Ferrari america

340 America

The 340 F1 racing car first appeared at the All Nations Grand Prix in July 1950. It was equipped with a new twelve-cylinder 4.1-liter engine (the working volume of one cylinder was approximately 340 cm³, hence the name of the car), which was the next step to the 4.5 liter limit allowed from this year. Later, the same engine was mounted on a sports car with a body, very similar to the 166 MM , and was shown at the Paris Motor Show on October 5th . The novelty was called 340 America, reflecting the desire of Ferrari to gain a foothold in the US market with cars that can compete in competitions, which then elite customers could use for regular trips ^[5] .

Car production began in 1951, interesting versions were created by bodybuilders Ghia and . It was the closed berlinetta ( coupe ) with the body of Vignale and Luigi Villorezi at the wheel that won the Mille Miglia race in 1951 ^[6] . In total, a little more than twenty cars of the series ^{[7] [8]} were produced.

Only eight of them were specially adapted for driving on public roads. Three of the remaining were unique racing cars (Competizione), which had a modified rear suspension and specially tuned engines. A similar design was soon applied to the 340 Mexico and was used on the 340 MM race car, which won Mille Miglia in 1953 ^[9] .

Engine

The 4.1-liter V-shaped twelve - cylinder engine created by commonly referred to as a “long” block motor in order to distinguish it from Colombo engines. The fact is that the distance between the centers of the cylinders of Colombo engines was 90 millimeters, and that of Lampredi engines was 108 millimeters, and their block was longer. The increased distance allowed the cylinders to be made larger, and also provided such a feature of the engine design as wet sleeves bolted to the cylinder block .

As well as Colombo’s engines, the Lamperdi engine had a cylinder angle of 60 ° , each cylinder head had one overhead camshaft ( SOHC ), the engine was powered by three Weber two-chamber carburetors and it developed 220 hp. The engines of the 340 America models built for competition performance had a dry sump lubrication system when, like road models, they had a conventional system. The motor was docked with a five -speed manual gearbox from which the rotation was transmitted to the rear axle using the driveshaft ^[10] .

Chassis

The chassis with a wheelbase of 2420 millimeters consisted of a tube-welded frame to which the suspensions were mounted, an engine with a transmission and a body was installed. In the front independent suspension with wishbones of unequal length, a transverse spring was used as elastic elements, the rear axle was attached to the frame using two longitudinal springs. Both front and rear hydraulic linkage shock absorbers were installed. The worm gear mechanism did not have an amplifier. The brake system was hydraulically driven and had drum brakes on all wheels ^[2] .

342 America

The interest in potential Ferrari cars from potential buyers increased. But some of them were worried about the reliability of the forced engines that entered the market directly from racing cars. For such customers, the company introduced the 342 America, a better-adapted car for normal use, with a more flexible engine, a new gearbox and more friendly handling. In 1952, this car replaced the 340 America model.

A change in the number in the designation meant an increase in the engine displacement, but this was not so. The engine was the same, in a deformed form it developed 200 hp. With it, a new mechanical four- speed fully synchronized gearbox was used. The latest models of the 342 America were equipped with a new engine with an increased displacement of up to 4.5 liters, but still retained the designation 342.

The cars were equipped with closed and open bodies performed by Vignale and Pininfarina . They were mounted on a chassis with a wheelbase increased to 2650 millimeters, which also had a large front and rear track . Car 342 America was produced in a relatively short period of time in the second half of 1952, a total of six copies of the model were made ^{[7] [11]} .

The 375 America was first shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1953 with the body of a Pininfarina coupe . Heir to the 342 America, this model was aimed at the same market segment of wealthy buyers. Outstanding mechanics and an elegant body made this car popular, despite its high price ^[13] .

A variety of bodies were installed on the chassis with the serial number 104 with a wheelbase of 2800 millimeters, the largest for Ferrari models at that time. The use of an engine with a “long block” and the desire to have a spacious interior explains such a long wheelbase. Another factor was the desire of Pininfarina designers to create a single recognizable “face” for all Ferrari models. So, the unification of appearance and rationalization of production methods led to the use of the same bodies and chassis on the 250 Europa and 375 America models. A complete identity, of course, was not achieved: a different window decoration, different design of the fringing of the radiator lining and other small elements of appearance changed depending on the preferences of the customers ^[14] .

