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#5
11-25-2005, 12:19 PM
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I found a little "blurb" in C&D, April 1963:
"Count Giovanni Volpi, understandably upset by the death of his friend Ricardo Rodriguez, was quoted as saying he was through with racing. As Volpi is vice president of the new Serenissima F1 and GT projects, this announcement caused quite a stir. As the dust settled and the Serenissima president, Giorgio Billi, was clarifying the situation, our correspondent Pete Coltrin talked to Romolo Tavoni about it. What it boils down to is that Volpi was speaking as head of Scuderia SSS Repubblica di Venezia - the racing branch of ATS Serenissima - which will be disbanded as soon as the projects for Serenissima F1 and GT cars begin to materialize. The construction of the factory at Sasso Marconi near Bologna is going ahead as planned. The prototype F1 car is said to be ready for testing. Jack Fairman has been signed as test driver." So MAYBE the SSS could mean Scuderia Serenissima Sasso? The F1 car was raced (with dismal results) as the ATS, with driver Phil Hill. 
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#6
11-25-2005, 01:42 PM
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Quote:
It was SSR not SSS and SSR means Scuderia Serenissima Repubblica (di Venezia). At the beginning of the 1960s the Scuderia Serenissima, headed by Count Volpi, developed intense activities in international motor racing by entering Ferraris and Maseratis. Soon a co-operation was started with ATS, the company of Sasso Marconi, which produced cars from 1962 until 1965 and whose founder was Volpi. A contract said, that the Scuderia Serenissima would handle the racing activities of ATS, but for various reasons Count Volpi stopped the collaboration. In June 1965, together with Valerio Berghinz and some technicians, Count Volpi founded in Formigine (Province of Modena) the Serenissima Automobile company. Production started in August 1966 and concentrated on grand touring and competition cars. The first car manufactured was a sleek rear-engined Berlinetta called the "Jungla GT". It was fitted with a tubular chassis frame and an alloy body, and equipped with a 3.5 liter V8-engine. Responsible for this project was engineer Massimino, who was able to produce an output of 350 hp. This car actually based on various prototypes of the year 1963. The engine capacity originally had been of 3 liters and the block caracteristics were practically identical of the ATS engine. A few of the Jungla GTs were produced. In 1969 a new model, called the Agena GT, followed but only one prototype was built and this car was never really manufactured. A single-seater for Formula Libre races was also constructed with a chassis by Alf Francis and engine by Serenissima. There was also the McLaren-Serenissima Formula One car with a 3-liter Serenissima engine. It never achieved any race results. In 1970 the company stopped all activities. Below a photo of the Serenissima sticker on 0792 and another Serenissima sticker on a Serenissima car. Marcel Massini Last edited by Marcel Massini; 11-25-2005 at 01:49 PM.
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#7
11-25-2005, 04:06 PM
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Response from Count Volpi
Count Volpi gave his permission to share this response:
25 11 05 Gary, I hope the 'little idea' is not political. SSS are the three S in the word Serenissima which , in turn, comes from Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia known through the centuries as 'La Serenissima'. Due both to racing engagements and to my see-to-believe-it attitude in that instance, the change of name was a deal made with the newborn ATS which was supposed to change its name to Serenissima after one year. This never happend because no one got along at ATS and I sold out and hightailed after about 8 months with General Manager Girolamo Gardini, Romolo Tavoni, and others, but after Giotto Bizzarrini who could not vouch and accept the errors Carlo Chiti was making against his correct advice. As for myself, I could not get along with the other partners who could not tell the fornt end of a car from its rear end. The result is known to all. I never saw a finished ATS whether F-1 ot GT. Never drove one later. I hope this clears some misunderstandings about ATS et al. Giovanni ------------------------------------ Count Volpi also commented in general about the previous posts saying there is much confusion and incorrect information regarding this matter. Gary Last edited by CDM; 11-25-2005 at 04:16 PM.
