The 1960 version of the 250 GT berlinetta was designed by
Pininfarina and built at the Scaglietti works in Modena. It was first
presented to the public at the 1959 Paris Salon, thus the autumn
of 2009 marks the model’s 50th anniversary. It was also the
first Ferrari model imported to the UK by the newly founded
Maranello Concessionaires Ltd in 1960. The body style was very
similar to that of the final few cars in the preceding series of long
wheelbase (which are now generally termed "Interim" for
differentiation purposes) berlinettas produced during 1959,
apart from the omission of the quarter window in the sail panel
behind the door glass. The new model was built on a 2400mm
wheelbase chassis, with factory type reference 539, and later
539/61. The designations “passo lungo” or "LWB" for the long
wheelbase 2600mm chassis, and “passo corto” or "SWB" for
the short wheelbase 2400mm chassis, are subsequently
adopted Italian and English terminology to easily recognise which
model somebody is referring to.
... Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 1 louvre Register >>>
... Ferrari 250 GT "Interim" Berlinetta Register >>>
... Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta '60 Register >>>
... Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta '61 Register Part I >>>
... Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta '61 Register Part II >>>
This model was the first Ferrari production road car to be fitted
with disc brakes as standard equipment, and unlike the preceding
250 GT berlinetta series, was available in either left or right hand
drive form. It was also available in competition specification with
an aluminium body, lightweight interior trim, and the engine in a
higher state of tune, or in "Lusso" (luxury) road trim, when it was
normally fitted with a steel body with aluminium opening
panels. However, there was a great deal of overlap of the two
basic specifications, dependant upon the desires of the client,
therefore it is not unusual for some road cars to have full
aluminium bodies, and/or a higher state of tune engine. The 1961
competition cars had even lighter thinner gauge aluminium
bodies, lightened chassis frames with some smaller diameter
tubing, more highly tuned engines and other changes, to maintain
their competitiveness against the “new kid on the block” - the
Jaguar “E” Type.
The power unit was a further development of the original Colombo
designed single overhead camshaft per bank V12 engine, with a
capacity of 2953cc, and factory type references 168B, 168, and
168 Comp/61, all with wet sump lubrication. The engine featured a
bank of three twin choke Weber 38 DCN or 40 DCL/6
carburettors, to produce a claimed 220 to 280bhp, dependant
upon specification. Solex C40 PAAI and Weber 46 DCF/3
carburettors were a further homologated option, and the latter
were used on the special 1961 competition engines, which
together with bigger valves, special exhaust manifolds and other
fine tuning details achieved the upper level of power outputs
quoted above. The engine was coupled to a four speed + reverse
all synchromesh gearbox, driving through a propeller shaft to the
rigid rear axle, for which a range of ratios were available. The
gearboxes of the competition cars had ribbed alloy castings, and
the road cars normally had plain faced cast iron casings.
The overall design changed very little during the production run
from late 1959 when it was introduced, to early 1963 when
the last cars were sold. However, there are a number of detail
differences that identify the period of production of a specific car.
In the early months of production the front and rear wings sides
were plain, as was the boot lid, there was an exhaust air slot in
the top centre of the rear screen, and the sliding door windows
had a pronounced downward curve to the top rear edge, whilst the
front valance featured a pair of rectangular slots to cooling ducts
for the front brakes.
The cars produced from around the middle of 1960 featured
vertical angled exhaust air slots on the front and rear wings,
which had a trim surround on three sides, and teardrop shaped
indicators were provided on the front wings. There was a license
plate recess in the boot lid, and the brake cooling intake slots in
the front valance had projecting surrounds. The late 1960
examples were very similar, apart from the cabin exhaust air
slot moving from the rear screen to a recess in the trailing edge of
the roof, and either sliding or wind-up door windows were
available. If the latter option was specified, opening quarter lights
were normally provided. All examples produced up to this point
had an external fuel filler cap, which was located in a cut-out in
the top left corner of the boot lid.
The main visual differences between the 1960 examples and
the 1961 onwards cars was the shape of the door windows,
which had a straighter top edge, and the relocation of the fuel filler
cap, which was either on the left rear wing or hidden within the
boot. There were also myriad smaller differences, like a slightly
larger radiator grille and slight re-profiling of the rear wing shape,
jacking point locations etc, together with individual customer
requirements, but the foregoing items identify the main
differentiating features of the series.
Apart from the normal berlinetta body there were some one-off
designs, mainly by Pininfarina in a style similar to that of the 400
Superamerica, including a cabriolet with a removable hard top, on
chassis number 1737GT. Their “400SA” coupé bodied examples
comprised of two road versions on chassis #s 2613GT and
3615GT, plus two lightweight competition examples on chassis
#s 2429GT and 2643GT. The former lightweight model was never
used in competition and was sold to a French client, whilst the
latter saw race action at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, driven
by the likes of Stirling Moss and Giancarlo Baghetti. Bertone
produced two designs, the first in 1960 on chassis # 1739GT,
which was unusual in that it featured cast alloy wheels, and
another in 1961, featuring the “Chiti” shark nose look, on chassis
# 3269GT. These offerings from Bertone, would be the last
designs by any carrozzeria other than Pininfarina, to officially
grace a Ferrari chassis for a number of years. During the sixties
and into the seventies various examples received one-off
bodies, but these were re-bodies of existing cars, as opposed to
the provision of a bare chassis from the factory. The most
famous of these is the “Breadvan” constructed on chassis #
2819 GT.
In competition the "passo corto" berlinettas continued the run of
success of the preceding "passo lungo" models, with three
consecutive wins in the Tour de France between 1960-62, winning
the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood in 1960 and 1961, winning the
GT category at Le Mans in 1960 and 1961, and in the Nurburgring
1000km in 1961 and 1962. These were just a few of the numerous
class and overall wins achieved during its reign as the queen of
the GT category, before being succeeded by the legendary 250
GTO.
Keith Bluemel
11/2009
Note from the Editor ... 2010 the Ferrari 250 GT will be the
featured car in mainly every major event ... e.g. the Tour Auto
( www.tourauto.fr enjoy yours!
A very beautiful Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta in concours
conditions is offered by Andreas Birner
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