Difference between revisions of "Ferrari 312PB"

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The '''Ferrari P''' series were prototype sports cars in the 1960s and early 1970s.
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{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:250px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
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| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#333333; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |
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|- style="color:#fff; background:darkred; font-size:larger;"
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! colspan=2 |'''Ferrari 312P'''
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|-
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|  Category          ||  [[Sports car racing|Sports car]] [[prototype]]
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|-
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|  Constructor        ||  [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
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|-
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|  Designer          ||  [[Mauro Forghieri]]
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|-
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|  Team              ||  [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
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|-
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|  Drivers            ||  {{flagiconSweden}} [[Ronnie Peterson]]<br>{{flagiconBelgium}} [[Jacky Ickx]]<br>{{flagiconSwitzerland}} [[Clay Regazzoni]]<br>{{flagiconUK}} [[Brian Redman]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Mario Andretti]]<br>{{flagiconItaly}} [[Arturo Merzario]]<br>{{flagiconItaly}} [[Sandro Munari]]<br>{{flagiconAustralia}} [[Tim Schenken]]
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|-
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|  Chassis            ||  [[Aluminium]] central [[monocoque]] with [[steel]] [[spaceframe]] front and rear.
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|-
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|  Front suspension  ||  [[Double wishbone suspension|Double wishbone]], outboard [[Spring (device)|coil spring]]/[[shock absorber|damper]].
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|-
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|  Rear suspension    ||  Single top-link, reversed lower [[A-arm|wishbone]], twin [[Radius rod|radius arms]], outboard [[Spring (device)|spring]]/[[shock absorber|damper]].
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|-
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|  Engine name        ||  Ferrari
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|-
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|  Capacity          ||  2991 cc
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|-
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|  Configuration      ||  [[dohc]] [[flat-12]],
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|-
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|  Turbo/NA          ||  [[Naturally-aspirated engine|naturally aspirated]]
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|-
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|  Engine position    ||  [[Mid-engine|mid-mounted]]
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|-
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|  Gearbox name      ||  Ferrari
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|-
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|  Gears              ||  5-speed
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|-
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|  Type              ||  [[manual gearbox|manual]]
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|-
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|  Differential      || 
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|-
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|  Fuel              ||  [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]]
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|-
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|  Tyres              ||  [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company|Firestone]]/[[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]]
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|-
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|  Debut              ||  1971 [[1000 km Buenos Aires]]
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|-
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|  Races              || 
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|-
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|  Wins              || 
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|-
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|  Cons champ        ||  1  <small>([[1972 World Sportscar Championship season|1972 WSC]])</small>
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|-
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|  Drivers champ      || 
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|-
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|  Poles              || 
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|-
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|  Fastest laps    ||
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|}
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''This article is about the [[sportscar]] raced from 1971-1973. For the ealier 1969 car, see [[Ferrari 312P]].''
  
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Although [[Enzo Ferrari]] resisted the move even with [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] dominating F1, [[Ferrari]] began producing [[MR layout|mid-engined]] racing cars in [[1960]] with the [[Ferrari Dino]]-V6-engine [[Formula 2]] 156, which would be turned into the [[Formula 1]]-winner of 1961.
 
  
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Sports car racers followed in 1963. Although these cars shared their names (based on engine displacement) with road models, they were almost entirely dissimilar. The first Ferrari mid-engine in a road car did not arrive until the [[1967]] [[Ferrari Dino|Dino]], and it was [[1971]] before a Ferrari V12 was placed behind a road-going driver in the [[Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer|365 GT4 BB]].
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The '''Ferrari 312PB''' was a [[sportscar racing|sportcar]] prototype [[racing car]] of the early 1970s. It was officially designated the '''312P''', but often known as the 312PB to avoid confusion with a previous car of the same name. It was part of the [[Ferrari P]] series of sports prototypes.
  
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[[Image:Ferrari-250-LM-'64.jpg|right|thumb|400px|1964 Ferrari 250 LM]]
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In 1970, a change in the regulations for sportscar racing for 1972 was announced. The loophole for the big 5L sports cars (such as the [[Porsche 917]] and [[Ferrari 512]]) was closed, and the minimum weight of the 3L prototypes was raised to 650kg.
  
