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Chassis:
Chassis 1007 was one of the Ballots send to the United States to compete in the 1920 Indy 500. In the hands of Rene Thomas, it crashed heavily in practice, virtually destroying one complete side of the car. Few believed that the Ballot could make it to the start but the French mechanics miraculously managed to get the car ready. Even though his machine was not quite as straight as it had been before the shunt, Thomas worked his way up the field and finished a stunning second.
What happened to the car next is not known to us but it eventually passed into the hands of the current owner; a prominent American collector of early Grand Prix cars. The Ballot was complete but in a derelict condition. It was carefully restored to its 1920 Indy 500 configuration. In the process some traces of the mechanics' repair work was found. A good example are the engine covers where new pieces were welded into.
Upon completion, the fully restored Ballot 3/8 LC was brought to the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it won its class and was also awarded with the Phil Hill Cup. A few years later, it was also raced in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
| Chassis details |
| Manufactured in |
1920 |
| First owner |
Establissements Ballot |
| Last known location |
American Private Collection |
| Appearances |
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