Guide: Return of the Scuderia - a Historical & Technical Appraisal of the Ferrari 312 P (1969)

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BACKGROUND

After a self-imposed year in exile, Scuderia Ferrari returned to the World Sportscar Championship for 1969 with the all-new 312 P.

Ferrari’s absence from the 1968 campaign had come about as a result of the FIA’s new three-litre engine limit for Group 6 Prototypes which was a reaction to the unprecedented speed of machinery like the Ford MkIV and Ferrari P4.

The three-litre rule for 1968 was announced a day after the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, but was done without any manufacturer consultation. It meant Group 6 Prototypes with engines over three-litres were made obsolete. Enzo Ferrari felt the decision was blatant favouritism towards Porsche and announced his team would play no part in the 1968 series.

Instead, Ferrari went Group 7 Can-Am racing.

After the FIA’s bombshell decision, il Commendatore ordered his team to convert a trio of Group 6 Ferrari P cars to Group 7 trim. These hastily prepared machines were then sent over to the US for some 1967 Can-Am races in anticipation of a proper factory assault in 1968.

However, by the summer of 1968, Enzo Ferrari had decided he wanted to re-enter the World Sportscar Championship for 1969. As a result, a brand new three-litre Group 6 Prototype was conceived: the 312 P.

As had been the case in 1968, 1969 would see three-litre Group 6 Prototypes race alongside Group 4 Sports cars. Whereas Group 6 vehicles had a three-litre engine limit but no minimum production requirement, Group 4 machinery could run engines of up to five-litres but 25 cars had to be built to qualify. The 25 car figure had been reduced from 50 in an attempt to stimulate entries for 1969.

Against expectations, it had been the Group 4 Gulf Oil-backed Ford GT40s of John Wyer Automotive Engineering that won the 1968 championship. The British team pipped Porsche to the title by three points.

For 1969 though, the fast developing three-litre Group 6 Prototypes were expected to dominate. In addition to Porsche and Ferrari, works cars from Matra, Alfa Romeo, Mirage and Alpine would arrive during the course of the season.

The 312 P was unveiled in December 1968 during a press conference at the Hotel Real Fini in Modena.

Meanwhile, unbeknown to the other manufacturers, Porsche had a surprise up their sleeve; as a result of the FIA’s reduced 25 unit homologation requirement, the Germans were preparing a brand new five-litre car that was effectively an out-and-out Prototype for the Group 4 class…

CHASSIS

The Ferrari 312 P was essentially a Formula 1 car with full width bodywork. It was based upon a new semi monocoque tubular steel chassis with aluminium and fibreglass panels riveted and bonded in place.

The wheelbase was 2370mm and a 60-litre fuel tank was mounted in each sill.

Fully adjustable suspension was via double wishbones, coil springs and Koni shocks plus an anti-roll bar at either end. The suspension set up was largely derived from Ferrari’s 1969 312 Formula 1 car, albeit with outboard springs at the front.

Ventilated disc brakes were supplied by Girling.

15-inch diameter Campagnolo wheels were shod with Firestone tyres. These centre-locking magnesium alloy rims measured 10.5-inches wide at the front and 13.5-inches wide at the rear.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION

For the engine, Ferrari made use of their existing hardware and fitted a mildly de-tuned Formula 1 motor from the 312 Grand Prix car.

This Franco Rocchi-designed Tipo 242 engine was a dry-sumped 60° V12 with dual overhead camshafts and four valve cylinder heads. As per the F1 car, it acted as an integral load-bearing part of the structure.

Engine capacity was 2989cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 77mm and 53.5mm respectively.

Compared to the F1 car, compression was reduced from 11.8:1 to 11.0:1 for increased engine life.

Instead of carburettors, Ferrari had by this time moved on to Lucas mechanical fuel-injection.

Ignition was via an electronic Magnetti Marelli Dinoplex system and single spark plug per cylinder.

Despite its slightly de-tuned configuration, output was only 16bhp less than the F1 unit: 420bhp at 9800rpm.

Importantly, peak power was delivered at 1200rpm less than the Grand Prix engine.

Transmission was through a five-speed Ferrari gearbox, twin-plate Borg & Beck clutch and limited slip differential.

BODYWORK

The 312 P's sleek Spyder body stood less than a metre tall and was fabricated from the lightest possible aluminium.

At its leading edge, the nose housed brake and radiator ducts while further up, Ferrari abandoned stacked headlights in favour of a single lens per side. Enormous canards were added to each front corner for specific tracks.

The cockpit was normally fitted with a partial aluminium cover to smooth airflow. Directly behind was a large intake snorkel that fed the engine.

Between the curvaceous fenders, front and rear decks were made as low as possible.

The rear body section was hinged at the trailing edge and opened as a single piece for easy access to the engine and ancillaries.

An adjustable rear flap acted as a spoiler when required.

The tail fascia was fully shrouded. Three lights were fitted per side with a wide vent in the centre. Four exhausts exited underneath the rear apron.

INTERIOR

Inside, ribbed vinyl covered the seats, transmission tunnel and rear bulkhead.

A simple crackle black dash housed a full complement of instrumentation plus an array of warning lights and switches. The rest of the cockpit was left in bare aluminium.

Ferrari built three 312 Ps, all of which were right-hand drive with a right-hand gearchange.

WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE

Dry weight was quoted at 680kg.

Depending on gear ratios, a top speed of around 190mph was possible.

0-62mph would have taken around three seconds.

PRODUCTION

Ferrari built three copies of the 312 P on chassis 0868, 0870 and 0872.

0869 started life as a Spyder. It did three early season races but on its final outing incurred accident damage that ruled it out of any further competitive action. It was subsequently used as the basis for a Pininfarina design concept dubbed the Ferrari 512 S Speciale that was displayed at the Turin Motor Show in October 1969.

0870 was also initially built as a Spyder. It did four races in this configuration and was then converted to Coupe trim for the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours, after which it was sold to Ferrari’s US distributor, Luigi Chinetti. 0870 went on to make one more appearance in 1969 followed by a trio of outings in 1970.

