Modena Racing Memories by Graham Gauld

Modena Racing Memories

Italian Sports Car & Grand Prix Racing 1957 – 1963

Graham Gauld

One of my favorite benefits of being in the Ferrari Club of America is reading Graham Gauld’s “Gauld Mine” in the club’s terrific magazine Prancing Horse. So here’s a full book of his first hand anecdotal stories, filled with great pictures and insight. The conversational text is more than an accounting of events, but clearly puts things in context of the times. There was a lot more going on in Modena than just Ferrari and he details the rivalries and developments of all the areas protagonists, again adding to the context of the Ferrari story. The relationships he established with the players of the time contribute to the feeling of being there yourself, not only in Modena, but other places in Europe that hoped to shift the balance of power from this small Emilian area to their own backyards. Gauld set out to find the Modena that Jenks had described and not only found it, but created a view of his own that he recounts with clarity, humor and an amazing accuracy, he’s even kept track of serial numbers. Gauld had amazing access to everybody. He was there behind the scenes with the devopement of the ASA and the first mid-engined Dino. He recounts the big walkout with a perspective that is now widely known, but wasn’t until Graham put it in print. So this is much more than a picture book, but a journal of his visits to great races, cottage racecar shops and the big hitters of Modena supported by some rare and interesting photos.

Here are a few comments on some photos and captions:

p. 21 Top left are Ferrari blocks and single port heads.

p.34 Note too that the tach is upside down, easier to see the red line.

p.35. Note all the shocks under the bench and steering columns on the bench.

p.36 Grinding a crankshaft, not a camshaft.

p.43 Check out the highly polished spring. Compare this dash to the one on p.34, similar wheel and tach orientation, different gauges and mirrors.

p.45 Look how offset the jack is. Looks like you’d have to turn the steering wheel to put the front wheel back on.

p.59 I like the tags on the radiator support and the front top suspension point. Note the “4” on the tunnel and the ladder frame chassis on the ground.

p.60 Not sure this is a GT, comp filler on the gas tank, trailing link and anti-sway bar on the rear, the ribbed gearbox, twin brake cylinders and comp type parking brake lever.

p.61 These heads have the little stand or boss for Le Mans scrutineering stamp.

p.74 Very similar to p.35 and now you can see the tree outside.

P. 78 Both the caption and the text describe testing Dunlop wheels. I’m tempted to think they mean tires or even brakes. Dunlop did make alloy wheels but the one shot that shows wheels in these shots show Borannis. Bottom picture shows three four choke Solex carbs.

P.79 This is 677GT on the top left.

p.82 To me it looks like the center car is 744, the way the headrest drops off quickly seems unique to that car, it was renumbered from 646. The car on the left might be TR 746 which went to Chinetti.

P.84 The PF coupe body is mounted on a chassis, note the axle cable hangers and fuel filter mount.

p.85 By 1960 the place was modernized; this shot shows late GTEs and a Lusso, probably 1963.

p.103 Doesn’t appear that the gauge is recalibrated, just enhanced.

P.107 I think this might be a LWB Cal, also has two eared knock offs.

p.110 Caption describes a berlinetta spyder, what the hell is that?

p.114 GTE and Lussos on the left, an LMB and GTO on the right.

p.132 Note the square bezel in the middle of the dash. It's a Halda Speed Pilot rally clock for keeping track of speed time and distance. It has two round faces, I think one is a clock and one is a timer, three knobs along the bottom edge, one in each top corner and an digital (old days mechanical digital) odometer. This may mean this TdF was destined for rallying and might help in its identification.

