Posts Tagged ‘F1’

Maserati 4CLT/48 OSCA & OSCA 4500G…

Posted: November 8, 2025 in F1, Features, Obscurities
Tags: , , , , , , ,
2
(GBCCC)

Alf Harvey leads Curley Brydon in a blue-blood duo at Gnoo Blas, Orange, on January 30, 1956. Ex-Enrico Plate/Prince Bira Maserati 4CLT/48 OSCA #1607 in front of the ex-Peter Whitehead/Dick Cobden Ferrari 125 #F1/114.

Reg Hunt won the South Pacific Championship that weekend aboard his Maserati 250F from Jack Brabham’s Cooper T40 Bristol, Kevin Neal, Cooper T23 Bristol and Brydon’s Ferrari. Harvey’s gearbox misbehaved in practice, so the OSCA didn’t start the race.

Bira, Maserati OSCA, South Pacific Championship weekend, Gnoo Blas 1955 (Cummins Family Archive)

The Maser-Osca was brought to Australia by Prince Bira during his 1955 Australasian tour, which yielded a New Zealand Grand Prix win at Ardmore aboard his Maserati 250F. He then brought the Maserati and Maserati OSCA to Australia to contest the South Pacific Championship on January 31, 1955. See here: https://primotipo.com/2020/04/09/1955-south-pacific-championship-gnoo-blas/

The 250F failed in practice, so too did the OSCA in the preliminary race. Former Wollongong MG T-Type punter Alf Harvey was the well-heeled enough, optimistic buyer when Bira offered it for sale.

The OSCA 60-degree, twin-cam – driven by a train of gears – two valve, all alloy, triple Weber 40 DCF fed 4472cc (78mm x 78mm bore/stroke) V12 initially gave circa 290-300bhp, rising to 330bhp @ 6500rpm. Here, it’s shown in an uber-rare colour shot in Harvey’s car during the 1958 AGP weekend (K Drage)

Harvey then commenced a lengthy rebuild of the car, aided by Frank Ashby. This prominent, successful British engineer was by then living on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Ashby did the chassis and Repco Research in Melbourne, the exotic, fussy V12.

Ashby, trading as Mona Vale Engineering Services, had provided sage advice to young Jack Brabham on carburetion and cylinder head modifications to the 2-litre Bristol engine powering his Cooper T23.

By 1958, the Maserati OSCA was ready to boogie. Harvey’s best result was a win in the first of two preliminary heats during the AGP weekend at Bathurst. It was the B-preliminary in the sense that the quicks were in the other race, but a win is a win. He wasn’t so fortunate in the GP itself; a plug worked its way loose, and he retired after 16 laps of the race won by Lex Davison’s 3-litre Ferrari 500/625.

’56 South Pacific Championship at the start of this artice:https://primotipo.com/2024/02/10/australian-gold-star-championship-1956/

Old mate taking a happy-snap or two at the start of the ’58 AGP, Hell Corner, Bathurst. The light blue car is Harvey’s Maserati OSCA (ABC)

The V12 engine project was an interesting one by the then newish OSCA enterprise. The Maserati brothers sold their Maserati business – Officine Maserati S.p.A. – to the Adolpho Orsi family in 1937. By December 10, 1947 they were clear of the 10 year consultancy agreement which formed part of the contract of sale with the Orsis. O.S.C.A. – Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili-Fratteli Maserati S.p.A. – was their next Bologna based venture. Soon they were building small sportscars which enjoyed commercial and competition success.

A mainstay of post-war European racing was Amedee Gordini’s single-seater and sportscars. Gordini was anxious to contest the new F1 (4.5-litres unsupercharged, 1.5-litres supercharged) with a more competitive engine than his various twin-cam fours.

‘Ernesto and Alfieri Maserati and Amedee Gordini were old acquaintances going back to the 1920s,’ wrote Roy Smith in Amedee Gordini : A True Racing Legend. ‘Gordini kept up regular contact, even doing some work for them on several occasions and exchanging ideas.’ See here for a lengthy epic on Gordini; https://primotipo.com/2019/08/30/equipe-gordini/

Smith wrote that Maserati had come up with a new V12 engine design, a simple one page letter – in reality more a letter of intent than a formal contract – from Automobili O.S.C.A. to Gordini dated 10 March 1949 formalised the arrangement for OSCA to design and build an OSCA badged V12 for Gordini.

This arrangement contravened Gordini’s existing commercial and sponsorship deal with Simca, who weren’t interested in Gordini’s F1 aspirations, content as they were with his F2 and sports car racing, which was more closely aligned, they felt, with their road cars. Gordini was able to fund the deal with OSCA thanks to financial support from ‘his longtime friend, the wealthy Far Eastern emperor and racing enthusiast Bao Dai,’ the ‘Last Emperor of Vietnam.’

