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Koechert's Ferrari in 1958


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#1 ERault

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Posted 18 May 2008 - 15:28

Gottfried Koechert was a wealthy austrian privateer. He started on the international scene in 1956 with a Porsche 550. Starting from the following year, he became a Ferrari customer. In 1957, he ran a 2 liter 500 TRC (0686) with which he managed to finish the last Mille Miglia 10th. In 1958, he upgrated for a 3 liter 250 TR (0748). Sadly, his partner Erwin Bauer crashed the car with fatal result for himself at the Nurburgring 1000 km. Koechert was back in the spotlight in 1962 when he shared his newly bought 250 GTO (3527) with Maglioli, again at the Nurburgring 1000 km.

Following the 1958 Nurburgring crash, Koechert was not totally inactive for the rest of the year. I already knew (thanks to Martin's WSRP) he raced an unknown Ferrari at Zeltweg in August.

There is more in the book "Der Rennberg, die rennen auf den Salzburger Gaisberg" (Siegfried Strasser) I just bought : Koechert ran the 1958 Gaisberg Rennen on August 14. He is pictured in two different Ferraris. One with race number 120 is said to be a 250 TR but is not. It looks like a 290 / 335 S from 1957. The other one (race number 38) is simply given as a "Ferrari 3000" and looks like a 750 Monza. What is clear from the photos is that neither of the two cars are 0686 or 0748.

My German is very bad but the story in the book must be close to this : for Gaisberg and Zeltweg, Ferrari lent Koechert a works 250 TR. A mishap in practice forced him to use the muletto.

So, is anyone able to identify these two cars and their stories ?

PS : I dont have a scanner at home, but if there is some interest and if it is ok with the copyright policy, I could try to scan theme at work.

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#2 coco

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Posted 18 May 2008 - 17:02

Originally posted by ERault
Gottfried Koechert was a wealthy austrian privateer. He started on the international scene in 1956 with a Porsche 550. Starting from the following year, he became a Ferrari customer. In 1957, he ran a 2 liter 500 TRC (0686) with which he managed to finish the last Mille Miglia 10th. In 1958, he upgrated for a 3 liter 250 TR (0748). Sadly, his partner Erwin Bauer crashed the car with fatal result for himself at the Nurburgring 1000 km. Koechert was back in the spotlight in 1962 when he shared his newly bought 250 GTO (3527) with Maglioli, again at the Nurburgring 1000 km.

Following the 1958 Nurburgring crash, Koechert was not totally inactive for the rest of the year. I already knew (thanks to Martin's WSRP) he raced an unknown Ferrari at Zeltweg in August.

There is more in the book "Der Rennberg, die rennen auf den Salzburger Gaisberg" (Siegfried Strasser) I just bought : Koechert ran the 1958 Gaisberg Rennen on August 14. He is pictured in two different Ferraris. One with race number 120 is said to be a 250 TR but is not. It looks like a 290 / 335 S from 1957. The other one (race number 38) is simply given as a "Ferrari 3000" and looks like a 750 Monza. What is clear from the photos is that neither of the two cars are 0686 or 0748.

My German is very bad but the story in the book must be close to this : for Gaisberg and Zeltweg, Ferrari lent Koechert a works 250 TR. A mishap in practice forced him to use the muletto.

So, is anyone able to identify these two cars and their stories ?

PS : I dont have a scanner at home, but if there is some interest and if it is ok with the copyright policy, I could try to scan theme at work.

I only have a photo of Bauer sitting behind the wheel of #0748 just before he went off to meet his fate in the 1958 1000 km on the `Ring.

Ciao!
Walter

#3 marlondylan

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Posted 19 May 2008 - 21:35

Koechert drove 290 MM with S/N 0606 #120 at the Flugplatzrennen Zeltweg on August 17 1958. At Gaisberg I have him with the same car also with #120. I have photos of both events, with the Gaisberg photo taken up in the mountains.

#4 ERault

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Posted 20 May 2008 - 16:50

Thank you very much for that, Marlondylan. Do you have any comment on the story about the 290 MM being replaced for the race by what looks like a 750 Monza at Gaisberg ?