0872 was the only 312 P originally built as a Coupe. It was assembled in time for the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours, after which it too was sold to Luigi Chinetti who ran it in three races during 1970.

COMPETITION HISTORY

Scuderia Ferrari contested six World Sportscar Championship races with the 312 P in 1969: the Sebring 12 Hours, Brands Hatch 6 Hours, Monza 1000km, Spa 1000km, Nurburgring 1000km and Le Mans 24 Hours.

At Sebring, Mario Andretti promisingly put the new car on pole with a record lap time. Chris Amon then had a bad start in the race, but the 312 P proved sufficiently quick that it should have won. Unfortunately, a progressively down-on-power engine that began belching smoke along with a long stop for faulty lights meant Andretti / Amon eventually had to settle for second.

Ferrari then ran the same car at the Le Mans test weekend where Porsche debuted the shatteringly fast new 917. The 312 P ended up fifth fastest overall and third in class.

At the Brands Hatch 6 Hours Amon / Rodriguez qualified second but finished fourth as a result of a puncture and a troublesome accelerator pedal cable.

Two cars were then on hand for the Monza 1000km, but neither Mario Andretti / Chris Amon (who started from pole) or Pedro Rodriguez / Peter Schetty made it to the chequered flag owing to crankshaft failure and a major accident respectively.

Following the big Monza crash, Scuderia Ferrari were back down to just one 312 P for the 1000km races at Spa and the Nurburgring. In Belgium, Pedro Rodriguez / David Piper started fourth and finished second while in Germany, Amon / Rodriguez posted a DNF owing to electrical trouble having started second.

The final works outing for the 312 P came at the Le Mans 24 Hours where the sole remaining 312 P ran alongside a brand new example, both of which wore Coupe as opposed to Spyder bodies. Piper / Rodriguez started fifth and Amon / Schetty seventh but the race ended with a disappointing double DNF.

Chris Amon was caught up in John Woolfe’s fatal opening lap accident and incurred fire damage while the sister car was eventually retired as a consequence of its ever rising oil consumption.

After Le Mans, both cars were sold to Luigi Chinetti following FIAT’s acquisition of a 50% stake in Automobili Ferrari for $11m. The deal was finalised on June 21st. It saw Enzo Ferrari maintain control of the marque’s racing operations while FIAT took over the passenger car division.

Flush with cash, Enzo Ferrari immediately gave the go ahead for a new five-litre car to challenge the Porsche 917 in the Sports car class: the Ferrari 512 S.

Chinetti went on to run one 312 P at the Bridgehampton Can-Am race during the autumn where Pedro Rodriguez claimed fifth having started eleventh.

In 1970, Chinetti’s NART outfit campaigned his brace of cars at the Daytona 24 Hours (fourth and fifth overall for a class one-two), the Sebring 12 Hours (sixth overall, fourth in class and a DNF) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (where one 312 P posted a DNF and the other served as a spare).

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com & Supercar Nostalgia

Review: Ferrari 312 P 1969 season

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<<<312 P PORTAL

BACKGROUND

The 312 P was created for Ferrari’s 1969 return to the World Sportscar Championship following a refusal to compete in the ‘68 series owing to the FIA’s unilateral decision to ban top flight Prototypes with engines of over three-litres in an attempt to reduce speeds. Enzo Ferrari considered the decision blatant favouritism towards Porsche and elected to go Can-Am racing instead.

The new car was unveiled at the Hotel Real Fini in Modena in December 1968 and was subsequently put through an intensive test programme to include track work at the Modena Autodrome, Vallelunga and Monza. It would ultimately go head-to-had with similar Group 6 Prototypes from Porsche (908 and 908/02), Ford UK / Alan Mann (Ford P68 F3L), Alfa Romeo (Tipo 33/3), Alpine (A220), Matra (MS630 and MS650) and John Wyer’s Gulf-backed Mirage outfit (Mirage M2 and M3).

Wyer’s Gulf Racing outfit would also be in contention for outright victories with its Ford GT40s which ran in the five-litre Group 4 Sports cars along with a plethora of independently run Lola T70 Mk3B GTs.

The ten round 1969 World Sportscar Championship kicked off with the Daytona 24 Hours on February 1st and 2nd. However, as only a manufacturer’s best five finishes counted towards their final points tally, Ferrari decided to skip Daytona in favour of further development.

1969 SEBRING 12 HOURS

The 312 P made its competition debute at the Sebring 12 Hour race on March 22nd.

One car was taken for Chris Amon and Mario Andretti to drive (chassis 0868).

Opposition in the Group 6 Prototype class comprised four works Porsche 908/02s and a trio of Autodelta Alfa Romeo T33/3s.

The best five-litre Group 4 Sports cars would also be in the hunt for outright victory. Favourites were the Gulf-backed JWAE Ford GT40s and four privateer Lola T70 GTs, including Penske’s Daytona winner.

The 312 P proved shatteringly fast straight out of the box and needed practically no adjustment.

Despite having never previously driven the car, Andretti put it on pole with a new circuit record.

The Penske Lola T70 of Mark Donohue / Ronnie Bucknum qualified second and the Porsche 908/02 of Gerhard Mitter / Udo Schutz was third.

On the grid, Amon lagged for a moment while the car built up fuel pressure. At the end of lap one, he had dropped to seventh while Porsches held first through fourth.

At the three hour mark, Amon had risen to second behind the Donohue / Bucknum Lola.

Amon then took the lead for 21 laps, but a spin to avoid a rubber cone thrown up by a slower car handed the advantage to Porsche.

The Ferrari was still second at mid-distance when a Chevron lost its rear bodywork down the main straight. Amon collected a piece of debris that partially blocked the 312’s radiator intake and immediately caused the engine to overheat.

After a two-minute stop to repair the ductwork, the temperature was still too high; enough water had escaped as steam to form vapour locks in the cooling lines. Despite a number of stops, the mechanics were never able to properly clear them.

Nevertheless, the car continued, somewhat down on power and belching clouds of white smoke on the overrun.

Around an hour later, 0868 was black flagged for no lights which took eight minutes to cure.

