The " King Kong " Of Racing Ferrari's

black mamba · September 20, 2010

You're looking at a very rare and historically significant race car. This is a 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport. There's quite a story to this car. It was 1955 and Enzo Ferrari was desperate, and very determined, to win the Racing Championship over some brutally tough competition. That meant that Ferrari would have to win the last race of the season, which was the race-car-killing, 1,000 mile Carrera Panamericana. Ferrari knew he had to build a true " super car ".

This is that very car. It features a big 4.9 liter V12, 24 spark plugs, 4 distributors, putting out almost 400 HP. The chassis and other components were built double tough to handle the wicked roads of the Panamericana race. Ferrari would not settle for anybody except the world's best driver, Juan Manuel Fangio, to pilot his car. Everything was set for a monumental showdown in international motor sports.

Then tragedy struck. A horrible racing accident at Le Mans killed nearly 100 spectators. The balance of the race season was canceled, including the Carrera Panamericana. Enzo's almost maniacal quest was over. Some big-time American racing interest was successful in getting Ferrari to sell them the car. They promptly brought the car to these shores, put Carroll Shelby in as driver, and he won the first race they entered. Shelby went on to win the 1956 American Drivers Championship with the help of this car. Shelby was quoted as saying this was the best Ferrari he ever raced.
Enzo Ferrari said it was the best Ferrari he ever built.

misterb · September 20, 2010

Great story..

And to think- now the *average* pony car and *some* imports all put out that kind of HP!

black mamba · September 21, 2010

misterb....

You're right about that. I just got rid of a Subaru I'd highly modified for Solo II racing that put out that kind of HP. The key to this Ferrari, of course, was its very low weight, wonderful suspension, and proper transmission gearing.

Thanks for looking in,

Tom

aj986s · September 21, 2010

^^ Not to mention....it was in 1955! Though still impressive today, that was stellar engineering back then.

Great pics of a gorgeous car! At what event was it being displayed?

black mamba · September 21, 2010

Hi Tony,

You make a very valid observation. For its time, this car was the pinnacle achievement in race car engineering. The competition at the time, particularly from Mercedes and their SLR, was no slouch. Ferrari stretched his capabilities to the max when putting this brute of a car on the track.

The venue for this showing, Tony, was this year's Amelia Island Concours. It's an annual event, held in March, that is staged just north of Jacksonville, FL. The show itself has reached such stature that many of the owners and exhibitors of these kind of cars consider it to rival the famous Pebble Beach show as being the best in the country.

Tom

aj986s · September 21, 2010

black mamba wrote: »

Hi Tony,

You make a very valid observation. For its time, this car was the pinnacle achievement in race car engineering. The competition at the time, particularly from Mercedes and their SLR, was no slouch. Ferrari stretched his capabilities to the max when putting this brute of a car on the track.

The venue for this showing, Tony, was this year's Amelia Island Concours. It's an annual event, held in March, that is staged just north of Jacksonville, FL. The show itself has reached such stature that many of the owners and exhibitors of these kind of cars consider it to rival the famous Pebble Beach show as being the best in the country.

Tom

Thanks! Amelia Island Concours is on my bucket list of things to do.

rwells · September 21, 2010

I'd love to hear that engine!

Tom, these shots have a lot of reflections that your usual shots don't. Did you use a CP this time?

black mamba · September 21, 2010

Good observation, Randy. Sometimes reflections can help define and clarify body lines and features. There were two instances during this shoot that I purposely rotated the CP to produce a minimum effect. This was one of them. I did the same thing on a car displayed very near this one.

See you later ole eagle eye,

Tom

mercphoto · September 21, 2010

black mamba wrote: »

You're looking at a very rare and historically significant race car.

Great shots, great story, great car. Thanks for sharing!

Then tragedy struck. A horrible racing accident at Le Mans killed nearly 100 spectators.

The 1955 Le Mans tragedy. There is a book about this single accident and its a great read for any true race fan. Before that accident it was not uncommon, correction it was normal, for 1 or 2 drivers to lose their life during a season of Formula One, and was "normal" as well for a driver to lose their life during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. What was not-normal was for spectators to lose their life during a race, let alone 83 killed as the result of a single accident. (There was at least one other accident in that life that took the life of a racer as well). The book went into a lot of detail as to how the accident happened, why it was so devasting, but more importantly why did the public tolerate a sport where it was relatively "normal" for competitors to get killed? And the short answer was that in Europe in the early 50s, after emerging from two world wars, life itself was a dangerous endeavor, so it was no surprise that sports would be dangerous as well.

Azzaro · September 21, 2010

Well done, Tom.... I remember the La Mans wreck, I was 15 yr old in 55. Safety for drivers has come a long way sense the 1950s.

Panther · September 21, 2010

Howdy Tom,

Wonderful shots, love that Red

I'm with Randy, I'd love to hear that that one fired up and
listen to it on the Track as well, funny how I can hear it
in my mind and have goosebumps

Very nicely done, once again!!!

black mamba · September 21, 2010

Hi Bill,

It's great to hear from you. Thanks for the kind remarks.

Thanks also for expounding on the Le Mans incident. It's a story well known to me but I'm sure a lot of folks don't appreciate the real scope of what happened. In addition to the 83 killed, another 120 were injured. The philosophical mind-set regarding racing and death, mainly of the Europeans...as you so well point out....is quite interesting. It was a truly traumatic day that began to change the face of racing on a world-wide basis.

