Name that car
- Thread starter Jim Craik
- Start date
I came across this nice looking racer, can anyone identify it?
Jim, its a Serenissima.
Pat
Supporter
Verrry impressive Dom, that's a beautiful car I've never heard of.
Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
Domtoni is correct.
I have not said that recently
Yes it is the last Serenissima, from the Count Volpi, ATS (ex Ferrari) gang.
It was built to run at Le Mans with the GT40s'. It was not very fast and was modified into an open car, with little increase in performance.
Still, I think is is a very nice looking car with an interesting background.
I have not said that recently
Yes it is the last Serenissima, from the Count Volpi, ATS (ex Ferrari) gang.
It was built to run at Le Mans with the GT40s'. It was not very fast and was modified into an open car, with little increase in performance.
Still, I think is is a very nice looking car with an interesting background.
Charlie Farley
Supporter
That car now resides in Switzerland. I know the owner who is a solicitor.
It was due to attend the Le Mans Classic in 2010, but Georg stuffed it into some straw bales at a local event prior to the Classic. Only superficial damage to the alloy front end.
He also has a nice 40 replica. I will contact him soon and see if he will make it with the car to next years Classic.
It was due to attend the Le Mans Classic in 2010, but Georg stuffed it into some straw bales at a local event prior to the Classic. Only superficial damage to the alloy front end.
He also has a nice 40 replica. I will contact him soon and see if he will make it with the car to next years Classic.
Mike Pass
Supporter
Serenissima, first seen after forty years at the Concours Villa dEste. It seemed to possess all the hallmarks of a winning racecar, but sadly, it's sucess was limited to a footnote in McLaren history.
The Jet Competitzione was commissioned by Count Giovanni Volpi for his Scuderia Serenissima racing team. At the time, Serenissima had already made many interesting one-of cars including the Breadvan, one of the most exciting modified Ferraris. However, the Jet Competitzione was entirely new, and built from the bottom up by ex-Fiat and Ferrari designer Alberto Massimino.
At the center of the Jet was a new engine designed by Massimino for Count Volpi's many motoring interests. This three liter V8 was connected to an all new transmission, and was designed to work both in Automobili Serenissima's road and racing cars. For the later, the V8 was surrounded by a space frame chassis and aluminum body shell which was going to contest the worlds greatest endurance races. The car was developed by Elf Francis who was Stirling Moss's racing mechanic.
Unfortunately, the Jet only made it to the Le Mans april tests of 1966 before it was decommissioned and raced only once in Italy. A sister 3.5 litre open-top car, called the 358V Spyder, did make the actual race, but retired after only one lap with rear axle problems.
Wanting Formula One exposure, a deal was hit up with McLaren to use the V8 engine in his 1966 M2B chassis. While it powered to McLaren's very first world championship point, the engine was unreliable and BRM units were tried in the following year.
After a forty year hiatus, a Swiss owner reunited a similar engine with the original Jet body (chassis #003)and debuted the restoration for the 2006 Concours Villa d'Este. Since the car was never really raced, it still bears original paint and interior.
Cheers
Mike
The Jet Competitzione was commissioned by Count Giovanni Volpi for his Scuderia Serenissima racing team. At the time, Serenissima had already made many interesting one-of cars including the Breadvan, one of the most exciting modified Ferraris. However, the Jet Competitzione was entirely new, and built from the bottom up by ex-Fiat and Ferrari designer Alberto Massimino.
At the center of the Jet was a new engine designed by Massimino for Count Volpi's many motoring interests. This three liter V8 was connected to an all new transmission, and was designed to work both in Automobili Serenissima's road and racing cars. For the later, the V8 was surrounded by a space frame chassis and aluminum body shell which was going to contest the worlds greatest endurance races. The car was developed by Elf Francis who was Stirling Moss's racing mechanic.
Unfortunately, the Jet only made it to the Le Mans april tests of 1966 before it was decommissioned and raced only once in Italy. A sister 3.5 litre open-top car, called the 358V Spyder, did make the actual race, but retired after only one lap with rear axle problems.
Wanting Formula One exposure, a deal was hit up with McLaren to use the V8 engine in his 1966 M2B chassis. While it powered to McLaren's very first world championship point, the engine was unreliable and BRM units were tried in the following year.
After a forty year hiatus, a Swiss owner reunited a similar engine with the original Jet body (chassis #003)and debuted the restoration for the 2006 Concours Villa d'Este. Since the car was never really raced, it still bears original paint and interior.
Cheers
Mike
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Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
I found these photos when I Googled Serenissima, McLaren.
The top one and the white one appear to be coup versions of the McLaren M3 Can Am car.
I followed sports car racing fairly closely in those days, I remember lots of photos and talk of the McLaren M6GT, but I remember nothing of the M3GT.
The red one seems to be a coup version of the McLaren M1 Can Am car, once again, I remember nothing of this one either.
Oddly, I do remember seeing the last one, but I can't remeber what it is.
The top one and the white one appear to be coup versions of the McLaren M3 Can Am car.
I followed sports car racing fairly closely in those days, I remember lots of photos and talk of the McLaren M6GT, but I remember nothing of the M3GT.
The red one seems to be a coup version of the McLaren M1 Can Am car, once again, I remember nothing of this one either.
Oddly, I do remember seeing the last one, but I can't remeber what it is.
Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
Domtoni,
I'm with you, when I first saw the white one (#84) I thought it was just a later version of the Porsche 906, but the nose shape and the large radiator intake says McLaren.
Never the less, I think it makes a nice looking coup!
Can you make out the odd side window "windmill" vent?
I'm with you, when I first saw the white one (#84) I thought it was just a later version of the Porsche 906, but the nose shape and the large radiator intake says McLaren.
Never the less, I think it makes a nice looking coup!
Can you make out the odd side window "windmill" vent?
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Jim Craik
Lifetime Supporter
Well,
It seems my memory is starting to go, I re-read my post and I have gotten the early McLaren numbers wrong.
The top one and the third one (white) are M1Bs, the red one is the M1 later to become the M1A, when the B came along.
Sorry about that.
Does anyone remember what the bottom car is?
It seems my memory is starting to go, I re-read my post and I have gotten the early McLaren numbers wrong.
The top one and the third one (white) are M1Bs, the red one is the M1 later to become the M1A, when the B came along.
Sorry about that.
Does anyone remember what the bottom car is?
Jim, the last black and white photo looks like a unique creation of some kind. Those square headlights and that spoiler don't look like anything that would have come out of Italy. I don't remember that car from my youth at all. And if I had seen it, I would have remembered it.
In March 1966 I was standing with a group of friends outside the Hotel Roessli in Gstaad and we heard a very high powered car whose high pitched engine wail was reverberating up the valley. Within five minutes a low slung mid engined sports racer on Prova plates drew up in front of the Hotel. The car was the Serenissima Jet as shown above. However it was painted silver at that time which I believe was it's original paint. The tall lanky driver unfurled himself from the car - racing driver Prince Zourab Tchkotua with whom I had previously ridden in his 250 GTO at the 1964 Goodwood Tourist Trophy practice sessions. Zourab or Zou as he was known told me that he was friends with Volpi who had loaned him the car to evaluate prior to the scheduled Le Mans test sessions.
