FERRARI TELEX dated september 1959:
Thépenier and Simon tried hard to modernize their "old" # 0973 GT
No new car was avalaible, and they had no possibility to have the disk brake modification at the FERRARI factory. André Simon and Thépenier finally agreed to race the TOUR DE FRANCE so the car was sent to Modena for a complete overhaul.
FERRARI LETTER 12/08/1959: :
Ferrari is answering André Simon informing him that it was not possible timewise to fit disk brakes on the car. Handwritten note by a very disappointed Simon to Thépenier asking him to reply to Ferrari, he expressed his doubts about their car's performance in relation to the other competitors. He felt Ferrari was not very supportive to them!
In 1959 and 1960, Jean Thépenier and his friend the pilot André Simon, took part of the "TOUR DE FRANCE AUTOMOBILE" driving a FERRARI 250 GT.
In 1959, they drove an "old drum brake"s 1958 250 GT chassis # 0973/GT.
The car was not at all competitive so Simon and Thépenier tried very hard to modify the drum brake on the # 0973, they also at the same time tried to buy the new model with disk brakes.
Ferrari didn't make any effort to satisfy these "private" drivers by providing a competitive 250 GT model.
In 1960, thy changed car to a new 250 GT with disk brakes, chassis # 2165/GT. Theis adventure ended sadly at Mont Ventoux with an accident and a broken collar-bone for Jean Thépenier
1959 TOUR DE FRANCE AUTOMOBILE : FERRARI 250 GT # 0973 GT
FERRARI 250 GT TOUR DE FRANCE
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