Abarth Carrera GTL

[356]

Sebring 1962

[356]

[356]

[356]

1962 Le mans

[Henk Vasmel]

If you see this Gerard, when and where?
~Vance

[356]

If you see this Gerard, when and where?
~Vance

[356]

[Porschinelle]

The owner of the fake blue abarth displayed now in several famous events had his car displayed at the recent Le Mans Classic, in the exhibitors and sponsors village in a special corner organised by the event organiser Peter Peter in order to celebrate the 70th Porsche anniversary
The problem is that on the 5 cars ( a 550, a 718 RSK an Abarth Carrera GTL a 904 and a recent sport car may be a 962) displayed (all registred in England) only one was for sure a real one or may be a real one recently reconstructed








As I said in the 550 topic 2 at least (the abarth and the 718 are fakes) the 904 may be a correct copy and the 550 I don't know (may be Andrew know more about it

[Porschinelle]

Thanks Paul

Indeed at the 1960 Le Mans, the front non standard Porsche type wheels were off







On the above pic the guy on the left alongside the photograph, with the helmet in his hand is Jo Bonnier who drove 718 RSK 043 (race number 33) and was DNF
1960 was an awfull year for Porsche, with none off the 4 718 RSK entered, finishing
1001 was more successfull finishing 10th overall and 1st in the S 1.6 class

[Paolo]

Porschinelle,
the GTL shown with all the workers in the factory's backyard is GTL#1001. This photo was probably taken before all the werks cars were transported to Le Mans for the 1960 event. This photo was taken approx. 9 months before GTL#1013 even existed.
I cannot make a comment about the wheels because it is an aspect of the GTLs that I have not studied in detail. Generally, I see no great changes to the GTL's wheels even when they were equipped with Porsche's own 'ring-type' disc brakes in place of the usual drum brakes. Sorry, I cannot be more definitive.
Paolo

[Porschinelle]

Paul

I take advantage of your presence on the site to submit this question :



Is this car seen in the werk yard the same 1013 driven to the 12th place, by Buchet/Heinz Schiller in the 1962 Le Mans race ?


Another question on the first pic
Have you any idea why the front wheels are different from the standard Lemnetz Porsche wheels ?

[Paolo]

Hi Andrew, Vance and Porschinelle,
Vance's photo at#43379 is GTL#1008 sold new to Sweden in 1961. It shows 1008 at the 20 August 1961 Kanonloppet Races at Karlskoga, Sweden driven by Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund, better known as "Ce-Ge". This photo clearly shows how enlarged the front wheel well opening was on the GTLs after the prototype GTL#1001 was initially found to have inadequate room for front wheel movement at full lock and in full compression jounce. Andrew's photo of GTL#1013 in the Stuttgart showroom shows the same enlarged front wheel well opening. Strictly from an aesthetics standpoint, I think it is excessive and somewhat spoils the body design 'strength' that is provide by wheels/tires that fill the wheel well opening. Just one man's opinion.
Vance's photo at post#42060 of the GTL at what looks like an early 1970's PCA car show is really intriguing. More research needed to positively ID this GTL.
I have completed approx. 25% of the GTL book manuscript and am hoping to get most of it finished before 2019. Much work to be done to say nothing about the publishing process. Thanks to all abcgt contributors that keep the GTL research 'on-the-boil'! Cheers for now.

[Type550]

The car must be an omen for me! Paul is definitely the wealth of knowledge when it comes to Abarths!

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Funny 1013 is also the car you post a color photo a few months ago on this site