Guide: Aston Martin DP212
Background
After a three year hiatus, Aston Martin officially returned to sports car racing for an attack on the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hours.
The British manufacturer had last participated in a works capacity during 1959 when the DBR1 famously won the race at Le Mans and secured that year’s World Sportscar Championship.
A planned switch to Formula 1 for 1960 was then quickly abandoned as a result of the DBR5 single seater proving uncompetitive.
For 1962, the 15 round World Sportscar Championship would be contested by production-based GT machinery.
Prototypes were permitted to run in just six events: the Daytona 24 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, the Targa Florio, the Nurburgring 1000km, the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Auvergne Trophy at Clermont-Ferrand. A three-litre engine limit was imposed on the Prototypes and points towards the inaugural Coupe des Sports that was organised for this kind of car were only awarded at three rounds: Sebring, the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring.
Unhappy at the prospect of fewer crowd-pleasing Prototypes attending their event, the Le Mans governing body unilaterally decided to introduce a new Experimental category with a four-litre engine limit.
Aware of the prestige a Le Mans victory would bring, the new class attracted entries from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Maserati.
The car Aston Martin developed was the DP212.
Although loosely based on the DB4 GT, the DP212 was uprated with a lightened chassis, bigger engine, a special gearbox plus improved braking and suspension. It was then clothed with a streamlined magnesium-alloy body designed to maximise top speed on the ultra fast Le Mans circuit.
Over in Italy, Ferrari stuffed their four-litre V12 engines into two cars. The first was a 330 TRI/LM; an open top Prototype based on the regular 250 TRI/LM. The other was a long wheelbase 250 GTO christened the 330 LM.
Not to be outdone, Maserati created the Tipo 151. It featured a V8 engine derived from the 450 S, a custom tubular spaceframe chassis and exciting Berlinetta body. Three cars were supplied: a brace to Briggs Cunningham and one to Maserati France.
Chassis
The DP212 was created under the watchful eye of Aston Martin team manager, John Wyer.
It was based on a DB4 GT chassis that the competition department comprehensively drilled for lightness. Aluminium floor panels were fitted to further reduce weight.
The front suspension was carried over from the DB4 GT. It comprised double wishbones with coil sprung dampers while, at the rear, Aston adopted a torsion bar De Dion axle with telescopic shocks. The De Dion back end was an evolution of the unit used on Aston Martin’s recently introduced Lagonda Rapide saloon.
Girling disc brakes were fitted all round along with lightweight 6.5 x 16-inch Borrani wire wheels shod with Dunlop tyres.
A long-range fuel tank was mounted over the rear axle. A quick-release fuel filler cap was positioned on the driver’s side sail panel.
Engine & Gearbox
For the engine, Aston Martin began with a standard 3.7-litre RR50 aluminium alloy block from the DB4 GT.
To maximise capacity within the four-litre limit, bore was taken from 92mm to 96mm. Iron cylinder liners were then inserted. Stroke stayed at 92mm for an overall displacement of 3996cc (an increase of 326cc).
The light alloy DOHC head featured bigger angled valves. Choke diameters for the trio of enormous Weber 50 DCOE carburettors were increased. Compression was raised from 9.0 to 9.6:1. As per the DB4 GT, twin plug ignition was employed.
In this configuration, the Tadek Marek-designed straight six produced 345bhp at 6000rpm and 287lb-ft at 5300rpm. For comparison, the standard DB4 GT pumped out 306bhp at 6000rpm and 270lb-ft at 5000rpm.
The gearbox was a five-speed David Brown S532 unit as used in the DBR2. It featured synchromesh on second through fifth gears and a magnesium alloy casing.
Transmission was via a Borg & Beck triple-plate clutch and a limited-slip differential.
For Le Mans, a 3.9 rear axle ratio was used.
Bodywork
Bodywork was designed by Ted Cutting who had previously styled the all-conquering DBR1.
The long, smooth nose featured a large oval air intake either side of which were headlights and spot lights mounted underneath aerodynamic fairings.
Down each flank, delta-shaped vents were carved out from behind each front wheel. The rear wheels were partially enclosed to improve air flow.
Additional vents were cut from the sail panels to aid cabin ventilation.
A five window cockpit was adopted along with a fastback profile that swept down to the rounded tail. The back end was home to three domed lights per side and was free of any downforce-inducing addenda.
For maximum lightness, the bodywork was fabricated from magnesium alloy.
Compared to the standard DB4 GT, the DP212 was 153mm longer and 119mm wider. Both cars stood 1270mm high.
Interior
Inside, a full complement of instrumentation was housed in a black metal dash along with various flick switches and warning lights. The controls included a three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel and open-gate gear lever.
Upholstery was limited to pale green fabric for the bucket seats and black vinyl for the transmission tunnel.
Plexiglas was used for everything bar the windscreen. The side windows slid fore / aft to allow fresh air into the cockpit.
The rear quarters were mostly taken up by the enormous fuel tank.
Weight / Performance
At 975kg, the DP212 was 294kg lighter than the DB4 GT.
It had a top speed of 170mph and, depending on gearing, could hit 62mph from a standstill in comfortably under five seconds.