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==250 P==
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Porsche considered this too heavy as their [[Porsche 908]]/03 were 100kg lighter, and this advantage would have been lost. On the other hand, their aircooled two-valve engine was low on power with 370hp, and the development of a new engine would have been necessary. Thus, Porsche did not enter world championship sports car races after 1971 and sold the 908s to customers who would have to add weight to them. [[Matra]] and [[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]] were willing and able to compete, but only in selected seasons or events. Also, Ford's successful Formula 1 [[Cosworth]]-V8 engine was available for independent chassis builders, but vibrations made it unreliable for [[endurance racing]].  
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The '''250 P''' was a ''Prototype'' racer produced in [[1963]], winning the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], [[24 Hours of Le Mans]], and the manufacturers' championship. It was a mid-engined sports car racer with a [[Ferrari 250#250 Testa Rossa|250 Testa Rossa]] [[V12]] engine and almost entirely unrelated to the other [[Ferrari 250|250 cars]].
 
  
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==250 LM==
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After having been beaten by the Porsche 917 in 1970, Ferrari abandoned further development of the Ferrari 512M, leaving the 512 to customer teams like [[Penske Racing]], which had some success with their improved 512M in 1971, though. Penske, probably not very happy about the lack of support from the factory, joined Porsche for their [[Can-Am]] effort with the turbocharged [[Porsche 917]]/10.
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The 250 P evolved into a saleable mid-engined racer for the public, the '''250 LM'''. Introduced at Paris in November, [[1963]], the LM was successful for privately-entered racers around the world. About 32 models were built in [[1964]] and [[1965]], with all but the first few powered by 3.3&nbsp;L 320&nbsp;hp (238&nbsp;kW) engines, though the name did not change with the increase in displacement. A fully-independent double wishbone suspension was specified with [[rack and pinion]] steering and four wheel disc brakes.
 
  
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==330 P==
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[[Image:1973-05-27 35 Carlos Pace, Ferrari, Hatzenbach.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[José Carlos Pace|Carlos Pace]] driving a 312PB at the [[Nürburgring]] in 1973.]]
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The 250 P was stretched in [[1964]] to accept the 4.0&nbsp;L [[Ferrari Colombo engine#330|330 engine]], becoming the '''330 P'''.
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Instead, in 1971, Ferrari focused on a new 3.0L prototype based on the 180° flat-12 ''boxer'' from the 312B F1 car. Officially this design was known as 312P, the motorsports press appending the B to avoid confusion with the earlier 312P V12 cars. This design was similar to the traditional Porsche engine layout with its low center of gravity, but Ferrari used water-cooling and 4-valve heads. The car was promising, but did not win, while the similar [[Alfa Romeo Tipo 33|Alfa Romeo 33]] scored two wins against Porsche's dominance.
  
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==330 P2==
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In 1972, with only Alfa answering the challenge, the 312PB was very successful and won all [[World Sportscar Championship]] races in which it was entered. Ferrari skipped the [[1972 24 Hours of Le Mans]], though, as the F1-based engine would not last 24 hours and surely spoil their otherwise perfect record.  
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An entirely new car, the '''330 P2''', followed in [[1965]]. It was first used by [[Luigi Chinetti]]'s ''North American Racing Team'' ([[NART]]) in the [[24 Hours of Daytona|Daytona race]] that year. It was powered by a 410&nbsp;hp (305&nbsp;kW) version of the 330 V12.
 
  
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==330 P3==
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In 1973, Matra which had previously focused on Le Mans also challenged for the championship while Alfa was absent. As Matra won several races, Ferrari needed to enter in the [[1973 24 Hours of Le Mans]], with an improved yet still doubtful engine. One car was used as a "hare" which supposed to lure the Matras into driving faster laps than they intended, to test their reliability. Ironically it was only the "hare" Ferrari which survived the 24 hours, finishing a respectable second behind a [[Matra]]. The championship saw the same order, with only two Italian wins compared to five French. In addition, despite the absence of the Matras, the 312PB could not defend the 1972 win of the [[Targa Florio]] as the prototypes of Ferrari and Alfas failed and a [[Porsche 911]] collected a surprise win.
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The [[1966]] '''330 P3''' introduced [[fuel injection]] to the Ferrari stable. It also used a P3 (Type 593) transmission that was prone to failure and was replaced by a [[ZF Friedrichshafen AG]] transmission when the P3 were converted to 412P's, another Ferrari first that would only last one season when the ZF's were replaced by 603R P4 transmissions in the 412P's.
 
  
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==330 P4==
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At the end of the 1973 season, Ferrari abandoned sports car racing to focus on F1 again, as the F1 team had even skipped GP races in 1973 due to lack of competitiveness.
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1967 saw the ultimate mid-engined 330 P, the 330 P4. With a 3-valve cylinder head added to the P3's fuel injection system, output was up to 450 hp (335 kW). Only four were ever made. Due to its great fame and good looks, more than a hundred P4 replicas of various design have been built since.
 
