Maserati 8CTF

Last updated
Maserati 8CTF
Maserati 8CTF at Goodwood Revival 2012.jpg
Category Race car
Designer(s) Maserati
Production1938-1939
Predecessor Maserati V8RI
Successor Maserati 8CL
Technical specifications
Chassis Steel box-section frame, aluminum body
Suspension (front)Rigid axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shock absorbers
Suspension (rear)Live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shock absorbers
Length4,100 mm (160 in)
Width1,520 mm (60 in)
Height1,100 mm (43 in)
Axle track 1,359 mm (53.5 in) (front and rear)
Wheelbase 2,723 mm (107.2 in)
Engine 3.0 L (180 cu in) Straight-8
(350–366 hp (261–273 kW)) FR layout
Transmission 4 speed manual transmission
Weight780 kg (1,720 lb)
Competition history

The Maserati 8CTF is an open-wheel Grand Prix motor racing car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer Maserati, from 1938 to 1939. To date, it remains the only Italian-made car to win the Indianapolis 500 (excluding Dallara, which only supplies the chassis to the teams; but not the engines). [1]

Contents

Racing and competitive history

Maserati 8CTF at the Goodwood Revival in 2012. 1938 Maserati 8CTF.jpg
Maserati 8CTF at the Goodwood Revival in 2012.

The model was created after Adolfo Orsi took over Maserati, thus solving the economic problems that the car manufacturer of the trident had. Ernesto Maserati was no longer so constrained by budgetary issues in the design of his models, and conceived a supercharged 3 -liter where, for this type of fuel, he had accumulated good experience . The abbreviation "8CTF" means: [2]

Its main feature was in having an independent power supply for each series of four cylinders . It therefore fitted two Roots -type compressors . After subsequent improvements, in 1939, the engine came to deliver a power of 366 hp. Another peculiarity that the 8CTF possessed was that the oil tank also acted as a central cross member of the frame. [3]

The model debuted on May 15, 1938, at the Tripoli Grand Prix with excellent performance but failing in the final result. Due to the approach of the Second World War, the races thinned out considerably, thus compromising the development of the car. [4]

Wilbur Shaw's winning car from the 1939 and 1940 Indianapolis 500s Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 2017 - Racecars 31.jpg
Wilbur Shaw's winning car from the 1939 and 1940 Indianapolis 500s

With Wilbur Shaw at the wheel, the 8CTF won two editions of the Indianapolis 500, in 1939 and 1940. The car that won the two editions of the prestigious competition was nicknamed Boyle Special. [5]


Design

The ignition was single with spark type magnet. The feeding was forced with two Roots-type compressors coupled to two Memini and MA12 model carburetors mounted upstream of the compressors themselves. The distribution was with two valves per cylinder arranged at 90°, with double overhead camshafts. Lubrication was forced with delivery and recovery pumps. The cooling system was water circulation with a centrifugal pump. [6]


The engine was an eight-cylinder in-line vertical with 2,991.4 cc (182.55 cu in) of displacement. The bore and stroke were 69mm and 100mm respectively, while the compression ratio was 6.5:1. The maximum power output was between 350 and 366 hp at 6300 rpm. [7]

The brakes were drum brakes on the wheels with hydraulic control. The front suspensions were with independent wheels and torsion bars, while the rear ones were with leaf springs . Both were also fitted with a stabilizer bar and friction shock absorbers (hydraulic for the latter). The steering was worm screw with toothed sector, while the transmission consisted of a four- speed gearbox plus reverse. [8]

The body was an open-wheel design, covered in aluminum, while the chassis was made up of two side members in steel profiles with crossbars. [9]

The 8CTF reached a top speed of 290 km/h (180 mph).

Technical Data

Technical data 8CTF
Engine:  Front mounted 8-cylinder in-line engine
displacement: 2991 cm³
Bore x stroke: 69 x 100 mm
Max power at rpm: 350—366 hp at 6 300 rpm
Valve control: 2 overhead camshafts, 2 valves per cylinder
Compression: 6.5:1
Carburetor: Double Memini MA12
Upload: Double Roots compressors
Gearbox: 4-speed manual
suspension front: Double cross links, torsion springs
suspension rear:  Rigid rear axle, longitudinal leaf springs
Brakes: Hydraulic drum brakes
Chassis & body: Box beam frame with aluminum body
Wheelbase: 272 cm
Dry weight: 780 kg
Top speed: 290 km/h

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duesenberg</span> American engine and automobile manufacturer

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delage</span> 1905-1953 French automotive brand manufacturer

Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delâge in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati Ghibli</span> Car models sold by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati

Maserati Ghibli is the name of three different cars produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati: the AM115, a V8 grand tourer from 1967 to 1973; the AM336, a V6 twin-turbocharged coupé from 1992 to 1998; and the M157, an executive saloon from 2013 onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Tipo 500</span> 1952–1953 Formula 2 racing car

The Ferrari 500 was a Formula 2 racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi and used by Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, when the World Championship was run to F2 regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat 518</span> Motor vehicle

The Fiat 518, also called Fiat Ardita, was a model of car produced by Italian car manufacturer Fiat between 1933 and 1938. The name "Ardita" was also used on the six-cylinder engined and more expensive Fiat Ardita 2500 or 527.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 6CM</span> Motor vehicle

The Maserati 6CM is an Italian single-seater racing car, made by Maserati of Modena from 1936 to 1940 for the Voiturette racing class. Twenty-seven were built on the Maserati 4CM frame, with front suspension as on the Maserati V8RI, and had a successful racing career from 1936 to 1939. The 6CM was introduced to the world at the 1936 Milan Motor Show. Maserati spent much of its early years manufacturing cars for privateers in the racing field. The Maserati 6CM is no exception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 4CL and 4CLT</span> Single-seat racing car

