Not the most exciting race, but still hugely popular with tens of thousands spectating. New FIA rules made tech inspection a complete disaster, but somehow all the cars got through. Ferrari dominated taking the first 6 places. After such success at Sebring in 1962 no less than 6 of the now priceless cars competed. Some say 1963 was the first of the Ford vs Ferrari years and a Shelby Cobra did lead the GTO’s for much of the race but the reliability of the Modena cars proved too much for the California hot-rods. Surprisingly the new Jaguar XK-E’s were fast and reliable finishing 7th and 8th.
These photos all came to barcboys through our readers. These were taken by an enthusiastic and not a professional. However all of you have taken photos at races and know it isn’t easy to get those Louis Klemantaski or Pete Biro shots. Frankly, I enjoy these for what they are; a great history that a fan recorded for us to enjoy nearly 60 years later.
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The crowd gathers at the Mercedes Bridge. Note people climbing the camera platform. It’s fun to compare the bridges of the 60’s to what exist - at the very same spot - today.
Alfred Momo (center) at one of his last Sebrings. Momo was the Jaguar importer and chief mechanic for the Cunningham team. A true gentleman and fabulous engineer.
Here Briggs in his de rigueur Dunlop coveralls checks the #21 E-Type. Cunningham entered three cars. Unfortunately the car he shared with long time friend John Fitch did not finish.
Briggs next to one of his Jags, all neatly lined up and ready for action.
No, this is an OSCA GT. Entered by NART, Tom Fleming and Ray Heppenstall kept the 1600cc machine running all 12 hours to 5th in the 1.6 liter class.
Best crew uniforms went to the #16 Cobra from Shelby that was driven only by ken Miles for 46 laps before it broke a steering arm.
The second place Ferrari 250P sits in the early morning light waiting to take Lorenzo Bandini, Willy Mairesse and Nino Vaccarella around the course for 208 laps.
The winning Ferrari 250 P races on its way to the hairpin. From the helmet it looks as if Ludovico Scarfiotti is at the wheel, not John Surtees. Near the end of the race Scarfiotti had to come in with carbon monoxide poisoning.
It was Ferrari 1st thru 6th totally dominating the young Shelby American Cobra team. #30 was second overall just one lap behind the winning team car.
The story of the race was the huge 4.4 liter Ferrari 330 TRI/LM. Graham Hill and Pedro Rodriguez (in this photo( led for nearly 9 hours. Generator problems draining the battery caused them delays but the stayed the course into 3rd place.
The big V12 Ferrari roars past the Delmo Johnson, Dave Morgan Corvette. The sound of that motor was symphonic.
The #31 250P Ferrari shows a bit of front damage. Easy to have happen in a 65 car field.
The #25 Ferrari GTO was one of 6 that raced in 1963. Innes Ireland and Richie Ginther took this one to 6th behind two other GTO’s.
A common scene at Sebring where a pack of cars of many different speed potentials are grouped together. A Triumph is being passed by a Cobra which is being shadowed by two Ferrari’s that just passed an E Jag.
The black Cobra #12 of Phil Hill, Lew Spence and later, Ken Miles led the first lap and stayed in the top 5 for hours. But the Ferrari’s were too steady and too reliable. They were 11th and first Cobra.
The #20 E Type driven by Walt Hansgen and Bruce McLaren are set to pass the Lotus Elan from Dutchess Auto driven by John Bentley and John Gordon.
Many would not know this car as a Chaparral. This was the last iteration of the Chaparral 1. The cars body work was deemed as too low so Hall’s mechanics added a rear wing and aluminum sie panels to pass inspection.
This side photo, although quite blurry shows the aluminum panel where the side window was originally. Both cars failed to finish.
The TRS, now a few years old after its factory debut at LeMans in 1960 is chased by the factory TR-4 of Peter Bolton and Mike Rothschild who would win GT 2.5 liters.
The #61 Simca Abarth leads the Dave Morgan / Delmo Johnson out of the Webster turns. Neither would see the checkered flag.
Lew Spenser takes the leading Cobra past Triumph’s factory racer known as a TRS. The TRS was a fiberglass bodied racer based on a TR-4 chassis but with a 150hp twin cam “sabrina” motor.
The iconic Sebring esses where so many cars perished over the years. This part is long gone from the new track, but the revision has an area that is reminiscent.
#60 Simca-Abarth is followed by Ralph Salyer’s Corvette. Mauro Bianchi and Hans Hermann drove the Abarth. Neither car would finish.
Jerry Grant drove Allen Grant’s Corvette. It was running at the finish after lots of problems and was classified 42nd.
Sebring isn’t Sebring without the Goodyear blimp.
The two factory Porsche Abarths together. They finished 1-2 in class with the #44 of Bob Holbert and Don Wester beating the German duo of Herbert Linge and Edgar Barth in #43.
Dan Gurney in the #15 Cobra passes a few cold war transports. The planes were an integral part of the experience at Sebring. I think it would be great to bring a few back each year.
The front straight taken from the Mercedes Bridge. While the pits are far better and a wall separates them from the track, the old Sebring front straight is today, as it was back then.
The leader board shows Graham Hill & Pedro Rodriguez in the lead followed by the newer rear engined 250P’s. The Hill/Gurney Cobra is 4th overall and leading all the GTO’s in the GT category.
The #21 Cunningham E Type Jag of Bill Kimberley and Paul Richards finished, but well back.
