Le Mans 365GT4/BB #18139#

I have almost every Cavallino and will check it whenever I am with my collection next week. I think these are also the ones you are looking for:


http://www.barchetta.cc/german/Kraeling/LeMans/512.BB.LM.18095.KR.015.htm
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ut1j-tndu/fe_pages/comp_evo/365gt4bb_nart_comp.html
http://racingsportscars.t35.com/photo/1978/Watkins_Glen-1978-07-09-025.jpg

http://www.ferraris-online.com/Articles/FMLA_9610.html
(sheehans site, you could try asking him for periodical pictures)


Enjoy,

Niels

Hi,

I'm David Christian, one of Sheehan's drivers when he ran the car at Riverside. Here is a link to some photos, as well as a link to a photographer, Brent Martin, who got some shots at the race.

When Mike got the car, it didn't have the rear spoiler that we raced with. While testing at Big Willow, we added a crude spoiler to see how it helped the balance. When we saw it worked, Burt ( I think that was his name) made a more refined one at Mike's shop.

The car went out at about four hours into the six hour race, right after I finished my stent. The transfer gears that took power from the crank to transmission (under the engine) overheated and began to push off the end cover.

Fun car to drive. I, too, loved the photo of it with Milt at Daytona. I think it was the first Boxer race car. I think there was an article in AutoWeek about it at the time.

I'll look through my personal photos and see what I have. I don't think I have anything as nice as Brent's.

:thumbsup:

tazandjan said:

David- That photo is amazing. Do not think I have ever seen one where you can see all the way through the car over the front wheels. Was this under heavy acceleration or was that just the way she rode? Seems like you would have had some pressurized air in weird locations.

Click to expand...

I'm guessing that was about half way around Turn Six, a relatively slow corner with pretty heavy acceleration at exit. The car didn't sit that high normally. Look how much room there is above the rear wheel, too. There is not much up front in the car as far as fender liners, that is one reason you see through it.

To comment on an earlier post, the high position of the engine over the transmission certainly contributes to body roll. Ed Swart, who now runs HSR West, the vintage racing group, was a professional race driver in Europe and was my co-driver. Ed was faster than I was in the car and he said it was challenging to try to drive it REALLY fast. Just being on slicks made it much better than the street car with XWX's, however.

I've driven lots of Boxers and Testarossas on track days and the key thing that puts the Testarossa way ahead on track is that it is one of the first street Ferraris to be designed on the wide low profile tires that are common now.

I prefer the Boxer aesthetically, but comparing both as stock cars, the TR is better to drive fast.

:thumbsup: