J Stallings Ferrari agent in Phoenix, 1962 | FerrariChat

J Stallings Ferrari agent in Phoenix, 1962

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Superfast, Mar 5, 2010.

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  1. Superfast

    Superfast Rookie

    Mar 5, 2010
    3
    Anyone remember a Ferrari dealer in the 1950s/1960s from Phoenix called J Stallings, or know anything about him?

    I know he bought a 1962 400SA Pf Cab, 3309, new and competed at Bonneville that year, also the Jerome Hillclimb in AZ.
     
  2. shaughnessy

    shaughnessy Formula 3

    Apr 1, 2004
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  3. technom3

    technom3 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 29, 2007
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    I know this is probably redundant... but is that the coverage of the Jerome hill climb? Just curious because I llive here and the drive to Jerome is absolutely fantastic and always thought it would be a great rally stage... I am going to have to do some looking into it! If anyone has anything handy let me know!
     
  4. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
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    Such indignity to the 400SA...
     
  5. Cornbread

    Cornbread Formula Junior

    Mar 21, 2009
    590
    Bham/Maple Valley WA
    I don't see driving a Ferrari as fast as it can an indignity. They were made to drive.....
     
  6. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
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    The tongue-in-cheek part overlooked is the notion that this car was to Ferrari what the Lincoln Town Car was to Ford.
     
  7. Cornbread

    Cornbread Formula Junior

    Mar 21, 2009
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    Indeed. :D
     
  8. Superfast

    Superfast Rookie

    Mar 5, 2010
    3
    Thanks for the pictures Tom.

    The second one mentions Gus Stallings' Gullwing, which I heard he used to drag race as well.

    I think the Jerome Hillclimb ran for the first time in 1959 and I know Stallings ran SA3309 there in 1962, but don't know how long it lasted after that.
     
  9. maserich

    maserich Karting

    Mar 13, 2008
    169
    Gus Stallings started Phoenix Motors(?), the Mercedes dealership here in Phoenix.
    He used to race people on Central Ave. in his cars, which included Gullwings and Ferraris.
    He was at Bonneville for several years in Ferraris and Gullwings (at least).
    A friend used to see a California in his driveway back in the early '60s when he walked to school.
    Rich
     
  10. Superfast

    Superfast Rookie

    Mar 5, 2010
    3
    I don't suppose your friend remembers SA 3309, which was metallic red then with an ivory interior and hardtop. With its covered headlamps could he have even mistaken this car for a Cal Spider?
     
  11. maserich

    maserich Karting

    Mar 13, 2008
    169
    My freind brought Gus Stallings up by telling me about a great looking Ferrari he used to pass on the way to school in the early '60s. Stallings saw him looking at it and invited him to sit in it. The reason he remembers it was the name California, which he thought was so peculiar for a Ferrari. He is not a Ferrari guy, but has some great old cars, including a 289 Cobra that he bought in 1971 and still has. I had never told him that I had a California here 10 years after that, he was just telling car stories.
    In '60 or '61 Stallings ran what they described as a Farina Spyder at Bonneville, which was possibly the California. Maybe he had a Farina Spyder also. Anybody Know?
    Rich
     
  12. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
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    Car & Driver, December 1961:

    J.A. "Gus" Stallings was back for his third year. Gus, a dedicated follower of C/D, is a semi-retired Phoenix, Arizona automobile dealer who, though rich in years, stays exuberantly youthful thanks to straight-away racing and a charming, equally enthusiastic wife. In '59 he drove his '57 300SL to the D Sports Racing class record of 143.769. Due mainly to the Salt's superior traction this year he reaised that record to 144.839 mph with the same car.

    In '59 and '60 Stallings also drove a 4.9 Ferrari with which he clocked a one-way 154.90. This year he gave the 4.9 back to Luigi Chinetti in exchange for a new 3-liter cabriolet with which he set the AHRA quarter mile C Sports record of 96.15 mph in 14.69 seconds. According to the factory manual the new Ferrari's 28 percent overdrive - with 3.10 axle gears - should propel it to a top speed of 162 mph. Stallings was sorely disappointed by having to prove, in the crucible of speed, that this was far more gear than the high-revving engine would pull. His best speed with this machine was 124.82mph.

    Stalling's experience was confirmed by John Douglas of Salt Lake City who had his hopes set on topping 150mph with his 250/GT Ferrari. The engine had been modified, Douglas was pulling 3.64 gears and was prepared to go lower. But he could only wring 124.65 from the V12 before water began streaming from one of its tail pipes. He was "impressed by the slowness" of his and Stallings's Maranello mounts.
     
  13. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #13 Miltonian, Mar 20, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    This is 3309SA at Bonneville in 1962. Picture from R&T, November 1962, photo credit to Dean Batchelor. Sorry about the page fold.

    That was probably just about the most expensive car in the world at that time, pretty gutsy to take it to Bonneville and push it 100%.

    Edit: According to the 1962 World Car Catalog, the Ferrari 400 SuperAmerica Convertible, at $15,323, WAS the most expensive car in the world with the exception of Rolls-Royce and Bentley models.
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  14. MStallings

    MStallings Rookie

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  15. GIOTTO

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    #15 GIOTTO, May 2, 2016
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  16. Kram

    Kram Formula Junior

    Jul 3, 2004
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    This comes a few years late, but I'm a bit slow at the keyboard...

    I think Gus Stallings ran PF II Cab No: 2041GT on the flats in '61, not a California, and here is why:

    In 1959 and 1960 he ran 3309SA which had covered headlights and the 4.9 litre motor. He sent it back east and bought a PF Cab that also had special-order covered headlights, taking delivery on October 27th 1960 when the car was flown to L.A from N.Y. (I have the original Ferrari bill to Chinetti for the car, with an extra charge for the headlight covers, as well as the subsequent air freight bill from American Airlines for delivering the car to Stallings).
    The Car & Driver article says that in '61 he was driving a new 3 litre Cabriolet which he had already used to set the AHRA quarter mile C Sports record if 96.15 mph in 14.69 seconds - so he had been hammering the vehicle for a bit.
    When I first looked over 2041GT in October 1979 it had modifications behind the seat to take a roll bar. Who would have done that? I guess Gus Stallings. If you look at a 1960 speed week picture of him driving 3309SA, he has installed a chrome roll bar.
    The PF Cab II sort-of looks like a California, as you can see in the picture. Mind you, I'm not saying that Gus Stallings didn't have a California on his driveway, but I am saying that at some time he did have 2041GT.
     

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