Amedee’s thinking was sound, he planned to have a V12 powered F1 winner and derivatives of the competition V12 for sports and grand touring cars.

Bira first time out win in the Ecurie Siam Maserati 4CLT-48 OSCA V12 at Goodwood, Richmond Trophy, Easter 1951. #28 is Duncan Hamilton, ERA B-Type, and #34 ? (MotorSport)
Bira wielding a plug-spanner much to JM Fangio’s amusement, during the 1952 Ulster Trophy weekend (Neville Armstrong-MotorSport)

When, inevitably, push came to shove, and Simca, Gordini’s primary backer, withdrew its support, OSCA decided to complete the design and build of the engine and offer it for sale. Their thinking was that the motor could form part of an update kit for the Maserati 4CLT they knew so well, plenty of which were in circulation.

Ultimately, Bira was the only taker, with his late build chassis, 4CLT-48 #1607 – first delivered to Enrico Plate on November 14, 1949 and raced by Bira throughout 1950 – updated by fitment of the OSCA V12, de Dion rear suspension and other tweaks race-ready for 1951.

The Thai Prince raced the car only a few times that year and in 1952. A debut victory against modest opposition during the 12 lap Richmond Trophy at Goodwood on March 26 flattered to deceive. He raced the car in the GP di San Remo on April 22 Q5/DNF accident, the GP de Bordeaux for Q7/fourth, the Silverstone International Trophy on May 5 no time/heat third/17th. He entered but didn’t arrive at various events mid-season.

Bira concluded that the car was uncompetitive in Europe and put it to one side until its trip to Australasia, where it was also only ever going to be an also-ran too. By 1956, Australia had some quicker cars: Maserati A6GCM and 250F, Ferrari 500/625, the Tornado Ford, etc.

Franco Rol about to be lapped again by Alberto Ascari during the 1951 Italian GP, Monza. OSCA 4500G and Ferrari 375 (MotorSport)

OSCA 4500G V12…

In addition to the engine for Bira, OSCA built two more. So as not to let them go to waste, one was fitted to a new ladder-frame chassis/double wishbone and coil spring front suspension/de Dion and torsion bars rear, Grand Prix car dubbed the 4500G. G for Gordini to honour his part in the engines gestation.

Handsome engine – SOHC in some texts, DOHC in others – with plenty of development potential in 1951. 300-330bhp wasn’t going to cause much of a fright among the circa-375bhp normally aspirated Ferraris, or circa 425bhp supercharged Alfa 159s (MotorSport)
Great looking car, body aluminium on twin-tube period typical ladder frame chassis. De Dion rear suspension with torsion bars and Panhard rods a considerable advance on the 4CLT’s solid rear axle, the differential of which was a weak link (MotorSport)
Wishbone front suspension, four speed ‘box front mounted. Wheelbase and front/rear track 2450/1280/1260mm, weight circa 760kg (MotorSport)

Franco Rol debuted the car in the 1951 Italian Grand Prix at Monza (photos above) the second last championship round that year. Q18 and ninth/last wasn’t a catastrophe at first glance, but Rol was 13 laps adrift of Alberto Ascari and Froilan Gonzalez’ first and second placed Ferrari 375s.

Rule changes, which meant the world championship was run for 2-litre F2 cars in 1952-53 made all F1 cars obsolete overnight. The CSI/FIA were forced to act due to the withdrawal of Alfa Romeo from F1 at the end of ’51, and uncertainty about BRM, OSCA and others continuing, leaving a Ferrari whitewash a certainty. Of course, the Maranello, Ferrari 500 2-litre whitewash happened anyway!

Despite the ‘F2 World Championship’ there were ten F1/F Libre races held in 1952. Bira gave his Maserati OSCA a gallop in the Ulster Trophy meeting at Dundrod on June 7, but he had an accident on the first lap. He raced at Silverstone in July, finishing 10th in the Daily Express Formula Libre Trophy, four laps adrift of Piero Taruffi aboard the Ferrari 375 Thinwall Spl. The last libre-race of the year was the Daily Record International Trophy at Charterhall on October 11, there Bira retired with a fuel tank problem.

OSCA 4500G #4501 at Monza in 1951 (MotorSport)

Two OSCA 4500Gs were entered in the April 6, 1952 GP del Valentino, the first non-championship F1 race of the year. Franco Rol was in chassis #4501, and Luigi Piotti in #4502. In a poor weekend for the team, Piotti’s #4502 didn’t arrive, and Rol’s #4501 didn’t complete the first lap for undisclosed reasons; two other cars had accidents, perhaps that is what befell Rol, although oldracingcars.com – my bible – does not record that.

