14 replies to this topic

[schuy]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me anything about this car?
I have a photo of it, an absolute sensational car.
Engine, specs, stuff like that.

Were the Tasman races held on public roads?

Thank-you,

Liran Biderman.

[Ray Bell]

Tasman Cup races were held on...

Public roads:
Longford, Tasmania... 4.5 miles.

Airport/airstrip circuits:
Wigram, New Zealand... 2.3 miles

Dedicated circuits:
Levin*, New Zealand... 1.1 miles
Pukekohe*, New Zealand... 2.17 miles
Teretonga, New Zealand... 1.51 miles
Warwick Farm*, New South Wales... 2.25 miles
Sandown Park*, Victoria... 1.927 miles
Lakeside, Queensland... 1.5 miles
Surfers Paradise, Queensland... 2.0 miles

* circuits built within, outside or adjacent to horse racing courses.

There's a colour photo used on the Amon thread that shows the little Ferrari, a very neat car, powered by a 2.46 litre V6.



And there's a photo of the start of the 1968 Australian Grand Prix at Sandown...



Not to mention a photo of the 1969 Australian Grand Prix finish...



The car went on to race in the hands of Graeme Lawrence in the 1970 series. Derek Bell also drove one in the '69 series...

[Frank de Jong]

To add to Ray's post, in fact there were two different Dino 246's: the 1966 version (a modified 1512), which Surtees should have raced but couldn't due to injuries, and which was later used in F1; and the F2-based 1968 car.
The first version had a 3-valve 65 degreed V6 engine, 2405 cc, 285 HP/8900 rpm and weighted 425 kg.
The second 1968 version, used in the Australian section of the Tasman championship, had a 4-valve engine, 305 HP.
From 1969 to 1971 the car was, apart from added wings, basically unchanged. Most figures are taken from Ferrari's internet site.

[David McKinney]

One car was used for the both NZ and Australian sections of the series in 1968, though the engine was upgraded in between.
Two cars were run in the 1969 series, one for Amon and the other for Bell. There was a story at the time that the Bell car was Amon's from the year before, but I think this is incorrect. The Amon car was later raced by Lawrence (1970 and 1971 series)

[leegle]

Bell put a huge dent in the side of his car when he ran into the piles of dirt scraped off one of the crossings at Warwick Farm.

[Keir]

Still a real beauty!!!

[Ray Bell]

Ah, but only the most fortunate ones saw his spectacular display before he got his gear ratios right.

He and Piers Courage did the same, I must say Courage in the DFV Brabham was most spectacular, but 'Cousin Derek' was pretty good too...

This all happened just off the Northern Crossing, where they emerged with a handful of opposite lock and bellowing exhausts, swinging their cars towards that high speed ess bend that led to the Causeway. Of course, with opposite lock on, a deft flick was required to change direction to turn into the left hander past Bob Levett and myself.

This accomplished, they were heading for us with the nose up, the tail out and lots of noise, but then they each had to grab a higher gear... at this point the noses of the cars dropped, the slide continued, but with the addition of a foot or two of additional sideways movement for the whole car, and then the sight of the noses rising again as the noise came on... it was great stuff.

Thank you, Geoffrey!

Keir, you should have been there, I'm sure Geoffrey would have let you join us as our guest...

As I recall, Jack also hit the piles of dirt that day... but without visible damage. Both incidents we witnessed, of course, they having happened exiting the Northern Crossing.

[bobbo]

Anybody have the stats for the Dino in the Tasman races?

Keir: It IS a truly lovely machine!!

Bobbo

[Keir]

Bob,
If you go over to Motor Racing Retro, I believe there is a link to the Tasman series.

Thanks for the invite, Ray!! Wish I could have been there!!!

[Ray Bell]

Me too...

I suspect we've wasted years not knowing each other.

[Keir]

Well, buck up, mate!! I'm working on getting "downunder" sooner than later!!!

[Ray Bell]

Glad to hear it... I can show you some sights (and sites) here!

While we await that day, drool over this picture on the cover of a 1968 magazine...



Not sure where it's from, maybe Levin, possibly Surfers Paradise...

[Keir]

It looks even better from the side!!

[Stefan Ornerdal]

Anybody have the stats for the Dino in the Tasman races?

http://www.sergent.com.au/tasman.html


Stefan

[schuy]

Wow, many thanks everyone!