Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bizzarini? Scaglietti?

Soon after its retirement from active racing, it was sold.  Chassis 4675GT subsequently passed through the hands of noted collectors like David Piper, Harley Cluxton and Walter Medlin.  Since the mid-1990s, 250 GTO's have been a part of a prominent Japanese collection.

 A hot subject for debate still remains within the design of the car, but it is safe to say that not one singular person or company is completely responsible. In charge of the Comp/62 program was Gestione Sportiva's Giotto Bizzarrini.
When the first test mule arrived at the track, the nose already resembled the final product, but the rear still shared styling with the 1960/61 250 GT. 
Designed as a race car, the body was draped as tightly over the chassis as possible.
Purpose took priority over aesthetics, but fortunately beauty prevailed. Throughout the winter, the rough body was developed into its eventual shape. It was then shipped to Scaglietti, who refined the design and made it production ready. The car was first shown to the press in February 1962, but this again was not yet the final shape.

During high speed testing the rear end proved to be unstable; a similar problem that dogged the Sperimentale model at Le Mans. A small lip was bolted on the 'Kamm' shaped tail, greatly improving the high speed characteristics. This device was pioneered the previous season on a V6 engined prototype by American engineer-turned-racing-driver Richie Ginther.



The first 18 cars built were fitted with a separately bolted on lip, but was designed directly into the body of the remaining cars. With exception to several minute design improvements that followed, the final Comp/62 was complete.

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