Most of the cars were equipped with Pininfarina bodies, three units with a coupe body ^{[15] [16] [17]} , as well as one convertible were produced by . One car had a special, unusual coupe body manufactured by Pininfarina with a panoramic windshield, a vertical radiator grill and elongated rear pillars, which in the form of consoles went to the very rear panel ^[18] . This car was intended for Fiat President Gianni Agnelli and was shown at the 1954 Turin Motor Show . Of the dozen ^[19] cars made, it should also be noted that the original two-seater convertible created by Pininfarina for King Leopold of Belgium ^{[20] [21]} .

Engine

The engine was a further development of the engines: a V-shaped twelve - cylinder “long” block, with a working volume of 4.5 liters (the volume of one cylinder was approximately 375 cm³, hence the name of the model) developed a power of 300 hp. The engine was equipped with three Weber carburetors , had two coils and two ignition distributors . It was aggregated with a mechanical four- speed fully synchronized gearbox. From the gearbox, the rotation was transmitted to the rear axle , the main gear of which could have different gear ratios, depending on what the buyer wanted: powerful acceleration or quiet movement at high speed ^[14] .

Rating

The journalist of the famous American publication Motor Trend tested the carefully restored Ferrari 375 Gianni Agnelli. The author writes that the dolce vita reminder is immediately felt from the driver's seat. It manifests itself in the high level of quality of everything that surrounds you: beautifully shaped wooden lining of the steering column and a curved front panel, appliances similar to handmade products, instructed with precious stones. And also - this is a wooden knob of the gear lever and the same tips on the handles for opening windows and doors. Separate chrome metal inserts complete the picture of the full splendor of the cabin. The seats are low, the unusual cantilevered front pillars look great. Visibility in all directions is excellent, there is a lot of leg and head space, and a large transparent roof adds “air”. The dark, rich green color of the hood of this royal and imposing Ferrari simply disappears beyond the horizon.

The twelve-cylinder engine starts easily and quickly stabilizes at idle. Its sound is just fantastic! The gearbox does not require much effort to engage first gear. The clutch is surprisingly light with a linear pickup. If you make the tachometer needle oscillate at about 1000 rpm and smoothly release the clutch pedal, then the start does not cause any problems. The heavy steering wheel in the parking lot quickly becomes light with increasing speed. Pressing the long-stroke accelerator simply causes a locomotive traction until the engine is cut off at about 7000 rpm. The lever of the four-speed gearbox with a traditional H-shaped shift has a long but clear stroke. In this understandable luxury car, it’s comfortable and serene, like in a business jet.

The pendant is soft, but not as smeared as on old Cadillacs. Unsprung masses are not felt strongly, but it would be better if they were not. When cornering, the steering works softly without overwhelming you with information. The body rolls are large, and the flat chair does not hold the driver well, so fast taxiing is not the purpose of this car. For him, it is better to calmly overcome mile after mile on the surrounding roads.

The only disappointment is the brakes. Drum brakes were the Achilles heel of cars of that time and this is no exception. The pedal has a low sensitivity and approximately the same stroke. Modern tires certainly help, but disc brakes would be better; Ferrari cars will have to wait a few more years for this change.

Big and impressive, glorious and magnificent, with such words you can describe this grandiose car of the 1950s, the European king of speed ^[22] .

The 410 Superamerica, the successor to the 375 America, was first shown to the public as a running mockup at the Paris Motor Show in 1955, and then as a fully finished car at the Brussels Motor Show in early 1956. The model had an elegant body made by Pininfarina of impressive size. It is curious that the model intended for mass production generated only a number of original versions, since it was at the dawn of Ferrari.

There were three very limited series, produced in 1956-1959 ^{[24] [25] [26]} . Those cars that belong to the first series were mainly built on a chassis with a wheelbase of 2800 millimeters, although there were exceptions. Two series cars on a chassis with a base of 2600 millimeters, were produced from 1956 to 1957. At the end of 1958, three series of models were presented at the Paris Motor Show, this series also had a wheelbase of 2600 millimeters, except for several separate versions.

