America's First OSCA's

O.S.C.A. BackgroundThe name Maserati was well

established in Grand Prix racingwithin a few short years following theformation in 1926 of the company inBologna, Italy. The brothers Maseratisoon developed a reputation for top-quality fabrication and fast reliablecars that quickly set the standard forcraftsmanship. By the mid-1930s newforces were on the scene in the form ofthe German nationally-funded teams ofMercedes-Benz and Auto-Union, bothof which soon overpowered their rivalswith larger-displacement engines. Thisfactor, together with failing businessconditions in Italy and most of Europe,led to the sale of the Maserati companyin late 1937 to Adolfo and Omer Orsi,who moved the works to Modena. Thebrothers Ernesto, Bindo and Ettore wereretained on a ten-year employmentcontract which carried them throughthe war years into December 1947.With the contract terms fulfilled, theyreturned to their native Bologna to opena small specialized business of buildingracing cars for private customers, ina section of their original pre-1938workshop. The brothers divided theirresponsibilities as follows: enginedesign was handled by Ernesto,

with his older brothers running theadministration and supervising theconstruction of the cars. The name ofthis new company was O.S.C.A., theinitials of which are the abbreviationfor Officina Specializzata CostruzioniAutomobili-Fratelli Maserati [Office[or factory] Specializing in the Construc-tion of Automobiles). Initial interestcentered in the 1,100 cc sports racingclass with a single overhead cam headfitted to a Fiat block, designated the MT-4 for Maserati Type four-cylinder. Underthe sale contract with Orsi, the FratelliMaserati were not to use their namecommercially, as it now belonged to theOrsi family in Modena. Major successcame in this new design's second com-petition outing. In the Formula II race atthe Grand Prix of Naples held in 1948Villorcsi scored a decisive victory overSommer in a Ferrari, Ascari in a Maseratiand numerous other established driversand mounts. This success was followedby other minor victories until the 1950Mille Miglia where Luigi Fagioli drovea 1,092 cc O.S.C.A. to first in the 1,100cc International Sports Category overthe prior champions of the class: Fiat,Stanguellini and Cisitalia. Other namedrivers of the day were attracted toO.S.C.A. until the Maserati brothers

had a long list of competent driversanxious to be included in the newmarque's record of accomplishments.

Following the first single overheadcam MT-4 engine, Ernesto created acomplete "in-house" engine design forthe 1,100 cc class that immediatelybecame king of the class in Europe forthe period of 1950 to 1953.

O.S.C.A. DesignBased on their prior experience in

engine size and displacement, we canassume that the Maserati brothersstarted with a clean sheet of paper fortheir chassis and power requirementsduring the period following the warwhen materials, tools and talent had tobe scarce. High quality standards werethe mode for these three artisans, whopooled their combined experience andknowledge to produce a conventionalladder-type tube frame with Fiat com-ponents attached; up-front unequal-length A arm and coil springs, andquarter or half elliptical leaf springsbelow a radius arm located live axle atthe rear. Tubular shock absorbers wereemployed both front and rear. Theinitial twin cam engines of 1,092 ccdisplacement were slightly under squareat 70x71 mm. It was not until 1953 and

VINTAGE RACER Number 12

Clockwise from below: The assembly shop at the factory. A new 1491 TN engine ready forinstallation (Sitz). Randy MacDougall in the second O.S.CA. in America and Unset) the firstwas Rees Mankin'scycle-fendered car.

23

The engine of chassis number 1164 during restoration| Allen Rosenberg). I'm going to assume that if you arereading this magazine I need not name the parts.

the development of the 1,453 cc enginewith an over square 78x76 mm designthat more concern was given to pistontravel in terms of the displacementratio. We find in the 1,491 cc model thefavorite ratio of the Maseratis: a squaremodule of 78x78 mm later used in the4500G Grand Prix engine for 1951-2, butin a V12 configuration. With the 1,491 ccengine, which developed a healthy 125-135 hp, twin ignition was employed tofurther explore efficiency of combustionfor power output. The final derivationof the 1,491 cc engine was the 1500TN with a roller bearing fitted to therear main journal to dampen crankvibrations that are typical of inline four-cylinder engines. On all of the early

O.S.C.A. engines, circa 1947 to 1956, the1100 to 1500 series dual twin-choke side-draft Weber carburetors were fit ted tothe right side of the block with theexhaust to the left. Later in the decade,1957 to 1960, with the advent of theextremely successful 750 cc four-cylinder O.S.C.A.s, the porting for theexhausts and carburetion were reversed,which caused some problems with theangle of the steering column as it passedthe carburetor Venturis.

