That is an official Maranello postcard which can still be found on certain newsstands in and around Maranello today. Marcel Massini
Interesting to see a Berlinetta and a PF Coupe on the same production line was this always the case ? I thought the competition cars had their own production line as the running gear differed to the road cars
Enigma: Berlinettas were not considered "competition" cars by the factory. Only the sports racers and the formula cars were constructed in the competition department.
The pic at 157 brings back fond memories. In 1966 I had picked up a 250GT Cabriolet in Rome and was touring the continent. I pulled up to that signal and put my left-turn blinker on, and, sure enough, a guard opened the gate for me. I parked over on the right and entered the building through the door on the corner, where I announced myself, saying I was the president of the FOC, USA. I had not even called ahead; just showed up. Pretty soon this nice gentleman came out, said his name was Franco Gozzi, and proceeded to show me around. We ended up meeting the boss himself, for which I was totally unprepared. Those were different times, indeed!
Thanks for the kind remarks, but I think all the tales have already been told, here and in club publications. Anyway, no publisher will take on a book which has about 32 1/2 buyers.
Ed, with all due respect, I think you underestimate the great thirst that I believe exists for the real-deal, first-person stories of the early days of Ferrari in the US. Over a dozen years ago, I did a road trip to a show w/ my dad, Dick Merritt and Kendall Merritt. I wish I had had a recorder because the tales from my Dad and Dick about the famous and the infamous from back in the day were amazing, funny, etc. (although Dick says he won't re-tell some of those stories until certain people are dead!). I bet Pete Vack would publish what you have! I will ask my dad whether he took any pictures of his first Factory visit in 1961.
Surely someone would publish it. These days you can write, edit, and publish to an ebook all yourself from a laptop and while not as desirable for a collectible as paper I'd still buy one. Bryan, that sounds awesome! I totally agree that there is massive curiosity about the "good old days."
Ed, Yes, different times. In 1978, I had saved for a vacation to go to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, a young fellow then, on a low-budget enthusiast's adventure. Months before I wrote a letter to Ferrari in Italy asking if I could visit, offering a specific day I could be nearby. No reply. Once in Italy, I travelled to Bologna and decided, well, Ill try calling. So I telephoned the factory from my hotel with no idea how this would play out. I explained to the person who answered (who spoke some English) about my letter. Next, I am speaking with Franco Gozzi: yes, we received your letter, we are expecting you, do come tomorrow. Im really excited. I am at the train station at the crack of dawn to go to Modena. Small problem, the terrorist Red Brigade had exploded a bomb on the tracks outside Bologna; through the chaos I do get to Modena, late. Now I have no sense how far Maranello is from Modena (some 20 km), and I cant understand the buses. So I get a taxi, taking a chance on the expense. I barely had enough money to pay the man and still get back, as it was a much longer ride than expected. The road from Modena leading to the Abetone was much different than today rural, farms, not all built up and we kept going and going while I counted my lire in panic. Finally I arrived at the factory gate, two hours late. Short wait in reception (a 312T on display, if vague memory serves), Mr. Gozzi came out to greet me; he was very pleasant, understanding about the delay, heard about the bombing, not to worry. He introduced me to a sales director (regret I forgot his name), though I had no means to buy a new Ferrari! The sales director was very welcoming, asked me what I did. I said I am an architect. From that point he referred to me graciously by title Architetto. A very, very fond memory - I was astonished by that courtesy, no one has EVER greeted me that way since!! He gave a tour of the production area, with a gift of a poster at the end. Elated, I got a taxi back to Modena, with just a few coins left in my pocket, desperate to find a bank to cash a travelers check. In Milan, I met a gentleman at the bus stop also going to Monza for practice. Once held as a prisoner of war in the US during WWII, he spoke a little English and we managed a friendly chat on the bus. We watched first practice together before parting. For years after we exchanged Christmas greetings by card. As for the race? Fans on high, scary, home-built scaffolds, hanging from the trees for a view, chanting Ferrari. Spent lots of time watching the lightning run up into Parabolica Alfa flat 12s, Ferrari 12s, Matras (none of this stifled V-6 turbo stuff). Walked the old banking. Mario won the championship; the newspapers were filled with headlines about Ronnie Peterson next day. You did not need a translator to know he was gone. Chris
Here you go... A goldmine of an archive... https://revslib.stanford.edu/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=ferrari+factory&commit=Search...
Yes a nice find. Take a close look at the picture of the chassis frame that is upside down, it appears to have an engine block, heads and exhaust headers mounted in it, I guess to locate the motor mounts or maybe as an inspection tool to make sure the motor mounts are indeed where they should be. Notice it has the bearing caps and studs attached, maybe because they would just grab an engine off the line to do the check then throw it back into the parts bin when done!
Chris and Ed, thanks for sharing your memories. How lucky to have had that chance. When you were touring the factory, I was in a small town in the Midwest. By that time I had read just about everything written on Ferrari and seen every Ferrari picture on print. The only thing I had yet to do was to see one in person. Just about everything I had read up to that point exalted the sound of the V12, so imagine my hunger for that sound. Finally, it happened and it wasn't just a single-car encounter, it was a deluge. It was August 1984, Laguna Seca, the YEAR OF FERRARI! I had never been so over-revved emotionally. I crashed that night like I had been on speed for days. john
Thanks. Do you know when the single production line was expanded and how production was organised as the model range expanded ? I recall from a visit in the 80's they had separate lines for V8 and V12 models and one for the "specials"