VIN: the works / NART Ferrari 275 P / 330 P chassis 0820
History of chassis 0820
While production-based Group 3 Grand Touring cars contested the de facto World Sportscar Championship between 1962 and 1965, purpose-built racing cars duked it out for a Prototype Trophy that took place simultaneously at a handful of blue ribband events.
For 1964, the International Prototypes Trophy would be decided on the outcome of the Sebring 12 Hours, Targa Florio, Nurburgring 1000km and Le Mans 24 Hours. Sports Prototype machinery would also be permitted to run at several other rounds, but there were no points on offer at these races.
Ferrari built four new P cars for the 1964 season and also uprated their four existing chassis to the latest specification.
One of those new cars was chassis 0820 which ran a 3.3-litre 275 engine for all four of its outings with the factory team.
0820 made its competition debut at the Sebring 12 Hours on March 21st where Ludovico Scarfiotti and Nino Vaccarella took the wheel. The quintet of Ferrari P cars in attendance swept the top five positions in qualifying with 0820 starting fourth.
Having briefly led early on, 0820 was third at the three hour mark. It then gained a position when the Maranello Concessionaires entry dropped out. With two hours go, Scarfiotti / Vaccarella had assumed the lead. However, a late stop saw it drop to second behind the sister car of Parkes / Maglioli. Nevertheless, 0820 secured the runner up spot in its debut event.
Chassis 0820 next appeared at the annual Le Mans Test which took place over the weekend of April 18th and 19th. Scuderia Ferrari trucked three works cars to la Sarthe, an event that marked the debut of Ford’s big budget GT40 Prototype. Scarfiotti (who was partnered by Carlo Maria Abate in 0820) ultimately topped the time sheets with a lap that was two seconds faster than next best John Surtees in his 330 P.
At the Nurburgring 1000km on May 31st, Vaccarella re-joined Scarfiotti in 0820. They qualified third behind team-mates Surtees / Bandini and one of the new Fords. A rash of retirements in the race enabled the two Italians to cruise home to victory ahead of a works Series 2 GTO driven by Parkes / Guichet.
Following its victorious outing in Germany, 0820 appeared at the Le Mans 24 Hours where Scarfiotto was joined by Mike Parkes. Having started sixth, Parkes came in after just six laps for the first of two lengthy plug-related stops which dropped 0820 to the back of field. It eventually retired during the twelfth hour with oil pump failure. Three Ferrari sister cars romped home for a famous 1-2-3 finish.
With the conclusion of the International Prototype Trophy, 0820 and five of the other P cars were converted to ‘Lightweight Roadster’ trim as the remaining events they would contest in 1964 did not require equipment like the FIA-mandated full height windscreen.
Followings its conversion (which included the installation of a four-litre 330 engine), 0820 was sold to Ferrari’s US distributor, Luigi Chinetti, for his North American Racing Team (NART).
Pedro Rodriguez went on to race 0820 in three further events during the remainder 1964. His victorious outing in the 100 lap Canadian GP at Mosport on September 25th was followed with two races at the end-of-season Bahamas Speed Week. Here, Rodriguez claimed fourth overall and first in class during the 25 lap Governor’s Trophy. The Mexican followed this up with third overall and second in class in the 56 lap Nassau Trophy two days later.
Chassis 0820 subsequently appeared twice more in period with both contests held during the early months of 1965.
Now in a handsome white and blue colour scheme, 0820 unfortunately failed to finish either outing. Walt Hansgen and David Piper dropped out of the Daytona 2000km after 18 laps with driveshaft failure while Pedro Rodriguez and Graham Hill retired from the Sebring 12 Hours after 133 laps with clutch trouble.
Following its racing career, 0820 was retained by Chinetti until the mid 1970s at which point the car found its way to the first of several private owners.
Notable History
275 P
Red
Scuderia Ferrari, Maranello, Italy
21/03/1964 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (L. Scarfiotti / N. Vaccarella) 2nd oa, 2nd P3.0+ class (#23)
19/04/1964 IND Le Mans Test (L. Scarfiotti / C.M. Abate) 1st oa, 1st P3.0+ class (#17)
31/05/1964 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (L. Scarfiotti / N. Vaccarella) 1st oa, 1st P3.0+ class (#144)
22/06/1964 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (M. Parkes / L. Scarfiotti) DNF (#21)
330 P ‘Lightweight Roadster’
Sold to Luigi Chinetti (NART), New York, USA
25/09/1964 CSC Canadian GP, Mosport (P. Rodriguez) 1st oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#2)
04/12/1964 BSW Governor's Trophy (P. Rodriguez) 4th oa, 1st S5.0 class (#10)
06/12/1964 BSW Nassau Trophy (P. Rodriguez) 3rd oa, 2nd S5.0 class (#10)
White & blue
28/02/1965 WSC Daytona 2000km (W. Hansgen / D. Piper) DNF (#88)
27/03/1965 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (P. Rodriguez / G. Hill) DNF (#30)
Later sold to Greg Miller, Lawrenceville, Georgia
1976 sold to Paul Pappalardo, Greenwich
1980s sold to Albert Obrist, Gstaad
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia, unattributed & The Henry Ford Museum - https://www.thehenryford.org/