Poured babbit bearings wereemployed for the main and rod big endbearings. These surfaces were usuallygood for a normal season of racing, pro-viding proper care was taken betweenraces to change the oil and inspect the

condition of each bearing. These twinoverhead cam engines featured fingercam followers to open the valve. This,system has also been used at Maseratito reduce side loading on valve stemsand facilitate lash adjustment. Here iswhere excessive wear could he detectedshould the centering or alignment of thefollowers not be properly set. Routinely,after each race, the cam covers wereremoved to inspect the cams and fingerfollowers for condition.

It is interesting to note that todaymany of the O.S.C.A.s running in vintagerace events carry the crank and bigrod ends in insert shell bearings witha brass sleeve to take up the differencein tolerance.

24 VINTAGE RACER Number 12

- *

O.S.C.A. SERIES 1947-56 MT-4'Finger Tappet Cam FollowerDrawing by Al Coppel

Years Series CylindersDisplacement

(cc)Bore/Stroke

(mm) Tipo Horsepower48-5050-5252-5353-545556

1100"11001300140015001500TN

444444

109210921342145314911491

70/7170/7175/7678/7678/7878/78

273273335364372372

658090

110125125-35

Other O.S.C.A. engines from the period52-5351

2000S4500G

612

19954472

76/7378/78

332372

165295+

'Maserati Type-Four"Single overhead cam


Behind the WheelThe configuration of all of the

O.S.C.A.s was similar—left-hand drivewith most of the early cars having asingle door on the passenger side; no oneused the doors anyway. Normally a four-spoke steering wheel of wood-over-metal composition greeted the driveralong with a stark metal interior withsmooth steel pedals, well spaced for heeland toe work. Instruments included alarge 8-inch tach along with smallergauges for oil pressure and watertemperature. Early 1,092 cc and 1,342 ccversions had a long gear shift lever thathad a relatively short throw through thetraditional H pattern of the forward

gears. The four-speed gearbox featuredsynchro on the upper two gears, withthe drivers always double-clutching thesingle-plate reworked Fiat clutch. Laterthe 1,453 cc and subsequent modelshad shift levers mounted in a remoteselector nearer the steering wheel.

Under racing conditions, these docilelittle twin-cam fours were happy beingrevved up to 7,000 rpm with occasionalbursts to 7,500 rpm allowable. The six-cylinder 1,955 cc engine that poweredBill David's third O.S.C.A. (#2003]maintained a 6,500 rpm maximum revlimit. Through the use of well-spacedgears, the power range was kept to auseful 1,500 to 2,000 rpm spread. The

Two drawings by Giovanni Cavaraofthe I491cc engine and the chassis of a I500TN O.S.CA.Upper left is the TN presently being driven in vintage races by Susan Foreman.

VINTAGE RACER Number 12 27

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APPROVED

THE RIGHT OILCastrol R versus Shell Products

One rather interesting note thatcame up in my interviews.with variousowners-drivers, both then and now, wasthe subject of engine wear/longevity asan analysis by geographic area in theUnited States. A central theme to thisdiscussion was the use of proper oillubricants in these high-performancelittle four-cylinder engines. In mid-1952the first O.S.C.A. to be imported wasRees Mankin's cycle-fendered car, withthe second car imported a few monthslater by Randy MacDougall. Followingthese first two cars, both of which were1,092 cc powered, came a good number of1,342 cc and 1,453 cc cars and later ahandful of 1,491 cc cars, with as many as15 to 18 O.S.C.A.s over the four-yearperiod from 1953 to 1956. The importerwas Alfred Momo of Long Island, NewYork, who brought in the majority of theO.S.C.A.S, other than direct imports byindividuals who had their own privatecontacts in Europe.