  
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The 330 P4 electrified the racing world when three of the four crossed the finish line together (in first, second, and third place) in the 1967 [[24 Hours of Daytona]] and became a symbol of victory over arch-enemy [[Ford GT40]]. Surprisingly the 330 P4 had poor aerodynamics even in comparison with its rivals, but its sexy looks continue to grab attention.
 
  
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The original P4 cars are estimated to be worth about US$10 million each. A high-quality P4 replica built with genuine Ferrari engine (e.g. a 400i V12) may command as much as $200,000, but simpler ones (often with Rover engines and Renault drive-trains) may be sold for $50,000.
 
  
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===Controversy around chassis no. 0846===
 
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One of the original cars, 0846, which was built as a P3 by Ferrari in 1966 and modified by Ferrari in December 1966 to accept a P4 engine while retaining it's P3 chassis and nose, was said to be totaled in a racing accident and discarded afterwards. Another is in a French automobile museum, while yet another is held by a Canadian collector, and the fourth (owned by American Walter Medlin) was set to be auctioned off in March 2005 to pay for back taxes before the owner came up with US$3 million to protect it.
 
  
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Recently the P3/4 that was thought to be destroyed resurfaced in the possession of exotic car collector and enthusiast [[James Glickenhaus]], the former movie director and stock exchange magnate. When he bought it, both he and the person he bought it from thought it was a replica chassis. After removing 1000 rivets, dissembling everything, stripping the chassis, researching the Ferrari build sheets and comparing the frame with 412P 0844, 412P 0850, 412P 0854, P4 0856, and P4 replica chassis 0900, 0900a, and 0900c he discovered that the car he had bought contained approximately 80+% of the original chassis of 0846.
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[[Category:Ferrari vehicles|312PB]]
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[[Category:Sports prototypes]]
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:"After Le Mans 1967 0846 was returned to the Ferrari factory where it was deconstructed, investigated and scrapped. Years later, James Glickenhaus acquired remains of 0846, and with help from Ferrari S.p.A. who recast suspension uprights, commissioned Sal Barone, Alberto Pedretti, Bob Wallace and John Hadduk Jr. to restore 0846 to original specifications." - XVII Giro di Sicilia Official Program
 
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In an email dated 6/10/2005 Joanne Marshall of Ferrari S.p.A. wrote: "We confirm that, as far as our factory records are concerned, the chassis in question (0846) was totally written off in 1967 after the Le Mans incident."
 
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Glickenhaus has never disputed this but believes that the remains of 0846, including 80+% of its original chassis survived and that those and other remains of 0846 are currently in the car that he owns.
 
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The following link [http://www.glickenhaus.com/jim/project.pdf] explains the basis for Glickenhaus' beliefs.
 
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This debate [http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69585] has raged throughout 2004 among various Ferrari enthusiasts.
 
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A letter from Ferrari S.p.A., dated September 29th, 2004, Subject: P3/4 Chassis no. 0846:
 
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:''Dear Mr. Glickenhaus,''
 
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:''We wish to thank you for the extensive dossier you have sent regarding the above mentioned vehicle that as confirmed on our letter dated October 5th, we have examined in detail. The car was built on February 1966 as a P3 version and during its racing period, officially managed by the Factory, it went though several modifications in order to race the 24 hours of Daytona in 1967 as a P3/4. We also confirm that, as reported in your dossier, the car caught fire during the 24 hours of Le Mans. It was then totally dismantled and because of the extended damages detected, the factory decided not to perform any repair and to write off the chassis no. 0846. If some of the remaining components such as engine and gearbox were considered as possible spare parts, the chassis, because of its racing history and the fire damages suffered, was definitively scrapped. Therefore eventual pieces retrieved from the trash container should not have been used to rebuild or to revival a car which was written off, if this is the case. We all would like to see forever these glorious pieces but unfortunately the chassis no. 0846 had a sad conclusion.''
 
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:''Yours faithfully, Ferrari Classiche, Umberto Masoni"''
 
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This letter confirms that 0846's chassis was written off and scrapped, not melted into oblivion. For many years this is ALL and EXCATLY what Glickenhaus posited happened: That his car contains 80+% of the chassis remains of P 3/4 0846 among other original parts. He's never disputed that as far a Ferrari is concerned 0846 was written off/scrapped and under Ferrari's authentication definitions his car could not be authenticated by them. Glickenhaus is not the one who retrieved the chassis remains of 0846 "from the trash container" and used them to "to rebuild or to revival a car which was written off..." but he was the one who discovered exactly where the chassis remains of 0846 wound up and to insure that Umberto's wish: "We all would like to see forever these glorious pieces..." remains possible.
 