Ferrari, The Factory by Karl Ludvigsen

Ferrari, The Factory, Maranello's Secrets 1950~1975

Introduction by Karl Ludvigsen

Another terrific book for those who'd like a glimpse "behind the scenes" and "how it was done" kind of information. This is primarily a picture book, with big b/w images, one per page, in this 8 1/2" X 10" book from 2002. I particularly like the older shots from the 50s and 60s but the later stuff from the race department is cool too. I can't help but wonder about the choice for the cover photo, there are so many great shots that actually pertain to the title, this contemporary shot seems out of place. Here are some comments, notes and a few corrections (to my eye) that I made to keep with the book.

p.6 If you go to the upper right you go to Maranello, lower left is Modena.

p.8 Dig the nice curtains.

p.12 1st machine does valve seats, 2nd machine trans cases, 3rd has transmission top covers.

p.13 Note chassis 150A differs from others which are GTs, see pages 16 & 17. Front guy is working on front suspension but it isn't installed until the last tressle where we see four brake drums attached, that chassis has a comp filler neck. Also notice the differentials; on the ground at the 4th stand (where the chassis is flipped), raised off the ground on the 5th stand and in place on the 6th. I like the cool b/w painted vices.

p.15 Is that a heat shield over the starter?

p.16 Chassis says 250/177E. There is a chassis 177E that is a 212 made in late 1951, 250s not being in odd number production until late 1953 (could 250 refer to something else?). As a 212 177E was bodied by Pininfarina. Could it be a rebody or reused number or other oddity?

p.16 & 17 Nice comparison of a 212 and a 340 shot over the same drain. Note the chassis outriggers on the 212 and just an exhaust hanger on the 340 (this is Gil Nickels old car). This is clearly shown on p.13 where the two chassis types are again next to each other.

p 18 & 19 Two four cylinder engines in the same room. One on a stand, the other on a dyno. One is complete, the other needs ignition and water housing, one has the fuel log on top the carbs, the other below.

p.20 Note brake line guides and engine crank guide as compared to chassis on p.21

p.21 Check out the chassis on the left, the engine mounts are located around mid-tube. The chassis on the right (behind the F1) are in the usual upright position.

p.23 Note chassis hoops are painted gray, the chassis, black. We see a guy's leg but no upper torso, must be moving fast. I like the curl to the upper A-arm.

p.24 & 25 Probably chassis 264M or 272M. 264M has been re-bodied, so tough to make comparisons, but 272M has concave rockers like this one, maybe they both did at one time.

p.28 The wheels are probably test wheels shared by all the cars so they don't have to re-polish the wheels of each car.

p.33 128D?

p.36 This picture is taken from the steps of the elevated track (see p.40). I like the 154 painted on the scatter shield, although I don't remember the number, my PF coupe had a number hand painted on the underside of the tunnel, but not stenciled. Look at the paint on the chassis tube in front of the rear motor mount (that we see again on p.40). Look at all those oil filters, where do they fit at this stage of the game?

p.37 The 3rd chassis back is the probably the front one on p.36, note it is even with the drill press. These are drum brake, proportioning valve six into one headered cars.

p.39 It looks like 152 on the chassis with the top tilted toward the elevated track.

p.40 These guys are welding and grinding a few feet from finished cars. This chassis is clearly marked 152 and now tilted top away from the elevated track. There's that area on the chassis that has white paint or paper like on p.36.

p.43 Note inboard brakes.

p.48 & 49 Check out the two colors of sand, or are there two different materials being used?

p.49 Look at all those sumps!

p.50 With such a long standing tradition of using Shell products, surprised to see Mobil coolant for the machines, maybe Shell didn't make such a product.

p.51 All these blocks have been drilled, but just the left side. They're stacked alternately front to back so it looks like only half of them have been drilled.

p.53 These chain drives have straight cut gears instead of helical cut like n the 365GTB/4 on p.93.

p.56 Here's a 330 engine, note the angles on the sump.

p.57 Angles of the sump are missing and this is a square sump with the starter way down there, is it a 209 or something else?

p.58 On the left is mostly 330s with two 275s, on the right it is much the same.

p.59 The front car is a 365GT 2+2, behind it is a 330GTC

p.60 Is the thing in front a rear bulkhead for F1 or a sports prototype or something?

p.64 Shot during a rebuild, note exhaust ports and old sump gasket.

p.69 This is likely the engine on p.64. Same pattern in the exhaust ports and no sump.

