Can anyone help me follow history of this Tour de France from 1958 through 1968?
It started life as a Scuderia Ferrari car. It seems the car sometimes was used as a testmule using a Testa Rossa prototype engine (Pourret). Therefor the car on the nose had a small door for access to the radiator cap. Tom, could you perhaps elaborate on the cloudy history of the car?
Thanks for your responses. The car came into the US in 1968 to my father J Fischer. He purchased it from Tom Meade in Milan. Mr. Meade was unable to provide any prior ownership history. Mr. Pourret did remember the car well and forwarded a photo made about the Tour de France race event 1957. Any help to chronicle ownership - especially photographs - in those 10 years will fill the missing link.
Hi TdF It could help to know the Italian registration nr. the car might have had when it came from Italy. Thanks.
Could you tell us how the car is today? Is it still original and/or restored? Do you perhaps have any recent photos to share? This car being a important historic Ferrari there is hardly any public information on the car since 50 years.
This is 0733GT at the Trophée Auvergne 27 July 1958 with Trintignant finishing second. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thank you for the photo! I rechecked the shipping records to learn that my father had purchased the car from Tom Meade and it was shipped to US in 1971. It was in good condition and was driven sparingly for little more than one year. It was placed in storage winter of 1972 and remained until I initiated restoration about 3 years ago. As you have seen in books by Bertschi and Iacone, Pourret and others the car had suffered many racing mishaps. Nonetheless, it remains original - body, engine, gearbox and drivetrain. I should have preliminary reassembly photos available by early summer. About the registration, it entered the US with none. I have only the published photo made during the 1957 Tour de France showing a plate BO 84716. Originally delivered to Tritignant just before the start of the race, Picard crashed it at the Turbie Hill while testing it at night. It was "repaired" in Mr. Marchi's garage in time to start the tour. M. Tritignant tested it also on the seaside promenade at over 150 mph. He reported the handling to be atrocious. It was returned to SEFAC at the end of the 1957 tour and was rebuilt and again in September 1958. Mr. Pourret mentioned it was raced with lightened brakes and gearbox. We found the brakes to be such and a lightening feature in the gearbox - a magnesium oilpump. I am hoping someone has information of ownership of the car in the 1960's.
Did you ever hear 0733GT was bought by Shell oil company, the official Tour sponsor, from Ferrari to let Trintignant race in the Tour of 1957. A few months later Trintignant was the next owner of the car.
Yes, some time ago, in confidence, that information was relayed to me. Was Trintignant the actual owner of the car after the 1957 Tour? For how long?
I am having a hard time convincing my wife that the nickname "Petoulet" was a term of endearment. Won't you share it's origin with us so I can be more convincing? I am not averse to using such words as brave, fearless, charging and determined when referring to a racer with no protection such as cages and restraint belts. But I am challenged by trying to include descriptions of excrement (origin specific) in a breakfast conversation when the menu includes raisin muffins.
I looked on 'Dicoplus' and got: Définition du mot PETOULET Nom m Populairement postérieur, derrière Nothing like so bad.....
Maurice Trintignan owned a Bugatti 35 GP , and during the war hid in a barn covering of hay . After the war there was a race in Paris the "Coupe de la Liberation", one of the first post-war races . Trintignan arrived with his Bugatti, but withdrew. Wimille won the race , and after the race went by Maurice and asked: "What happened?". And Maurice "It is petoulet" Petoulet means excrement mouse. The rats droppings were finished in the tank during the barn storage , flooding carburettors. Since then was called Petoulet. This is the true story as Rob Walker told.
Well, almost that. In the south of France (Vergèze, near Nîmes), where Trintignant was from, "les pétoules" is a dialect for pidgeon excrements. So when Wimille was answered "C'est les pétoules" (It's les pétoules), as he was from the North and probably didn't understand that dialect (Like Rob Walker), he nicknamed Trintignant with the funny name of "Le Pétoulet" (the little man with the pétoules).
No need for that. Actually, I'm glad you brought that up. It's another bit of history and not one just anyone can fall into. Thanks!
Trintignant being by then the best French driver with Jean Behra, this is quite possible. In fact, in the Ferrari archives, 0733 is reported as sold to "Maurice Trintignant, Modena" but it is also possible that the car sold to Trintignant was paid by Shell. In part or in full.
My old S/N book shows Trintignant, Tom Meade, and J. Fisher (Fischer?) in the chain. Car was completed 8-23-57. Referenced in Club Ferrari France mag. # 17, 1983. Also shown page 54, "Cabriolets".
Sorry I can't easily provide a past photo. Perhaps when I undertake a search through my father's slide collection. Howehttp://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=876423&stc=1&d=1233107194ver, here is a more recent picture of prep work. Image Unavailable, Please Login
These are the records I have found on this car. 9/57 Tour de France- badge#169 - 2nd place 1/58 Sports car Champ.- 1000 km Buenos Aires- badge#10 8th place 7/58 3h Trophee d' Auvergne - badge #88 2nd place ?/58 Coupe de Vitesse- badge#? 1st place There is a picture and caption with this car running badge#10 I just cant get it to upload. live close to the shop where it is being restored, I was there today and the body and paint look great.
Trintignant is one of my favorite drivers of this period. Like Phil Hill he always drove within himself and had a remarkable career.Amongst other achievements I believe he was the first driver to win a Grand Prix in a mid engined car. Look into his career. You will be impressed. just one man's opinion tongascrew
Well this wonderful TDF is finished and was at Road America today during the Brian Redman Historical races. This is the first time it has been out in public in many years. The owner was kind enough to let me photograph the engine. I hope he does not mind me posting these photos. Thanks for bringing it to the historics. Tom Tanner/Ferrari Expo 2013-Chicago March 2013 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login