and completely oblivious to the reputation of the one who was reading to them. I can’t be sure the Ferrari James was driving that day was really his by then I seem to recall hearing that his Mercedes was up on blocks and that he was mostly to be found driving around in an ancient Austin A35 Van, featured yesterday, but no matter I saw a slice of James life that I will always treasure as much as his victory at the Nurburgring in 1976, which I also was lucky enough to see.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

The Ferrari Testarossa was launched in 1984 as a top of the range model to replace the Ferrari 365 GTB4 / 512 Berlineta Boxer series. Powered by a 390 hp 48 valve Colomdo designed flat 12 with red cylinder heads, which was good for a top speed of 180 mph.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

The Testarossa name is not to be confused with famous 1956 Ferrari Testa Rossa sports racing car which would probably be worth a lot more than a Testarossa, in any condition.

Ferrari Testarossa, Silverstone Classic

The $181,000 Testarossa, which was never raced but did make a cameo appearance in a TV show called Miami Mice, cashed in on the Ferrari reputation big time. Nearly 10,000 examples were built including 512 TR and F512 M variants launched in ’92 and ’95 respectively.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s village school edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Scaglietti Pontoon – Ferrari 250 TR #0754

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I’d like to thank Geoffrey Horton for today’s photograph of David Love’s 1958 Ferrari 250 TR seen here at Danville Concours d’Elegance in 2008.

Ferrari 250TR, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The 250 TR powered by the lightweight 276 hp 2,953 cc /180 cui Colombo Tipo 125 engine was a hugely successful sports car winning the Le Mans 24 hour race, with Phil Hill and Oliver Gendebien at the wheel in 1958 and further variations winning the endurance classic in 1960 and 1961.

#0754, originally painted blue, was sold to Yugoslavian born Guatamalan Jaroslav Juhan co driver of the car, under the ‘Equipe Los Amigos’ banner, in the 1958 Le Mans 24 hours with Frenchman François Picard who collided with the Lotus of Jay Chamberlain in heavy rain six hours into the race.

After Le Mans #0754 returned to the factory for repairs to the Scaglietti pontoon bodywork and was re painted red before being shipped to Vasek Polak a friend of the now retired from racing Juhan.

Once in the USA #0754 was driven to numerous overall and class victories by Jack McAfee, George Keck and Jack Graham.

Jack Graham comprehensively damaged the car on the October 22nd 1960 when he locked his brakes at Laguna Seca and came to rest against an oak tree. After surviving serious injuries Jack retired from racing.

Bob Gengami had the car repaired and raced it in 1962 selling it on to Bob Allen who advertised #0754 TR as ‘freshly overhauled’ in 1964 when David Love acquired it.

David described the car he purchased as ‘completely unusable’ and after unsuccessfully suing the vendor began the slow process of restoration to the condition in which we see the car here. Along the way David raced the car from 1965 to 1968 and since 1974 he has raced #0754 in historic events.

The 250 TR is generally accepted as one of the two most desirable Ferrari’s amongst auctioneers, behind the 250 GTO, a 1957 250 TR was sold for US$ 12,100,000 in May 2009.

Thanking Geoffrey for sharing this sumptuous photograph, more details and photographs on the history of #0754 TR can be found on Tams old race car site here.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Scaglietti pontoon edition of Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres and that you’ll join me again tomorrow when I’ll be celebrating the life of one of this blogs earliest contributors Mr Edwin Arnaudin. Don’t forget to come back now !

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