P.82 Missing the middle carb.

p.93 Note cam chain drives with helical cut gears as opposed to straight cut 275s on p.69.

p.95 These are set on newspapers for some reason, not evident anywhere else.

p.100 Dinos and Boxers both had one piece twin cam covers.

p. 123 & 125 We see Dinos, GT4s, Boxers, 400s and Daytonas all together. Quite a model range!

Inside Ferrari by Michael Dregni

This is a terrific book, published in 1990, filled with the kinds of information I enjoy, particularly the early days. This is a warm account of the history of Ferrari told from a more fundamental side than other accounts. Dregni tells of the development of the factory; its tools and methods of construction, how the company grew over time, not only as it expanded model lines and diversified types of racing entries, but the growth of the factory itself. This tale isn't limited to a short span of time, but covers decades, and reveals how much had changed and thankfully, how much has stayed the same. He really tells the story well, with interesting sidebars on vendors and individuals who have an often hidden role in Ferrari history.

Stan Nowak lamented that Dregni didn't have access to his pictures, and Bob Gurr has some killer period pictures that would be welcome in this format too. As it is, it's a well organized and well researched document of the growth and technical development at Ferrari. The informative text is well researched, it must've been a huge undertaking, and the photo reproduction is very good. Here are the few notes made on the photo captions.


p. 24 Ferrari Factory 1959. One of the Ferrari myths is that complete bodies are made independently and lowered onto completed chassis. In this great shot of a later assembly line we see several PF coupes (as stated) and and late (not an early) single louver TdF 250GT Scaglietti Berlinetta. The chassis are assembled as the caption describes, and then sent to Pininfarina or other carrozeria and returned with the completed body an integral part of the chassis. This is better illustrated in Karl's book. Note the SuperAmerica at the top left.

p. 28 Carrozeria Pinin Farina 1960. This may well be a 250GT at Pininfarina but it is not a Pininfarina Coupe, note the lack of a fresh air vent on the cowl, which was proudly featured on the PF Coupe.

p. 29 Ferrari Factory 1958. This might be a LWB California but most of the 250GTs from this period have a built up box section where this one has a tubular front crosspiece suspension carrier. I'm gonna have to look at a few more cars before I make the call, but it looks more comp than GT.

p. 36 Carrozeria Pinin Farina 1960. Note that we're at Pininfarina, the footwells and firewall being part of the chassis, the bumpers are mounted to the chassis (not the body) and the steering column is in place, indicating the chassis is there. In the white car behind you even see the chassis cross bar through the radiator opening.

p. 56 Ferrari Factory 1989. I don't think this building is in the courtyard, but behind it.

p. 62 Carrozeria Scaglietti 1955. The guy in the sweater looks a lot more like Sergio than either guy with a tie.

p. 65 Carrozeria Scaglietti 1958. These are great shots. I think the lower right photo shows electrical wiring and a positive battery cable, not a brake cable.

p. 73 Carrozeria Pinin Farina 1959. Here you can clearly see the footwells are in place and see the chassis through the rear wheel well and the bumper attaching tubes that are welded to the chassis.

p. 74 Carrozeria Fantuzzi 1978.They go to the trouble to give the chassis number, but as far as I know 2030/62E is jibberish.

p. 106 Ferrari Factory 1960. Okay the engine in the lower left is likely F1 and so is the one next to it. The third one looks like a TdF engine with three carbs and velocity stacks, not six like a TR. The last one looks like a SuperAmerica engine with the low air cleaner, whereas most GTs have a tall air cleaner.

p. 131 Ferrari Factory 1989. These are 348 engines, not F40.

p. 156 Ferrari Race Shop 1956. Judging by the clear plexi hood scoops and RHD sports prototypes and the three carb Dino F1 cars look a lot more like 1959 than 1956.

p. 161 Ferrari Race Shop 1956. It looks like the front box section is unusually crowned to the front.

I've always enjoyed this book and wanted more. More came in 2002 by way of Karl Ludvigsens book Ferrari, The Factory, Maranello's Secrets 1950-1975 that I'll cover in another post.