23 replies to this topic

[VDP]

I would like more info about this team managed by M. DEI


ROBERT

[bobbo]

ROBERT:

You have piqued (spelled right??) my curiosity a bit here. I would also like to know more about Centro Sud's history, equipment and drivers.

In fact, does any one out there in TNF land have any information on books or websites for the assorted independent entrants such as Centro Sud, Camoradi, Rob Walker, Ecurie Ecosse, etc.?

Bobbo

[Joe Fan]

It is really hard to find information about Centro Sud in the English language, so I don't know much about Dei and his team. However, I do know that he was a friend of the Maserati factory and operated a driving school. He was small potatoes as far as a Grand Prix constructors go.

[WGD706]

Of the many private teams gracing the F1 grids over the years the Scuderia Centro Sud is probably only surpassed by Rob Walker's famous team in its faithfulness to the Grand Prix scene. Since its foundation in the mid-fifties it stayed true to Formula One until 1965, only missing a beat in 1962, when even in the most forgiving Centro Sud terms its equipment had become too outdated to compete realistically against the big guns.
The Scuderia Centro Sud was the hobby project of Guglielmo Dei, a Maserati dealer for Central and Southern Italy - hence the name Centro Sud. While Rob Walker surely was F1's ultimate privateer in terms of success, Dei's Centro Sud outfit has to be the epitomy of the private entrant, always fielding ageing cars with a blind faith in the good will of the Gods (maybe the ones in his surname!), hoping for a miracle drop-out of all the works entries and being there to pick up the pieces. But the miracle of course never happened and Dei's second-hand Maseratis, Coopers, BRMs etc. invariably trundled round at - or at least near - the back of the field. Signor Mimmo's best result in more than a decade of trying: a 3rd by Masten Gregory at the 1957 Monaco GP when Dei was still fielding Maserati 250Fs.
http://8w.forix.com/centrsud.html

Rob Walker - an obituary
30-Apr-2002
http://www.f150.com/...fm?newshome=192

Warren

[Barry Boor]

I can tell you that back in the mid 1950s, they ran a 250F Maserati, usually driven by Masten Gregory.

At the 1957 Italian Grand Prix, it looked like this:



Though nobody quite seems to know why.......

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by Barry Boor
I can tell you that back in the mid 1950s, they ran a 250F Maserati, usually driven by Masten Gregory.

At the 1957 Italian Grand Prix, it looked like this:



Though nobody quite seems to know why.......

Simple. Reverse negative of American colors. Masten was an American living in Europe at the time....;)

[LittleChris]

Originally posted by Joe Fan


Simple. Reverse negative of American colors. Masten was an American living in Europe at the time....;)

I assume they re-surfaced Monza shortly after

[mickj]

Bobbo
There is a book on Ecurie Ecosse called "Ecurie Ecosse A social history of Motor Racing from the Fifties to the Nineties" written by Graham Gauld. ISBN 0 9519488 0 6 . Published late 1992.
Its a good book covering EE warts and all.

[marhal]

A friend of mine, Azzurro Manzini, made a few races with the Scuderia Centro Sud. I´ll try to talk with him next week to get some details..................

[VDP]

There is well a book in french about Lucky Cassner otherwise late 70ies ther was a book about
The birdcage with all the story about the birth of CAMORADI INTERNATIONAL


ROBERT

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by LittleChris


I assume they re-surfaced Monza shortly after

Yeah, really. Get tid of the big divit in the road.

[Barry Boor]

[Ray Bell]

The Cooper Maseratis that ran in Australia and New Zealand in 1962 were from Centro-Sud.

Signor Dei obviously felt like a holiday and had these racing cars lying around... and it gave Lorenzo Bandini a chance to further spend time with some top drivers of the day, learning their craft...



One gets the idea that Maybe the second driver, Johnny Mansel, was paying his own way... here's the team at Ardmore...



The mechanics flank (centre, left to right) Mansel, Dei and Bandini. Pics are from Bruce Sergent's great site on NZ racing... www.sergent.com.au

For the record, in apalling conditions, Bandini was fifth, five laps behind Moss; Mansel ninth, six laps behind. Mansel drove the T51, Bandini the T53

[Doug Nye]

Does anyone recognise the young mechanic on the extreme right of Ray's excellent Centro-Sud team pic above???? He was soon to join another team...

DCN

[alessandro silva]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Does anyone recognise the young mechanic on the extreme right of Ray's excellent Centro-Sud team pic above???? He was soon to join another team...

DCN

Giulio Borsari

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Does anyone recognise the young mechanic on the extreme right of Ray's excellent Centro-Sud team pic above???? He was soon to join another team...

Credit where credit's due, Doug...

The picture is on the very informative Bruce Sergent site.

[Barry Boor]

At the Kentish 100 race at Brands Hatch in 1960 there was an entry by the Scuderia for Ian Burgess, car #44, but there seems to be a certain amount of confusion as to whether this was a Maserati-powered Cooper or Lotus.

 

Can anyone confirm which it was?

[Rupertlt1]

Obit for Ian Burgess:

 

http://www.motorspor.../19/ian-burgess

 

RGDS RLT

[Eric Dunsdon]

I can tell you that back in the mid 1950s, they ran a 250F Maserati, usually driven by Masten Gregory.

At the 1957 Italian Grand Prix, it looked like this:



Though nobody quite seems to know why.......

As well as 20F's with Caroll Shelby, Hans Hermann., Gerino Gerini and Joakim Bonnier.

[RAP]

At the Kentish 100 race at Brands Hatch in 1960 there was an entry by the Scuderia for Ian Burgess, car #44, but there seems to be a certain amount of confusion as to whether this was a Maserati-powered Cooper or Lotus.

 

Can anyone confirm which it was?

When we (Formula One Register) prepared the 2nd Edition of the "black book" Grand Prix & Voiturette Vol 7 (1960-64) we spent a bit of time on this question and concluded Burgess actually raced a Cooper, not the Lotus as shown in the programme. I think this came from both a "mark-up" in a programme and the Motoring News report. 

RAP

www.formulaoneregister.com

[Barry Boor]

Thank you. I've often wondered if SCS ever actually had a Lotus Maserati. Starrabba had one but did the Scuderia?

Edited by Barry Boor, 19 November 2014 - 19:35.

[RAP]

Thank you. I've often wondered if SCS ever actually had a Lotus Maserati. Starrabba had one but did the Scuderia?

I think they had 902 at Oulton Gold Cup and Modena in late 60, before it went to Strarrabba, but I'd be happy to be corrected !

RAP

[Barry Boor]

Yes, that tallies with Doug's listing for 902 in Theme Lotus and it is shown as a runner at Oulton Park.

Doug says that before it went to SCS it was in the possession of a David Buxton.

Who he?

[Roger Clark]

David McKinney's notes say that the Lotus Maserati was delivered to Centro Sud at Oulton Park.  He says that Centro Sud were late getting there with the 2.5-litre engine.  Burgess didn't practice and retired after 15 laps. I find it interesting that Centro Sud managed to repair the car, change the engine and get it to Modena a week later.  David says that the Italians couldn't come to grips with the 18 because they didn't like the Lotus gearbox (who did?).

 

David Buxton was a Lotus dealer and sometimes Chapman's sales manager. There a a few mentions on TNF.