Hill Climbing "Pam" - Ferrari 512M #1024

Old racing cars do not die, they just get harder to identify, a case in point is the Ferrari 512M which is painted in the colours of the Ecurie Fillipinetti racing team.



Thanks to Aardy at FerrariChat this vehicle has been identified as chassis #1024, a vehicle that was built in 512S guise, then before it ever turned a wheel in anger got upgraded for the 1971 season to 512M specification, distinguishable by less rounded body panels and the winglets hanging on either side of the tail.



25 Ferrari 512's were built to conform to the FIA Group 5 regulations that were in force for sports cars from 1969 to 1971.



Unlike Porsche who supplied four different independently funded teams with 917's that had factory backing creating a competitive inter marque rivalry, Ferrari ran its main effort from the factory and gave little or no support to the customer teams like Scuderia Brescia Corse which originally ran chassis #1024 seen here.



Power for the 512 Group 5 racing cars came from a 560 hp 60º V12 displacing 4993 cc / 304.6 cui with 4 valves per cylinder.



The sound of this vehicle in the enclosed confines of the garage is well beyond expletive awesome, pure magic IMHO.



The M specs rear bodywork was clearly influenced by the work JW Automotive had done on the rear of the Porsche 917 for the 1970 season.



The most frequent driver of this Scuderia Brescia Corse vehicle in World Sports Car and Interserie (a European Version of Can Am) championships raced under the pseudonym 'PAM'.

Thanks to REDARMYSOJA aka Robby Stockman at The Nostalgia Forum, we know the identity of 'PAM' was Marsilio Pasotti who raced a variety of vehicles including Fiat Abarths and a Ferrari 206 from at least 1962 to 1977.

It transpires that 'PAM' won his class in the Italian and European Touring car championships in the 1960's and took four outright victories on the Malegno-Borno hillclimb.



The steel chassis already heavier than the alloy chassis Porsche 917, combined with the weight disadvantage of the 512's cooling system over the air cooled 917 meant the 512 was 100 kg / 220 lbs heavier than the Porsche which thanks to it's flat 12 engine layout also had a significant handling advantage because of it's lower centre of gravity.



The 512 was relatively outclassed by the 917 in results, though 'PAM' did win the Malegno-Borno hillclimb with the vehicle pictured.



In 1970 the 512 was driven to victories at Sebring and Kyalami but none in the World Sports Car Championship during 1971.



This vehicle was completely restored in 2001 and sold to an American collector in May 2008. Nick Mason also owns a 512 in the older 1970 'S' guise.



This car should be out racing during the forth coming Silverstone Classic weekend, with luck I might just see and hear it in action.

My thanks to everyone at FerrariChat and The Nostalgia Forum for their help identifying the real identities of the car and original driver 'PAM'.

Thanks for popping by for Ferrari Friday at 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you'll join me again when I'll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of my first trip to Le Mans. Don't forget to come back now !

Changes Of Heart - Allard J2 #J2123

Thanks to John Aibel today we are looking at a storied Allard J2 of which John says :-



"The car was ordered on 7th. June, 1951 for Wood Motors, Detroit, MI. Park Hill Ref. No. 248: Head Office Order No. 173. It was assigned production number J-2123.



Many Memorandum notes followed detailing the options needed, like Cadillac Engine Modified, 32 mm wire wheels Left Hand Drive, Large Lucas Headlamps MPBL with stone guards Red Leather interior, Blue paint as per chip supplied.



The car was delivered to Wood Mtrs. on August 31, 1951. It was built and imported for Mr. Delvan Lee a personal friend of Don Wood’s brother. Mr. Woods told John they only imported one Allard, and this was done as a special favor to Mr. Lee. They were interested in more popular imports and they are today Mercedes-Benz dealers.



Mr. Lee worked for Connell Cadillac of Detroit who supplied high performance engines to the marine industry. They did the instillation of the Cadillac engine into the Allard."



He entered in some local and regional sporting events including ice racing. In 1953 and 1954 Mr Lee entered events at Watkins Glen, as well as Bridgehamton Long Island.



Mr Lee won the Giant Despair Hillclimb and set fastest time of the day in 1953.
By 1954 Mr. Lee sold the Allard to Fred Lavell. Delvan raced the car for Lavell at the 1954 Watkins Glen event.



Photo Motor Life December 1957 will be properly credited or removed upon request.

In 1954 Lavell took the Allard to Bonneville, Ut. speed events. He drove the car to a speed of 127 mph. The next two years the stock body was removed and a Sorrell [streamliner] fiberglass body with a DeSoto engine was installed. It ran this was in 1955 and 1956 and attained a speed of 150 mph." Another J2 owned by Denny Larsen held the Class D modified Bonneville sports car record at an average 178.068 mph at the time.



"When I bought the car, the aluminum Allard body was not installed on the frame, and a Chevrolet small block was in the engine compartment coupled to a Moss 4 speed transmission. The instillation was not operational."



John had the car restored to its original specification by Mr. Tivvey Sheldon with a 6390 cc / 390 cui Caddy engine, three Stromberg 97 carbs, GM transmission. "We kept the quick change rear that was put in I believe before the Bonneville runs."



John has driven this car at Pocono, Pa., Philadelphia Vintage Grand Prix, and Watkins Glen Allard reunion. The highest recorded speed by radar in John's hands was 115 mph during the Phily event.

My thanks to John for sharing the photos of his magnificent car and to Colin Warnes of the Allard Register for additional information and photographs.

Thanks for joining me today on this Giants Despair edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !