Additionally, most car companies have figured out how to make the final drive robust and problem free because they are aware of the forces involved with the ring and pinion bevel gears – except for Ferrari. They used a deep groove ball bearing and sliding inner race roller bearing that cannot handle the axial loads on the pinion shaft. Other companies used tapered roller bearings that can handle a tremendous amount of this fore-and-aft thrust while spinning with ease but the Ferrari style comes apart and destroys the gears.

My solution is to replace the sliding inner race roller bearing and the deep groove ball bearing with a pair of tapered roller bearings. This photo is a 250 GT Lusso center section with the “chicklet” style limited slip differential. On some axles I’ve install tapered roller bearings to support the differential but on the later axles there isn’t much room to install this type of bearing and I have found the original ball bearing set up to be adequate. I have done this conversion to many cars that have gone many thousands of miles with no issues.

Final drive Ferrari

GT Ferrari 250 Axle Center section

Other GPS Classic posts are here: http://www.ferraricraft.com/2010/05/mille-miglia-day-0/

and

here: http://www.ferraricraft.com/2010/05/ferrari-250-mille-miglia/

The plate that RPM made for the 212 in Vermont. Looks just like the original.

These are 175/550-13 tires on Campagnolo wheels... these where some of the narrower ones. The big ones got into the 15" wide territory.

Formula 3 - I think this was a Manta. There were Loti as well, and lots of Cosworth bits everywhere.

There are a few of these racks.

Peter Markowski and Marcel Mancini revel in their work on the restoration and accuracy of 0086E

Scrutineering at Mille Miglia is a great excuse for one of the best car shows in the world. To be eligible, cars need to be from 1927 to 1957 – the years that the Mille Miglia was run as an all out competitive race. Cars ranged from Bugattis, to Frazer Nashes, many Ferraris, and a flock of Gullwings – of course, many had raced Mille Miglia themselves.

0086E was unloaded from the trailer and brought into the building – immediately, photographers from all over the world surrounded the little Ferrari never seeming to let up. Peter Markowski and Marcel Mancini congratulated each other on the project and even the scrutineers were thrilled with the car, with many pats on the back, handshakes, and high marks.

Within minutes of bringing in 0086E, the phototographers emerged - and surrounded the car

Questions, congratulations, and praise

Every detail of the 212 is documented

Ferrari 212 throttle steers out of a hairpin at Virginia International Raceway test

We tested the Ferrari 212 at Virginia International Raceway about a month ago to prepare for the 83rd running of the Mille Miglia in Italy this May. The Osca came along to the track as a benchmark of performance as it was accepted to run the Mille just a few years ago. The testing went very well, with the 212 making enough power to warrant upgrading the tires to Avon vintage racing tires like the Osca. It is amazing the difference a few years makes, the OSCA is 5 years newer than the Ferrari and handles so much better. It is deserving of the Ferraris V-12 engine rather than the 1500cc 4 cylinder mill.

Casey and Peter remove the hood of the 212 while a pack of track marshals look on like wolves

The lighter red car is a Ferrari 340 America serial number 0030MT that belonged to my father, Peter Markowski for 35 years. He bought it as a worn out race car when he was in his late teens and restored over the course of many years then driving it for close to 100,000 miles. In the late 90’s our shop restored it again, overhauling the engine, transmission, brakes and other components. We performed a flawless pant job on the car and Peter sold it shortly after all that work was completed because he was not comfortable driving the car with reckless abandon as he used to.

The car sold to its current owner in Europe who disliked the perfection so performed some magic to make the car look more original followed by competing in many driving events which added some true “battle scars”.  My father was probably quite emotional seeing this old piece of his history next to a car that he and his sons built from the ground up.

A well known Ferrari historian is working to make arrangements to have the two cars shipped to the home of  Giannino Marzotto at Lake Como for a photo shoot and possible magazine article.  I hope this works out as Signior Marzotto may have some incredible stories of racing these cars in the early 50’s.

Ferrari Marzotto 340

Marzotto Team cars 212, 340 Ferrari

The culprit seemed like a simple over-fueling condition. Something that many cars suffered from the first night of the event. During the course of 270 kilometers to Bologna, many cars ran uncharacteristically rich, the follow vehicle of Peter Markowski and I, had to increase our following distance off the 212. Peter joked that we’re weren’t using any fuel because our Opel Zafira 1.7 turbo diesel was likely just running off the 212’s fuel soaked exhaust. A 1930’s Mercedes passed us and the problem only worsened – we could barely breathe and dropped back.

With the rate of the fuel consumption out of the tailpipe 0086E ran out of fuel just 30k from Bologna, and when refueled, the rich running, and cantankerous running at part throttle seemed to evaporate. Bologna came into view and we left the 212 for the night at 3am. The pilot and navigator of the 212 retired for the night, and so did we.

Our shop, Restoration and Performance Motorcars has a great relationship with an excellent shop in Italy – GPS Classic. For Mille Miglia, we shipped the Ferrari 212 to GPS where we were able to fine tune the car to the damp Italian air – and water. Since arriving in Italy the weather has been atrocious. Rain every hour, often falling with such force that there have been reports of rain splashing back up – through the floor drains of some of the parked racecars.

The 212 has been covered for the most part, and once inside GPS again, we were very happy to have a covered space, and a great selection of tools. Not to mention keeping good company surrounded by Ferrari’s including a 340 America and a 250 MM. Today we leave Soragna for scrutineering in Brescia, about 60 kilometers to the North.

The blue 330 GT 2+2 that came in earlier this year ended up needing an engine overhaul but I was fortunate to be able to drive the car prior to breaking it down. The transmission shifted perfectly but on acceleration/deceleration the shift lever moved back and forth significantly. As some may remember, this same thing happened to a 330 GTC transmission a few years ago and it turned out to be a loose ring nut on the main shaft.

I was certain that we had the same issue on this 330 2+2 and when I took off the top cover, it was instantly obvious that the ring nuts at the back of the main shaft holding the gear cluster on were totally backed off. They are doubled up to jamb together to prevent loosening plus there is a locking tab for extra protection on backing off… but still, someone managed to mess this up. Thankfully no damage was done to the internals.

Huge Ferrari transmission

Early Ferrari 5 speed aluminum transmission

loose ring nuts on a Ferrari transmission