-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
-
Latest Headlines: Moto-Racing
-
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Automotive Lifestyle
VINTAGE: Ferrari’s Big-Block V12 Racer
Two powerful five-liter 410 S Scaglietti Spyders were built, with Carroll Shelby competing in one and later labeling it the best Ferrari every built.
The Ferrari 410 S Scaglietti Spyder shown at Pebble Beach was raced with success in the 1950s by Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
While Ferrari is best known for relatively small, free-revving V12s, the Italian manufacturer also fielded race cars during the 1950s with much bigger engines.
Among them is this 410 S Scaglietti Spyder, which was built specifically for the 1955 Carrera Panamericana. When the grueling road-race was cancelled, the five-liter racers were sold to privateers. Among them was John Edgar, who fielded his ex-works car with considerable success for some of the era's greatest drivers, such as Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther.
Much later in his life, Shelby even signed the gas tank with the message: "Mr Ferrari told me this was the best Ferrari he ever built."
The second works car was sold to Sweden where it was only briefly campaigned. Compared to the other two examples, these ex-works cars stand out because of their twin-plug engines, which produced a hefty 380 horsepower.
In recent years we have captured both examples as can be seen in this 24-shot gallery showing the cars at Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este.
Within a few years of its founding, Ferrari had expanded its range of engines to various configurations and displacements. The original 1.5-liter V12 of 1949 was tiny compared with the 5-liter engines that powered the 1953 Le Mans winning 375 Plus.
This Pinin Farina-bodied 375 Plus sports racer was the result of a continuous development started in 1951 around the Lampredi-designed “long block” V12 engine. But the engine's displacement increase of almost 25 percent compared with its original four liters had put an additional strain on the engine and long chassis.
As a replacement for the big V12 sports cars, Ferrari used a new Lampredi-designed straight six-cylinder engine, but not before a final batch of four V12-powered cars were constructed.
Designed specifically for the great Carrera PanAmericana road race, the 410 S featured the largest Ferrari engine yet. It was a newly designed unit developed for the 410 Superamerica road cars and was better adapted to the large displacement. There were two versions of the engine available, a single-plug 340-horsepower engine fitted in the first two cars and a twin-plug 380-horsepower unit fitted in the two works cars.
One of the 375 series biggest problems was the chassis' instability, and this was solved for the 410 S by shortening the wheelbase to 2420 mm from the old car's 2600 mm. The rigidity was further increased by a number of additional tubes serving as cross braces throughout the chassis.
The engine could be mounted further back in the chassis by adopting the transaxle-type gearbox used in Ferrari’s four-cylinder racers. The suspension was carried over from previous models, but to cope with the higher speeds of the 410 S, bigger drum brakes were fitted all-round.
Among them is this 410 S Scaglietti Spyder, which was built specifically for the 1955 Carrera Panamericana. When the grueling road-race was cancelled, the five-liter racers were sold to privateers. Among them was John Edgar, who fielded his ex-works car with considerable success for some of the era's greatest drivers, such as Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther.
Much later in his life, Shelby even signed the gas tank with the message: "Mr Ferrari told me this was the best Ferrari he ever built."
The second works car was sold to Sweden where it was only briefly campaigned. Compared to the other two examples, these ex-works cars stand out because of their twin-plug engines, which produced a hefty 380 horsepower.
In recent years we have captured both examples as can be seen in this 24-shot gallery showing the cars at Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este.
Within a few years of its founding, Ferrari had expanded its range of engines to various configurations and displacements. The original 1.5-liter V12 of 1949 was tiny compared with the 5-liter engines that powered the 1953 Le Mans winning 375 Plus.
This Pinin Farina-bodied 375 Plus sports racer was the result of a continuous development started in 1951 around the Lampredi-designed “long block” V12 engine. But the engine's displacement increase of almost 25 percent compared with its original four liters had put an additional strain on the engine and long chassis.
As a replacement for the big V12 sports cars, Ferrari used a new Lampredi-designed straight six-cylinder engine, but not before a final batch of four V12-powered cars were constructed.
Designed specifically for the great Carrera PanAmericana road race, the 410 S featured the largest Ferrari engine yet. It was a newly designed unit developed for the 410 Superamerica road cars and was better adapted to the large displacement. There were two versions of the engine available, a single-plug 340-horsepower engine fitted in the first two cars and a twin-plug 380-horsepower unit fitted in the two works cars.
One of the 375 series biggest problems was the chassis' instability, and this was solved for the 410 S by shortening the wheelbase to 2420 mm from the old car's 2600 mm. The rigidity was further increased by a number of additional tubes serving as cross braces throughout the chassis.
The engine could be mounted further back in the chassis by adopting the transaxle-type gearbox used in Ferrari’s four-cylinder racers. The suspension was carried over from previous models, but to cope with the higher speeds of the 410 S, bigger drum brakes were fitted all-round.
Goodwood Festival Of Speed
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTOMOTIVE
-
GREEN: Porsche Adding All-Model Hybrids
Gas/electric plug-versions of its entire lineup – including… -
AUTOS: Porsche Boosts 918 Spyder Power
The upcoming supercar will produce 887 horsepower from its gas/electric… -
AUTOS: Acura NSX Details Revealed
The rebirth of the mid-engine sports car – now an all-wheel-drive… -
DRIVEN: Jaguar’s Many-Splendored XJ
The British luxury sedan comes in 10 different flavors, with plenty… -
AUTOS: Lamborghini Egoista Launched
The wild single-seat concept car is unveiled at the end of the epic… -
AUTOS: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Hot Pontiac G8
NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick helped his driver modify the 2009… -
VINTAGE: A Fast Historic Tour Of France
Vintage race and touring cars compete in the 22nd annual Tour de… - More News