From the beginning, O.S.C.A. hadspecified Shell Oil as their official lubri-cant, endorsed by the factory (like Fer-

rari in the same time period). The ShellOil products were petroleum-based prod-ucts that performed well in Europeanendurance-type racing requiring a prod-uct that would hold up at sustainedhigh temperatures and engine speeds. Asa consequence, all of the east coastO.S.C.A.s in the period from 1952 to1956 ran Shell products. Out west theywere different. It wasn't so much thatthey didn't subscribe to the effete lookof mesh-back racing gloves, Pirelli driv-ing suits and Herbert Johnson helmetscomplete with visors, but that therewere those who believed racing carsshould put out proper racing smells too.What could be better than feeding yourlittle giant killer a sump-full of CastrolR, a vegetable-based oil? Well, that is justwhat a number of well-meaning soulsdid and, much to their chagrin, the en-gine wear and reliability were down con-siderably from the norm in the east. Yes,they changed the oil after each raceweekend and inspected the top end forearn and cam follower wear, but they didnot drain or change the oil after everyrace event in a given weekend that

might include a number of practice ses-sions set apart by time intervals, as wellas short five- to ten-lap preliminary ra-ces prior to the under 1,500 cc modifiedmain event. Also, it was common prac-tice to allow the first three finishers ofthe under 1,500 cc modified race to startat the rear of the grid of the over 1,500 ccmodified race. Castor bean oil is veryslow to warm up and was supposed to beused only once and then drained fromthe engine prior to cooling off. When itwas allowed to cool off, the vegetable-based oil tended to "gum up" and was un-suitable for high-performance use fol-lowing one warm engine cycle. Out westthese oils were used throughout an en-tire race weekend, and some old-timeracers feel today that this was a majornegative on engine wear and reliability. Ishare this point with you only in thatthe fad of Castrol R use by weekend rac-ers was firmly established by the mid-1950s. I leave it to the reader and the proswhether there is fact or fiction to theextent that R affected the performanceand engine life under the abovedescribed circumstances. IHmmm. Ed.)

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Photographed at Pebble Beach by the authorin 1955 are clockwise from top left: 1122owned by Al Coppel, 1129 owned by I.W.Stephenson, 1127 owned by Chick Leson and1135 owned by Bill David.

bottom end of these MT-4 enginescarries the crank in five main bearingswith recommended high-grade oil of50 weight to produce oil pressure of 50to 60 psi when hot. The four-cylinderO.S.C.A.S tended to run cold with agood-sized water radiator and oval grillsupplying more than adequate air flow.No fans were employed, and with the1,453 cc and later engine installations anadjustable screen was used to partiallycover or limit the air flow through theradiator and allow the engine to reachoperating temperature in lower ambienttemperatures.

CarrozzeriaCoach work application was unique

to O.S.C.A. right from the beginning.Although there was little doubt that theform was Italian, there was a statementthat this car was different—commenc-ing with the form of the circular-verticalbar grill and continuing through thecrispness of the fender line.

In early post-war Italy only Cisitaliaand Stanguellini were producing small-bore all-out race cars mostly based uponFiat components. The others—Ferrari,Lancia and Maserati—had, by and large,built chassis to accommodate engines of2-liter or greater displacement for sportsracing. The scale of the 1,092 to 1,491 cc


O.S.C.A.S fit a design module that theyhelped establish and the smaller, lesswell-known Carrozzeria such as Fruaand Morelli turned out superleggera-like bodies that were more pleasing tothe eye while being highly functional.There is something to the balance andform of the fender line that begins withthe position of the headlights and risesslightly to allow for a hood plane thatis lower than the fender peak—typicalItalian design circa 1947 to 1956 via thegreat trend-setting Cisitalia 202.

The little four-cylinder enginescarried a low profile with the side-draftWeber carburetors. The wheel arches

and front and rear overhangs were inscale and proportion to the overall massof the body shell. The simple tail-endstatements were later to be copied by all,both Italian and non-Italian. In the bestof high aesthetic tradition, these bodydesigns manifest the epitomy of the"form follows function" equation soughtafter in modern art forms. I wouldonly add the words "pure and tight" todescribe the refined body forms thatprojected O.S.C.A!s image in the 1950s.

