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VINTAGE: Superamerica Last Of Custom Ferraris
Coachbuilt touring car was designed by Pininfarina and powered by 340-horsepower V12 engine.
Wouter Melissen  | http://www.ultimatecarpage.com  |  Posted November 27, 2009   Pebble Beach, CA
This was the fifth 400 Superamerica Pinin Farina Cabriolet built, which was delivered new with open headlights and a hard-top. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
Catering to the world's most fortunate, Ferrari built the America and subsequent Superamerica models to special order throughout the 1950s. Except for the earliest examples, these luxurious Grand Tourers were clothed by Pinin Farina, and all of them were powered by the Aurelio Lampredi designed long-block V12 engine.

The last Lampredi-engine 410 Superamerica was completed in November 1959. Ferrari started the decade fresh with the 400 Superamerica launched in Brussels in January. Clothed by Pininfarina with an understated Cabriolet body, the Italian manufacturer's latest Grand Tourer sported an all-new chassis and engine.

The Superamerica for the first time used a derivative of the short-block V12 engine, designed by Gioacchino Colombo in 1946. It originally displaced just 1.5 liters but over the years had grown considerably. The four-liter Tipo 163 version used in the 400 Superamerica had a swept-volume almost three times the size of the original.

Fully restored and painted in a very striking yellow over blue colour-scheme, the Cabriolet was shown at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
The type number raised some questions as it did not relate to the unitary displacement (330 cc) as had become a Ferrari tradition. Ferrari did not release performance figures immediately and some even suggested that the unusual type number was an indication of the horsepower available.

Although Ferrari never explained the type name, the 400 was most likely a reference to the engine's overall displacement. Ferrari eventually stated the engine produced 340 horsepower, which probably was a tad too optimistic as well.

Like the engine, the chassis was also derived from the smaller 250 GT model. The biggest change was a wheelbase increase of just 20 mm (.79 inches) to create a little more interior space. The lineage of the chassis could also be traced back to those used for the earliest Ferraris. The steel ladder frame was constructed of two oval-tube members with several cross-braces to increase rigidity.

The front suspension was by double wishbones and coil springs while at the rear a live-axle and semi-elliptic leaf springs were fitted. Ferrari did break with tradition by replacing the tried and trusted drum brakes with Dunlop-sourced discs. The four-speed gearbox was also very similar to the 250 GT's. It did feature stronger gears to cope with the additional power and torque produced by the bigger engine.

While the 400 Superamerica was officially introduced in Brussels, the world had already and unknowingly received a first taste of things that would come a few months later. Late in 1959, Pininfarina showed a striking one-off special commissioned by Fiat supremo Gianni Agnelli.
The bold styling probably disguised the fact that under the skin, the car was very much a 400 Superamerica. The only difference of note was a slightly longer 98-inch wheelbase.

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Wouter Melissen

UltimateCarPage.com

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