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#8
11-25-2005, 05:34 PM
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Additional Information from Count Giovanni Volpi
Gary,
please put this P.S. on line: I only had 20% of ATS as I came in last quite later than the others. When the atposphere became untenable I was offered to buy the partners or sell. They were convinced I could not resist having a car called Serenissima. To their dismay I sold to them. Maybe I was VP of ATS, can't remember. Later, I fully owned Automobili Serenissima. There was no president or VP. President of what? Five guys? Never had a partner of a sponsor. Just free Amoco gas at times and cheaper tires. The V8 engine came from a sheet of white paper and was designed by Alberto Massimino. Same for the gearbox. Any look at the engine or inside it shows it has no whatsoever resemblance with ATS. It was never meant to be a racing motor; it was 30% simpler than the Ferrari engine, and not because it had 4 cylinders less. Formigine was a later period when Alf Francis came in. Chiti made several mistakes at ATS with the F-1. It seems the GT was ok. Truth was they should not have gone into F-1. Too much to digest in too little time for a start-up but Chiti was still heady about the '61 season. Ferrari, instead, knew his own cars would be crawling in '62 and they did. The GT was supposed to replace the Lancia B-20, and be more affordable than a Ferrari besides being the first mid-engine production car, which the LM was not. It drowned n the F-1 program. The GT had one drawback: it was ugly. Awkward styling. If the plan had been properly conducted Lamborghini would have never existed. By the way, Bizzarrini designed Lamborghini's first V12. After I turned it down as I still didn't feel like constructing right after ATS. Chiti made all his mistakes at ATS, learned from them because after all he was brilliant but insecure and corridor power scheming. When he went back to Alfa Romeo after ATS, the Alfa 33 did well immediately. I strongly suspect it had an engine closely resembling the ATS's with the bugs removed. It did have the same designer! Best, Giovanni
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#9
11-25-2005, 06:13 PM
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More interesting information from Count Givoanni Volpi
To Gary,
PPSS I closed the team after Henri Oreiller died. He was a kind simple older mountaineer who had saved money to buy a GTO. A former ski champion who tried to make a living. His death struck me as senseless martyrdom. Ricardo Rodriguez died, like Behra and maybe Collins and Musso, trying to prove himself, on Walker's Lotus, to Ferrari who had left him on the bench, in Modena, for almost all of 1961 in F-1. For that Ferrari is guilty. He was a fantastic kid but only a kid. His last words, in tears, at Mexico City's track in Alf Francis' arms were "I don't want to die." I must say that I was always appalled by Rodriguez's parents. They were in the pits at the enduraance races telling separately to their sons that the other brother was faster, to make them go faster. Good work, they lost both! At the end of the day Ferrari team drivers risk a lot more outside of the cockpit than in it. Be it a warning to Valentino Rossi. I admire him for saying straight that rallyes are the real thing now, rather than F-1. So I closed the team because I realized that an amateur has no business being in racing giving drivers a chance to die. At Monza, in 1961, after (Count Wolfgang) von Trips' death, I retired 3 F-1s from the race. There is a limit to everything beyond which it could be sinful to go. The only person who approved that day was Trintignant's wife. Thank God, in five years I never had a fatal accident. G. (Count Giovanni Volpi)
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#10
11-25-2005, 07:56 PM
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Gary...
i think it's awesome that you and the Count shoot the sh!t... The stories must be amazing...
__________________
Oh, yeah, one more question - what's the serial number?
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#11
11-25-2005, 09:23 PM
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NNO, yes, it is an honor to speak with a major Ferrari race team owner
from the sixties. Incidentally, he prepared all of the above posts, at my urging, to be posted on this site. I told him people were very interested in this era.