While pre-1951 bodies were producedat O.S.C.A. and in certain cases were one-off statements, by 1952 Frua of Turin,later to become part of Ghia, was the

supplier of body shells to the 1,342 ccand 1,453 cc series of automobiles wellinto 1954. When flared and coveredheadlights, head rests and greaterstreamlining came into being in 1954,it was Morelli of Ferrara who did theO.S.C.A. bodywork which included bothflat oval and circular vertical bar grillopenings. Later,from 1956through 1966,with the 750 cc and Fiat-based GTscoming into production, various

Ernie McAfee driving the 1500TN number1169 at Pebble Beach I956(Sitz|.


SEBRING 1954The Bill Lloyd-Stirling Moss drive in

the Cunningham-owned 1,452 ccO.S.C.A. at the 1954 Sebring 12-hour racewas a top example of "drive your ownrace and outlast the competition." Thecompetition of Lancia, Ferrari, AstonMartin and Cunningham faded away ow-ing to various mechanical conditions aswell as poor race strategy. Certain teamdrivers went out and drove the en.durolike it was some sort of 200-mile sprintrace — "catch the hare" — with the nega-tive results normally associated withthis type of approach to endurance rac-ing. The Lloyd-Moss car finished notonly first on Index of Performance, butalso first overall.

Top to bottom: Stirling Moss in the Cunningham MT-4 he shared with Bill Lloyd to win Sebringin 1954. Bill David in 1127 leading a new British lightweight fMiles R-1) at Golden Gate Park1953 (Meacham). Bill David after winning the under-l500cc modified race at Golden Gate Park1954 (Pat Corner). David in 1135 leading another British lightweight (Harry Santa's Cooper) atPebble Beach in 1956 (Austin Chancy, Jr..


Carrozzeria including Touring, Zagato,Michelotti, Fissore, Boneschi, Ghia andVignalc produced the bodies.

The Doors Are ClosedThe brothers Maserati continued to

produce winning small-bore 750 to 1,600cc race and GT cars through 1963 whenO.S.C.A. was sold to Count Agusta,manufacturer of the MV Agusta motor-cycles. Some four years later in 1967the doors to the little O.S.C.A. shopwere finally closed and the era of theMaserati brothers came to an officialend. Today, only Alfieri Maserati ofTurin, son of Ernesto Maserati, remainsactively interested in the substantialrecords and history of O.S.C.A., the littlegiant killers. I am told that the secondplant O.S.C.A moved into in 1954, justoutside Bologna, is now occupied by

the great Italian bicycle assessory andautomotive wheel manufacturer,Campagnoio. In northern Italy high-quality hand-craftsmanship continuesto live in a tradition that has been passeddown from one generation to another.

Today, in the San Francisco Bay area,two MT-4s that competed on the localscene in mid-1950 arc owned by prouddevotees to vintage racing. Chassisnumber 1164, a 1,491 cc example, iscompletely restored and now owned bytalented photographer Allen Rosenbergand is the ex-Chapman Road and TrackTest Car J8/55), later raced by Leson andStephenson. The other chassis number1135, a 1,453 cc model now owned byveteran racer Don Wasscrman, is theex-Bill David car which finished thirdin the national points standing in1954 winning, among other races, the

final Golden Gate Park small-bore race.Wasserman is contemplating a majorrestoration on this O.S.C.A. with itsstrong local history. He anxiouslyawaits its completion and the car'sreturn to rule the roads as it did in1954 some 29 years ago. JB,

THE PRICE OFTHEIR TOYS

The price on an O.S.C.A. back in 1953was $7000, a fairly hefty pill to swallowjust to go racing. Some have said that for$7,000, or a li t t le more, you could haveowned a ready-to-race Ferrari. This mayhave been true in the period from 1952 to1956; however, my contention is thatO.S.C.A. represented the same qualitypackage as Ferrari, an essentially hand-made race car that was ready to win.


America's First OSCA's

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