Maserati 250 F s/n 2521 wears the colors of the Monaco principality. This car, driven by the local André Testut, failed to qualify at the 1958 Monaco GP.
Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt
1958 250 F s/n 2534 is called “Piccolo” because it was shorter and lighter than the 1957 versions.
One of the few Fiat 8V bodied by Vignale after a Michelotti design (s/n 046).
1980 Ferrari 512 BB LM s/n 34445.
This Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione (s/n 9079) took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1967, 68 and 1969 under the Scuderia Filipinetti banner.
The unique 1966 Lamborghini Flying Star II is one of the last realizations of Touring. It has been recently restored.
Ferrari 340/375 MM s/n 0320 AM will be the star of the Villa d’Este.
1948 Cisitalia 202 SC by Stabilimenti Farina (s/n 072 SC).
based on the Fiat 1100 (chassis+engine) is this elegant berlinetta bodied by Bertone and tuned by Stanguellini to take part in the Gran Turismo races in Italy.
Cisitalia 202 Nuvolari Spyder s/n 037 may have belonged to Fangio. Found in Brazil 40 years ago but never restored.
just after WWII, many craftsmen built their own motorcar to compete in the Mille Miglia and other Italian races. Most of these cars were powered by the Fiat 1100cc engine, like this 1947 Stanguellini.
This unusual-looking Abarth is the combination of an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider platform with an aerodynamic body from German designer Colani and a 1300 cc engine tuned by Abarth.
I paid $ 4500.00 to Roy Beherens all those years ago for o320 AM. I remeber when she arrived from Los Angeles in front of my shop on San Pablo in Berkeley Ca.I had bought her sight unseen …only photographs.
A hairpin valve spring had broken but when I took her apart there was no damage because the valve hadn’t broken but remained stuck in the guide. The engine had a 340 crankshaft. The 375 GP unit had obviously had problems. I believe it is still like this today. Still plenty of grunt . It had 320 hp on my brake as a 340 4.1 liter.
Some years went by before I finished her and finally got to try out what I had purchased.
What a beast and what a wonderful noise…. an Allison on 4 wheels. Unfortunately it still had the Le Mans gearing so top gear was useless.
I imagine this hasn’t been changed. The subsequent owners have never really driven her much. Too bad.
When Bob Sutherland called me one day and said her wanted to buy her I succumbed mainly because it wasn’t a very good racing car with 4 barrel Weber carbs that stopped working in the turns, horrible handling, and a cockpit temperature like a summer day in the Sahara. My wife’s espadrilles stuck ( started to melt) to the floorboards when I took her for a ride. It wasn’t hard decision to agree to the sale. I felt the same some years later when I sold my 250 GTO to buy my 12 Cyl 250F. Passion for old racing cars is like this, for me at least.
After Bob bought it he was kind enough to let me race it for him at Riverside. It was a real missile on the long straight but really hopeless in the sweeping curves.
I really will never forget this car. It was spectacular especially to look at.
The present owner decided to change the body back to the 340 configuration. The scoops on the rear fenders were changed in shape and the nose altered to the form of a 250 MM which was correct for the car although the 375 shape was more pleasing to me.. The nose was already altered when I bought her due to a road accident…probably not enough braking!!!!! I had decided to leave this as it was during restoration.It was very attractive but probably wouldn’t pass Ferrari Classiche inspection which is so important these days even if it means NEW as opposed to original in period modification. When I last saw the car, then property of JCB, it was as I had purchased it. The most recent owner obviously liked the 340 configuration . It now matches the crankshaft….politically correct.
All the best from sunny Italy and thank you for your publication. It makes me remember some nifty times.
Stephen