VIN: the works / Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi / Leandro Terra Ferrari 246 SP chassis 0790
History of chassis 0790
Chassis 0790 was the first in a new series of mid-engined Ferrari SP racing cars.
A pair of 246 SP machines were built for the 1961 season: 0790 and 0796. They were reserved strictly for works use and campaigned alongside a pair of traditional front V12-engined 250 TRI 61s.
Having been displayed at the Ferrari Press Conference in Maranello on February 15th, chassis 0790 was dispatched to the Modena Autodrome for testing. However, not long after the programme got underway, a brake failure caused Wolfgang von Trips to lose control and 0790 was rolled. Fortunately, damage was slight and von Trips walked away uninjured.
0790 was rebuilt, but this time without its large tail fin. On the advice of Richie Ginther, a rear spoiler was added instead.
The car went on to serve as Scuderia Ferrari’s primary race machine throughout 1961 while the sister vehicle (0796) ran on just two occasions.
0790 appeared as part of a three-car works team at Sebring alongside the pair of Testa Rossas. It was allocated to Richie Ginther and Wolfgang von Trips.
Ginther moved 0790 into the lead at around the one hour mark. It remained at the head of the field until just passed quarter distance when von Trips came into the pits; one too many kerbs had been clouted and the 246 SP was forced to abandon with broken steering.
0790 next appeared at the Le Mans Test days two weeks later where Ginther set the fastest time.
Next up was the Targa Florio after a three week gap. Ginther was again supposed to share the with von Trips, but when Phil Hill crashed 0796 early on, Gendebien was promoted to 0790. Gendebien and von Trips looked to be heading for a second place finish until the lead Porsche of Stirling Moss and Graham Hill retired late on with a stripped crown-wheel and piston. 0790 was thus promoted to the lead and took a famous win.
Ginther and Gendebien were then paired together in 0790 for the Nurburgring 1000km a month later (May 28th). They started from pole and ran second during the opening stages until rain and freezing mist enveloped the track. With the carburettors icing up, 0790 dropped to seventh. After Phil Hill crashed out from the lead in the sister car, Ginther and Gendebien were joined by von Trips. Conditions improved later in the race and they eventually recovered to place third.
Two weeks later was the all-important Le Mans 24 Hours. Ginther and von Trips were partnered together in 0790.
During the first six hours they exchanged the lead several times with the works 250 TRI/61 of Gendebien / Hill and the NART 250 TRI driven by the Rodriguez brothers (Ricardo and Pedro).
At around 10:30pm, Ginther came in from the lead to have his lights fixed. The stop cost ten minutes and dropped the 246 SP to fourth.
By midnight it had recovered to third and as dawn approached 0790 was back up to second. Unfortunately, at around 8am a miscalculation meant von Trips ran out of fuel. He was stranded by the side of the track and retired.
At the season-ending Pescara 4 Hours (August 15th), Ginther was partnered in 0790 with Giancarlo Baghetti.
Ginther started from pole and led until he came into the pits with ill-handling rear suspension. He went back out, re-took the lead and then handed the car to Baghetti just before mid-distance. However, halfway round his first lap, Baghetti suffered a front suspension failure. He struggled back round to the pits where 0790 was retired.
For 1962, chassis 0790 was reconfigured with the latest lowline bodywork. In this configuration it was displayed at the Ferrari Press Conference on February 24th.
0790 went on to race four times that season.
At Sebring (where all the works cars appeared as NART entries), it was driven by the Rodriguez brothers. 0790 proved to be the fastest car on track until it retired with engine trouble at mid-distance.
Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien then used 0790 to win the Nurburgring 1000km which marked the car’s final appearance at World Championship level.
It was subsequently sent across the Atlantic to attend the Player’s 200 at Mosport where Innes Ireland drove the factory entered car under a UDT Laystall entry. Unfortunately, having run fourth for most of the race, ignition trouble forced Ireland to retire during the second heat.
0790’s final appearance as a works entry came at the Brands Hatch Guards Trophy on August 6th. Mike Parkes gave the car a perfect send off by taking pole position, setting fastest lap and winning the race.