Problems for Porsche meant that Ferrari later regained the lead. However, a final ten minute stop for water meant the Jacky Ickx / Jackie Oliver Gulf GT40 inherited a lead it would retain until the end.

As the GT40 was a Group 4 car, Ferrari’s second place finish meant they won the Group 6 class.

1969 LE MANS TEST

The next weekend, Ferrari took the only other 312 P completed so far (chassis 0870) to la Sarthe for the annual Le Mans Test (April 29th and 30th).

This time, Chris Amon was partnered by Ernesto Brambilla.

Significantly, Porsche arrived with a brand new car that would change the face of racing. The as-yet un-homologated 917 was a five-litre out-and-out Prototype. It would ultimately run in the Sport category as Porsche announced they would build 25 examples.

Given the 917 was likely to become the fastest two-seat racing car ever manufactured, it seemed the FIA's desire to reduce speeds had backfired because of their desperation to bolster grids.

Things started badly for the Scuderia at Le Mans; during a tow start early on, a stone was thrown up which holed the radiator. As a result, the 312 P didn’t appear until the afternoon session.

Amon ultimately posted fifth quickest time, nearly four seconds slower than the similarly open-topped Matra MS630/650 in second.

Unsurprisingly, the new Porsche 917 went fastest overall and was over three seconds quicker than the second placed Matra.

After the Le Mans Test Ferrari set about designing a Berlinetta body for the 24 Hour race in June.

1969 BRANDS HATCH 6 HOURS

On April 13th, Brands Hatch hosted a 6 Hour race for what was round three of the 1969 World Sportscar Championship. The British event marked the debut for JWAE’s Gulf-backed three-litre Group 6 car: the Mirage M2.

In the Ferrari, Chris Amon was joined by Pedro Rodriguez. Chassis 0868 (the car used at Sebring) qualified second. It started from the middle of the front row between the works Porsche 908/02 of Jo Siffert / Brian Redman (pole) and the Scuderia Filipinetti Lola T70 Mk3B GT of Jo Bonnier / Herbert Muller (third).

A trio of other works 908/02s qualified fourth through sixth.

Amon made a perfect start and, by the end of lap one, he and Siffert were already well clear of the rest.

On lap five, Siffert pushed past and built a lead his Porsche would never lose.

With 40 minutes gone, Amon suffered a puncture and rejoined seventh.

20 minutes later, the Ferrari was back up to fourth.

0868 had climbed to third after four hours of racing, but seemed unable to do anything about the leading pair of Porsches.

In the final hour, the Ferrari wasn’t running so well; it transpired the accelerator cable had stretched which meant Amon was only able to use one third throttle. This allowed the fourth place 908/02 to pass and meant Porsche swept the podium positions.

Victory went to the pole starting example of championship favourites, Siffert and Redman.

1969 MONZA 1000KM

Both 312 Ps were then on hand to contest round four of the 1969 World Sportscar Championship: the Monza 1000km on April 25th.

Chris Amon and Mario Andretti were allocated chassis 0870 as used at the Le Mans Test. This car had a slightly more powerful engine and more anti-dive built into the front suspension.

Pedro Rodriguez and Peter Schetty drove chassis 0868, the ex-Sebring and Brands Hatch car. Since its last outing, 0868 had been fitted with an F1 gearbox which was around 18kg lighter than the original Group 6 unit.

Andretti was first out in practice, but on his second lap, he fell foul of one of the chicanes and crumpled 0870’s nose. This put the car out of action until the final half hour when he and Amon were able to borrow the nose from the sister car.

Day two of practice saw Schetty suffer a 160mph blowout on the exit of Ascari. The flailing tyre damaged 0868’s suspension, tore the rear body apart and smashed the oil tank. Nevertheless, the car was repaired in time for the race and started third.

After Schetty’s blowout, Ferrari switched to an older compound of Firestone tyre that didn’t get so hot.

Andretti / Amon qualified on pole. The Ferraris were split by Siffert / Redman for Porsche. Like the other works Porsche's in attendance, their 908/02 had been equipped with revised Langheck bodywork for this high-speed circuit.

The Ferraris made superb starts. They headed into the first corner with Andretti ahead of Rodriguez, but by lap three, Siffert’s Porsche had slithered past them both.

Rodriguez went into second and set a new lap record in his pursuit of the Porsche. He and Siffert exchanged the lead a couple of times before Rodriguez managed to build a gap and hand Schetty a 20 second advantage.

On lap 14, Andretti, who had been third, came crawling round to the pits with a flat tyre. He rejoined in sixth and, after the first round of driver stops, 0870 had recovered back to third.

Ten laps into his stint, Schetty was back in the pits with tyre trouble and the car proved difficult to restart which dropped him from the lead down to fourth.

By the time of the second driver stops, Siffert / Redman led from Amon / Andretti and Rodriguez / Schetty.

Unfortunately, Amon only did a lap-and-a-half before the oil pressure zeroed. He returned to the pits on foot after abandoning the car out on the circuit with crankshaft failure.

Rodriguez was thus in second when, on his third lap, the Mexican emerged from Parabolica in a cloud of smoke after an enormous spin. The mechanics changed a couple of punctured tyres and he re-joined third.

Another three laps had passed when, heading down the main straight, a small piece of fibreglass behind the rear tyre that had punctured came adrift. This allowed air to get into the tail section which blew off at high speed. 0868 veered sharply to the left and went into an enormous 100 metre spin after which the car slammed backwards into the barrier.

Rodriguez was fortunate to escape unhurt, but the car sustained heavy damage.

Victory fell to the Siffert / Redman 908/02 with the sister car of Hans Herrmann / Kurt Ahrens Jr. second.

After its crash at Monza, 0868 was dismantled. It never raced again but did serve as the basis for a Pininfarina design study (the 1969 Ferrari 512 S Speciale).

1969 TARGA FLORIO

Ferrari skipped round five (the Targa Florio) where Siffert / Redman took their third consecutive victory.

1969 SPA 1000KM

Having hoped to run two cars at the Spa 1000km on May 11th, chassis 0868 was deemed beyond repair so 0870 was Scuderia Ferrari’s sole representative in Belgium.

It was originally entered for Amon / Rodriguez but, as Amon was absent though illness, Ferrari called upon David Piper instead.

