Oldest registered car in USA

A few years back, actually about 12-13 yrs ago I had conversed with a co-worker about a car he purchased back in the late 40's or early 50. I believe he lived in the Boston area as we both worked for Digital Equipement Corp. It was a 166 Stablimenti Farina coupe. I think it was sn 007, 9 or 11. Supposedly one of the first Ferraris to make it across the pond. If it is still around I would guess it would be the oldest, however I haven't heard or seen it in many years now. Aside from that, many of the 166 MM are still regularly tracked.

Regards,
JP

 

01C, the original 47 125 Spyder - became 010I, a 47 166 Spyder Corsa.
http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Detail/010I.166.Spyder.Corsa.htm

OK, so it doesn't get out much... but still...

 

Couldn't tell ya, but it got out a little... better still, I like this older story

 

anyone knows the date and what car was the first one sold by Luigi Chinetti?

 

0071S is probably the oldest regularly driven car. It was in the Ferrari historics a while back and its owners still use it for rallies. I love the patina on this car (unless it has been worked on lately).

Cheers,
Erik

http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Detail/071S.166Inter.htm

 

The first sign of a Ferrari in USA I know, is the ex-Chinetti car, 166SC 016I, with Rand (?) at Bridgehampton in 49, then with Cunningham at Watkins Glen.
Gilles

 

The first Ferrari in the US was Briggs Cunningham's #004C. It arrived in New York less than a week before the Bridgehampton race on June 11, 1949. This car was driven by Luigi Chinetti in 1948, winning the 12 hrs of Paris at Montlhery on Sept.12. Cunningham bought it "used" from Chinetti and immediately entered it at Bridgehampton where it was driven by George Rand. It led the main race for many laps until it was forced out with a broken oil line. Over the next few years it went on to win numerous races driven by Cunningham, Rand, Sam Collier and Jim Kimberly.
It remained in the Cunningham collection for many years.

 

We speak from the same car, but with not the same serial number, for you 004C, for me 016I...... We need help !!!! Waynes ?????

 

I'll let Wayne chime in with his notes (when he wakes up), but I have the Cunningham car as 016I. 004C didn't come to the US until 1964.

 

I quoted from a article by Stanley Nowak in Road & Track of september 1966 about 004C, and read it too fast: Briggs Cunningham's is 016I and that's the car. The article misleadingly started with a story I thougt was about 004C, but it wasn't. So next time I will take some more time reading.

 

I believe Tommy Lee's 166 MM Barchetta (0002M) actually arrived in the U.S. before Cunningham's 166 Spyder Corsa (which was actually a used car at that point). Cunningham's 166 was the first to be raced in the U.S.

 

You are true.... But it's easy to forget this car, I have just seen a front pic of it at Pebble Beach 97, it's only I known on it.... Also, it engine is 022I (in a precedent thread, here is the explanation of why...)
Gilles

 

what Tommy Lee ? is the same Tommy Lee that I'm thinking of?

 

Probably not. This Tommy Lee, who inherited the Cadillac distributorship for California and a number of radio stations, died in January, 1950.

 

Back in the '70's I owned a 166 Touring bodied coupe s/n 029S. I used to take it out every weekend. One Saturday I drove it over to my friend Al Meyers house. He was hosting a dinner whose guests included Stand Nowak, Dick Merritt and Jess Pouret. They werea little surprised to see the 166 pull into the driveway.

 

Hello Mr. Cahn,
I too had the good fortune to own 029S for all too brief a period in 1988-89. The car was a jewell. It remains the only car I have ever owned which I sincerely regret selling. I drove the car almost every day for a few months. I still have the owner's handbook. Great memories.
Ron Hetherington