Hello, The other day I was watching this video () and a statement from the consignor got me confused: he mentions that his car was born as a 290 MM, then converted to 315 S and finally upgraded to 335 S specifications. I checked on barchetta.cc and they've changed chassis 0674 history: according to them, this car was born as 0626, competed in the 1956 MM, 1000 Km Nuerburgring, Rouen and Swedish GPs and was then converted to 315 S chassis, thus starting the '0674' timeline. They justify this revision by the presence of '0626' stampings on the car (you can see the stamping photos on their website). Also according to them, the 290 MM old engine was put together in a new chassis, thus creating the 'current' 0626, starting its racing history in the 1957 Buenos Aires 1000 Km. Considering both cars were sold recently and I'd guess a lot of due diligence was made to ensure both cars had no holes in their stellar history, was this a new discovery made by the new owners? Or perhaps a "by-product" (some part-swapping) of the lengthy ownership of those two cars by Mr. Bardinon and it's just a misunderstanding?
The car has three chassis numbers: 0626 (on the right, with the last digit "6" hidden by tube), 0656 (on the left in below photo) and 0674 (above). Not a misunderstanding, no new discovery. And the factory is fully aware of this. No secret whatsoever. All part of due diligence. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
It would be fascinating to know how this affects the histories of #0626 and 0656. We all know what happened to #0674 post 1957 but before that? And Barchettas opinion that #0626 became #0674 while another new #0626 was built for Temple Buell, is only one of two equally plausible theories that spring to mind.
Thank you all for your replies. Like Timothy, I'm also curious about how this affect 0626 history. Back in 2015 one of the main selling points of this car was the fact that was driven by Fangio in the 1956 MM, proudly sporting the yellow-blue nose. But which car was there, after all? Regarding the 0656 stamping, Artcurial explained it on an addendum:
Le Mans used to require entry by the start of the year and had to include the chassis # of the car entered. Several races would be held in the meantime incl. the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio (?) and would lead to the possibility that the car on the entry list was no longer available so a simple work around was to renumber a similar car and put that through scrutineering. Meanwhile I don't wonder if the car started as #0674 and wasn't stamped with #0626 for carnet reasons. Customs wouldn't be any the wiser. But again I am keen to find out the answer.
Le Mans used to require entry by the start of the year and had to include the chassis # of the car entered. Several races would be held in the meantime incl. the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio (?) and would lead to the possibility that the car on the entry list was no longer available so a simple work around was to renumber a similar car and put that through scrutineering. Meanwhile I don't wonder if the car started as #0674 and wasn't stamped with #0626 for carnet reasons. Customs wouldn't be any the wiser. But again I am keen to find out the answer.
I’ve traveled with carnets and have no doubt the system was manipulated. But...I don’t see how customs could be none the wiser when the old stampings are right there. IOW, the number was an addition, not a replacement. (I’m referring to Marcel’s photo above)
That is how the chassis stampings appear now--full disclosure. In period the unwanted stamping(s) was buried beneath the paint.
It does appear the earlier stampings had received some rudimentary sanding/scratching prep, perhaps to provide for paint adhesion, which I wouldn’t be surprised was done in period to cover them up or can anyone imagine trying to explain presence of two or three different numbers at border crossings or race scrutineering.
0626 and 0656 look like the same font; the stamps used for 0674 are different. Stamped elsewhere, not by the factory?
0674 build sheet engine page, showing internal number "2" (I have marked in red) which matches perfectly with stamping on block. Also chassis ID tag on firewall. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Engine type stamping "136" which is for the type 290 S/MM. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
Proper CSAI scrutineering stamp on 0674. CSAI = Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
0674 steering box is date stamped "14.5.56" (which is 14 May 1956). Must be old inventory from the shelf. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
Referring to post #17 here's another photo showing the 0674 stamping on the belly pan. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
0674 stamped on engine mounting. It looks like there is another stamping ("0656"?) underneath/below right. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
In 1957 the customs officers in Argentina, France, Sweden or anywhere else would only have checked the manifest matched the goods. They would have had zero ability to actually check whether the item was original or anything more than what was listed. And if a number matched why would they have had concern? Hell a owner could simply point to the "right" number and that would be that. Its not like a Swedish or Argentinian customs officer would have more than 1% chance of ever seeing a racing Ferrari before or again. Now a production car would be totally different with a set chassis plate needing inspection but a one off racer would simply need a little misdirection. Wouldn't it? I have read Marcels posts and seen the stampings but I still have little guidance on whether it began as #0626 or #0674. Why would they build a new car from a 1956 chassis frame and then build a new car for sale with a brand new chassis frame. Wouldn't it be better to sell a 1956 frame (#0626) as a new one with a new number (#0674) AND build the new works car on a new frame (#0674) and restamp it to match (#0626)? Either way see's it stamped with both numbers.
0674 has steering box type 102/74908. Build sheet says it was built with type 102/74916. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Three different date stamps on the Borrani wire wheels. 7-53 (July 1953), 11-54 (November 1954) and 2-56 (February 1956). Former owners Robert N. Dusek and/or Pierre Bardinon must have had some spares. Or was it the factory recycling? Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login