By Pete Vack
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
From the VeloceToday Archives, April 18, 2013
Thanks to our man Hugues Vanhoolandt, we are able to present these Gordini photos, listed by chassis number, for this article. They were taken at a variety of events from 2008 to 2013. And, thanks to VeloceToday contributor and author Roy Smith for his book Amédée Gordini, a True Racing Legend.
Before VeloceToday contributor Roy Smith wrote his comprehensive book on Gordini, the only source of in-depth information about the cars was Christian Huet’s amazing book, on the subject. Published in 1984 in French, Huet traced the history of Gordini, plus all known cars.
Huet’s task was made a bit easier because there were very few Gordinis ever built; every chassis was a race car so race events and photos provided a field for research. In 1957, when Amédée Gordini retired his cars from racing and went to work with Renault, he wisely sold many of the remaining Gordinis to museums throughout France. The largest recipients of were the Schlumpf brothers, who in 1960 came into the possession of 13 of the 32 post war Gordinis. Other cars were kept by their owners, hidden away until it became affordable to have them restored.
While at the very same time Ferrari blithely went about destroying his old racecars, the Gordinis enshrined in the museums ensured that his remarkable and beautiful jewels would never die, enhancing his own legacy and history. Since the 1990s, many of the ex-museum cars have come into the hands of those who wish to see them in action once more. Some 56 years after Gordini retired his cars, a few now appear at selected events such as the Monaco Historics and Goodwood. Few, if any, can be seen in the US, although in 2001 one did appear at the Monterey Historics.
Gordini’s cars were a unique combination; French, Italian, exquisite and fast. The rarity and successful race records plus drivers such as Behra and Fangio, make them as desirable as a mid-fifties classic could possibly be. Information, photos, specs, and tests were sparse and even less well known in the U.S. Fred Wacker was one of the few Americans who actively raced a Gordini, and he did so in Europe. Gordini brought cars to race in the Carrera Panamericana but the cars returned to France. For years, Gordinis remained mysterious and unknown, and since most were in museums, few ventured out to vintage race car events.
Gordini was supported heavily by the new Simca company prior to the war. This support continued after WWII and the cars were known as Simca Gordinis. Then came the disastrous 1951 Le Mans, when all four 1500cc Gordinis retired. It was too much for Simca’s M. Pigozzi; he pulled his financial support for Gordini and from that point on the cars were known only as Gordinis.
A note about chassis numbers and Types. Postwar, Gordini created an 1100cc formula car much like the Cisitalia D46. These were called T11s. Over the years most T11s were modified and upgraded to T15s which were, for the most part, 1490cc. T15s were often upgraded or changed to sports racers, such as 18s. Each had a unique chassis number, generally in order of initial construction; 02 GCs, 06 GS, 18GC, etc. The letter ‘s’ after the numbers or suffix would mean a sports model. Engines had Types as well, T15 at just under 1500cc being the most common. Almost all chassis had a “immatriculation” number, or license tag. It can get confusing and thankfully in this case there are only 32 chassis to track. We’ve asked Roy Smith to check our assumptions below and we thank him for his corrections. However, that does not guarantee that all of the below information is 100 % correct
Gordini Gallery
Chassis number 02GC
Number 15 is a monoposto, original chassis number 02GC, constructed in 1947. It was driven by Gordini himself at the Torino GP in 1946, before he decided to retire from racing. Maurice Trintignant also took part to some races in this particular car. Driven at Monaco in 2008 by Jean-Jacques Bailly (F).
02GC began life as an 1100 cc, but today has a DOHC Gordini head, bigger wheels and tires for the extra power. Almost all Gordinis were upgraded through the years.
The small secondary grille feeds an oil cooler.
Chassis number 06GC
Number 16 below was driven by Eric Leroy (F) at Monaco in 2008. This is a 1947 T15 which was rebodied a as sport in 1953 with a new chassis number, 39. It was at the Schlumpf for years and recently rebodied back to GP form. This one was a winner at the Isle of Man GP with Prince Bira of Siam. Then Maurice Trintignant took it to 4th in the Monaco GP of 1948. Later, as a sports car, it was driven by Gilberte Thirion and the late Annie Bousquet.