I hope people will jump in with their comments. I think if Count Volpi sees there is an interest in his posts, he will be inclined to share more. No one likes to take the effort to present information, especially when it is your third language (after Italian and French) and see it ignored. So, I personally invite board members to post opinions or questions about the above or anything from the 1960-65 race era, in hopes that GV will respond. I mean, how many guys do we know that went face to face with Enzo and Fangio in the flesh. How many guys owned over a half dozen 250 SWB and half dozen 250 GTO, plus a few Formula One cars and not as concours cars but in competition with the greatest drivers of the times. BTW, if you ask GV: did he own VIN # ????, he won't remember because he doesn't recollect his old cars that way. Ask him how much he got for the Breadvan, those 250 SWB or 250 GTO when he sold them. He may just tell you. Enough fascinating stuff there for two books if we can encourage him to share it. Last edited by CDM; 11-25-2005 at 09:33 PM. Reason: add photos
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#12
11-25-2005, 09:54 PM
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Quote:
i would love to know as much about 2819 GT as possible... Every single detail... (did the Count ever own 2819 GT...?  ) But i would be interested in just about anything he's got to say... Maybe we can start with why he's never written a book - and if he has, what's it called and where can i find it...?
__________________
Oh, yeah, one more question - what's the serial number?
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#14
11-26-2005, 09:01 AM
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the lifes and characters of the participants, and the personal stories of those people are what make me really interested in vintage cars.
Sure, the cars are great, full of passion and wonderfull to look at and drive (i think..) But it's the people that made them interesting that day, and they still are today. Main reason why vintage cars catch such amazing prices these days, i think thanks for sharing a wonderfull insight to this era, i'd love to hear more
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#15
11-26-2005, 10:08 AM
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My late stepmother was previously married to a pretty good amateur Ferrari GT driver of the late 50s. She said that the Rodriguez brothers were absolutely hectored by their parents just as you have reported. She also said that they were incredibly nice and polite young men.
Wonderful to read these stories here.
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#16
11-26-2005, 02:16 PM
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Rodriguez Brothers
Quote:
1962 Le Mans Ferrari 246SP #28 SN0796
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#17
11-27-2005, 09:25 AM
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Quote:
She was a stunningly beautiful woman married to a nice man who had the wherewithal to race what he wanted and thus she knew all of the drivers of the late 50s. Her then-husband ran a TdF at Sebring, LeMans, etc. and at most of the US tracks. A pic of the TdF at Elkhart Lake was in one of the magazines recently, they got his first name wrong though. She was a particular fan of von Trips and Joakim Bonnier, saying that they were true gentlemen and interesting far beyond cars, but she had a particular fondness for Richie Ginther because of his intelligence. I used to love to listen to her stories.
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#18
11-27-2005, 11:10 AM
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Dear Count Giovanni Volpi
Thank you for your stories and passion! They mean a lot to us. Best
__________________
Not putting miles on your Ferrari is like not having sex with your Girl Friend so she'll be more desirable to her next Boy Friend. http://www.glickenhaus.com/index.html
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#19
11-27-2005, 12:48 PM
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For Eric330
Any chance this is your late stepmother? (photo taken 1961 Gran Prix of Germany/Nurburgring) This is Jill Norinder, daughter of an American film producer who was married to Ulf Norinder of Sweden who raced many cars including F1 Porsche. I'm on the right, age 25 in my Skyblazer airshow uniform.
Below is Joe Bonnier in 1962 and Count Wolfgang Berghe von Trips (Taffy) in a shark nose 1961 Ferrari. Taffy was killed at Monza in Sept '61 in a dice with Jimmy Clark's Lotus. I think he was leading Phil Hill 33 points to 31 points starting that race. Hill went on to win the Championship. Joe and Taffy both had flair that shames our current male movie stars. They wore Izod polo shirts before the masses got on to them. Joe wore a trench coat before the whole world wore them and Taffy had this stylish Brit "Robin Hood" cap. They were both elegant gentlemen. Taffy's personal Ferrari was a 1961 250 PF Cab, British Racing green with red interior, which I drove at his castle home in Horam (?). We also raced go-karts around his front circular gravel drive. All of these photos were taken by Count Volpi. Last edited by CDM; 11-27-2005 at 12:49 PM.
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#20
11-27-2005, 06:50 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
Pete
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