Since the 410 Superamerica models were very expensive exclusive cars for very wealthy customers, each of them had some differences from the “standard” coupes, reflecting the special wishes of the customer ^[27] .

Body

Some of the car bodies of the first and second series were some of the strangest ever mounted on a Ferrari chassis ^[28] .

In addition to the “standard” models, Pininfarina produced two original cars called Superfast. The first one, shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1956, had a cantilevered roof without front struts (they were added later, nevertheless) and pronounced rear fins , in which triangular blocks of lamps were built. The top of the car was white, the bottom was blue, the colors were separated by a thin chrome strip ^[29] . The second car, presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1957, in front was similar to the first model, but had a more elegant rear with rounded shapes that harmonize with the style of the entire car ^[30] . Главный производитель кузовов для гоночных автомобилей Ferrari фирма , также представила свой автомобиль и, вновь, с плавниками, демонстрируя мощное влияние заморских тенденций на внешний вид моделей, ориентированных на американский рынок. Плавники, а также крыша и пороги автомобиля были изготовлены из неокрашенной нержавеющий стали, создавая контраст с тёмно-красным цветом остальной части кузова ^[31] . Кузовостроительная фирма Марио Боано ( Mario Boano ) создала две собственные интерпретации на плавниковую тему: купе , с разделённым надвое задним стеклом, и подобных же форм кузова кабриолет , оба с изогнутыми плавниками ^{[32] [33]} . Но приз за самые большие и длинные плавники можно присудить фирме Ghia , создавшей для Ferrari автомобиль, вдохновлённый своими предыдущими работами для американской фирмы Chrysler ^[34] .

Вся третья серия автомобилей оснащалась кузовами изготовления Pininfarina, за исключением отдельных выставочных образцов. Но индивидуальные отличия продолжали существовать, наиболее заметными из которых были фары, закрытые оргстеклом , на некоторых моделях ^[35] .

Engine

The V-shaped twelve - cylinder engine of cars of the first and second series with serial number 126 was a further development of the engine with a “long” cylinder block of the design, used on the 375 America model. Its working volume was increased to five liters (the volume of one cylinder increased to about 410 cm³, hence the name of the model) due to an increase in the diameter of the cylinder when the piston stroke remained the same. Three Weber two-chamber carburetors were installed on the engine, two coils and two distributors were used in the ignition system, it developed a power of 340 hp. On the very first models with Pininfarina bodies, an engine with two candles per cylinder was installed, as on Formula 1 cars, and with carburetors with an increased diameter of the diffuser. The engine through a multi - plate clutch connected to a mechanical four- speed fully synchronized gearbox, with different gear ratios for different versions of the car. From the gearbox, rotation using a cardan shaft was transmitted to the rear axle ^[36] .

The engine of cars of the third series with serial number 126/58 had new cylinder heads. In them, spark plugs , one per cylinder, were located on the side, although in all previous Ferrari twelve-cylinder engines they were located between the valves. Another feature of the engine was that it had chiseled rods made of a piece of metal, like on racing cars, when forged ones were used as usual. In the new configuration, the engine developed 360 hp. ^[35]

Chassis

The car bodies were mounted on a chassis with the serial number 514, generally similar to that used on the 250 GTO model, with a wheelbase of 2600 or 2800 millimeters. The difference was that the rear axle was located under the frame, and not above it, as in the model 250 GTO. In addition, the front and rear tracks were enlarged compared to the 375 America. An independent suspension was installed on the front wishbones with springs and telescopic shock absorbers , the rear axle rested on semi-elliptical longitudinal springs and also had telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers. The worm gear mechanism did not have an amplifier. The hydraulic brake system was equipped with drum brakes on all wheels, the parking brake with a cable drive acted on the rear brakes ^{[36] [23]} .

