David Piper restores the Talacrest P4

Yes, when you know what the differences are between the P3 and a P4, of which there are many in the bodywork, it's easy to tell one from the other. They do seem to be of the same design apart from a vent (?) on the top of the nose on the rhs above the radiator of P3/4 0846 but is the 412P nose the same as P3/4?

 

I'd say 0846 HAD a P3 nose when it was a P3 obviously but had a 412 P type nose when upgraded to P3/4 by the factory in 1967 and has a 412 P type nose in your resurrection and reconfiguration to correct form as P3/4(???)

 

Today 0846 has a P 3/4 nose as raced at Daytona in 1967. It's different from 0854's 412P nose as raced at Brands Hatch.

 

Differences?

 

The rounded top of the nose is all P3 and #0846 looks right now as run at Daytona in 1967. They mainly changed the headlight buckets for 1967 on #0846 but left most of the P3 shape. You did a pretty good job on your car. This #0854 nose is flatter on the top like the other new late 1966 and 1967 412P and P4 bodies. I think some old 1966 photos might distort the shape due to the lens the photographer used. Also the #0846 nose it seems was slightly modified in 1966 as the season went on. It still was more rounded on top than the newer 412P's and P4's.

 

Correct. Over time 0846's cockpit defogging inlet at the side of the radiator outlet was lengthened and modified. 0854 has a heated windshield defogging system that draws air from the radiator rather from a duct like the one on 0846 and that effects the shape of the nose.
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Thank you for the explanation and education.

It doesn't take long to identify which posters actually know what they are talking about.

 

0846 P 3/4 defogging inlet (Not heated)
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P4
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0858 now in Berlinetta form as informed by FChat member Terra. Looking great as it did at Le Mans 1967. Pictures taken by Athanase at Retromobile where the car is being displayed.
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^^^ Does anyone know who converted it to a Berlinetta?

 

I would hazard a guess the Talacrest photo feeds etc were time delayed all along to some extent, and once the deal was sorted with the new owner it was then configured to their preferred specification before actual delivery.

Well it has certainly put a cat amongst the pigeons now in its latest guise

 

According to Franco Meiners who's displaying the car, he arranged post delivery from Talacrest for it to be done in Berlinetta configuration. He claims the front and rear bodywork originate from the period.

 

ohboy, here we go . ..

 

So the new owner pulled off the Piper-fabricated front and rear bodywork and replaced it with in-period sheetmetal, then fabricated a new roof? Please let it be hand hammered!

 

which car did this "in period bodywork" come from?

 

Jesus, it keeps getting more and more complicated....

 

CanAm body used for this?

 

god I hope not.

 

+1 million

 

How and why would they use the Can Am bodywork to do this?

 

Back then a P4 was chopped to make a CanAM, now a CanAm chopped to make a P4 + new middle body sections?! Just guessing.

 

Web page on "330" P4 at 2014 Retromobile: The legendary Ferrari 330 P4 at Rétromobile - Welcome on Retromobile, the french vintage and classic cars exhibition web site!

 

I applaud the effort to recreate the 1967 Le Mans specs. After all this was it's greatest success of all and is the best single way to remember the car.The "in period bodywork" I agree needs clarification. More pictures and on site examination by the experts will tell more.What is apparent from these three pictures to me are three issues. The shape of the side door windows which also don't appear to have sliding opening panel, the shape of the roof line which may have to do with the shape of the windshield and the bottom of the curve at the back of the rear wheel arch. More and better pictures may help with this but I am sure there will be much more said about these and other issues in the near future. So much to look forward to. tongascrew

 

Am I mistaken that 0858's Can Am body was made from fiberglass?

Unless you are saying this new incarnation, if using the 350 can am body (Which I doubt) is fiberglass?

In any case butchering 0858's Can Am body would be beyond bad taste. The only redeeming quality of this conversion was that the genuine body was not harmed. I can't see them doing this just to have original panels. And if they were modified to do this they could no longer be called original IMO.

I really doubt this is the case.