0870 had a new engine and retained the anti-dive front suspension although the consensus was the car was easier to drive without it owing to a lack of brake feel when the nose didn’t dip.

All three days of practice were wet and 0870 qualified in fourth position. The three-car front row comprised Paul Hawkins / David Prophet on pole (Lola T70 GT Mk3B GT), Jacky Ickx / Jacky Oliver in second (Mirage M2) and Brian Redman / Jo Siffert in third (Porsche 908/02 Langheck).

Tellingly, Siffert had posted a time over half a second quicker than the pole-starting Lola driving the newly homologated Porsche 917 in what was its maiden race. However, he opted to use the trusty 908/02 instead of the terrifyingly unsorted 917.

It turned out to be a good decision; the only 917 to start went out on the first lap with engine trouble.

Unlike practice, the race began in dry conditions.

On lap three, Siffert and Rodriguez passed Hawkins and began to pull away from the rest of the field.

On lap eight, the leaders tore into Eau Rouge where they came across Karl von Wendt’s Porsche 907 in the middle of the road. Siffert ducked round on the inside while Rodriguez tried to go by on the outside. Unaware that Pedro was there, von Wendt blocked him and the cars touched. The 907 span, left the road and went up and over a bank completely destroying an advertising hoarding.

Rodriguez had to take it easy back to the pits where the car was quickly checked over and deemed safe to continue. Rodriguez was only stationary for twelve seconds and rejoined in third. By this time, Siffert had a one minute lead.

Rodriguez put on a real charge and did a double stint at the wheel. After a couple of fuel stops he was back into second and had reduced Siffert / Redman’s lead to 37 seconds.

However, at this point, Siffert picked up the pace and, when the gap got no smaller, Rodriguez handed over to Piper. The Mexican did get back in for the final stint, but Siffert and Redman proved uncatchable.

The Ferrari eventually finished three-and-a-half minutes down the road but managed a creditable second place. Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens Jr. rounded out the podium in one of the sister 908/02s.

1969 NURBURGRING 1000KM

Although a new 312 P Berlinetta was now waiting at the factory (0872), Enzo Ferrari wanted it reserved for Le Mans so only 0870 was taken to Germany for the Nurburgring 1000km on June 1st.

By contrast, Porsche turned up with no less than five 908/02s, some wearing updated Flunder bodywork. There was also a solitary 917 for whoever was unlucky enough to draw the short straw.

Prior to the race, Amon, Rodriguez and team manager, Mike Parkes, had done a test session at the Nurburgring. The car arrived for the race with increased ride height and a new fuel reservoir to counteract the effect of fuel surge when on low tanks.

The two days of practice were held in mixed conditions. Once again, qualifying was a battle between Siffert and Ferrari. The Swiss eventually took pole by one tenth of a second from the 312 P which lined up second. Another five Porsches were third through seventh.

The race began with a rolling start for the first time at the Nurburgring. Amon and Siffert both hesitated which enabled Mitter, Elford and Attwood to go past.

By the end of lap one, Siffert and Amon were back up to second and third respectively. On lap four, they headed the field.

A series of laps records were then set by the two drivers and, at quarter distance, their cars were still first and second, albeit with Redman and Rodriguez now at the wheel.

However, by this time, the Porsche was nearly a minute ahead and, by lap 20, Redman had doubled the advantage.

After the second driver change, Amon had to make an unscheduled stop to replace a couple of tyres which dropped him to fourth.

Within two laps of rejoining, he had passed Vic Elford’s Porsche to go third and was lining up the Stommelen / Herrmann entry when a bad vibration from the front sent him back to the pits for another tyre change.

Once again relegated to fourth, the Kiwi set a new lap record in his pursuit of the leaders.

Unfortunately, on lap 29, the Ferrari ground to a halt at Wippermann when the electrics cut out. Amon did briefly manage to get the car going again, but it soon cut out for good and Ferrari’s race was over.

Siffert / Redman took another win for Porsche with 908/02s also second, third, fourth and fifth.

1969 LE MANS 24 HOURS

Next up was the Le Mans 24 Hours which took place over the weekend of June 14th and 15th (round eight of the 1969 World Sportscar Championship).

In addition to the brand new 312 P Berlinetta, which was allocated to Chris Amon and Peter Schetty (chassis 0872), Ferrari had also converted what was their sole remaining Spyder (chassis 0870) for Pedro Rodriguez and David Piper.

During tests at Modena and Monza, the Berlinetta body had proved a big improvement. For Le Mans, the anti-dive geometry was absent and both cars used the beefier Group 6 gearbox rather than the lighter F1 unit.

Porsche arrived with three 917s and three 908s (all in Langheck trim). Matra had a trio of MS630s and a solitary MS650. Alfa Romeo took a brace of Tipo 33/2s and Alpine were on hand with four of their new three-litre A220s.

The Porsche 917s would contest the Group 4 Sport category along with a pair of Gulf-backed Ford GT40s from JWAE.

After three days of practice, it was no surprise that pole went to one of the 917s (the car of Rolf Stommelen / Kurt Ahrens Jr.). The sister 917 of Vic Elford / Richard Attwood was second followed by a pair of 908 Langhecks.

Piper and Rodriguez qualified fifth in 0870 while Amon and Schettty were seventh in 0872. Chassis 0872 appeared at Le Mans with the ID tag of chassis 0868 so as to match the entry forms originally lodged with the organisers.

Unfortunately, the race was marred by a disastrous opening lap.

Driving his brand new Porsche 917, privateer John Woolfe lost control coming over the hump through the kink before Maison Blanche. With two wheels on the grass at over 150mph, the car slid wide and Woolfe couldn’t catch it.

The 917 hit the guard rail, flipped onto its roof and continued down the road before breaking in two and catching fire. The track was completely blocked with burning wreckage. Poor John Woolfe was thrown from the car and died in the helicopter as he was rushed to hospital.

Amon’s Ferrari had been immediately behind Woolfe and the Porsche’s burning fuel tank became lodged underneath 0872 which briefly caught fire. Amon pulled off the track and punched the integral extinguishing system which prevented the car from burning out. It was retired on the spot.

