166MM # 0014M

A B & W photo of #0014M at Montlhery #18 in 1950 shows it next to Ferrari #16 If #16 is red then #18 is a much lighter color which could be like the model you refer to. Color photos posted on the internet often don't show colors correctly. What also is interesting is that according to my notes #0014M may have started out in 1948 as a cycle fender, cigar shaped Ferrari factory car with Rigetti driving it at Reims #28 in 1948. At one point it was credited with finishing 34th in the 1949 Mille Miglia which was incorrect as the correct car was #006M.. Comments please. Thanks Tonga's crew

 

Ferrari 014I is the correct sn. for this car driven by Fernando Righetti to 2nd overall. at Reims July 18 1948. Thanks for correcting my typo. tonga's crew

 

Ferrari 014I is the correct sn. for this car driven by Fernando Righetti to 2nd overall. at Reims July 18 1948. Thanks for correcting my typo. tonga's crew

 

The more recent opinion is the car was not 014I but 018I.

 

I got out my file on 018I. Guess what? In the "Emotion Ferrari" book on page 23 I have reported that indeed #26 at this event was 018I driven by Rigetti to 2nd place with the race #26. Alesandro Silva UTAC Team in the "List of Registered" puts Rigetti in #014I with race #28. This kind of thing I am sure is nothing new to you.So who is correct and how? Thanks tong'a crew

 

I have had many conversation with him but in the somewhat distant past. His knowledge of the early Ferraris of the late 1940s- 1950s is extraordinary. He was the first to tell me the correct sn. for the Nuvolari car in the 1948 MM. I haven't heard from him in quite a while.I am sure if he reads this we will hear from him. It might be better if you can get in touch with him. tonga's crew

 

Thanks to Wayne for waking me up...

When I started to research the early Ferraris more than 15 years ago, I followed the mainstream by believing the 2 SWC cars had been 008I and 014I. And I'm quite sure that Sandro Silva, whom I know very well, had taken over this believe from me. 2 SWB had been built, 008I was never in doubt, and 014I has survived as SWB, so 1+1=2. Wrong...!
014I was born as a normal LWB Spyder Corsa, only later - most probably still during the ownership of Bianchetti - the car was converted. I also always denied the existance of 018I, which was wrong too. But research is a constant process, a new photo or document sometimes can change everything, and since long my state of knowledge is that at Reims 1948 Sommer drove 008I and Righetti 018I. Both cars have very small details, which when spotted on high-res photos allow an identification.

But what really electrified me is the theory that 018I was rebuilt and renamed to 0014M! Why did I not believe in 018I? Simply because there was no place in history for it.... And exactly this is still my problem, Sterzi raced 018I at the Targa Florio / GdS 1949, and Righetti 2 weeks later at San Remo, but in early April 1949 the car completely disappeared! So this makes sense, as the SWB Spyder Corsas had not only the wheelbase of the MM (well, unclear whether it was already 2200 or 2250 mm), but also the general chassis configuration with underslung frame at the rear. And end of May the new car was delivered to Brussels.....