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[IMG]http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3358/img045125cf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
 
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In a related development Glickenhaus, has commissioned Pininfarina to build a modern Homage to the Great Ferrrai Sports Racing Cars such as the 250 LM, 330 P 3/4, 512 S, 312P and 333sp on the last new unregistered US spec. Enzo Chassis. This new vehicle will retain the Enzo's drive-train, chassis, and vin #. The first real photo's of P 4/5 and an in depth article about it will appear in the August 2006 issue of Car and Driver. The "photos" previously published in AutoWeek and Octane are not accurate and are far from what P 4/5 looks like.
 
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P 4/5 will unveil at Pebble Beach this August.
 
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==412 P==
 
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The Ferrari 412P was a "consumer version" of the famous 330 P3 race car, built for independent teams like Scuderia Filipinetti. These cars had [[carburetor]] engines instead of the factory Lucas fuel injection. Surviving 412P cars are worth approximately [[USD|US$]] 6 million nowadays.
 
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There are only 2 cars that were originally built as 412P's: 0850 and 0854. 0844 and 0848 were originally P3 Factory Racecars but when Ferrari sold them to customers they removed the Lucas Mechanical Fuel Injection and replaced it with Weber carburetors which reduced their output, something Ferrari wanted to do so that they would win points but not beat the factory cars which were then P 3/4 0846 (See Above), P4 0856, P4 0858, and P4 0860.
 
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The P3's and 412P had the same 4 liter block which is different from the P4 4 liter block and all had P3 not P4 chassis.  P 3/4 0846 is unique having, after modification by Ferrari for the 1967 race season, a P3 chassis with a P4 engine.
 
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The 412Ps, the 330 P 3/4, and the 330 P4's, all had 4 liter engines that weren't eligible for the biggest races (such as Le Mans) after 1967; not enough 412P's, 330 P 3/4, or P4's were built to be allowed under 5000cc sport cars class (which required 25 identical cars to have been built). The smaller number of 412Ps, 330 P 3/4, and P4's meant that they were still classed as "Prototypes". Engine size in that class was limited to 3 liters after 1967, the fastest Ferraris were no longer eligible and Enzo left sports car racing for a while in protest.
 
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== 312 P ==
 
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After boycotting sports cars racing in 1968 to protest the rule change, Ferrari built another 3000cc prototype in 1969, named the ''312 P''.
 
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The 3.0 [[Ferrari 312]]P ''Barchetta'' and 3.0 [[Ferrari 312]]P ''Berlinetta'' were hardly more than a 3-litre F1 [[Ferrari 312]] with a prototype body. At the [[12 Hours of Sebring]] the [[spyder]] finished 2nd to a JWA Gulf [[Ford GT40]]. At the BOAC 500 in [[Brands Hatch]] the same spyder was 4th behind three [[Porsche 908]]-01. At [[1000km Monza]], [[Chris Amon]] took the pole with the 312P spyder, ahead of [[Jo Siffert]]'s 908-01, but had to retire. At the [[1000km Spa]], a 312P was second behind the Siffert-Redman 908-01LH. At Le Mans two 312P Berlinettas were entered. They were 5 and 6 on the grid, but didn't finish. At the end of the season the 312Ps were sold to N.A.R.T., the American Ferrari importer of Luigi Chinetti.
 
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==512 S and 512 M==
 
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These were not designated with ''P'' as they were not built for the 3000cc Prototype category, but with ''S '' as 5000cc Sports cars, of which at least 25 had to be built. Porsche had made that investment in early 1969 with the new [[Porsche 917]]. Ferrari answered with the [[Ferrari 512]] which was introduced for 1970, and later modified as ''512 M''.
 
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== 312 PB ==
 
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In 1971, another rule change was announced for 1972, and Ferrari abandoned further development of the 512 in order to focus on a new 3L prototype based on the F1 car.
 
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In 1972, this [[Ferrari 312]]PB with the flat ''boxer'' engine was very successful and won all races of the [[World Sportscar Championship]] in which it raced. Ferrari  didn't enter the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in 1972 though as the F1-based engine would not last for sure.
 
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They had to enter in 1973, though, and finished second behind [[Matra]], same as in the championship. At the end of the 1973 season, Ferrari abandoned sports car racing to focus on F1.
 