In the sister 312 P, Rodriguez had struggled to fasten his seatbelts. He pulled away well down the order and, as a result, escaped the melee intact.

With ten laps gone, chassis 0870 was 15th.

After two hours racing, Rodriguez had moved up to tenth. The Mexican did an almost three hour stint before handing over to Piper.

At around the four hour mark, Piper came into the pits as the car was jumping out of fifth gear. 18 minutes were lost while the problem was fixed which dropped the car back out of the top ten.

Six hours in, the Ferrari lay ninth, but had started to consume a great deal of oil. At this stage, it began to call into the pits as often as was allowed (every 25 laps). Two gallons were typically put in at every visit.

Rodriguez and Piper were still in ninth when, just as dawn broke, the Ferrari encountered serious trouble. The transmission began to tighten up and, with its oil consumption ever rising, 0870 was retired. The decision to abandon was made at 5:20am, 223 laps into the race.

Against the odds, Porsche were defeated by the Gulf-backed GT40s which finished first and third. Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver took the win from the Porsche 908/02 Langheck of Hans Herrmann / Gerard Larrousse. David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood rounded out the podium in the sister GT40.

FIAT PURCHASES 50% OF AUTOMOBILI FERRARI

Less than a week after Le Mans, FIAT purchased a 50% stake in Automobili Ferrari for $11m.

The deal was finalised on June 21st. It saw Enzo Ferrari maintain control of the marque’s racing operations while FIAT took over the passenger car division.

Flush with cash, Enzo Ferrari immediately gave the go ahead for a new five-litre Prototype to take on the Porsche 917: the Ferrari 512 S.

In late August, both 312 Ps (one of which was still being rebuilt after its fiery retirement at Le Mans) were sold. The buyer was Ferrari’s US distributor, Luigi Chinetti, who wanted the cars for his North American Racing Team (NART).

1969 BRIDGEHAMTPON CAN-AM

In Chinetti’s ownership, a 312 P made only one further appearance in 1969.

While chassis 0872 was undergoing its post-Le Mans rebuild, 0870 was entered for the Can-Am race at Bridgehampton (September 14th). It appeared alongside Ferrari’s Group 7 612 P in which Chris Amon had contested the previous four rounds and collected a pair of third place finishes.

Pedro Rodriguez was loaned to NART for the 70 lap event at Bridgehampton. He qualified eleventh behind Tony Dean’s Porsche 908/02 (one of the few other three-litre cars in the race).

Rodriguez was ultimately able to pull out a substantial lead over Dean, but on the very last lap, he had to stop for fuel. The Mexican was stationary for around 40 seconds and rejoined just as Dean swept past the pits.

Fortunately, in the last mile, Dean was slowed by a backmarker and Rodriguez re-took fifth position to claim the honour as first under three-litre car home.

There was no more racing for either 312 P in 1969.

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY

For 1970, NART acquired a pair of brand new 512 S Ferraris, but the 312 Ps had not been forgotten; both three-litre cars were entered for Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans.

Daytona was a great success for the 312 Ps. Sam Posey and Mike Parkes finished fourth overall and won the Prototype class in 0872. Tony Adamowicz and David Piper claimed fifth overall and second in class with 0870.

At Sebring, Adamowicz and Luigi Chinetti Jr. retired 0870 with a faulty water pump after 56 laps. The sister car of Mike Parkes and Chuck Parsons (0872) finished sixth overall and fourth in the three-litre Prototype category.

Both cars should have raced at Le Mans, but because a sponsorship deal fell through at the last minute, chassis 0870 for Sam Posey / Francois Migault was withdrawn. It was purchased that weekend by French collector, Pierre Bardinon.

Meanwhile, chassis 0872 for Adamowicz / Parsons did start. It was plagued with electrical glitches caused by dreadful weather. After 24 hours, 0872 was still running, but had covered insufficient distance to be classified as a finisher.

In an attempt to stay competitive, 0872 was fitted with a lightweight Spyder body for 1971. It picked up a fifth at Daytona and eighth at Sebring.

The car was then further modified and appeared twice more in period: at the 1972 Daytona 6 Hours (DNF) and 1974 Le Mans 24 Hours (ninth).

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com, ACO - https://www.24h-lemans.com & unattributed

Guide: Ferrari Pininfarina 512 S Speciale - a Historical & Technical Appraisal

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BACKGROUND

After a one year absence from the World Sportscar Championship in protest at the implementation of a three-litre engine limit that made his existing cars obsolete, Enzo Ferrari decided to return with a brand new machine for the 1969 campaign. The resultant 312 P was a Group 6 Spider (and later Berlinetta) reserved exclusively for use by Scuderia Ferrari.

Three examples of the 312 P were built: chassis 0868, 0870 and 0872.

Unfortunately, chassis 0868 sustained heavy damage at the Monza 1000km in April 1969. After a puncture caused a piece of fibreglass behind one of the rear tyres to come adrift, air got into the tail section which then blew off at high speed. 0868 went into an enormous 100 metre spin after which the car slammed backwards into the barrier.

The driver, Pedro Rodriguez, was lucky to escape unhurt, but 0868 played no further part in the 1969 campaign.

Instead, it was taken back to the factory and dismantled.

During the summer of 1969, the chassis was used as part of the 512 S design programme; 0868 was rebuilt with a 512 S-style rear-end, re-numbered 002 and fitted with a 612 Can-Am engine block (number 0866).

After this phase of its life was complete, the rolling chassis was dispatched to Pininfarina where it was transformed into a design concept.

After the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale-based Bertone Carabo was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1968, designers were quick to transition to its exciting new wedge design language.

Pininfarina were already working on their own such concepts; first to arrive was the Dino 206 S-based P6 (Turin Motor Show November 1968) which was followed by the Abarth SE 010-based 2000 Scorpio (Brussels Motor Show January 1969).

These two cars were followed by a further evolution of the theme using chassis 0868: the Ferrari 512 S Speciale which took its bow at the Turin Motor Show in October 1969

BODYWORK

The 512 S Speciale was Pininfarina’s most extreme interpretation of wedge design yet.

