In this final update of 2009, we highlight three Ferraris that have starred in the rich history of the North American Racing Team (NART). Run by Ferrari's long time North American importer and multiple Le Mans winner Luigi Chinetti, the NART was the Italian manufacturer's semi-official American racing arm. Chinetti was usually the first outside the factory to receive Works racing cars and in later years also commissioned and built various special road cars. In today's update we have included three very different machines that have passed through Chinetti's hands in the 1960s and '70s.
First up is the Ferrari 246 S Dino with a one-off, low drag body by Fantuzzi. Piloted by Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, it finished second in the 1960 Targa Florio. Chinetti subsequently fielded it for the Rodriguez brothers at a wide variety of events. This last front-engined 'Dino' did not rack up any major victory in period but it has become a frequent winner in historic events. In the hands of Peter Hardman, Tony Dron, Nicky Leventis and Bobby Verdon-Roe, chassis 0784 has won races on many of Europe's most famous tracks. Most recently Leventis and Verdon-Roe clinched a spectacular victory in a one-hour enduro during the Goodwood Revival Meeting.
During the 1970s Ferrari had all but given up on GT racing, leaving the building and preparation of the production based racers to its clients like Chinetti. For the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans, he built this 308 GT4/LM based on the Bertone styled 2+2 launched a few months earlier. Fitted with massive wings, it looked faster than it ever was. During the race it retired after just 30 laps. NART returned a year later with five cars, including the 308 GT4/LM. A dispute with the ACO over the odd looking machine eventually prompted Chinetti to withdraw all of his cars. It was the last we saw of the V8-engined racer until the present owner brought it out for some historic events, including the 2006 Le Mans Classic.
Chinetti's single most famous creation is no doubt the 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder. Built for a brief period and only in very small numbers, the NART Spyder ranks among the most beautiful and desirable Ferraris ever constructed. Our article includes details of two of the ten cars constructed. The first is the prototype, which was raced at Sebring and later starred alongside Steve McQueen in the Hollywood motion picture 'The Thomas Crown Affair'. In 2005 it was sold by Gooding at Pebble Beach for nearly $4 million.
Enjoy the links:
1974 Ferrari 308 GT4/LM - Images, Specifications and Information
1967 - 1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Nart Spyder - Images, Specifications and Information
1960 Ferrari 246 S Dino Fantuzzi 'High-Tail' Spyder - Images, Specifications and Information
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