Spare wheel in 330 P4 ?

Requirement to race at Le Mans and if you got a flat on the long lap you could change it. Back in 67 Protoypes had to have basic road gear and two seats.

 

Jim, do you happen to know around what year the rules no longer required prototypes to have "basic road gear and two seats?"

 

I think after 67 P class went down to 3 liters and no longer required windscreen etc. Others???

 

In 1968 there was still the requirement for the high (minimum height in the middle) windscreen, which was relaxed for 1969 - hence the 312P had no screen until Ferrari wanted to improve the aero for Le Mans and fitted cut-down 206S screens and berlinetta roofs.

Likewise the original version of the 3-litre Porsche 908 in 1968 had a high screen and coupe body, but open versions were used in 1969.

I don't know about the spare wheel though - in 1968 the works Porsche 908s carried a space-saver spare wheel at the Targa Florio because the full-sized one couldn't be stowed....so maybe the requirement was removed for 1968. I don't remember seeing any 'luggage boxes' in any pictures of 1968 cars either.


Paul M

 

Thanks Jim and Paul.

 

The infamous "FIA Suitcase" was part of the required gear at this time, where the rules and stewards were still trying to keep up the illusion that the cars entered at Le Mans had something to do with road-going cars. There had to be a passenger seat (although the rules didn't state that a human could sit in it, or see the road from it), a suitcase, a spare, and tools...

A number of cars at Le Mans (in particular Cobras) ended up with random bulges in the body work to allow the regulation suitcase to fit.