14 replies to this topic

[Bloggsworth]

And you thought it rained last Saturday:

Sebring 1965

[Paul Parker]

And you thought it rained last Saturday:

Sebring 1965

Fantastic piece from Louis Galanos plus the wonderful pics and how wonderful to be able to write about something without the usual diktats and limitations on word count and picture numbers.

I noted with interest the bisected Bizzarini, these cars were/are big, heavy and impressive looking but they seem to lack structural strength, having witnessed three crashed examples over time they do appear to simply fold up. Of course this one hit a bridge so perhaps in this instance I am being a trifle unfair.

[Bloggsworth]

I loved the idea of the Sebring Sprite lapping the Chapparall 4 times in the rain.

[T54]

Fabulous report that put to shame most modern race reports.
This guy should be placed in the Hall of Fame of race reporters.

I guess the Bizzarini is back to auction action now and is in "mint" condition?

[MCS]

Great report and some lovely pictures. And what a website! Some absolutely terrific content. Thanks Bloggie!!

[Dan333SP]

Just wanted to "bump" this thread back to the top because the article it links to is absolutely fantastic. So many great photos, it's more thorough than the most contemporary reports and yet it's about a race that occurred 46 years ago...

[klemcoll]

I remember running in the historic race before the 12 hour in, I think, 1985 which would have been the 20th anniversary of this wet race. Hall and Sharp brought and ran the winning Chaparral, transporting it on an open trailer behind a not so new station wagon.

[Seppi_0_917PA]

Fantastic piece from Louis Galanos plus the wonderful pics and how wonderful to be able to write about something without the usual diktats and limitations on word count and picture numbers.

I noted with interest the bisected Bizzarini, these cars were/are big, heavy and impressive looking but they seem to lack structural strength, having witnessed three crashed examples over time they do appear to simply fold up. Of course this one hit a bridge so perhaps in this instance I am being a trifle unfair.

 

Louis just published a follow-up focusing on the Bizzarrini effort:

 

Sebring Saga – The Story of Two Bizzarrini Iso Grifos at the 1965 Sebring 12 Hour Grand Prix


 

[Alan Cox]

More absolutely brilliant reportage and photo sourcing. Many thanks for updating us, Seppi.

You don't see too many photos of the All American Lotus 19J, and fascinating to see the rebuilt Grifo later that year.

[garyfrogeye]

You may also know him as Nigel Smuckatelli on Flickr. well worth a search

[JtP2]

One thing not mentioned, it was the first top line race won with an automatic transmission.

[Catalina Park]

That is if you can call a two speed manually shifted dog box with a torque converter an auto. 

[JtP2]

Was described as an automatic box at the time.

[Catalina Park]

They lied at the time.

[TIPO61]

Maybe not.