1969 Willow Springs Video

[CurtEgerer]

I don't know, this might be the coolest video I've ever seen:

Ferrari GTOs at Willow Springs 1969

Watch closely, there's an early 911 in there too.

PS: Chuck? Is there a reason videos can't be directly embedded in Off Topic? Only links can be posted.

[Chuck Miller]

Curt,

This video takes my breath away buddy......

Every second and every inch of road is a memory ... AND still right outside my door.

The guy who's speaking is Stephen Mitchell I think... he owned #3987 for awhile.

S&A Italian Auto Repair on Sepulveda Blvd. in Van Nuys CA. maintained at least 4 four of the cars in the video... and the place the my buddy Hector and I swept the floors and hung out at from 1966 to about 1970... I knew all those cars

I don't have my books here at work but I believe #3987 was also the Mecum blue and white stripped entered Penske/Pabst Sebring car.

Curt,
Not sure about techno stuff ... try Mike Larson at
webadmin@early911s.org

Cheers and WOW

[Chuck Miller]

Watching it again it looks like Dr. Sterwat Baumgartner's 250LM in the background in the Willow pits...... How many other 250LM's were street driven? ......... this car was also maintained by S&A

This video is fantastic........

[John Sinclair]

Nice period footage, too bad we can't hear the engines scream.

The Ferrari 250 GTO of Stephen Mitchell was indeed the ex John Mecom #3987 GT which Mitchell owned from 1965 - 1971. Later in the seventies it was bought by Stuart Baumgard who put the engine from 250 LM #6045 GT in it. Funnily, I am not sure if the 250 LM is the LM in the video as it was nearly destroyed in a fire while owned by Hart Isaacs in the sixties. The remains were bought by Don Simpson, later sold to Ron Kellogg who sold only the engine to Baumgard to put it in his 250 GTO #3987.

The other 250 GTO of Tossi (with the horizontal slot above the radiator air intake instead of the 3 openings) was a very special car #3765 LM. This GTO originally left the factory with a 4 litre engine to compete at Le Mans and at the end of 1964 the new Italian owner Latteri had a 3 litre engine installed to be able to compete with it in the 1965 season. Tossi bought that one in 1967.

The third 250 GTO from Chris Cord is most likely #5111 GT which he owned from 1971-1972. However before that he owned #4293 GT (twice from 1964-65 and 1967-68) and later he owned #4757 GT (from 1974-76, now in Holland).

John

[CurtEgerer]

Curt,

S&A Italian Auto Repair on Sepulveda Blvd. in Van Nuys CA. maintained at least 4 four of the cars in the video... and the place my buddy Hector and I swept the floors and hung out at from 1966 to about 1970... I knew all those cars.

No kidding?! That is too cool The narrator says they shot lots of footage so hopefully there will be more posted eventually. I'd like to see a 1-2 hour documentary of this stuff!!

[Chuck Miller]

Thanks for the name clarifications John.. it’s been awhile…

Curt,

The owner of the shop we hung out at (the ‘S’ in S & A – his wife Anna being the ‘A’) was Salvador DiNatale …
This is the same man who owned, drove, shipped back home, and finally sold the now famous double bubble ‘behind the wall’ Zagato Maserati A6G 2000 #2121 to David Sydorick …………
- Yes it was a CA. black plate registered car…
- Yes we did run parts with it…
- Yes it did haul ass
http://www.motortrend.com/features/1...mas/index.html

On top of this Sal also owned Alfa BAT #7 and kept it at home in his garage in Van Nuys… When I saw it in the late 60’s someone had cut off the fins…

......... and so it goes

[CurtEgerer]

Here we go - 4 more minutes ......

The Great Putdown

[JCR]

Having that kind of fun, in those kind of cars is long gone, and will never return. Fantastic Video, I'm glad someone documented those moments!

[fryardds]

I stumbed onto the 'The Great Putdown' last year so it is really cool the Willow Springs video. Simply amazing to see these cars driven as intended on the track and street, especially Mulholland Dr. The Cal Spyder in an Army Jeep paint scheme is too much.

Check out the sound these cars make. Simply incredible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-5JNxVVkDA

[Mark Morrissey]

That is just amazing. Unbelievable. Thanks for posting.