The 400 Superamerica with its high-power engine, luxurious interior, sporty but not limiting comfort, suspension and overdrive gearbox was Ferari's flagship model. It, in the form of two series, was produced between 1960 and 1964. All but two of the 46 ^{[40] [41]} cars had Pininfarina bodies in spider ( roadster ), convertible and coupe versions. In addition, the Superfast II, III and IV concept cars were made on the basis of the model.

For the first time since the start of the production of road cars, Ferrari has retreated from the rule of assigning numbers showing the rounded value of the working volume of one engine cylinder. On this model, the designation “400” referred to the total displacement of four liters of the new engine ^[42] .

Cars built before mid-1962 had a wheelbase of 2,420 millimeters, and later - 2,600 millimeters. Later cars can be distinguished by the increased distance between the trailing edge of the door and the wheel arch. As a rule, they did not have a special air intake on the hood ^[38] .

Body

The first car was a model with a special body, created for the head of Fiat Gianni Agnelli , which was shown at the Turin Motor Show in October 1959. In appearance, a large square, protruding forward, radiator grille and such purely American style elements as a panoramic windshield and twin headlights mounted at the ends of the front wings stood out. Three circular lanterns were located on the chromed vertical ends of the hind wings; this solution, later, can be seen on the 400 Superamerica serial convertibles ^[43] .

The second copy and the real production car was a convertible , which debuted at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1960, and was shown a few weeks later in New York . It had a narrow radiator grill with fog lights on it ^[44] .

The first versions of the Coupé aerodinamica closed streamlined car were presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961. The model had many things in common with the concept car Superfast II, with the exception of headlights: instead of rising, closed plexiglass caps were used.

Since the cars were very expensive, with limited production, each client had the opportunity to design them to their liking, so the two did not exist. One of the most popular options was the choice between open and closed transparent plexiglass caps headlights. When the option with open headlights was chosen for the Coupé aerodinamica, the entire front of the car changed, it became the same as a convertible. In addition, the cars of the series could differ in door handles, both conventional ones with a button and recessed levers were used. Some cars had semi-closed rear wheel arches ^[45] .

In addition to cars with Pininfarina bodies, two copies of the model were made at . One - with an open body similar to the 250 GT California Spider with a right-hand drive was built specifically for one of the members of the board of Ferrari ^[46] . The second was a coupe in the style of 250 GT Berlinetta .

Superfast II, III, IV

One of the modified 400 Superamerica cars, called Superfast II, was driven personally by Battista Farin . For its streamlined shape with smooth body lines, front pillars curved back and forth, and a rear window placed almost in the same plane as the trunk lid, extending to the rear bumper, the model received the epithet 'Coupé aerodinamica'. Round taillights were recessed into short bumper halves. In the original version, rising lights were used on the car, and it had a narrow oval grille surrounded by halves of the bumper. During the winter of 1960–61, a wide air intake on the hood with chrome trim was added, round side lights were half integrated into the front wings, and the rear wheel arches became open ^[47] .

The second change in appearance on the same chassis, called the Superfast III, was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1963. There were new more slender rear pillars and enlarged rear windows, as well as a very narrow front with an elliptical air intake decorated with a “prancing stallion”. Another notable change was the change in body color from white to silver-green, the restoration of half-closed rear wheel arches and the appearance on the bottom of the front fenders of vents venting from under the hood.

Further metamorphoses of this car led to the emergence of the Superfast IV concept. Retractable headlights were no longer used, they were replaced by open pairs of headlights: large, with a diameter of 7 inches, inside and - small, 5-inch, outside, in the future, this topic will be developed on the model 330 GT 2 + 2 . The rear pillars and the lower edge of the rear window have undergone minor changes ^[38] .

Engine

The V-shaped twelve - cylinder engine with serial number 163 was different from the design used on the previous 410 series of cars. It had a “short” cylinder block and was based on the original design of Colombo engines used on 250 series cars. By increasing the diameter of the cylinders and the piston stroke, the working volume of the engine was brought to four liters.

The engine had two coils and two ignition distributors driven from the rear end of the camshaft of each head. By installing three Weber or Solex three-chamber carburetors combined into a block, a power of 340 hp was achieved . A fully synchronized four -speed mechanical gearbox with an optional overdrive gear activated by an electromechanical drive was connected to the engine through a single-disk dry clutch ^[48] .