For 1963, chassis 0790 was sold to Italian privateer, Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi of Busto Arsizio, Varese.
That season, Lualdi-Gabardi campaigned his new car extensively, most notably picking up wins at the Stallavena-Boscochiesanuova, Coppa della Consuma, Aosta-Pila, Catania-Etna and Pontedecimo-Giovi hillclimbs. He also won the end-of-season Coppa FISA at Monza.
Lualdi-Gabardi sold 0790 to Leandro Terra of Pescara for 1964.
Terra used the car sparingly. He won the Vermicino-Rocca di Papa Hillclimb (the Coppa Gallenga) but after a handful of events Terra retired 0790 from active duty. It was then carefully stored until 2002.
Notable History
Scuderia Ferrari
246 SP engine
13/02/1961 Ferrari Press Conference
15/02/1961 IND Modena Autodrome Test (W. von Trips) accident
Rebuilt without tail fin
14/03/1961 IND Monza Test (R. Ginther)
25/03/1961 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (R. Ginther / W. von Trips) DNF (#27)
09/04/1961 IND Le Mans Test (W. von Trips / P. Hill / W. Mairesse) 1st oa, 1st S2.5 class (#22)
30/04/1961 WSC Targa Florio (W. von Trips / O. Gendebien) 1st oa, 1st S3.0 class (#162)
28/05/1961 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (R. Ginther / O. Gendebien / W. von Trips) 3rd oa, 3rd S3.0 class (#4)
11/06/1961 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Ginther / W. von Trips) DNF (#23)
15/08/1961 WSC Pescara 4 Hours (R. Ginther / G. Baghetti) DNF (#12)
Uprated to 1962 specification
24/02/1962 Ferrari Press Conference
24/03/1962 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (P. Rodriguez / R. Rodriguez) DNF (#34) NART
27/05/1962 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (P. Hill / O. Gendebien) 1st oa, 1st S3.0 class (#92)
09/06/1962 CSC Mosport Player's 200 (I. Ireland) DNF (#3) United Dominions-Laystall
06/08/1962 IND Brands Hatch Guards Trophy (M. Parkes) 1st oa, 1st S3.0 class (#6)
Reconfigured with updated body and 196 SP engine
Sold to Edoardo Lualdi, Varese (Scuderia Sant' Ambroeus entry)
07/04/1963 IMC Stallavena-Boscochiesanuova Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa (#??)
05/05/1963 WSC Targa Florio (E. Lualdi-Gabardi / U. Bini) DNF (#184)
26/05/1963 IMC Bologna-Raticosa Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 3rd oa (#418)
02/06/1963 WSC Coppa della Consuma Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa, 1st S2.0 class (#6)
09/06/1963 WSC Rossfeld Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) DNF (#21)
23/06/1963 EMC Mont Ventoux Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 6th oa, th Gr.4 class (#43)
14/07/1963 EMC Trento-Bondone Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 6th oa, 6th S class (#??)
28/07/1963 EMC Cesana-Sestriere Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 9th oa, 7th S class (#432)
04/08/1963 IMC Aosta-Pila Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa (#??)
25/08/1963 WSC Ollon-Villars Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 4th oa, 4th S/P2.0 class (#149)
08/09/1963 EMC Gaisberg Hilcllimb (Lualdi-Gabardi) ran (#??)
22/09/1963 IMC Catania-Etna Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa (#254)
06/10/1963 IMC Pontedecimo-Giovi Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa (#242)
20/10/1963 IMC Sanremese Hillclimb (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) DNF (#344)
24/11/1963 IND Monza Coppa FISA (E. Lualdi-Gabardi) 1st oa, 1st S2.0 class (#266)
Sold to Leandro Terra, Pescara
22/03/1964 IMC Coppa Gallenga, Vermicino-Rocca di Papa Hillclimb (L. Terra) 1st oa (#538)
26/04/1964 WSC Targa Florio (L. Terra / C. Toppetti) DNF (#170)
07/06/1964 IND Vallelunga Campagnana (L. Terra) 4th oa, 4th S2.0 class (#42)
Retained by Terra until 2002
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