1962 Le Mans Test
Aston Martin publicly revealed their new car at the annual Le Mans Test which took place over the weekend of April 7th and 8th.
As a result of snow on the frontier passes, Scuderia Ferrari had to make a lengthy deviation which meant their cars didn’t run until Sunday when it rained throughout.
Willy Mairesse ended up topping the timesheets in Pierre Noblet’s Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. Mairesse also posted second fastest time of the weekend in the UDT Laystall Racing Team Ferrari 250 GTO.
Third place went to the works Ferrari 330 TRI/LM driven by Mike Parkes and Giancarlo Baghetti.
The Aston’s lap time came down considerably after it was fitted with megaphone exhausts in place of the twin silencers initially used. The DP212 finished the weekend with fourth fastest time.
For this debut appearance it was driven by French Aston Martin distributor, Jean Kerguen, and his fellow countryman, Jacques Dewez, who raced under the pseudonym ‘Franc’. Kerguen (the owner of Garage Mirabeau in Paris) had been instrumental in persuading David Brown to return to Le Mans.
Also in attendance was a works-prepared DB4 GT Zagato that Kerguen and Dewez posted seventh fastest time with.
1962 Le Mans 24 Hours
Aston Martin returned to la Sarthe for the 24 Hour race which took place over the weekend of June 23rd and 24th. On this occasion, the DP212 would be driven by Graham Hill and Richie Ginther.
Phil Hill set the fastest time during practice in the works Ferrari 330 TRI/LM. Next up was Mike Parkes in Scuderia Ferrari’s 330 LM followed by Dick Thompson who was driving Briggs Cunningham’s Maserati 151.
Graham Hill was fourth quickest in the DP212. However, grid positions were decided on engine size which meant the Aston would start the race from eleventh.
Graham Hill did the opening stint and, thanks to a great start, led the field as they reached the Dunlop Bridge. The works Ferraris of Parkes (330 LM) and Gendebien (330 TRI/LM) were second and third.
As the cars approached the corner at the end of the Mulsanne Straight, Gendebien cut across Parkes which forced his team-mate to take evasive action. In doing so, Parkes lost control and ended up in the sand bank.
Hill and Gendebien then proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field. At the end of lap one, they had opened up a 14 second advantage.
On lap two, Gendebien went passed Hill down the Mulsanne Straight, He began to circulate around five seconds a lap faster than Hill who was a similar amount quicker than the chasing Maseratis which were quick down the straights but losing out in the corners.
With an hour gone, Gendebien led from Hill who was followed by the Maseratis of Bill Kimberly, Maurice Trintignant and Bruce McLaren. Pedro Rodriguez was sixth in the works Ferrari 246 SP.
After 20 laps, Gendebien came into refuel but team-mate Phil Hill was not ready. Gendebien went off again. This ultimately gave the DP212 a brief lead which it held until lap 26 when Graham Hill handed the car over to Richie Ginther.
Ginther emerged in fourth.
With two hours gone, the top six cars were still on the same lap. Gendebien’s Ferrari led from Thompson (Maserati), Rodriguez (Ferrari), Ginther (Aston Martin), Hansgen (Maserati) and Scarfiotti (Ferrari).
Hansgen then began to close on Ginther who was worried because his dynamo had ceased to charge.
The DP212 was still fourth after three hours racing but, soon afterwards, the dynamo began to cause serious trouble so the decision was made to repair it before darkness fell.
Graham Hill then rejoined five laps in arrears in 14th place.
At the five hour mark, Graham Hill had moved up to ninth but, with the sixth hour approaching, the DP212 was retired as a result of a piston failure. It transpired that, while repairing the dynamo, an oil pipe had been fractured.
Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill went on to claim a five lap victory in the 330 TRI/LM. The Ferrari 250 GTOs of Pierre Noblet / Jean Guichet and Leon Dernier / Jean Blaton were second and third respectively.
Post Le Mans
After a promising display by the DP212, David Brown sanctioned the production of three new DP cars for 1963. A brace of DP214s and an even lighter DP215 were constructed.
In the months that followed the 1962 Le Mans, the DP212 was used for wind tunnel tests at MIRA with the aim of improving high speed stability. Accordingly, the DP212’s tail was converted to Kamm style with an integrated rear spoiler.
1963 Le Mans Test
As the DP215 was not ready in time to attend the 1963 Le Mans Test (April 6th and 7th), Aston Martin took the DP212 to la Sarthe along with the pair of brand new DP214s.
The DP212 was driven by Bruce McLaren, Jo Schlesser, Lucien Bianchi and Bill Kimberly. It went fifth fastest overall and third quickest in the over three-litre Prototype class. The DP214s were third and sixth quickest.
Fastest overall was the new Ferrari 250 P driven by John Surtees.
Aston Martin’s Withdrawal from Racing
Aston Martin ultimately quit sportscar racing at the end of 1963.
In 1964, the DP212 (along with both DP214s) were sold to John Dawnay who became Viscount Downe on the death of his father in December 1965.
Prior to sale, the DP212 had been rebuilt by Aston Martin with a 4.2-litre 349bhp engine and road registered AYN 212B.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Aston Martin - https://www.astonmartin.com
