Ferrari 500 TRC

1956 to 1957
Overview
Category	Sport Prototype
Production	1957
Technical description
Frame	Tubular steel.
Engine	longitudinal front Ferrari four-cylinder.
Transmission	Four-speed manual transmission. Rear-wheel Drive.
Dimensions and weights
Passage	2250 mm
Weight	680  kg

The 500 TRC was a ' car from the competition produced by Ferrari in 1957 19 made .

The 1956/7 500 TRC was a massaged version of the successful 500 TR of the previous year. In keeping with the new C-section regulations, Ferrari widened the cockpit, added doors, fitted a windscreen, and even added a stowable convertible top. It rode on the longer 2350 mm (93 in) wheelbase of the 860 Monza and featured coil springs all around, though the live axle in the rear was retained rather than the more modern de Dion tube. The 680 kg (1500 lb) car's 180 hp (142 kW) made it quite capable, and even though it was never a works car, a 500 TRC was 7th overall, claiming class victory at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. Another 500 TRC claimed a class win at the 1958 Targa Florio. The body was Scaglietti .

In the early part of the fifties the Ferrari worked and basically developed two types of racing engines: the four-cylinder designed by Aurelio Lampredi and V12 of Gioacchino Colombo . These two types possessed  characteristics that made them preferable according to the degree of development. One of them was the consumption of fuel , in fact the first was less "thirsty" compared to the second.

A series of developments led to the construction of various evolutions, with different displacements, the in-line four-cylinder engine that was mounted on various Ferrari models, including the TF 625 , the 735 S , the 750 Monza and the 860 Monza . In recent years the Maserati dominated many races, and Ferrari decided to further develop this type of engine coming to that fitted to the 500 TR , which was designed by Vittorio Jano . Later it was prepared the in-line four-cylinder engine that was fitted to the 625 LM and that derived from that of the 625 F1 . Finally he reached the 500 TRC, which was the last to mount a Ferrari engine with four cylinders in line. It was 2L and originated more or less directly than those mentioned above.

Competitions 

The model never ran under the banner of  Ferrari , and about half of the copies was sold in the United States to participate in events organized by the Sports Car Club of America  .

The most important statement of the 500 TRC was the win in the category, and seventh place in the overall standings, the 24 Hours of Le Mans of 1957 , under the leadership of Lucien Bianchi and Georges Harris .

Specifications 

The engine was an inline four-cylinder engine was not supercharged longitudinal front. L ' bore and stroke were respectively 90 mm and 78 mm, carrying the displacement total 1984.86 cm³ . The cylinder block and cylinder head were manufactured from alloy light. The compression ratio was 8.5: 1, while the power from the engine maximum output was 180 bhp at 7000 rpm .

The distribution was formed by a dual overhead cam head with two valves per cylinder . The ' Power was provided by two Weber carburetors model 50 DCO. The ' power was double and the corresponding apparatus included two coils . The lubrication was dry sump , while the clutch was twin-plate .

The suspension front were independent with wishbones and stabilizer bar, while the rear ones were formed by a rigid axle and two side struts. Both were fitted shock absorbers and coil springs, hydraulic. The brakes were drum on all four wheels, while steering was worm and toothed sector. The traction was at the back , and the transmission was formed by a gearbox manual four more reverse gear ratios.

The frame was tubular steel . The body was spyder in aluminum two-seater, and it was by Scaglietti  .

The speed reached by the maximum 500 TRC was 245 km / h .