Wally, There is a bunch of Detroit in the Ferari story. The founders of the Ferrari Club of America involved then Detroit people. Dick Merritt had been with Ford then after a while went to GM in product planning. Warren Fitzgerald was a designer at GM. Larry Niclin was a designer at Chrysler but then went to International Harvester. Bill Markley was FCA member #1. Carl Bross was an early Ferrari person in the area. Harley Earl's son briefly owned a 250 MM. Bil Mitchell ordered a 410 SA. Dick Teague owned multiple Ferraris over the years. Kurt Miska, author of the 250 Lusso book, was in Ann Arbor. Other names you may recognize: Chuck Jordan Jerry Palmer Kip Wasenko John Clinard Dave Cummings Howard Payne John Caffaro John Manoogian Manfred Lampe Ernie Buetler Hank Haga Edsel Ford Bart McMullen Even Ex was a member of the club although hs son says that the family never owned a Ferrari. Dick Merritt told the story of GM Styling barrowing the 375 with the scalloped fender which became the insiration for the Corvette coves. Jeff
I interviewed Gary Wales about the breadvan, he showing me pictures of a party at the Ferrari business he owned. He named a couple people in the same list. I forgot to tell him I went over a AMC engineer's house and he had some car called a GTO but I didn't know about GTOs and didn't go up the driveway to look at it! I remember Markley's mechanic cursing when he couldn't get bearings for the 410,he would try different ones that would last only minutes. Was Ernie Beutler a designer or engineer? i thought I met a Ernie Beutler out in Calif. friend of Johnny Johnson who owned an early Ferrari coupe. Hank Haga I knew during his gullwing days. When you mention Edsel Ford, I know there was a private car dealership very near the Ford glass house that sold him a Ferrari 400 and handled the sale of his GT40 Mk. I, was that really independent or was EF part owner? One name not on the list from '50s would be the GM exexutive (Fhet something) who raced a Ferrari. And was Jerry Earl, son of Harley Earl , actually a Ferrari owner or just thinking of buying a Ferrari when his dad ordered the SR-2 built to mollify him instead? And didn't Savonuzzi work for Chrysler out of Detroit, he probably had something to do with Ghia built Ferraris. Kip Wasenko told me how much he spent on his Dino; I thought him crazy at the time but now 246 Dinos are really up there, beyond some Ferrari V-12s
All the records show that Jerry Earl did own and have possession of the Ferrari. Harley made him get rid of it and tae a free SR2. Jeff
Mr. Massini Your expertise is much appreciated, especially when it comes to setting the record straight on #0253 EU *I was wondering if you have the factory paperwork for the chassis from Ferrari or from the coachbuilder, Touring? I'm not sure how to contact you directly, but would love to see the paperwork you're referring to for a research project I'm completing. Thank you kindly in advance, - Forest
In 1955 Tom Miullee a Ford test driver found the car and in the middle of one night drove it some seven laps around the Ford test track The mufflers had been removed and the unrestrained song of the V12 woke up everyone staying at the near by Dearborn Inn.Mullee was given three days off without pay, bur said it was worth every minute. tonga's crew
1952 FERRARI 212/225 BARCHETTA --- HENRY FORD II. PHOTO TED SEVENPETERSEN MUSEUM U.S.A. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
So, is this the 'Official' 0253 EU thread? another thread - https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/identify-this-car.407973/#post-148926069 .