Ferrari on their website say that despite Bizzarrini stating in interviews that he was given on old Boano to base the prototype GTO on, internal records show that he was actually given 250 GT SWB #1791GT to base it on.
Chassis #0532 is a 121 LM Spider Scaglietti. No relation to a 250 Boano or a 250 GTO or prototype. It lives in Austria. Marcel Massini
Chassis 3223 GT at the Ferrari annual pre-season press conference on February 24 1962. You can see the particular details mentioned before... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sorry I inverted the digits I meant 0523, and I could not edit the 1st post because of this damn time limit thing!
No. This is NOT 1791 GT. Your photo of #118 at the 1963 Targa Florio shows 250 GT SWB Berlinetta chassis #1807 GT of Francesco De Leonibus. Marcel Massini
This is 250 GT SWB Berlinetta chassis #1791 GT on September 4, 1960, after Elio Lenza's crash at Coppa Sila. I have the Italian road registration documents confirming the serial number. The car then went to the next owner in Catania, Sicily, who raced it until at least June 1964. Photo #1 shows the chassis number stamping on the frame. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Are you sure Marcel? Everywhere I've looked for the 1963 Targa Florio, entry #118 is Vito Coco - Salvatore Calascibetta, retired on the 2nd lap because of an accident. http://www.targapedia.com/targa-florio/1960s/targa-florio-1963?start=5 De Leonibus did not race that year... Entry De Leo refers to Carlo de Leo who raced car #88, a Lancia Aurelia. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Very sure. The 250 SWB in your 1963 Targa Florio photo (post #282) has Italian license plates "MO 56970". This license plate is the first one on 1807 GT when owned by Wolfgang Seidel. I have the Italian road registration paperwork for this car. Seidel sold 1807 GT on 14 June 1962 to the second owner Francesco De Leonibus, born in Acqui Terme (Province of Alessandria) on the 1st November 1933, resident at Corso Massimo D'Azeglio 76 in Torino. De Leonibus, between 14 June 1962 and 28 May 1963, used 1807 GT on Modena license plates "MO 56970". Then on 28 May 1963 he (De Leonibus) had 1807 GT re-registered on Italian license plates of Torino "TO 537997". Back then it was normal practice that an owner, shortly before he re-sold the car, finally had a car re-registered on his home address and fitted with new plates. De Leonibus sold 1807 GT on the 11th June 1963 to the third owner Piero Maria Pennisi, born in Messina on 7 December 1932, resident at Via Diana 56 in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia (Catania). Francesco De Leonibus is not the same as Carlo de Leo. De Leonibus OWNED 1807 GT but I didn't say that it was actually HIM who raced it in the 1963 Targa Florio on race #118. Marcel Massini
Thank you for the clarification Marcel. Would you have an idea what has become of the GTO prototype? Could it be 2053GT or even the 1st GTO 3223GT? This car, if it still exists, would have significant importance and I'm surprised there is not much published research about it... Regards.
Thank you ferrarip4 for putting together those images; that is exactly the Ferrari I was thinking of! First and last cars of a series are always a bit special...
Certainly an amazing level of detail there Marcel. Thank you for confirming so much of the small detail facts to. You can certainly understand how there would be rabid interest in the fate of a prototype considering the level of interest for the production versions... Was *2053GT* the crashed car Mr Swaters kept in the basement?
I believe it was... Pics from the crash at the 500km de Spa in 1964 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here's 2053 with its Passo Corto shape at La Coupe de Bruxelles Driven by Léon Deunier "Beurlys" on April 15, 1962. Then here's 2053 a year after in May 1963 at the 500km de Spa, with the new Drogo body. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Wow you have some great images at the ready! Not really attractive modified in that way though the see through hood scoop (bubble) is a neat feature. I wonder if the Drogo body got better aero numbers than stock? Maybe it gave the driver too much confidence...
Arrgghh... Again... Piero Drogo and his panel beaters were absolute masters. And I cannot understand why so many Drogo bodies are thrown away and replaced with replica bodies.
Drogo has indeed made beautiful bodies... One I particularly like is the rebody of 3445GT by drogo with this 64-esque shape. That body went on to GTE chassis 2423GT... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Correction, the drogo body went with engine of 2423GT, not chassis I believe... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Back to the GTO. Here's a beautiful pic of Écurie Francorchamps 4293GT driven by Willy Mairesse and winner of the 1963 Spa 500km... Image Unavailable, Please Login
many GTO's have had a hard life... 3647GT driven by Tommy Hitchcock at the 1963 Goodwood Tourist Trophy on August 24, then the big crash happened... Hitchcock flipped over the same car 3 months before at the Nürburgring 1000km (last pic)! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The unicorn of all GTO's: the 4-litre 330 GTO. Here's 3765SA at the 1962 24h du Mans, driven by Lorenzo Bandini and Mike Parkes. Unfortunately this car had to retire after 6 hours because of an overheating engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login