I think there is a good chance that the 750 Monza with number 38 in the book is in fact showing Monteverdi : the car has the white nose band seen on the swiss' Ferrari and the driver has a full face helmet (don't really know how to call it, that's the kind Hawthorn often used in the rain) like the one Monteverdi wore.

On one hand, I know Monteverdi ran his Monza at Gaisberg in 1957, but I don't know his race number. On the other hand, Monterverdi is not mentionned in the race summary for 1958. So, if in 1957 Monteverdi ran with number 38, I think we could assume that the photo supposed to show Koechert in 1958 is in fact of Monteverdi in 1957.

What do you guys think ?

#5 marlondylan

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Posted 20 May 2008 - 19:00

Monteverdi drove #38 in Gaisberg 1957 in his 750 Monza #0486M finishing second. I have no doubt the same photograph showing Peter passing an uphill bend. In 1958 he did not attend and in that same year the Monza was rebodied with a Sauter body.
Best
Boudewijn

#6 Bjorn Kjer

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Posted 21 May 2008 - 06:27

Not excactly what ERault is looking for , but finding it convinient I have :

Gotfrid Koechert , Austrian jeweller , 1918-1986

1956 . Decided to race and ordered a 550 Spyder. Got a licence in Wien and took to the Mille Miglia where he "raced" the track twice , but not having time to service the new car , just started (432)as it was. After rather sensationally fighting at the top of the class , he retired with a "dirty" engine after what in total would have been 4500 kms in the new car.

At the German F1GP he again rather sensationally fought at the top , and won. First time ever an Austrian was on the podium in Germany.

Retired at the 1000kms race with W.Buff (USA)in his 550. Koechert then sold his 550 , perhaps to Buff ?

1957 .Jumped up the ladder and bought TR500 0686. At the MM he finished 10th in the car (458). At the Nurburgr. 1000kms he was 13th with Bauerand Metternich , and this trio and the car also was at Le Mans but retired.

1958. Another new car , this time a 250TR-0748. Koechert won at Aspern , and finished 10th at the Nurburgring 1000kms , but a tragic accident on the runout lap killed Bauer.

1961 Nurburgring 1000kms : 25th in his 356B Carrera with Kreft and Nyffeler.

1962 same race in his 250GT=- 3527 , retired with Maglioli and Scarlatti (entered by OASC)

1964 same race accident in his 250LM-5909 with Rindt and Maglioli

1965 Zeltweg His 250LM wins with Rindt!

#7 Tomas Karlsson

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Posted 21 May 2008 - 09:22

According to Swedish driver Gunnar Carlsson, he had made a deal to buy the Koechert Ferrari at Nürburgring. But fortunately for Carlsson, they weren't going to shake hands until after the race.

#8 ERault

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Posted 21 May 2008 - 18:25

While we are on the subject of Koechert and his Ferraris, I see that Barchetta seems to be unsure of the fate of 500 TRC 0686 betweent Koechert's ownership and december 1961 where it showed up in the US with Anson Johnson, as discussed in another current thread. Any clue ? (by mid-1958, a 500 TRC would still have been useful, at least at national level).

#9 Jerry Entin

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Posted 17 September 2012 - 22:26

ERault, we can shed some light about the history of chassis 0686 in the US.

In 1960 the car was bought from Chinetti by Ross Rurant and Bill Redeker. The men shared an Alfa Romeo dealership in Clearwater, Florida, and also shared the driving chores in their 500TRC in 1960 and 1961.

First race, driven by Durant:

-Oct 8-9, 1960; 1st Cowboy Classic Races at Kissimmee, Florida [2nd in the prelim]

Second race, driven by Redeker:

-Apr 15-16, 1961; Miami 3 Hours at Master Field [5th oa]

Third race, driven by Redeker:

-May 20-21, 1961; 1st Citrus Century Races at Bartow, Florida [5th in the feature]

Fourth race, driven by Redeker:

-Jul 22-23, 1961; Sebring Summer Races [no mention in the results]

After Sebring the car was sold to Anson Johnson, who appeared first in:

-Nov 11-12, 1961: 1st Oceola Grand Prix at Geneva, Florida [no mention in the results]


In 1962 the car reappears with its Chevy engine, still owned by Anson Johnson.

All to be covered in Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 2 and 3.

all research: Willem Oosthoek