VIN: the Maranello Concessionaires / David PIper Ferrari 412 P chassis 0854
History of chassis 0854
Chassis 0854 was one of four 412 Ps created for the 1967 season.
Of these, two were assembled from a pair of ex-works 1966 330 P3s (chassis 0844 for NART and chassis 0848 for Scuderia Filipinetti).
The other two 412 Ps were brand new: chassis 0850 (for Ecurie Francorchamps) and chassis 0854 (for Maranello Concessionaires).
All four outfits were Ferrari distributor teams for their respective markets (the USA, Switzerland, Belgium and the UK).
Chassis 0854 was destined for use by Maranello Concessionaires in England. It would replace the team’s outgoing Ferrari 365 P2/3 which had made just one appearance in 1966 (at the Le Mans 24 Hours). 0826 had been converted from a P2/3 for 1966 having been raced extensively by the team as a P2 in 1965.
Chassis 0854 was handed over to Maranello Concessionaires at the 1967 Le Mans Test weekend (April 8th and 9th), but the car did not compete.
It was subsequently campaigned by British the team at three World Sportscar Championship events in 1967.
0854 made its debut at the Spa 1000km (May 1st) where Richard Attwood and Lucien Bianchi qualified seventh. After five hours and eleven minutes, their red and blue Berlinetta crossed the line third overall to claim second in the over two-litre Prototype class.
Next up was the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 10th and 11th). For this event, Attwood was joined by Piers Courage. They qualified circumspectly in 17th and generally ran just outside the top ten until just after 5am on Sunday morning. At this point, the car’s oil pump broke and it began to consume a vast quantity of the black stuff. It was retired with the team’s oil allocation was used up.
0854 was also wheeled out for the all-important season-ending Brands Hatch 6 Hours at which Ferrari had to score well to secure the 1967 over two-litre World Championship from Porsche.
Attwood was co-driven at Brands by David Piper. They qualified tenth and ultimately finished seventh overall.
Ferrari took the ‘67 title by just two points.
After Le Mans, the FIA had announced a three-litre engine limit for Prototypes would be brought in for 1968. This meant cars like the 412 P would have a dramatically reduced number of events in which to compete.
The move no doubt hastened Maranello Concessionaires’ decision to sell 0854 during the autumn of 1967. They found a buyer in experienced privateer, David Piper.
Piper purchased 0854 to replace his old 365 P2 (chassis 0836). Before 0836, Piper had variously campaigned a 250 GTO and 250 LM.
Piper had 0854 repainted his trademark green colour scheme and entered it for the Paris 1000km at Montlhery on October 15th. He and Jo Siffert qualified third. They had dropped to fifth when the chequered flag dropped after nearly seven-and-a-half hours racing.
Piper then headed out to South Africa for the Kyalami 9 Hours which kick-started the annual Springbok winter series. Piper / Attwood finished fifth overall at Kyalami and then Piper drove single-handedly to claim second at the Cape Town 3 Hours.
Throughout 1968, Piper ran his green Berlinetta in a variety of non-championship races (where the large displacement Group 6 Prototypes were still welcome). He also entered a couple of British Sportscar Championship events.
Season highlights were outright victories at Norisring, Vila Real and Hockenheim. Piper also won the Swedisgh Grand Prix at Karlskoga.
Late in 1968, Piper headed back to South Africa for another crack at the Springbok series.
Unfortunately, at the 1968 Kyalami 9 Hours, 0854 sustained bodywork damage when it was hit by the Racing Team VDS Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2. The Ferrari’s detachable front body clip was several crumpled, but more significantly. the domed cockpit glass was also heavily damaged.
As a result, when 0854 next appeared at Cape Town two weeks later, the car had been converted to a cut-down Group 7-style cockpit. A yellow stripe had also been added.
The rest of the 68-69 Springbok series saw Piper collect third at the Cape Town 3 Hours and second and the Pietermaritzburg 3 Hours. The contest ended with a DNF at the East London 500km.
After a couple more non-championship races in Europe, chassis 0854 was retired from active duty.
It was subsequently sold to Ferrari collector, Chris Cord of Philadelphia, who had it converted for road use.
Two years later, Cord sold 0854 to Carl Bross whose collection was sold shortly afterwards to Anthony Bamford. Since then the car has returned to the USA.
Notable History
Sold to Maranello Concessionaires, Chiswick, London
Red with Pale Blue stripe
09/04/1967 IND Le Mans Test (no time)
01/05/1967 WSC Spa 1000km (R. Attwood / L. Bianchi) 3rd oa, 2nd P2.0+ class (#10)
11/06/1967 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Attwood / P. Courage) DNF (#23)
30/07/1967 WSC Brands Hatch 6 Hours (R. Attwood / D. Piper) 7th oa, 7th P2.0+ class (#9)
Sold to David Piper
Green
15/10/1967 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (J. Siffert / D. Piper) 5th oa, 5th P class (#9)
04/11/1967 SBK Kyalami 9 Hours (D. Piper / R. Attwood) 5th oa, 3rd J class (#7)
18/11/1967 SBK Cape Town 3 Hours (D. Piper) 2nd oa (#5)
12/04/1968 BSC Oulton Park 100 mile (D. Piper) 8th oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#74)
03/06/1968 BSC Oulton Park Tourist Trophy (D. Piper / R. Attwood) 2nd oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#34)
30/06/1968 IND Norisring 200 mile (D. Piper) 1st oa, 1st SRP3.0+ class (#6)
07/07/1968 IND Vila Real (D. Piper) 2nd oa, 1st P class (#50)
21/07/1968 IND Hockenheim Solituderennen (D. Piper) 1st oa, 1st P2.0+ class (#2)
11/08/1968 IND Swedish GP, Karlskoga (D. Piper) 1st oa (#5)
15/09/1968 IND Hockenheim Preis der Nationen (D. Piper) 2nd oa, 2nd P2.0+ class (#2)
13/10/1968 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (D. Piper / R. Attwood) DNF (#6)
09/11/1968 SBK Kyalami 9 Hours (D. Piper / R. Attwood) DNF (#3)
Modified with cut-down Group 7 windscreen
Green with Yellow stripe
23/11/1968 SBK Cape Town 3 Hours (D. Piper / R. Attwood) 3rd oa (#5)
26/12/1968 SBK Pietermaritzburg 3 Hours (D. Piper) 2nd oa (#3)
04/01/1969 SBK East London 500km (D. Piper) DNF (#3)
29/06/1969 IND Norisring 200 mile (D. Piper) 8th oa, 3rd SRP3.0+ class (#8)
13/07/1969 IND Hockenheim Solituderennen (D. Piper) DNF (#1)
1969 sold to Chris Cord, Philadelphia
Converted to road specification as 412 P Spyder
1971 Carl Bross, Detroit
1971 Anthony Bamford, East Staffordshire
Early 1980s back to the USA
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
