VIN: the Scuderia Filipinetti / Solar Productions / Herbert Muller Racing Ferrari 512 S chassis 1016
History of chassis 1016
Chassis 1016 was the first of two Ferrari 512 S supplied to Scuderia Filipinetti in 1970.
Scuderia Filipinetti was the racing team owned by the Ferrari distributor for Switzerland, Georges Filipinetti.
Chassis 1016 made its public debut on the firm’s stand at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1970.
The car then underwent final preparation ahead of its maiden competition appearance: the Brands Hatch 1000km on April 12th. Mike Parkes and Herbert Muller qualified circumspectly in 14th. They had a steady run in horrible conditions to finish 13th overall (seventh in the five-litre Sport class).
At the Monza 1000km on April 25th, Parkes and Muller qualified 14th again. They had risen to eighth at the finish and took fifth in class.
Parkes and Muller had their best result yet at the Targa Florio on May 3rd. The 512 S was relatively unsuited to the tight Sicilian road course, but 1016 gradually worked its way up the order to claim sixth overall and second in the five-litre Sports category.
Scuderia Filipinetti skipped the Spa 1000km. They then had a new 512 S Berlinetta on hand next time out at the Nurburgring 1000km on May 31st (chassis 1008 which finished fourth overall).
Chassis 1016 was recalled to race alongside 1008 for the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 13th and 14th). For this event, both cars had been reconfigured back at Maranello with the trick long-tailed Coda Lunga rear bodywork.
Parkes / Muller would drive chassis 1016. Jo Bonnier / Reine Wisell were brought in to drive 1008.
1016 qualified well in eighth ahead of the sister car in ninth.
Unfortunately, on its 37th lap, 1016 was involved in a three-car pile up that also took out a works 512 and the other Filipinetti entry. Because of his heavily oiled windscreen, Wisell was driving through Maison Blanche at a drastically reduced speed. The un-sighted Clay Regazzoni (who was battling intensely with a NART 512) crashed into Wisell. Parkes in the other Filipinetti then ploughed into the melee and caught fire.
All three cars were out of race on the spot.
There was no more 512 racing for Scuderia Filipinetti until 1971 (when they campaigned three fresh cars (chassis 1022, 1048 and 1050).
The two Filipinetti long tails damaged at Le Mans in 1970 were repaired and sold to Solar Productions for the Steve McQueen movie, Le Mans. Several Ferraris, Porsches and Lolas were acquired for filming, which took place between June and November of 1970.
In December 1970, Solar Productions sold all of their remaining 512s to Herbert Muller in Switzerland. As well as 1016, the package included chassis 1004, 1008, 1026, 1036 and 1044.
Chassis 1016 was kept in its original S trim for 1971 and not updated to M trim.
That season, Herbert Muller arranged a deal to run the Ferrari for Heinrich Wiesendanger (an Austrian pay driver). 1016 variously appeared in red and white or red and green colour schemes in 1971. However, Wiesendanger had never raced at the top level and it was an unsuccessful collaboration that only lasted three events.
At the 1971 Spa 1000km, Wiesendanger and his co-driver, Cox Kocher, retired on the first lap with hub failure.
Three weeks later, they went out of the Nurburgring 1000km with fuel pressure trouble before quarter distance.
Wiesendanger was then joined by Masten Gregory for the next round: the Zeltweg 1000km. Unfortunately, they did not start owing to an engine failure.
Herbert Muller subsequently sold the car to collector, Chris Cord of Beverly Hills.
Notable History
512 S Berlinetta
Georges Filipinetti (Scuderia Filipinetti), Geneva
03/1970 Geneva Motor Show
12/04/1970 WSC Brands Hatch 1000km (M. Parkes / H. Muller) 13th oa, 7th S5.0 class (#3)
25/04/1970 WSC Monza 1000km (M. Parkes / H. Muller) 8th oa, 5th in S5.0 class (#4)
03/05/1970 WSC Targa Florio (M. Parkes / H. Muller) 6th oa, 2nd in S5.0 class (#4)
Fitted with Coda Lunga bodywork for Le Mans
14/06/1970 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (M. Parkes / H. Muller) DNF (#15)
Sold to Solar Productions Inc., North Hollywood, for the film, Le Mans
12/1970 sold to Herbert Muller (Herbert Muller Racing), Reinach
09/05/1971 WSC Spa 1000km (C. Kocher / H. Wiesendanger) DNF (#28)
30/05/1971 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (C. Kocher / H. Wiesendanger) DNF (#61)
27/06/1971 WSC Zeltweg 1000km (M. Gregory / H. Wiesendanger) DNS (#23)
Sold to Chris Cord, Beverly Hills
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