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== 333 SP ==
 
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In the 1990s, the [[Ferrari 333 SP]] was built, but not raced by the factory itself.
 
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[[Category:Ferrari vehicles|P]]
 
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[[Category:Racing cars]]
 

Latest revision as of 08:05, 11 March 2009

Ferrari 312P
Category Sports car prototype
Constructor Scuderia Ferrari
Designer Mauro Forghieri
Team Scuderia Ferrari
Drivers 22px-Flag of Sweden.png Ronnie Peterson
22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Jacky Ickx
20px-Flag of Switzerland.png Clay Regazzoni
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Brian Redman
22px-Flag of the United States.png Mario Andretti
3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Arturo Merzario
3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Sandro Munari
22px-Flag of Australia.png Tim Schenken
Chassis Aluminium central monocoque with steel spaceframe front and rear.
Front suspension Double wishbone, outboard coil spring/damper.
Rear suspension Single top-link, reversed lower wishbone, twin radius arms, outboard spring/damper.
Engine name Ferrari
Capacity 2991 cc
Configuration dohc flat-12,
Turbo/NA naturally aspirated
Engine position mid-mounted
Gearbox name Ferrari
Gears 5-speed
Type manual
Differential
Fuel Shell
Tyres Firestone/Goodyear
Debut 1971 1000 km Buenos Aires
Races
Wins
Cons champ 1 (1972 WSC)
Drivers champ
Poles
Fastest laps

This article is about the sportscar raced from 1971-1973. For the ealier 1969 car, see Ferrari 312P.


The Ferrari 312PB was a sportcar prototype racing car of the early 1970s. It was officially designated the 312P, but often known as the 312PB to avoid confusion with a previous car of the same name. It was part of the Ferrari P series of sports prototypes.

In 1970, a change in the regulations for sportscar racing for 1972 was announced. The loophole for the big 5L sports cars (such as the Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512) was closed, and the minimum weight of the 3L prototypes was raised to 650kg.

Porsche considered this too heavy as their Porsche 908/03 were 100kg lighter, and this advantage would have been lost. On the other hand, their aircooled two-valve engine was low on power with 370hp, and the development of a new engine would have been necessary. Thus, Porsche did not enter world championship sports car races after 1971 and sold the 908s to customers who would have to add weight to them. Matra and Alfa Romeo were willing and able to compete, but only in selected seasons or events. Also, Ford's successful Formula 1 Cosworth-V8 engine was available for independent chassis builders, but vibrations made it unreliable for endurance racing.

After having been beaten by the Porsche 917 in 1970, Ferrari abandoned further development of the Ferrari 512M, leaving the 512 to customer teams like Penske Racing, which had some success with their improved 512M in 1971, though. Penske, probably not very happy about the lack of support from the factory, joined Porsche for their Can-Am effort with the turbocharged Porsche 917/10.

Carlos Pace driving a 312PB at the Nürburgring in 1973.

Instead, in 1971, Ferrari focused on a new 3.0L prototype based on the 180° flat-12 boxer from the 312B F1 car. Officially this design was known as 312P, the motorsports press appending the B to avoid confusion with the earlier 312P V12 cars. This design was similar to the traditional Porsche engine layout with its low center of gravity, but Ferrari used water-cooling and 4-valve heads. The car was promising, but did not win, while the similar Alfa Romeo 33 scored two wins against Porsche's dominance.

In 1972, with only Alfa answering the challenge, the 312PB was very successful and won all World Sportscar Championship races in which it was entered. Ferrari skipped the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, though, as the F1-based engine would not last 24 hours and surely spoil their otherwise perfect record.

In 1973, Matra which had previously focused on Le Mans also challenged for the championship while Alfa was absent. As Matra won several races, Ferrari needed to enter in the 1973 24 Hours of Le Mans, with an improved yet still doubtful engine. One car was used as a "hare" which supposed to lure the Matras into driving faster laps than they intended, to test their reliability. Ironically it was only the "hare" Ferrari which survived the 24 hours, finishing a respectable second behind a Matra. The championship saw the same order, with only two Italian wins compared to five French. In addition, despite the absence of the Matras, the 312PB could not defend the 1972 win of the Targa Florio as the prototypes of Ferrari and Alfas failed and a Porsche 911 collected a surprise win.

At the end of the 1973 season, Ferrari abandoned sports car racing to focus on F1 again, as the F1 team had even skipped GP races in 1973 due to lack of competitiveness.

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