The two 4500Gs weren’t entered as single-seaters again. What became of the two cars seems clear but the journeys they made is not fully clear, not to me anyway. Those with a more extensive Maserati library may be able to assist.

#4501 was sold to Rol. It was later fitted with a Frua Spider body with a central driving position, it would be great to have a photo of the car in this form. It was ultimately rebuilt as the single-seater many of you will be familiar with in European historic racing.

OSCA 4500G, #4501 at Goodwood in recent years
OSCA 4500G #4502 in gorgeous Zagato couture (unattributed)

The unraced ‘Piotti’ 4500G #4502 was also converted into a sports coupe with a beautiful body by Zagato. It was entered in the September 6, 1953, Supercortemaggiore non-championship sports car race at Merano, driven by Clemente Biondetti. He qualified 23rd but failed to finish the race, won by Fangio’s works Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM Spider.

It was sold to Piedmontese winemaker, Paolo Di Montezemolo and rebodied by him as a sports car in 1954. He contested the Sassi-Superga hillclimb outside Turin in October 1956 as below. The car is now in France and resides in the Henri Malarte Museum in Lyon.

(Di Montezemolo Collection)

Cycling back to the Bira Maserati 4CLT OSCA and Alf Harvey.

After the fiscal ravages of the experience, and one last run in a quarter-mile sprint at Castlereagh in 1959, Alf Harvey offered the car for sale in 1961. It then passed, via an interlude of 1960s historic racing with Morin Scott in the UK, to Tom Wheatcroft. In more recent times it has returned to historic racing.

Maserati 4CLT-48 OSCA #1607 (unattributed)

Credits…

Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Neville Armstrong, ‘History of The Grand Prix Car’ Doug Nye, ‘Maserati : A Racing History’ Anthony Pritchard, ‘Amedee Gordini : A True Racing Legend’ Roy Smith, Kevin Drage, Di Montezemolo Collection, Alex Book, Boudewijn Berkhoff

Tailpiece…

(Alex Book)

Franco Rol enroute to a lonely last place in OSCA 4500G #01 during the 1951 Italian GP at Monza.

Finito…

Top Fuel : Danny On-The-Gas…

Posted: August 31, 2022 in F1, Features
Tags: , , , , , , ,
1
image
(Getty Images)

The sight of an unlimited Top Fuel dragster doing a fast pass is not a sound, sight or sensation ever forgotten. It’s truly one of the most awe inspiring of motor racing experiences.

The shot above is at Dallas International Speedway on October 27, 1969, happy to take advice on the who/chassis/engine?

image
(Getty Images)

I was flicking through Getty Images’ drag racing collection and who should be smiling at me (top row in the middle) at Indianapolis on September 3, 1969 but 27 year-old Exekiel ‘Danny’ Ongais.

Danny On-the-Gas caught my eye in the day with his exceptional brio, perhaps he had a dash too much of it?

Ongais became a rather handy, versatile racer on speedways and the circuits, right up to Grand Prix racing after leaving the ‘strips behind. In addition, the Flying Hawaiian starred in sportscars and started at Indy 11 times from 1977 to 1996, his best finish was fourth place aboard an Interscope Racing Parnelli VP6B Cosworth in 1979.

Kahului (Maui) born Ongais started racing BSA’s as a teenager, returning from a three year stint as a paratrooper with the US Army to win the Hawaiian state motorcycle championship in 1960.

With limited racing opportunities in Hawaii, he shifted to the mainland and started working for Dragmaster, a successful builder of drag-car chassis and cars in Carlsbad, California.

Soon he was racing cars owned by others; Jim Nelson (Dragmaster), the Beaver brothers and Mickey Thompson. He then branched out on his own, winning American Hot Rod Association Gas titles in 1963-64, then the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship in 1965.

A switch to Funny Cars yielded two wins in a Mickey Thompson owned, Pat Foster built Mustang powered by an SOHC Ford V8 in 1969. In addition, the Ongais/Thompson duo set 295 national and international records on the Bonneville Salt Flats that year in Mustang Mach 1’s; one 302 and two NASCAR style 427 V8 machines.

After leaving Thompson he raced the ‘Big John’ Mazmanian/Vels Parnelli Mustang Funny Car and ‘Flying Doorstop’ Top Fueller, setting the sport’s first over 240mph pass in the latter at Ontario in 1972 at 243.24mph.

Ongais, winged slingshot Top Fueller at the Winternationals in 1972 (nhra.com)
Ted Field and Danny Ongais, what a combination! Ongais raced cars for Ted in F5000, F1, IndyCar and endurance racing (Getty Images)
Ongais and Mickey Thompson with Mustang Funny Car in 1969 (Getty Images)

All those years before, his European stint in the Army stimulated his interest in road racing, he attracted the attention of entertainment mogul Ted Field (Interscope) at the end of 1974.