At the front of the car was an air-piercing nose with a slim rectangular intake aperture and correspondingly styled indicators. Further up, retractable headlights were adopted, behind which were a bank or slatted air vents. A pair of larger vents were located on the front lid just below the windscreen scuttle.

The windscreen itself was a softly curved single piece of glass, either side of which were two massive intakes to feed the rear-mounted radiators. The entire upper body in the centre of the car lifted up as a single-piece canopy in order to access the cockpit. There were no side windows of any kind.

At the back of the car was a truncated cutaway tail that partially enclosed the rear wheels. The upper section of the single-piece rear bodywork was home to four massive banks of vents that were painted satin black to contrast the otherwise yellow bodywork.

A slim tail fascia was home to a pair of ultra modern light clusters and a full width opening dressed with a black meshed grille.

For sheer visual drama, the 512 S Speciale was arguably the most spectacular show car of 1969.

INTERIOR

Cockpit aesthetics were constrained by the restrictive nature of the cramped 312 P underpinnings and the low slung exterior.

In between the massive sills were heavily reclined single piece seats split by a tall central divider. The seats were trimmed in a mixture of black vinyl and tartan fabric.

The rev counter was located in a cowl directly behind the three-spoke Momo steering wheel. The rest of the instrumentation was housed in a rectangular binnacle laid out horizontally in front of the passenger.

To the driver’s right-hand side was a control panel with an array of switchgear plus the gear lever and a pair of levers to open the enormous lift-up body sections.

CHASSIS

The Ferrari 312 P chassis upon which Pininfarina built the 512 S Speciale was a semi monocoque with steel tubes and fibreglass panels riveted and bonded in place.

The wheelbase was 2370mm and a 60-litre fuel tank was mounted in each sill.

Fully adjustable suspension was via double wishbones, coil springs and Koni shocks plus anti-roll bars at either end. The suspension set up was largely derived from Ferrari’s 1969 312 Formula 1 car, albeit with outboard springs at the front.

Ventilated disc brakes were supplied by Girling.

15-inch diameter Campagnolo wheels were shod with Firestone tyres. These centre-locking magnesium alloy rims measured 10.5-inches wide at the front and 13.5-inches wide at the rear.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION

In addition to the back end upgrades trialled in anticipation of building the 512 S racing car for 1970, chassis 0868 was modified to incorporate a big-block 612 Can-Am engine. At the time, the 612 power unit was the closest thing Ferrari had to the engine that was being developed for the 1970 512 S.

At 6.2-litres, the 612 engine was Ferrari’s largest yet. It was an all-alloy 60° V12 with dry-sump lubrication, dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and Lucas fuel-injection. Displacement was 6222cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 92mm and 78mm respectively.

Single plug ignition was employed along with a 10.5:1 compression ratio.

Peak output was 620bhp at 7000rpm.

Unlike the 312 P and 512 S (which used five-speed gearboxes), the 612 Can-Am ran a four-speed ‘box with triple plate Borg & Beck clutch and a ZF limited slip differential.

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY

After its show career was over, Pininfarina sold the 512 S Speciale to a private collector in Italy.

It has since gone through the hands of several more custodians.

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Pininfarina - https://pininfarina.it

VIN: the works / NART Ferrari 312 P chassis 0872

<<<FERRARI PORTAL
<<<312 P PORTAL

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 0872

Chassis 0872 was the last of three cars built in 1969 to 312 P trim. Of these, 0872 was the only one originally configured as a Berlinetta although its sister car, chassis 0870, was re-bodied to match after it had made four outings as a Spyder.

The debut appearance for the Berlinetta variant came at the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours where 0872 and 0870 were entered by Scuderia Ferrari. For this event, both cars ran the beefier Group 6 endurance racing gearbox rather than the lighter F1-based unit.

0872 was allocated to Chris Amon and Peter Schetty. It appeared at la Sarthe with the VIN tag of chassis 0868 so as to match the entry forms originally lodged with the organisers. Chassis 0868 had been heavily damaged at the Monza 1000km in April and subsequently played no further part in the 1969 campaign.

Amon and Schetty qualified seventh in 0872 while team-mates David Piper and Pedro Rodriguez started fifth in the sister car.

Unfortunately, neither car finished the race which was marred by a disastrous opening lap when John Woolfe fatally crashed his brand new Porsche 917 (chassis 005). Amon’s Ferrari had been immediately behind Woolfe and the Porsche’s burning fuel tank became lodged underneath chassis 0872 which briefly caught fire. Amon pulled off the track and punched the fire extinguishing system which prevented the car from burning out. It was retired on the spot.

The week after Le Mans, Fiat purchased a 50% stake in Automobili Ferrari for $11m. Enzo Ferrari decided to abandon the 312 P programme and create a five-litre car to rival the 917: the Ferrari 512 S.

Once refreshed and repaired, chassis 0870 and 0872 were sold to Ferrari’s US distributor, Luigi Chinetti, for his North American Racing Team (NART).

Chassis 0872 went on to make three appearances for NART during the 1970 season.

At the Daytona 24 Hours, Sam Posey and Mike Parkes finished fourth overall and won the Prototype class

At the Sebring 12 Hours, Mike Parkes and Chuck Parsons finished sixth overall and fourth in the three-litre Prototype category.

At the Le Mans 24 Hours, Tony Adamowicz and Chuck Parsons were plagued with electrical glitches caused by the dreadful weather. After 24 hours they were still running, but had covered insufficient distance to be classified as finishers.

For the 1971 season, 0872 was re-bodied with a new open-topped shell that mimicked a 312 PB at the front and a short-tailed 512 S at the back. In this configuration, the car was raced twice more.

Its first outing came at the 1971 Daytona 24 Hours where Nestor Garcia-Veiga, Luigi Chinetti Jr. and Alain de Cadanet claimed fifth overall and first in the Prototype class.

The Daytona outing was followed by an appearance at the Sebring 12 Hours where Chinetti Jr. and George Eaton crossed the line eighth overall. This was good enough for third in the three-litre Prototype category.