Tom

black mamba · September 21, 2010

Hey Gary,

As you well know, I was raised in a family of fanatical car freaks, including my mom. A business partner of my dad was actually at the Le Mans track when the accident occurred. Fortunately, he was nowhere near the crash site but, as he recounted to us, you could see the pillars of smoke from everywhere. My dad had planned on attending the race as well, but last minute business requirements kept him home in the U.S. Naturally, the story of the accident is indelibly imprinted on my mind.

Take care,

Tom

NeilL · September 22, 2010

Forget about *listening* to it start up

, I wanna *feel* it go up through 5 gears!:D Who reckons they could manage that without synchro?

This car's build says unbeatable. Talk about functional minimalism!

Oh, and the pics aren't bad either, Tom!

rofl

Neil

wfeller · September 22, 2010

Nice shots, awesome car.

-

black mamba · September 22, 2010

Hey Craig,

I also wanted to hear it fire up. Like you, I'd really like to hear it at full song on the track. Unfortunately, I had to be somewhere else when they started this one up to leave the display area.

Tom

black mamba · September 22, 2010

Yo Neil,

Well, you don't mess around....went right to the top of the wish list by wanting to actually ride in the thing.:D Wouldn't we all?

I liked your term " functional minimalism ". When studying the cockpit of this car, which was typical of all race cars of that genre, I was struck at just how bare-bones it is. To say it was spartan is a gross understatement. Compared to today's racers, it has very few instruments and a seat that looks to be more appropriate to the days of the Spanish Inquisition as a torture device. Despite a relatively large steering wheel, you know this thing was a real bear to throw around the track. Wimps need not apply for the drivers job.

The thought of having actually raced this car is daunting, to say the least. Conforming to the reigning philosophy of the day, none of the drivers back then wore seat belts....the thought then that it was better to be thrown from the car than to be trapped in the wreck.

Take care,

Tom

aj986s · September 22, 2010

Saw a cable show recently about the Monterey Motorsports Reunion. One segment focused on the spartaness of the cars from the early racing days. No seat belts, no roll bars/cages, etc. One especially frightening example (unfortunately I can't recall the exact car...) was a car where the driveshaft split into a "Y" just in front of the driver's crotch; the driveshaft to each wheel going immediately under the seat. :oogle

black mamba · September 22, 2010

Hi Walter,

Thanks for the kind words.

Tom

DaddyO · September 23, 2010

Just did the read from Wiki covering the crash in 1955 and tons of other
highly interesting details. What a tragic loss of life. I was amazed to
find that these vehicles could do in excess of 190 mph and on roads not
meant for such speed. And no seat belts. Gads. On and on the poor safety
points go on.

Its a beautiful car this Ferrari. Nicely photographed Tom.

mercphoto · September 23, 2010

DaddyO wrote: »

Just did the read from Wiki covering the crash in 1955 and tons of other
highly interesting details.

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-55-Crash-Changed-Racing/dp/1859834418/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285243388&sr=1-1

black mamba · September 23, 2010

Hey Michael,

Thanks for the support.

The mid '50s were a tumultuous period for international racing. Modern ( for the time ) developments in mechanics had produced cars capable of really high speeds. Unfortunately, safety features of the cars and tracks lagged far behind. As you note, at those venues where the racing was on public roads ....Le Mans being an example....the roads were designed for cars going 50 - 60 MPH, not 190 MPH.

Interestingly, the death of drivers during this period....the numbers of which were considerable.....seemed to be an acceptable facet of racing at this level. It took a tragedy of the scope of the Le Mans incident, wherein the spectator was so savagely involved, before the whole issue of car and track safety got to center stage.

Tom

NeilL · September 23, 2010

black mamba wrote: »

Hey Michael,

Thanks for the support.

The mid '50s were a tumultuous period for international racing. Modern ( for the time ) developments in mechanics had produced cars capable of really high speeds. Unfortunately, safety features of the cars and tracks lagged far behind. As you note, at those venues where the racing was on public roads ....Le Mans being an example....the roads were designed for cars going 50 - 60 MPH, not 190 MPH.

Interestingly, the death of drivers during this period....the numbers of which were considerable.....seemed to be an acceptable facet of racing at this level. It took a tragedy of the scope of the Le Mans incident, wherein the spectator was so savagely involved, before the whole issue of car and track safety got to center stage.

Tom

Yeah. F1 drivers were thought of as something like test pilots.

Neil

black mamba · September 24, 2010

Neil...

Well, many of the greater drivers....take that to mean guys who were prone to push the car to the limits....lived a pretty adventuresome life off the track as well. Kind of makes you think they were very aware of the odds and figured they better live life to the fullest while they could.

Tom

Dogdots · September 25, 2010

Sad story - beautiful car, but I have one question. I see what looks like the old Mobil logo on the back middle fin. Sorry if that's not called a fin

Or was it a logo for something else

black mamba · September 25, 2010

Hey Mary,

I'm not certain beyond any doubt, but I believe you are correct about the logo. I would venture that Mobil had a pretty sizable stake in funding the race team.

Tom

The " King Kong " Of Racing Ferrari's

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