1964 Tipo 151/3 - La versione della Tipo 151/3 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans in collaudo all'Aeroautodromo di Modena.
-A Le Mans nelle prove sarà l'auto più veloce (308 Km/h)
1964 Tipo 151/3 - Versione della Tipo 151/3 del 1964 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans.
-L'auto andò distrutta in un incidente nelle prove del mese di aprile del '65.
1964 - Tipo 151/3
-Versione della Tipo 151/3 del 1964 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans. |
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Maserati Tipo 151 - Part 3
The 1963 Season - 'However, the 5.6-litre engine failed to improve the 151's performance and it was subsequently replaced with a 7-litre Ford V8 for 1963.'
Published with the kind permission of
Ben Tyer - Editor www.QV500.com
After a disappointing debut season, things weren't looking too promising for the Maserati 151 in 1963. Upon its arrival in the US halfway through 1962, Briggs Cunningham had Alfred Momo install a 5.6-litre Maser V8 into chassis 004, this in the quest for more performance and reliability from the overweight Berlinetta. However, the 5.6 failed to drastically improve the 151's performance and it was subsequently replaced with a 7-litre Ford V8 for 1963. Meanwhile, the Maserati France car (chassis 002), would also be getting a new engine (albeit direct from the factory), but in the meantime, 004 was the first 151 to appear during 1963.
Fresh from its latest engine transplant, Cunningham had his sole remaining 151 entered for the American Challenge Cup, a traditional curtain-raiser held at Daytona. Driven by Marvin Panch, the NASCAR regular managed to barrel roll during practice and was lucky to escape alive, 004 more or less burning to the ground there and then. The remains were sold to Chuck Jones of Team Meridian who discarded the unsalvageable body and frame, only a handful of components remaining inter-changeable with chassis 006, the car he had bought from Bev Spencer at the beginning of the year. Jones had Skip Hudson race 006 three times in '63 and in his first event at the Cotati SCCA Divisional Race's just north of San Francisco, he spectacularly drove bereft of any doors and managed to take a pair of thirds. The next outing for a 151 was at Le Mans where a freshly uprated chassis 002, complete with new factory-prepared 5-litre engine, was entered for Andre Simon and Lloyd 'Lucky' Casner. Still owned by French importer Johnny Simone, 002 emerged from the Maserati works with a 5-litre Lucas fuel-injected engine based on the existing Series II 5000 GT unit. Displacement was 4941cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 94 x 89mm respectively, a hike in compression (to 9.0:1) and re-configured fuel-injection helping the '63-spec motor produce 430bhp at 7000rpm. 002 was officially renumbered 151/1 and qualified fifth at Le Mans, only to retire after 40 laps with gearbox problems. Another early exit for Simon followed in the Reims 12 Hours, but the high profile Auvergne Trophy at Clermont Ferrand would provide a change in fortune. Running 151/1 with a 4-litre engine, Lucien Bianchi came home a rousing 8th overall and first in class, three laps down on the winning Ferrari 250 TR.
151/1 bodywork Bianchi also took the wheel of 151/1 for the Guards Trophy race at Brands Hatch where another fine performance saw the experienced Frenchman finish 12th overall and third in class. On the other side of the Atlantic meanwhile, Team Meridian had already contested the Road America 500 at Elkhart Lake, Skip Hudson coming home 17th in 006, an especially good result considering there was no second driver to relieve him. The Meridian 151's final outing of 1963 came at the Bridgehampton Double 500 where Hudson was forced to retire 006, but despite this disappointing climax, a class win and podium at what were perhaps the two biggest non-championship races of the year had given the Tipo 151 some much-needed credibility.
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