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| www.QV500.com - Bizzarrini P538 Part 2: What Happened Next... |
 P538 Chevrolet 003, 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours |
The P538 story began with 001, this car having been constructed in early 1966 for American client, Mike Gammino. Gammino wanted to compete in the inaugural Can Am championship, however, 001 was crashed heavily at Castiglioncello in February when Edgar Berney aquaplaned off the track. Its Lamborghini engine was removed and the damaged bodywork and chassis taken back to Livorno where it remained until being sold at the firms bankruptcy auction in 1971. Originally intending to run two P538's at Le Mans, Bizzarrini was forced to allocate the third P538 to Gammino (although this car was actually numbered 002). |
It's not inconceivable that had 002 been ready in time for the 24 Hour race, Bizzarrini would have used it before sending it over to the US. Indeed, two cars were on a provisional entry list for Le Mans that was published long after Berney had all but destroyed 001. As it turned out though, there was no P538 for Wicky and Bussinello, Bizzarrini sending just the one new Chevrolet-powered car for Berney and Frank Ruata (chassis 003). They would be up against a dazzling selection of prototypes from Ferrari and Ford, these factory teams being backed up by hoardes of slick privateer outfits. Despite such lavishly funded opposition, Bizzarrini would still have expected 003 to start higher than 40th - the number ten car was even four places behind Posey and Natili in their 5300 GT Corsa. Things didn't improve in the race, Berney spinning on the start line and retiring soon after with a broken steering arm. The Le Mans experience had lasted just eight laps and when rule changes outlawing the P538 were made soon after, the car found itself elibile for only a handful of series. One of these would have been the popular Can Am league in North America, but for some reason, Mike Gammino's planned-for campaign never materialised and after his new Lamborghini-powered P538 was delivered, it appeared just once. |
 P538 Chevrolet 003, re-bodied in 1968 as the Manta |
This solitary outing came during September at the Bridgehampton Grand Prix for Round 2 of the Can Am championship, 002 being entered for Paul Gammino by the Gammino Construction Company. Exactly why the number 28 car failed to start isn't currently clear, but the Long Island event would be the final period outing for a P538. However, by no means does the story stop there, for in 1967, Bizzarrini tried to sell the Le Mans car and another P538 rolling chassis he had tucked away (which was numbered 292 914 and also got Chevy power), Giotto clothing them both as Berlinetta’s to a design of his own. |
| 292 194 was sold to the Duca d’Aosta, a close friend of Count Volpi who wanted to compete with his car but was unable to do so on under the instruction of his wife, Princess Claudia of France. Sold on in 1972 with only 2000km on the clock, this time to a Florentine aristocrat, the Duca d’Aosta as it has become known subsequently went on to be used for early morning jaunts to the autostrada where its 205mph top speed could be tested. As for chassis 003, the Le Mans car, it remained unsold following its Berlinetta conversion until Giotto was approached by Giorgetto Giugiaro who, having left his position at Ghia, required a suitable basis on which to construct a show-stopping first body for his new carrozzeria, Ital Design. Giugiaro was given 003 in early 1968 and removed the existing shell, re-bodying Bizzarrini's ultra rare sports prototype as the spectacular three-seat Manta. Debuted at 1968's Turin Salon, the Manta was a fantastic looking machine and remains in this striking configuration today. Finally, a number of P538's have been constructed since the sixties, some by Giotto Bizzarrini and others by Salvatore Diomante. Diomante's Autocostruzione SD firm fabricated many Bizzarrini bodies from 1967 until the company’s closure in 1969 and subsequently acquired the original body moulds. |
| P538 001 | Specially built for Mike Gammino with a 4-litre Lamborghini V12. Completed early 1966 but crashed by Edgar Berney during testing at Castiglioncello. Engine and gearbox removed. Damaged body parts and chassis sold at the Bizzarrini Prototipo bankruptcy auction in 1971. |
| P538 002 | Specially built for Mike Gammino with the 4-litre Lamborghini V12 originally used in 001. Completed mid 1966. 1966 Can Am Championship: Bridgehampton Grand Prix (Gammino) DNS. |
| P538 003 | Works car for Bizzarrini Prototipo with a Chevrolet V8. Completed spring 1966. 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours (Berney / Wicky) DNF. Re-bodied as a Berlinetta by Bizzarrini in 1967 but unsold. Chassis given to Ital Design, re-bodied as the Manta and shown at the 1968 Turin Salon. |
| P538 262 914 | Possibly built as a Barchetta but more likely an unfinished rolling chassis bodied by Bizzarrini as a Berlinetta in 1967 for the Duca d'Aosta. |