Luigi Chinetti then set about building a new car using a number of 0872's components. The suspension, steering, engine and gearbox were dropped into a brand new chassis known as the Chinetti Special. It was raced by NART at the 1972 Daytona 6 Hours and the 1974 Le Mans 24 Hours.

During the early 1980s, all the parts taken from 0872 were re-united with the original car which had been sold to Francois Sicard in 1972. The new owner, Carle Conway of Southport, Connecticut, then sold the dis-assembled machine to local collector, Paul Pappalardo, who in turn traded them to TV producer, Greg Garrison, in Thousand Oaks, California.

By the early 1980s, chassis 0872 was with Peter Sachs of Stamford, Connecticut. Sachs subsequently had chassis 0872 restored to its original configuration during the late 1990s.

Notable History

312 P Berlinetta

Scuderia Ferrari

15/06/1969 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (C. Amon / P. Schetty) DNF (#19)

Sold to Luigi Chinetti (NART)

01/02/1970 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (S. Posey / M. Parkes) 4th oa, 1st P class (#24)
21/03/1970 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (M. Parkes / C. Parsons) 6th oa, 4th P3.0 class (#22)
14/06/1970 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (C. Parsons / T. Adamowicz) NC (#57)

Converted to 312 PB-style Spyder body by Wayne Sparling

31/01/1971 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (N. Garcia-Veiga / L. Chinetti Jr. / A. De Cadenet) 5th oa, 1st P class (#21)
20/03/1971 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (L. Chinetti Jr. / G. Eaton) 8th oa, 3rd P3.0 class (#21)

Dismantled after Sebring
Engine, gearbox, steering and suspension used in the '312 Chinetti Special'

1972 chassis and bodywork acquired by Francois Sicard in 1972

Early 1980s sold to Carle Conway, Connecticut

Re-united with original engine, gearbox, steering and suspension used in the '312 Chinetti Special'

Sold to Paul Pappalardo, Connecticut

Sold to Greg Garrison, California

Sold to Peter Sachs, Connecticut

Restored

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed

VIN: the works / NART Ferrari 312 P chassis 0870

<<<FERRARI PORTAL
<<<312 P PORTAL

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 0870

Chassis 0870 was one of three 312 Ps constructed by Ferrari.

The 312 P was created to contest the three-litre Group 6 category of the 1969 World Championship.

A three-litre engine limit had been imposed from 1968 to try and reduce speeds, but the FIA’s unilateral decision upset a lot of manufacturers. Enzo Ferrari was so dismayed that he refused to participate in 1968.

However, Ferrari returned for 1969 when the 312 P went head-to-head with similar machinery from Porsche, Matra, Mirage, Alpine and Alfa Romeo.

0870 was the second 312 P to appear after chassis 0868. Both cars were initially completed as Spyders.

0870 made its maiden appearance at the annual Le Mans Test weekend where it was allocated to Chris Amon and Ernesto Brambilla. Significantly, Porsche arrived with the new 917, a car that would change the face of the sport over the next couple of years.

Unfortunately, 0870 missed the first timed session after a stone was thrown up and holed the radiator. Amon ultimately went on to post fifth quickest time.

At the Monza 1000km four weeks later, 0870 was entered for Chris Amon and Mario Andretti. It started from pole even though Andretti had crumpled the car’s nose in practice.

In the race, the Ferraris made superb starts. Andretti then dropped to third behind Jo Siffert’s Porsche and Pedro Rodriguez in the sister 312 P.

On lap 14, Andretti came crawling round to the pits with a flat tyre. He rejoined in sixth, but by the time Amon took over, 0870 had recovered to second.

However, Amon only did a lap-and-a-half before the oil pressure zeroed. He returned to the pits on foot after abandoning the car out on the circuit with crankshaft failure.

Later on, Rodriguez was involved in a scary accident which practically destroyed the sister car. It was not raced again which left 0870 as the sole 312 P until a new chassis arrived at Le Mans.

Amon was supposed to share 0870 with Rodriguez at Spa, but the Mexican was ill and David Piper was called up instead. A new engine had been fitted and the anti-dive geometry was removed.

0870 qualified fourth and finished second, three-and-a-half minutes behind the Siffert / Redman Porsche.

Its next appearance was at the Nurburgring 1000km for which the ride height was increased and a new fuel reservoir was fitted to counteract the effect of fuel surge when on low tanks.

Once again, qualifying was a battle between Siffert and Ferrari. The Swiss eventually took pole by one tenth of a second from the 312 P which lined up second.

In the race, 0870 had a troubled run interspersed with lap records to try and catch up. It was retired on lap 29 with electrical problems.

For the Le Mans 24 Hours, 0870 was converted to Berlinetta trim to match the new car, chassis 0872. Porsche 917s took first and second spots on the grid, a pair of long-tailed 908s were third and fourth and Rodriguez / Piper were fifth in 0870.

Unfortunately, the race was marred by the fatal opening lap accident of John Woolfe in his brand new 917. The sister Ferrari was caught up in the melee and retired on the spot.

As the race wore on, 0870 began to consume a great deal of oil. It only ever ran on the periphery of the top ten and was retired at 5:20am with transmission failure.

After Le Mans, 0870 was sold to Ferrari’s US importer, Luigi Chinetti (along with 0872). Enzo Ferrari had signed a buyout deal with Fiat and, flush with cash, il Commendatore abandoned the 312 P programme to concentrate on a five-litre 917 challenger for 1970.

Chinetti had Pedro Rodriguez drive 0870 at the Bridgehampton Can-Am race in September 1969 where it finished fifth.

For 1970, chassis 0870 played second fiddle to Chinetti’s new 512s, but the car did make appearances at Daytona (fifth) and Sebring (DNF). It should have raced at Le Mans as well, but failed to start after a sponsorship deal fell through.

Chinetti sold 0870 straight after Le Mans to legendary Ferrari collector, Pierre Bardinon.

