I have seen these worked on at Jerry Woods years ago when I took his and Bruce Anderson's engine rebuild class.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1259304702.jpg

I am sure the engine did not explode, otherwise it'd be more than $70k. ;)

G

The car was built from parts David Piper had acquried over the years-the chassis was constructed in the UK in the 90's apparently.

If you would like to help Mark Hales-automotive journalists make less money than most of us-you can paypal a donation to:
appeal@trackdriver.com

Hans Mezger's autobiographical book "Porsche and Me" is an amazing look into the design and development of the various 917 motor variants.

They are not inexpensive, simple machines, that is for sure.

Would personal liability / umbrella insurance cover such a mishap?

G

+1

Part of his leg? Are you sure?

In a magazine interview he stated, he got brake fluid in a wound which resulted in him loosing part of his foot.

Interesting. I'd always assumed that if someone provides a million dollar car for a magazine to drive and write a story on, there was some sort of insurance to cover accidents. Why would the writer take the chance of financial ruin just to get a story that he won't make a lot from? I imagine that future drives by motoring writers will require a waiver of claims.

The Journo' Mark Hales, is no slouch behind the wheel.
Nick Mason trusts him racing door to door in his 250 GTO & ex Lemans 512s Ferrari. He was runner up in the British Touring car championship many moons ago and has won the Historic spa 6hr etc etc.
I agree with the insurance question...It's a shame, these guys would have known and raced together for years.
He flew to Australia recently to drive a Chevron in an historic event and was very quick..http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1358900635.jpg

From what I was able to read, it was not a fiery missed shift with parts flying immediately. Maybe the journalist driver felt he was blamed for an engine failure he did not cause and that's why he went ahead with the lawsuit?

I know several people with shared cars that have given up on the idea of continuing to share cars. One of the biggest problems are mechanical failures that may have been caused due to neglect and the fight over who has to pay.

I am with you JYL - there has had to be a handshake agreement / non-professional setting here, otherwise the writer would have liability coverage or the car would be insured by the owner.

Can you imagine what would have happened if the journalist stuffed it into a wall? He'd owe $2 mil minus the parts that could be sold?

G

Top Gear (UK) had a 250 GTO Ferrari featured on their show but Jerremy couldn't drive it because no one would insure it :(

Not sure about you guys, but I hope that $180k in damages at age 62 will only delay retirement and not push me into bankruptcy.

G

From RRIII ... guess he'll need more tools to fix it then just these.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1358912314.jpg

Maybe, I am missing something. I know it's a bit late now, but why wouldn't or shouldn't a rev limiter of some sort be retro-fitted to help cut down on the chances of engine damage on an iconic piece of machinery (replica or not).

Cheers
JB

JB,

It is a mechanical over-rev, not done by adding more gas in a given gear, which could be stopped by a rev limiter, rather than by shifting in a gear that is too low for the speed of the vehicle.

A common missed shift that results in engine damage on a classic 911 is:

Coming out of a turn doing 90 mph in 3rd, wanting to upshift to 4th. You are going hard in the turn still (a right turn) and your slightly shifted seating position now has you DOWN shift to 2nd by accident. 90mph in second is >10k rpm. You let the clutch out, the valves start floating and the pistons will hit the exhaust valves. You limp back to the pits ... ;)

G

I know at racing speeds this can & sometimes happens. I should have read other poster's comments a little more closely re: 'money-shifting'. My mistake. The net of all of this is one Mr. Mark Hales had a 'bad day' - bad luck & bad judgement.

Cheers
JB

Great series. I also always felt that Alain drove them fairly gingerly, which was smart considering that most of the cars featured were essentially irreplaceable.

Speaking of deCadenet and kind of a comical accident. A few years back at the Mille Miglia podium, when he bopped the brakes in his 250GT, the stage floor wasn't fastened down so the enertia took it out. Well, all the announcers fell over where they were standing next to the car!

Going back further, I recall watching some televised vintage event and it might have been deCadenet having a shunt in some rare Alfa... wasn't his car either. Schitz happens.

I think the lesson here is never, ever, borrow a car from David. Even if he insists.

We don't know if the engine just packed it in or if it really was a money shift or some other fault of the journalist.

Reading and as understood, the car of topic is not a replica. Onto the Ferrari's of Piper. Are they replica's? Some of these cars at historic events are total foolers. Amazing craftsmanship and then when they install hints of vintage parts its really neat.