Vehicle exhibits

Two almost identical Scaglietti-bodied Ferrari Monzas came to New Zealand for the international series in 1957. These classic-shaped but difficult-to-handle sports cars were powered by the Lampredi-designed 2,999 cc, 260 hp twin-cam four-cylinder engine.

Peter Whitehead was so impressed with Ross Jensen’s driving in the Australian Trophy at Albert Park in 1956, where the Kiwi took a class win in an Austin Healey, that he offered the Auckland car dealer the lease of his reputedly ex-Castellotti Monza for the 1957 international races in New Zealand. Jensen was rewarded with the Gold Star, fourth places at Ardmore, Wigram and Dunedin, plus a fifth at Ryal Bush. He won the sports car race at Waitamae and came second in the Mairehau sports car race — not too bad a series for someone who had expected to be near the back of the field in an Austin-Healey.

Jensen fitted long-range fuel tanks to the Monza before Ardmore and claimed he would have won had it not been for an error he made on the first lap, having not been able to practice on full tanks. The other Ferraris required five fuel stops during the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, that Ferrari returned to Europe with Whitehead.

The second car (C 0514M) was brought to New Zealand by a stalwart of the international series, Ken Wharton, along with a 250F Maserati for the Grand Prix and an F2 Cooper for Alex Strenger. Wharton’s Monza had been a works car and was driven by Eugenio Castellotti in the tragic 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours, leading for a time. Castellotti also handled it in the Dolomite Gold Cup and at Rouen. He was third in the Targa Florio and the Swedish Grand Prix but did not finish the Mille Miglia. Wharton had not raced the car much and during the Ardmore sports car race he made a rare error of judgment that caused the Monza to somersault. The popular Englishman received fatal injuries.

The car was wrecked but salvaged by Aucklander Ken Harris, who faithfully rebuilt it in his home workshop with the help of Bob Farrell, Jack Morrad of Orewa, and Ralph Watson, who assisted with the engine. A new body was constructed, and Harris was third in the first Ken Wharton Memorial Trophy race behind Bob Gibbons (D-type Jaguar) and Frank Cantwell (Tojeiro-Jaguar), but he won the sports car event at Wigram. At the “little” Ardmore meeting Harris gained a second and two thirds.

In 1959 he won the Wharton Trophy and also ran twelfth in the Grand Prix. At Wigram, Cantwell beat him again. Later that year he sold the car to Bill Thomasen. He had his first drive of it in December at Ardmore, where he was sixth in the Formula Libre feature.

He had Harris drive it in the New Zealand Grand Prix of 1960, but he was unable to qualify. Thomasen was fifth in the Wigram sports car race and sixth in the Dunedin Festival Road Race. He also set a record for the standing quarter of 6.2 seconds (225 kph) in the Tokoroa Sprint in 1960. The motor was extensively damaged just after this.

Local car dealer Johnny Riley took over the car in 1961 and fitted a 4,600 cc Corvette V8, but success was now eluding the Ferrari. The best result he obtained was a win in the sports car event at the 1963 Levin International meeting. Riley did finish second to Thomasen (now in a Cooper-monocoque) in the 1963 North Island Beach Championship at Muriwai and grasped a second in the Pukekohe meeting in March.

Other owners included Mike Furlong, who had Ken Smith drive it in club events, including at Western Springs. Smith was second to Jim Boyd’s Cooper-Climax in the Ardmore sprint. Since 1967, the engineless Monza has resided at the Southward Museum awaiting full restoration. The motor from the ex-Clark/Smith Super Squalo is also in the collection, along with a full 750 Monza motor and the remains of the original engine.

MONZA SPECIALE SPECIFICATIONS

Engine:

Tipo 119 all-alloy, four-cylinder. Water-cooled in-line Lampredi design.

103.00 mm bore x 90.00 mm stroke

Total Displacement: 2,992 cc. Double overhead camshaft (gear driven) with roller tappet followers operating directly on inclined valves.

Ignition:

Two Magnetti Marelli distributors. Two spark plugs per cylinder.

Induction:

Two Weber 58 DCO3 twin-choke carburetors.

Output:

270 bhp @ 6,000 rpm.

Gearbox:

Tipo 510 five-speed with integral reverse transaxle.

Clutch:

Double dry-plate type.

Rear Axle:

De Dion type.

Chassis:

Tipo 510 welded tubular steel.

Wheelbase: 

2,250 mm

Front Track: 

1,278 mm

Rear Track: 

1,284 mm

Suspension:

Front: Independent unequal-length A-arms with coil springs.

Rear: De Dion axle beam, transverse leaf, and parallel trailing arms on each side.

Shocks:

Houdaille hydraulic lever action.

Brakes:

Hydraulic, aluminium drum with iron liners.

Tyres:

Pirelli Cinturato.

Wheels:

Borrani wire wheels, centred lock, knock-off 16 x 5.00.

Overall Length: 

4,165 mm

Width: 

1,651 mm

Height: 1,054 mm