Ongais contested the 1975 US F5000 championship, finishing fifth in the title chase the following year aboard an Interscope Lola T332C Chev behind Brian Redman, Al Unser Snr, Jackie Oliver and Alan Jones, but in front of seasoned road racers and F5000 champions Vern Schuppan, Warwick Brown, Teddy Pilette and Peter Gethin.

Interscope put a toe in the USAC championship that year too, with Ongais taking his first win at Michigan in 1977 aboard a Parnelli VPJ-6B Cosworth. Five more victories followed aboard his Parnelli VPJ-6B in 1978 but mechanical dramas and inconsistency left him eighth in the points standings. If his speed was ever in doubt – it wasn’t – he put his Parnelli VPJ-6C Cosworth in between the Penske PC6 Cosworth DFX’s of Tom Sneva and Rick Mears on the Indy front row.

Ongais contested the two North American GP races aboard a Penske PC4 Ford in 1977 placing seventh from Q22 in the Canadian GP at Mosport, at Watkins Glen he retired from Q26.

In 1978 he raced a Team Tissot Ensign N177 Ford in Argentina and Brazil, retiring in both races from Q21 and Q23. Later in the season he lined up in a Shadow DN9A Ford at Long Beach and Zandvoort but failed to pre-qualify in both events.

Ongais raced plenty of sportscars including Porsche 934, 935 and 962, Lola T600 and March 88S. In addition to many national victories, together with Field and Hurley Haywood, he won the 1979 Daytona 24 Hours racing a Porsche 935.

Ongais ahead of another Lola T332C Chev during 1976 – circuit folks? (unattributed)

At Brands Hatch for the Indy Trophy in October 1978. Ninth in the Parnelli VPJ-6B Cosworth, Rick Mears won in a Penske PC6 Cosworth

Ongais raced in CART from 1979. “His debut at Phoenix, where he qualified fourth and led the race before being derailed by an engine failure set the tone for the next couple of years: a story of blazing speed, but bad luck or other circumstances conspiring against him fully capitalizing on it.” Vintage MotorSport wrote.

“But all that took a back seat when he suffered a massive accident in the 1981 Indy 500. He’d pitted as the leader on lap 63, only to lose more than 40s to a catastrophically slow pitstop. Upon rejoining, he made a late pass on a slower car at Turn 3, lost the rear, overcorrected and pounded the barriers nearly head on. He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, and spent the rest of the season on the sidelines recovering from factures to both legs, a broken arm, and a six-inch tear to his diaphragm.”

Ongais, Jacarepagua Rio, Brazilian GP 1978. Ensign N177 Ford, DNF brakes, race won by Reutemann’s Ferrari 312T2 (MotorSport)

Ongais before his final Indy 500 start in 1996. Lola T95/00 Menard V6. Seventh in the race won by Buddy Lazier’s Reynard 951 Ford XB (unattributed)

“Indeed, while he continued to produce decent results upon his return in 1983, his later years were defined almost as much by a handful of significant accidents – not all of which he was directly involved with.”

“He was very much at the center of the big one in 1985, when he was launched into a massive barrel roll down the backstretch at Michigan after running into the rear of Phil Krueger. Two years later, he crashed during practice for the Indianapolis 500 and sustained a concussion that forced him to miss the race.”

“Ongais’ final appearance at the 500 had its roots in far more tragic circumstances in 1996 when polesitter Scott Brayton was killed in a practice crash and team owner John Menard tapped Ongais as his replacement. Ongais, then 54 and making his first start at the Speedway in a decade, lined up at the rear of the field and finished a remarkable seventh. He made one final attempt to qualify with Team Pelfrey two years later, but was bumped.”

The publicity-shy Ongais spent his later years surrounded by family in southern California. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 and remains the only driver to score professional wins in drag racing, Indycars and sportscars.

He died, aged 79 on February 26, 2022.

In the cockpit of a Porsche 935 at Daytona (unnattributed)

Credits…

Getty Images, Vintage Motorsport, nhra.com, Paul Kooyman, MotorSport Images

Tailpiece…

(unattributed)

Letting rip in the Shadow DN9A Ford on the streets of Long Beach in 1978.

Danny failed to pre-qualify but it was not for want of trying, here he seems keen to win the Patrick Depailler Most-Sideways-Longbeach-Cup!

The race was won by Carlos Reutemann’s Ferrari 312T3. Clay Regazzoni’s Shadow was the only one of three to finish, in 10th place from Q20. Hans Stuck’s car was Q23/DNS and Ongais Q29.

Finito…