A small planetary gearbox manufactured by Laycock was installed between the gearbox and the driveshaft . When turned on, it increased the speed of the shaft at the output, compared with the speed at the input ( overdrive ). Overdrive allowed to reduce engine speed and save fuel ^[49] .

Chassis

The chassis with serial number 583 was originally with a wheelbase of 2,420 millimeters, which was then increased to 2,600 millimeters, to increase the size of the cabin. The chassis design, in general terms, was the same as that of the 250 GT series cars : a pair of oval cross-section longitudinal tubes and a cross member, plus front cruciform struts. Accordingly, the front was an independent suspension with wishbones, springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bar, when the rear axle rested on longitudinal semi-elliptic springs and had one shock absorber on each side. Hydraulic disc brakes were installed on all wheels, individual parking brake mechanisms on the rear wheels were controlled by a cable drive. All cars, except one, were left-hand drive ^[50] .

The 500 Superfast, designed for customers looking for a powerful and fast luxury car, was unveiled at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show . Created on the basis of the 400 Superamrica model, the car was equipped with a new five-liter engine with a capacity of 400 hp, which made it a leader in the class. In total, 25 copies of the model were built as part of the first series, and in 1966 another 12 cars of the second series were manufactured.

Among the buyers of these exclusive vehicles, which cost two new Rolls Royces, were the Shah of Iran (two cars) and the British actor Peter Sellers , and one 330 GT 2 + 2 Superfast-style car was assembled for the Dutch Prince Bernard ^{[52 ] [53]} .

This was the last limited Ferrari series to begin with the 1950s America and Superamerica cars. Serial production and unification made the manufacture of small batches of cars all the less profitable, even despite their high price ^[54] .

Body

The body was developed at Pininfarina atelier and was very similar to the one installed on the 400 Superamerica Coupé Aerodinamico. It had a large narrow oval radiator and open headlights, recessed into the front wings. A long wide hood passed into the “air” section of the cabin with thin racks, behind which the rear window, smoothly turning into the trunk line, ended with an oval tailgate in the Kamm style. The taillights, framed by bullet-shaped reflectors, were made in the form of three separate circular diffusers. The bumper halves extending on the sidewalls were installed front and rear. The front ones had small recesses under the round direction indicators, except for the very first instances of the model with oblong indicators over the bumper.

Two of the released ones had plexiglass caps on the headlights. On the early models of the series, there were 11 narrow ventilation slots on the front wings, which were later replaced by a combination of three large air ducts ^[52] .

The car interior was equipped with a stereo radio and air conditioning ^[55] .

Engine

Just like the 400 Superamerica, the number in the model designation referred to the total displacement of five liters of an engine specially developed for this model. It had a distance between the centers of the cylinders of 108 millimeters, like engines with a “long” cylinder block, but the rest of the design was based on the original “short” Colombo block. The V-shaped twelve - cylinder , with one overhead camshaft in each cylinder head ( SOHC ), the engine had serial number 208. The engine had lateral placement of spark plugs, it was powered by a block of three or six Weber carburetors , had two coils and two distributors of ignition and developed a power of 400 hp

A four- speed fully synchronized mechanical gearbox was attached to the engine, with a separate overdrive on earlier models, and a five-speed gearbox on later ones. The first models had a single-disk dry clutch with a mechanical drive, and those with a five-speed gearbox were already equipped with a hydraulic clutch drive ^[56] .

Chassis

The bodies were mounted on a chassis with a wheelbase of 2650 millimeters with a serial number of 578. The chassis and auxiliary components were very similar to those used on the 330 GT 2 + 2 model. These were: a steel tubular frame, an independent front spring suspension, a rear axle on springs with telescopic shock absorbers and disc brakes on all wheels, with a hydraulic drive divided into two circuits. On most models, the steering wheel was located on the left, but nine were right-hand drive. Despite the transition, during this period of time, of Ferrari models to cast wheels, 500 Superfast cars remained on wheels with Boranni spokes of 7Lx15 dimension ^[57] .

