Carrozzeria VIGNALE - Ferraris bodied by Vignale

The two cars in Post 345 are true contemporaries, but interesting how the Vignale humbles the XK120 in sex appeal here; kind of like the way the Miura humbled its contemporaries.

john

 

Roberto Rossellini in his 250MM #0230MM. This car was later rebodied by Scaglietti and is in the fabulous Schlumpf collection in France. (photo from LIFE magazine).
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Mr. Massini;

Do you know where this car is today?

thanks

rik

 

Thank you very much

rik

 

As a side note, I am in communication with a gentleman who's father in 1954 bought 0353, for $2,000, and imported to Los Angeles from Milan, restored and exhibited. Says it was sold in 1975, to Wayne Golumb. Other accounts had it possibly in Ohio subsequent to 1975. He still has most of the original documentation from the restoration.

I am attempting to get copies of the docs [including original Bill of Lading, owners manual, restoration and sale notes and letters], and make no claim to any of this as authentic, but thought I'd pass it along till it resolves.

rik

 

0190 ED at the 2008 World Finals at Mugello

Paul
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Here's another one. I don't know the number, but I have a feeling that I soon will...
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I have been trying to send you docs, and pics but they are being returned to me. Please PM me with a different email

rik

 

I purchased a few cars off Basil Shadlun, NJ during late 70's /80's. Here is one I wish I had complete with chicken coop which brings back some memories : Ferrari 375 America #0337AL.
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Fantastic pictures!!!
Thank you!

 

0217 el was owned by John Lundin, the first president of the FCA, for more than 25 years. The car was painted bronze and known as "old brown". It must have gone to many meets with john Lundin, but I have found very few pictures.

Any chance some of you might have some pictures of 0217 el?
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In the summer of 1968 during the time of the French student riots, I went with a couple of friends to follow a couple of Grand Prix. After watching the Belgium GP at Spa we drove down into Switzerland to waste a few days prior to a F2 race at Hochenheim.
We drove from Basle to Zurich and a little way into the town we stopped at a service station on the right of a very busy junction.
After fuelling up we noticed a little car stood at the back of the forecourt. It looked interesting so we went to inspect it.
I have often wondered just what model it was, it had obviously been a full racing Ferrari, not a road car, very small, low roof, slit windows, the door curved at the rear to follow the wheel arch and the headlights were faired at an angle into the end of the wings which to me seemed unusual. The open cars in this thread remind me of it's front.
Inside it had the most incredible buck seats, very deep, brown leather, and the inside looked very cramped.
I was used to seeing the occasional early Ferrari, 195 and 212, and 250 berlinettas etc but nothing quite like this.
My pal went and asked a man if we could see the engine, and although neither of us could understand the other, he made enough gestures and laughed to make us think maybe the motor was blown or not there.
When he lifted the bonnet we realised perhaps why.......... Wrong engine!
Fitted in the fairly small engine bay was a 4 cylinder Mercedes engine, either a 190 or 200 series.
I always regretted not taking a photo or collecting numbers but in those days it was just a bit of a curiosity, and we often found such cars, especially around the back of workshops.
Later I began to realise it had been so small that it must have been a bit of an oddity, but what I don't know.
The engine bay probably wasn't big enought to take 12 cylinders, hence the little 4.
It was in extremely good condition and I cannot imagine that it would have vanished, I wonder if this gives enough clues to
identify it or if indeed anyone remembers it. I'm sure any enthusiast from Zurich would remember it.
I had the impression of a car about the size of a Giulietta Sprint, TVR Grantura or Healey 3000, especially inside.
Now I see the picture of this car in post 186 I would say that was about what we saw.
Any ideas anyone?

 

Hi, Masermad,
Welcome!
What about a O.S.C.A. or Siata, they had small cars and engines and look sporty. Vignale made a couple of these.
ciao
O.S.C.A.R.

ps a couple of years ago I almost bought a very nice O.S.C.A. Vignale, last year it was in the TA (France), unfortunately it had a remake body

 

No! Definitely Ferrari! Not just a badge! We knew it was Ferrari but what model, just assumed 212 or some such. Not 250.
I'd seen 0357GT- the first 250GT, dissmantled in a farm yard near Cirencester a year previously, (£450!) and various other early cars too, I'll have to find photos and details if I still have them. I knew a bit.
We realised it was a very early competition car, we'd been looking at a T de France only a couple of days before.
This was more compact and was from an earlier time.
Being from UK we didn't get to see these early cars, as there weren't many in the country, only when we went into Europe, and we knew of dealers and places to go to find exotics. One reason for being in Switzerland was to visit Jo Siffert's garage amongst others. We had to keep out of France because of the riots, so LeMans was cancelled and no visits to Paris scrap yards.
I just wish I'd taken pictures.
Thinking back, and by what I've learned in the last 40 years (probably not much!!!) I feel sure it was one of the small Vignale coupes, maybe the lamps had been modified later to have the fared in appearance.
A few years later one of my friends had a 212 competition car with Vignale bodywork, so I had/have a rough idea of what's what.
This car I mention I feel was not a V12, and I've just never seen much about such competition models.
Even in 1968 there would have been enough interest and I'm sure this car will have survived.

 

photo of s/n 192ET in about 1988, "old racers never die!".
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0237 EU at the 2008 Silverstone Classic.

Paul
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Hi, thanks for your interest! Not blue and not with normal sticking out headlights.
Definiitely was red, and the nearest looking car I've seen is the "625TF"? photo on post 186, the car rallying in the Alps.
What struck me most about it and stayed with me was the faired angle of the headlights and how compact it was, like the open spider bodied cars but the closed part reminds me of the coupes which ran in the Carrera.(post 36 I think).
If you made a coupe out of the red spider in post 327,that would be it!
The seats were like on post 324. I was used to seeing, at that time modern rally buckets by Restall, and these looked "more" of a seat if you know what I mean. I hope I got these post nos correct!
This is an amazingly interesting thread, I like these early cars, I think maybe Vignale were the best at that time.
Also it amazes me how much knowledge is out there, I thought the replacement by a Mercedes 190 engine might ring a few bells!
To everybody....thanks. JC.

 

Can't see the car it was. 0300M and 0308M didn't have the Vignale coupe body in 1968.

BTW : 0096E did have a large grill in 60-80's, very different from the one it has today...

 

Not really exactly the car you described, but what do you think of 0334MM, a 250 MM Vignale coupe which was in Switzerland in 1968. Could it be this car ??

 

I don't think I posted this before. I think it's 0223EL, probably owned by Marty Siedentop in 1966 (at Sal DiNatale's shop).
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