This is the classic early Gordini that gained many successes and helped build the Gordini name. Note the small grille and diminutive body.
During its stay at the Schlumpf, 06GC sported an attractive sports body.
Chassis number 17S
This one may not be correct, so we’ll tell you why we think it is 12GC/17S. Originally it was a T15 monoposto built in 1949 and driven by Trintignant at Lausanne in 1949. In September of 1952 it was transformed into a sports racer, with a chassis number 17S. From Huet’s book, we see that the only Gordini body with the large vent plus unique door design is on 17S. We can’t find any such license number via Huet though, so there is still some doubt.
17S was part of the Musée du Mans, and then the collection of Serge Pozzoli.
Gordini engines were built as four, six and eight cylinders; 17S was a six.
Chassis number 19GCS
19GCS was originally built in 1949 and was shown at the 1949 Paris Salon. It was always a sports car, always 19GCS, first left hand drive, then converted to right hand drive. In the 1970s it was rebodied as a single seater, but later converted back to the original body type as it appears today as owned by Eddie McGuire.
19GCS shows its new body. It is another car from the Serge Pozzoli collection.
The smooth lines of the Gordini barchetta are evident.
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Chassis number 20S
There were two coupes built, this one being the Fangio/Gonzales car that competed at Le Mans in 1950. It was almost a seamless life, and it is now owned by Huet and displayed at a number of events such as Goodwood. But while the barchettas were most attractive, the coupe is a bit chunky.
20S chunkiness is offset by its Fangio and Le Mans provenance.
20S was a T15S; it was entered in the 1950 Le Mans but retired.
Chassis 36S
Constructed in 1953, this 8-cylinder Gordini was driven by Jean Behra in the 1953 Tour de France, as an enveloped-bodied central-seater. It was modified in 1955 and became famous as the car Francois Sagan drove in 1956 for publicity. It is often referred to as the Type 24S instead of by its chassis number, 36S.
Brutal looking body was second on this chassis.
36S was equipped with a straight-eight, the ultimate Gordini engine, but met with little success.
Chassis 31
This is a T16, and perhaps the most famous Gordini of all. It was Gordini’s first truly competitive F1 car.
The car that could have been king; Simca, however, decided to pull the plug on Gordini just as the development of the T16 got underway.
The Formula One World Championship for 1952 was for 2 liter cars, and fell right into Gordini’s area of expertise. They beat the Ferrari team at Reims, but the great blue hope faded. This is a later engine with 2472cc for the 2.5 liter formula.
Roy’s book is still available, click here.
I visited the Schulmpf Museum about 15 years ago and it was good. I came back for a second visit last year and it was better. They’ve made it much more “visitor friendly” by including a restaurant and I loved the ability to drive one of the vintage cars on the small track. My wife drove the Ferrari 400 and I (because I had one way back when) chose to drive the Austin Healey 3000. Visiting the Schlumpf Museum is a must for any car nut.
Hey Pete, what a great article on Gordini cars. The history behind each car is a great read. There was a Gordini Simca F2 at last years Amelia Island Concours. The owner was a great guy, we were in the same class and he generously walked me thru the history. One cool fact was the aluminum that formed the under belly of the F2 was from a crashed WW II fighter. Great guy great car and great article.
I remember seeing Fangio’s 20S at a friend of my parent’s place. It actually looks even “cooler” up close. It was dubbed the “Aquarium”. Very fitting for such a great little car. I probably have some pictures of it lying around somewhere.
I remember wanting an R5 Gordini, as well as anything Gordini for that matter of fact.
Excellent article.
hey Howard b! how’s the Cooper barchetta these days? reminiscently yours. Toly Arutunoff
Hey Toly, UPF 440 what a great Cooper. I enjoyed your old car for many years, it was a lot of fun to drive. She is in England now, the owner is an avid vintage racer. He has installed a correct Bristol, I saw a photo her at the Goodwood Revival. He has even painted her Tom Kyffin Equipe Devine colors, pretty cool in my world. One last thing another of your old Coopers NTO 650 was recently added to my nephew Robert Adams 50’s race car collection. All the best