0202 A – Bought on Ebay - Long Lost Even-Numbered Comp Ferrari Found

Any more light you can shed on this situation?

Thank you in advance

 

Who is the historian/custodian for the Lemans records for 1952 ?


Contact info?

 

ACO Automobile Club de l'Ouest
Circuit des 24 Heures
72000 Mans (Le), France
+33 2 43 40 24 10

 

1952 Le Mans results:

http://www.experiencelemans.com/en-us/dept_181.html

 

I asked a friend to look into this subject early June 2008

Here is his response:

______________________________________________________________________________

Hi
This is one of those good news/bad news deals....but I think the good news is great.
Bad news first: The ACO lost in flood the records for 49,50,51,52 and 53. In short no can do.

Good news: My friend Alain Gaillard who lives next to LeMans and is an author and historian called me following the race and had this to say about the cars:
Race number # 14 Berlinetta (#0206A) driven in 52 at LeMans by André Simon/ Lucien Vincent entrant L. Chinetti 5 OA
back to Chinetti in US, who sold it to Bill Devin
who sold it to Ernie McAfee
McAfee totaled the car in 1953, but the engine went to #0376
Race number #15 Barchetta Vignale? (#0202A) driven in 52 at LeMans by Louis Rosier/Maurice Tratignant DNF 6th H clutch; entrant L. Rosier. Chain of owners following:
Scotty
Lugleo
Chinetti
Owens who installed 283 Chevy
Starthevant who recovered the original motor
New owner in 1990 name unknown

Things to consider:
You never told me the chassis number, but that's what he has in records
A very respected French magazine (Automobile Classic) had a parallel research because the drivers of no. 15 are big names in France.
Don't mind the spelling of past owners, there could be a misspelling here and there---but when I come back on the 16th of July the spellings will be correct.
In closing I want to wish you the best of luck, assure you of my willingness to do anything that I can to help....and give you an unsolicited piece of advice: if the car was mine, I would hire a private detective to find everything possible on the Owens and Starthevant....I bet you that most of original body and engine are somewhere not too far from where you bought it.
Warm regards,


PS. I was so excited that I forgot to ask who won the race.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Obvious next question oh mighty KOTTP, have the P.I.s turned up anything yet?

 

Tom
This response seems rather odd as posted. Was it received in 2 parts at different dates?

 

Information received in one email, from Raymond Milo dated 15 Jun 08. No additions or ommissions
I had misplaced this email, only found it this AM. (with help)

 

That's right. My mistake, Sorry. All in all:

12- Chinetti/Lucas - Vignale spyder 0204
14- Simon/Vincent - Vignale coupé 0202
15- Rosier/Trintignant - Vignale spyder 0196

Not too sure about Ecurie France (Paul Vallée's) for 0196. Isn't rather Rosier's Ecurie Auvergne? Very likely on loan from Ferrari anyway.

Ciao

 

Entrant in Autocourse 2 vII 1952
12 Luigi Chinetti
14 Luigi Chinetti
15 Ecurie Rosier
16 P.L.Dreyfus
30 Scuderia Ferrari
33 C.Moran
62 Scuderia Ferrari
Any information about the DNA Farina/Taruffi car ?

 

In this register published by Bruno Alfieri (1996) 0206A isn't mentioned either, but the Le Mans Berlinetta bodied car #14 is lacking as well. At the same time Jack (not E.) McAfee is listed as second owner of 0202A after the Scuderia and this would then be the Berlinetta bodied car.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

If the KBIG in the background is a radio station advertisment then it's Southern California. KBIG broadcasted to the Los Angeles market from Catalina Island from 1952-1963.

 

Southern California is an interesting information, thanks. And it does fit with the history of the car. At Bergstrom, Texas (Post #245) were it was raced by Bill Devin against Kimberly’s 0204, 0202 was on its way to California, probably from Chinetti to E. McAfee. It was then raced at Madera (Post #247) by Masten Gregory. Michael J. Cox’s ‘Masten Gregory, Totally Fealess’ book has interesting views on the subject (crediting Gregory of “The worst car I ever owned”).
Note that the 3rd windscreen wiper which had been installed at Le Mans is still there at Berstrom but not anymore at Madera. So the photo of Post #265 would have been shot around that last race: 20 (or 27?) Sept. 1953. Cox also mentions Gregory at Iowa City on May 2nd 1954.
Note Bill Devin was already in the picture...

 

For what litle value it may have, the pic in post 245 shows Jack McAfee (or his twin) holding the camera.

 

Could you enlarge on this? What was the worst car he ever owned?

 

I have Pascal's book and I have noticed that if he is not sure about a chassis # he does not include it in his comments. I have yet to find an error. just one man's opinion tongascrew

 

One has to be smart to make sense of all of this......

 

From a financial standpoint, what is the difference in the value of the car being a spyder as opposed to a coupe?

 

They are worth virtually the same amount. With old race cars, the cars history (who drove it and which races it was in) has more effect on the value.
From a standpoint of historical correctness, it would be nice to figure out which body was on it originally.

 

Mr. Rolland,

Is there an engine dyno sheet in the set? The torque and horsepower ratings would be very interesting. Who knows, someone might even want to put one of these motors in a boat someday!