This 512BBLM was crafted by Scuderia Ferrari as the last factory 512BBLM for Jacques Swaters Ecurie Francorchamps Racing Team and delivered in October of 1982 in preparation for the 1983 Le Mans Race. The car was built on Factory chassis # 44023 and the Scuderia installed Motor # 0034.

This BB/LM was the very last of the limited series of 25 "Silhouette" Sports Prototype Racers built by Ferrari to compete at Le Mans before the advent of the all new 333 SP Program. Chassis 44023, however was and remains very unique from the earlier BB/LM design. While externally the car is identical to that of the earlier vehicles, it is in fact a very different car altogether.

Chassis 44023 unlike the earlier BB/LM's utilizes a body made entirely from composite materials rather than fiberglass, and this was 1982. This change alone lowered the cars weight by some 200 pounds in addition to being both far stronger and more resilient. To drive this car at high speed is to dream.

Further changes were incorporated into the frame which utilized a network of small diameter oval tubes to both reinforce the main frame rails in addition to providing the supporting structure to mount the body work. ( Earlier BB/LM's utilized standard very heavy 512 BB "box" section pieces. ) Chassis 44023's frame is far stronger and lighter than earlier BB/LM design as a result. The net effect is to give both a forgiving and steady ride with a great deal of rigidity and control.

Both the engine and gearbox of Chassis 44023 are physically mounted lower and forward in the Chassis making Crew Chief and main mechanical genius Arnie Poundstones job a little harder. All of this allows for an overall lowering of the vehicles center of gravity and provided a remarkable improvement in handling and straight line stability. A total E ticket ride.

Chassis 44023 also utilized an incredibly complicated redesigned twin fuel tank configuration that keeps the fuel weight, under control of electric pumps in the passenger side of the car and included an entirely different " pick-up " system that allows the car to run with a far lighter fuel load even in short twisty track conditions, which is particularly important for us since our home track is Summit Point, West Virginia, a particularly interesting track.

The engine utilized in chassis 44023, engine # 0034, was further improved for overall reliability as well as increased fuel efficiency and performance by the use of a completely recalibrated mechanical fuel injection system and a special set of camshafts, both of which have proven an interesting challenge for Mr. Poundstone who has found it necessary on occasion to bring retired Scuderia employees out of retirement for brief consulting stints.

The car was never raced by Jacques Swaters Racing Team. In fact it was never raced in period competition and as a result appears in its original factory livery. A just out of the box 1982 racing machine. Instead, the car has spent almost its entire life in two museums until rescued by the Liebhaber Racing team in October of 1998. The car was obtained from Symbolic Motor Car Company in LaJolla California who had acquired the car from its the current owner, Dean Becker. Becker had acquired the car from Kato in Japan where it resided in the " Boxer Museum " from 1989 to 1998. During that period the car was seen in two club races, driven by professional drivers, representing Kato. From 1985 to 1989 the car resided in the Ford Auto Museum in Dearborn Michigan and prior to that it remained in the possession of Jacques Swaters. An interesting history.

The car is being campaigned this year in the Ferrari Historic Challenge Series and made its first appearance on the track at Sebring where it took best in class in the Historic Series Race which was run just prior to this years 12 Hours of Sebring race. At Sebring the car was also entered in a Historic Sports Car Racing event and a one hour Rolex enduro on Sunday following the 12 hour event, not completing either as the result of an oiling problem.

While the current schedule is in jeopardy waiting for the return of the fuel injection which is being rebuilt back to original manufacturers specifications, the plan is to appear at the Ferrari Historic Challenge events at Lime Rock Connecticut June 25 and 26 and at the Road Atlanta Historic Challenge Race on August 6.

The car is also participating in the wonderful Targa 66 events this year that are sponsored by Brian Redman and his team as well as a Ferrari Club of America event at Summit Point in October.

The car may be seen at Ferrari of Washington, Sterling Virginia, where Sir Arnie Poundstone spends most of his busy life tending to Chassis 44023 and many other wonderful Ferraris.