Notable History

312 P Spyder

Scuderia Ferrari, Maranello

30/03/1969 IND Le Mans Test (C. Amon / E. Brambilla) 5th oa, 3rd P3.0 class (#18)
25/04/1969 WSC Monza 1000km (M. Andretti / C. Amon) DNF (#1)
11/05/1969 WSC Spa 1000km (P. Rodriguez / D. Piper) 2nd oa, 2nd P3.0 class (#8)
01/06/1969 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (C. Amon / P. Rodriguez) DNF (#7)

Converted to Berlinetta trim

15/06/1969 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (P. Rodriguez / D. Piper) DNF (#18)

Sold to Luigi Chinetti (NART), New York, USA

14/09/1969 CAM Bridgehampton (P. Rodriguez) 5th oa (#12)

01/02/1970 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (T. Adamowicz / D. Piper) 5th oa, 2nd P class (#23)
21/03/1970 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (T. Adamowicz / L. Chinetti Jr.) DNF (#23)
14/06/1970 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (T. Adamowicz / S. Posey) T-car (#39)

Sold to Pierre Bardinon, France

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed

VIN: the works Ferrari 312 P chassis 0868

<<<FERRARI PORTAL
<<<312 P PORTAL

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 0868

Ferrari built a trio of 312 Ps for the 1969 World Sportscar Championship of which chassis 0868 was the first.

Unveiled at the firm’s Hotel Real Fini press conference in Modena during December 1968, chassis 0868 then underwent an extensive test programme.

It debuted as the solitary Scuderia Ferrari entry at the Sebring 12 Hour race on March 22nd 1969. In the hands of Mario Andretti and Chris Amon, the 312 P proved shatteringly fast. Despite the fact he had never driven the car, Andretti put it on pole with a new circuit record.

Amon had a slow start in the race, but after three hours, 0868 was up to second. Amon then took the lead for 21 laps, but a spin to avoid a rubber cone thrown up by a slower car handed the advantage to Porsche.

The Ferrari was still second at mid-distance when a Chevron lost its rear bodywork down the main straight. Amon collected a fragment that partially blocked the 312’s radiator intake and immediately caused the engine to overheat.

After a two-minute stop to repair the ductwork, the temperature was still too high; enough water had escaped as steam to form vapour locks in the cooling lines and, despite a number of stops, the mechanics were never able to properly clear them. Nevertheless, the car continued on, somewhat down on power and belching clouds of white smoke on the overrun.

Around an hour later, 0868 was blackflagged for no lights which took eight minutes to cure.

Problems for Porsche meant that, against the odds, Ferrari later regained top spot. However, a final ten minute stop for water meant the Jacky Ickx / Jackie Oliver Gulf-backed Ford GT40 inherited a lead it would retain until the end.

As the GT40 was a Group 4 car, Ferrari’s second place finish meant they won the Group 6 class.

0868’s next appearance came at the Brands Hatch 6 Hours on April 13th. On this occasion, Amon was joined by Pedro Rodriguez and the Ferrari qualified second.

Amon made a perfect start and, by the end of lap one, he and Siffert were already well clear of the rest. On lap five, Siffert pushed passed and built a lead his Porsche would never lose.

With 40 minutes gone, Amon suffered a puncture and rejoined seventh. 20 minutes later, the Ferrari was back up to fourth. 0868 had climbed to third after four hours of racing, but seemed unable to do anything about the leading pair of Porsches.

In the final hour, the Ferrari wasn’t running so well; it transpired the accelerator cable had stretched which meant Amon was only able to use one third throttle. This allowed the fourth place 908/02 to pass and meant Porsche swept the podium positions.

Ferrari went to the Monza 1000km race on April 25th with a pair of 312 Ps. 0868 was to be driven by Rodriguez and Peter Schetty. It had been fitted with an F1 gearbox that weighed 18kg less than the bulkier original.

During practice, Schetty suffered a blowout on the exit of Ascari at around 160mph. The flailing tyre damaged the suspension, tore the rear body apart and smashed the oil tank.

0868 was repaired in time for the race and started third.

Both Ferraris made superb starts. They headed into the first corner with Andretti ahead of Rodriguez. By lap three, Siffert’s Porsche had slithered past them both. Rodriguez went into second and set a new lap record in his pursuit of the Porsche. He and Siffert exchanged the lead a couple of times before Rodriguez managed to build a gap and hand Schetty a 20 second advantage.

Ten laps after taking over, Schetty was back in the pits with tyre trouble and the car proved difficult to restart which dropped him in down to fourth. The Swiss recovered to second before handing back to Rodriguez.

On his third lap, Pedro emerged from Parabolica in a cloud of smoke after an enormous spin. The mechanics changed a couple of punctured tyres and he re-joined third. Another three laps had passed when, heading down the main straight, a small piece of fibreglass behind the rear tyre that had punctured came adrift. This allowed air to get into the tail section which blew off at high speed.

0868 veered sharply to the left and went into an enormous 100 metre spin, after which the car slammed backwards into the barrier. Rodriguez was fortunate to escape unhurt, but the car sustained heavy damage.

0868 was taken back to the factory and dismantled.

Although it would never race again, the car did later serve as part of the 512 S design programme.

It was rebuilt with a 512 S-style rear-end, re-numbered 002 and fitted with a 612 Can-Am engine block (number 0866).

Afterwards, Ferrari dispatched the rolling chassis to Pininfarina. Here it was equipped with a brand new dream car body, re-branded the Ferrari 512 S Speciale and unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in October 1969.

Notable History

Scuderia Ferrari, Maranello

12/1968 displayed at the Hotel Real Fini Press Conference, Modena

22/03/1969 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (C. Amon / M. Andretti) 2nd oa, 1st P3.0 class (#25)
13/04/1969 WSC Brands Hatch 6 Hours (C. Amon / P. Rodriguez) 4th oa, 4th P3.0 class (#60)
25/04/1969 WSC Monza 1000km (P. Rodriguez / P. Schetty) DNF (#2)

After its accident at Monza the damaged frame of 0868 was returned to the factory

Rebuilt with a 512 S-style rear-end, re-numbered 002 and fitted with a 612 Can-Am engine block (number 0866) as part of the 512 S provisional design work

Rolling chassis then delivered to Pininfarina and converted into the 512 S Speciale

10/1969 displayed at the Turin Motor Show

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com & Pininfarina - https://pininfarina.it