Ferrari 118LM - 376 S / 121LM - 446 S (735 LM) 70th. Anniversary

Dear enthusiasts,

Long time since I don’t post here, so I want to make it worth it!

Next year will be the 70th. anniversary of the debut of the inline 6-cylinder sportscar championship contender known as 118LM or 376S and then 121LM or 446S or 735 LM.
Two races were held at the Autódromo de Buenos Aires in January 1955, the first one was the 1000 km de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires where José Froilan González and Maurice Trintingant drove s/n 0484LM in SWB form.
A week later Ferrari entered the same car with Umberto Maglioli at th Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires which was a Formula Libre race for single-seaters but a good opportunity to test the new car in the Southamerican summer.

There is not much literature on these four cars, which seems strange after 70 years!
Some paragraphs by Antoine Prunet in his book Ferrari Sport Racing & Prototypes Competition Cars; a very nice article on Cavallino #166 by Alan Boe with the help of Peter Sachs, and articles on the specific cars: 0484LM, 0532LM, 0546LM and 0558LM on different Media.

There is a huge project by the late Prunet with Franco Lombardi and again the help of Peter Sachs that might see the light in the form of a multi volume book, but no planned date of release yet.

As there are some inconsistencies on the entry forms for the 1000 Miglia and the Le Mans 24 hours and the photographic evidence, and it seems there is no consensus around, I would like to exchange some ideas on who was who in the zoo during the first half of the 1955 season when the four cars were run by the factory.

So I will start with the first European race after the Southamerican debut:

April 2. Giro di Sicilia
#447 Umberto Maglioli 2OA s/n 0558LM
#438 Piero Taruffi 1OA s/n 0484LM

Next one would be the 1000 Miglia on May 1st. 1955.

Kind regards.
Cris.-
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Hi Cyril!
OK, then let's work here on a list.

November/December 1954
Car in bare metal at the factory photographed by Rodolfo Mailander
Engine 118.

January 23. 1000 km de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
#10 José Froilan González / Maurice Trintignant DNF/DSQ s/n 0484LM (118)

January 30. Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
#36 Umberto Maglioli DNF s/n 0484LM (118)

April 2. Giro di Sicilia
#438 Piero Taruffi 1OA s/n 0484LM (118)
#447 Umberto Maglioli 2OA s/n 0558LM (118)

1 May. 1000 Miglia
#728 Piero Taruffi DNF
#705 Umberto Maglioli / Luciano Monteferrario 3OA
#725 Paolo Marzotto DNF
#723 Eugenio Castellotti DNF

Regards.
Cris.-

 

Marcel,

Funny, Pino Fondi and Gino Giugno in their books show 4 April.
Have never seen a poster.
Regards.
Cris.-

 

Motorsport May 1955 shows April 3rd.
So, I will correct it to this date.
Thanks Marcel.
Regards.
Cris.-

 

Updated and corrected.
I am now including the s/ns listed on the Mille Miglia documents which some people say are wrong.
Any ideas?

November/December 1954
Car in bare metal at the factory photographed by Rodolfo Mailander
Engine 118.

January 23. 1000 km de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
#10 José Froilan González / Maurice Trintignant DNF/DSQ s/n 0484LM (118)

January 30. Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
#36 Umberto Maglioli DNF s/n 0484LM (118)

April 3. Giro di Sicilia
#438 Piero Taruffi 1OA s/n 0484LM (118)
#447 Umberto Maglioli 2OA s/n 0558LM (118)

1 May. 1000 Miglia
#705 Umberto Maglioli / Luciano Monteferrario 3OA s/n 0532LM BO46417 (121)
#723 Eugenio Castellotti DNF s/n 0558LM BO46416 (121)
#725 Paolo Marzotto DNF s/n 0546LM BO46419 (121)
#728 Piero Taruffi DNF s/n 484LM BO46418 (121)

Regards.
Cris.-

 

Thanks Marcel,

I would be interesting to knoww if there is anybody here in this forum who has enough evidence to say #728 was 0546LM contrary what the documents at the 1000 Miglia archive state.
We know it wouldn't be a surprise to see that cars were swapped. In this case it would hhave had an extra complication which is that the cars had to be insured to be driven in the streets. So to swap cars wouldn't have been a matter of just painting a different number on the doors but also assigning new plates.
Or just assuming Ferrari was using cars with the wrong documentation. It is possible, but also not legal.

I´ve discussed this with some people who want to remain anonymous for the moment who say that the dashboard on car #728 looks like a car identified as s/n 0546LM in other races, which I might agree if the evidence is shared.

It would be very interested to dig deeper. I have absolutely no preference regarding the identities of the cars other than the historical accuracy.

Anybody else in the room who wants to step up?
Regards.
Cris.-

 

Marcel, of course, we've discussed similar cases more than once.
Anyways, it is not my point to judge it but to understand the history of the four cars.

Anybody there?
Regards.
Cris.-

 

Hola Alberto,

The book is out of print since many years.
It covers: 0358AM | 0370AM | (0362AM) 0374AM (formerly owned by Tom Shaughnessy) | 0398AM

Would consider an updated edition if there is enough interest.

Kind regards.
Cris.-

 

Hi Darosmic,

I've been researching these cars in depth in the last year and have to say that I agree with some statements and disagree with others.
Still nobody is able to prove why the entry form for Taruffi at the MM shows one s/n and same car at Le Mans with #5 is entered with a different one...
There are not enough proofs, just more or less solid theories. I have mine.

Kind regards.
Cris.-