The Maserati 4CL and its derived sister model the Maserati 4CLT are single-seat open-wheel Grand Prix racing cars that were designed and built by Maserati. The 4CL was introduced at the beginning of the 1939 season, as a rival to the Alfa Romeo 158 and various ERA models in the voiturette class of international Grand Prix motor racing. Although racing ceased during World War II, the 4CL was one of the front running models at the resumption of racing in the late 1940s. Experiments with two-stage supercharging and tubular chassis construction eventually led to the introduction of the revised 4CLT model in 1948. The 4CLT was steadily upgraded and updated over the following two years, resulting in the ultimate 4CLT/50 model, introduced for the inaugural year of the Formula One World Championship in 1950. In the immediate post-war period, and the first two years of the Formula One category, the 4CLT was the car of choice for many privateer entrants, leading to numerous examples being involved in most races during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati A6GCM</span> Single seater racing car

The Maserati A6GCM is a single seater racing car from the Italian manufacturer Maserati. Developed for Formula Two, 12 cars were built between 1951 and 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Tipo 308</span>

The Alfa Romeo Tipo 308 or 8C-308 is a Grand Prix racing car made for the 3 litre class in 1938. Only four cars were produced, actually modified from Tipo C with the engine mounted lower into the chassis and a slimmer body. The chassis was derived from the Tipo C and the engine from the 8C 2900. The 308 was engineered by Gioacchino Colombo under the control of Enzo Ferrari who was then in charge of Alfa's racing team, Alfa Corse. The car debuted at the Pau Grand Prix in 1938, where two cars were entered to race, one for Tazio Nuvolari and the other for Luigi Villoresi. Both drivers had to withdraw from competition, however Nuvolari had by then set a lap record. The next race was the Tripoli Grand Prix. The new 312 and 316 were entered, but they had engine trouble during practice and Clemente Biondetti took the start at the wheel of the 308 held in reserve. He failed to finish, while Hermann Lang, driving a Mercedes-Benz W154, was the winner. In this race, Eugenio Siena, driving a 312, was killed after hitting a wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz W154</span> Racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut

The Mercedes-Benz W154 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The W154 competed in the 1938 and 1939 Grand Prix seasons and was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1938 European Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Twenty</span> Motor vehicle

Austin Twenty is a large car introduced by Austin after the end of the First World War, in April 1919 and continued in production until 1930. After the Austin 20/6 model was introduced in 1927, the first model was referred to as the Austin 20/4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 250S</span> Italian race car

The Maserati 250S, and its derivative and version, the 250 Sport, are sports racing cars, designed, developed and built by Italian car manufacturer Maserati, between 1954 and 1957. Only two models were produced.

The Audi R8 LMS Cup was a one-make sports car racing series by Audi based in Asia. Audi R8 LMS Cup cars were based on the Audi R8 LMS (GT3).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Prix Sunbeams 1921, 1922 TT</span>

The 1921 S.T.D. 'Works' Grand Prix chassis was built to the three-litre and minimum weight of 800 kilogrammes formula for that year's Indianapolis 500 and French Grand Prix de l’A.C.F. These team cars were modified by the Sunbeam Experimental department in Wolverhampton for the 1922 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, which was won by one of the cars. A few months later, and with 1916 4.9-litre engines, two of the T.T. cars competed in the Coppa Florio, Sicily and gained second and fourth position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 150 GT</span> Motor vehicle

The Maserati 150 GT was a prototype sports car produced by Maserati in 1957. Derived from the four-cylinder Maserati 150S race car, it was a singular road-going example, and was given spyder bodywork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 420M/58</span>

The Maserati 420M/58Eldorado was a single-seater manufactured by Maserati in 1958. It was a one-off race car purpose-built for the second edition of the 500 Miles of Monza. It was the first single-seater in Europe to be sponsored by a brand not attached to an automobile industry. The internal Maserati classification was the Tipo 4, behind the 250F variants, and also referred to as the 420/M/58 for 4.2-litre displacement, Monoposto or a single-seater in Italian and 1958 year, or simply as the "Eldorado".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 166 FL</span> Open-wheel race car

The Ferrari 166 FL was a single-seat open-wheel race car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer and team, Scuderia Ferrari, 1949 to 1952. Only three cars were produced. The designation 166 refers to the (rounded) displacement of a single cylinder, which corresponded to the nomenclature of the company at the time. The abbreviation FL stands for Formula Libre, which is the type of category and racing series that the car competed in. Since the car was mainly developed for racing in South America, it was also known as the 166 C America.

The Maserati 8CL is an open-wheel Grand Prix motor racing car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer Maserati, from 1940 through 1946. Only two models were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 8CLT</span> Open-wheel race car

The Maserati 8CLT is an open-wheel race car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer Maserati in 1950, conforming to Formula One rules and regulations of the time, set by the FIA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maserati 6C 34</span> Open-wheel Grand Prix motor racing car

The Maserati 6C 34 is a 750 kg open-wheel Grand Prix race car, designed, developed and built by Maserati from 1934 to 1935.

References

  1. "8CTF". October 16, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-10-16.
  2. "Boyle Special". February 3, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03.
  3. "THE GOLDEN ERA OF GP RACING - MAIN DIRECTORY". www.kolumbus.fi.
  4. "1938 Maserati 8CTF | Maserati". April 18, 2016.
  5. "Wilbur Shaw". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  6. "Maserati 8CTF: epic win at the Indianapolis 500 in 1939 | Maserati". www.maserati.com.
  7. "1938 Maserati 8CTF Grand Prix". Revs Institute.
  8. "Maserati 8CTF". October 12, 2009.
  9. Beach, Maserati of Newport (September 22, 2020). "A History of the Maserati 8CTF and the Indy 500".