An entire chapter in the history of Ferrari was closed by the release of a limited series of 365 California convertibles that were unveiled at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show . This car was the most memorable interpretation of the open Italian coupe of the time. Pininfarina created a body of rare beauty, making the model a benchmark in the category of high-speed luxury sports cars. Модель была прямой наследницей купе 500 Superfast, только со складной мягкой крышей, и выпускалась в течение 1966-го и начала 1967 года. Высокая цена и предназначение для элитного сектора рынка определили выпуск: всего было сделано 14 экземпляров модели, что делает их одними из самых редких серийных дорожных автомобилей Ferrari 1960-х годов ^{[59] [60]} .

Body

Так же, как и при производстве других моделей, готовое шасси отправлялось на завод Pininfarina в Грульяско , где на него устанавливался кузов. Затем, собранный автомобиль возвращался на завод Ferrari для установки дополнительного оборудования.

За исключением отдельных деталей, модель 365 California в целом была похожа на автомобиль 500 Superfast. Наибольшее отличие заключалось в форме дверей, которые имели в верхней части углубление, напоминающее наконечник стрелы, рассечённое хромированным молдингом переходящим в ручку открывания. Линии дверей развивались в приподнятых над поверхностью багажника задних крыльях с изломом по центу, которые плавно опускались к плоской задней панели, немного диссонировавшей с округлым передком ^[61] . Автомобиль имел оригинальные задние фонари: многоугольный рассеиватель, повторяющий форму крыла сверху, и три круглых фонаря, окружённые отражателем — ниже. Разные автомобили имели отражатели немного различных оттенков. Под фонарями располагались, заходящие на крылья, половинки заднего бампера. Один автомобиль в 1970 году был изменён на заводе: он получил цельный задний бампер и другие задние фонари.

Отделанный кожей салон вместимостью имел широкие двери, которые позволяли легко проникнуть на задние места. Плоская передняя панель, отделанная тиком , включала в себя консоль, которая плавно перетекала на тоннель между передними сиденьями, доходила до задних, где превращалась в мягкий подлокотник. Прямо перед водителем располагались два круглых прибора: спидометр и тахометр . Трио меньших указателей: давления и температуры масла, а также, температуры охлаждающей жидкости размещались по центру передней панели. Ниже, по обеим сторонам от радио, располагались указатель уровня топлива и амперметр. Подъёмом и опусканием стёкол управляли рычажки, расположенные по обеим сторонам от прикуривателя на консоли между сидениями ^[62] .

Engine

V-образный двенадцатицилиндровый мотор с заводским номером 217B имел «короткий» блок цилиндров и основывался на оригинальной конструкции двигателей Коломбо . При рабочем объёме 4,4 литра (объём одного цилиндра примерно равнялся 365 см³, отсюда и название модели) мотор развивал мощность в 320 л.с. Он оборудовался тремя двухкамерными карбюраторами Weber , имел две катушки и два, размещённых в задней части двигателя распределителя зажигания . К двигателю присоединялась полностью синхронизированная пятиступенчатая механическая коробка передач , от которой вращение с помощью карданного вала передавалось на задний мост ^[63] .

Шасси

Первый автомобиль серии был построен на базе модели 330 GT 2+2, когда как последующие изготавливались на собственном шасси под заводским номером 598 с колёсной базой 2650 миллиметров. Конструкция его было подобна той, что применялась на автомобилях 330 GT 2+2 : такая же независимая передняя подвеска, задний мост на продольных рессорах и телескопические амортизаторы. Рулевое управление оборудовалось усилителем, на всех колёсах стояли дисковые тормоза с гидроприводом, разделённым на два контура ^[63] .

1. Leonardo Acerbi Ferrari: A Complete Guide to All Models в « Книгах Google »
2. Ferrari 212 Inter, 250 Mille Miglia, 340 Mexico, 342 America : Instruzione : [ итал. ] . — Modena : Ferrari. — 37 p.
3. Laycock Overdrive Service Manual : [ eng ] . — 41 p.

FERRARI ALL PAST MODELS (англ.) . Ferrari SpA. — Все модели Ferrari прошлых лет. Дата обращения 15 ноября 2016.