What year/model is this Ferrari?

Well known car, the (former?) owner is member here.
166 Inter Spyder Corsa SWB #014I with Scaglietti bodywork from 1955/56.

 

really nice barchetta with seat in snakeskin. Original.

 

why this car get two plates?

 

Original only in its second guise!

Here's a bit of the story pre Tom S.

http://www.fca-sw.org/article.aspx?article_id=203

 

Yes, former. Sold at Monterey this year for $950,000 final price of $1,045,000.

Raced by Ferrari 1948
Giampiero Bianchetti and raced through 1952.
Rebodied by Scaglietti in 1956
Nico Gianella (Switz) 1957-1962 (Imported to US by Gianella)
Michael Peake 1962-1969
Norman Blank 1969-2003
Tom S. 2003-2007

 

Likely the new owner doesn't have the current registration for those CA plates (looks like a 2006 sticker on it) hence the dealer plates on it.

 

From Ed's article:

So if you follow the logic, and the math, you will see that Norm's car was around the 14th, or the 15th, or the 16th, or the 17th Ferrari built.

This is not correct, it was the 8th car built.

 

The snakeskin is ORIGINAL?! Ugh!

I love the car except for that.

 

Again, they're not original. They came with the rebody in 1956.

 

I love that snakeskin. Fantastic. Loved it the first time I saw it.

I like tinigs that are highly individualistic and slylish. Taste being a personal thing.



I won't wear snakeskin or alligator boots. I would wear boots. I would love to have a barchetta with python though. Way cool IMO.

The obvious age on that skin is very neat.


Is python on the list of no nos? No. Then I will consider Python in a special.

 

It ain't a Chevy, it ain't Burger King, you can't order it how you like it.
If I had the cash, I'd buy it for what it is, an awesome car, and an even more awesome piece of history.

 

+1

 

Having had the good fortune to have ridden in this car, I can report that it's the essence of raw, elemental driving. There's nothing on this car that isn't needed to go fast - its only purpose in life. The wind, the noise, the nearness of the asphalt right below that thin piece of sheet aluminum the seat is bolted to. It's uncomfortable, crude, thrilling, brash and a helluva lot of fun. I appreciate Tom S. affording me a ride.

 

Interior has got to go.

 

David Seilstad is the author




In 1947 Enzo Ferrari achieved his dream of building a racing car with his own name on it. In the 1930s Scuderia Ferrari (SF) assembled and raced Alfa Romeos for the factory. After quitting Alfa, Ferrari returned to Modena and on September 1, 1939 reorganized SF as Auto-avio Costruzioni di Ferrari Enzo (AAC).

Soon he was commissioned to build two cars for the 1940 Mille Miglia. These used Fiat 508C parts with an eight cylinder Ferrari designed engine. Under his severance agreement with Alfa he could not call these cars Ferrari, so they were named AAC 815. Series production was planned before World War II intervened.

As soon as the war ended Ferrari turned to an old friend to design a V 12 sports car. Gioachino Colombo was available, having been laid off by Alfa Romeo. According to Colombo he met Ferrari in July 1945 and began sketches on August 15. Working at home he completed the design by November when he was reinstated by Alfa Romeo, leaving Ferrari without a trained engineer.

Progress on the Ferrari automobiles was slow. In May 1946 AAC was renamed Auto Costruzioni Ferrari. Colombo recommended a young designer, who had just been laid off by Alfa Romeo, named Giuseppe Busso. Busso joined Ferrari in June 1946 as its first Technical Director.

When Busso came to Ferrari he found a small staff including Luigi Bazzi and Alberto Massimino. As early as June 10, 1946 Busso notes in his diary that individual components were arriving from the foundry. 004C has a block stamped with the date 17.6.46 in two places and one head has the date 25.6.46. These very parts could well be those referred to by Busso.

On September 29, 1946 the first engine ran on the test bed. In October, Aurelio Lampredi was employed to work with Busso on the engine. Ferrari held a press conference in November 1946 at which he announced the planned production of three types of automobile. The plan was for a sports, a touring and a GP race car.

The first complete bare chassis ran under its own power on March 12, 1947. A second car was completed before May, but this one was given a ugly cycle fender body. Around the factory this car was known as “l’autobotte” (barrel or tubby car).

After the first few races the bore and stroke were increased from 55 mm X 52.5 mm to 59 mm X 58 mm creating the type 159. At the end of the year Ferrari did some more tinkering and increased the bore to 58.8 mm thus launching the tipo 166. The capacity of one cylinder being 166 cc gave a total displacement just under two liters

Late in 1947 four of the Spyder Corsa and a sports roadster were sold. The first Ferrari customers were all “gentleman racers”. It is not known who placed the first order, but the first car delivered went to Gabriele Besana (002C). Besana and his brother, Soave (004C), received the first two Spyder Corsa models with the new 166 engine. Gabriele took delivery of Sommer’s 1947 Turin GP winning car in January and immediately shipped it to Argentina for the Temporada races.

Back at the factory work proceeded on constructing more of the spyder corsas for customers. In what was to become a hallmark of Ferrari development, that is continual revision of existing designs, two were built on a shortened chassis. Not only did Ferrari shorten the spyder corsa chassis to about 2200 mm (88 inches) from 2420 mm (95.25 inches) but at the rear the main frame tubes now passed under the axle instead of kicking up over it.

The wheelbase of 014I today is 2254.25 mm ( 88.75 inches). There is no sign that the main chassis rails have been cut. This must be the correct dimension of the shortened spyder corsa wheelbase

There are visual clues which identify the shorter chassis. The rear tire is very close to the driver’s right elbow, a shorter rear end, the fuel filler in the middle of the rear cover and the spring shackle to the bottom of the spring mount under the rear axle level all point to the new chassis.

Both the dimensions and construction of the short chassis Spyder corsa appeared in the next new model, the famous 166 MM Touring Barchetta that appeared at the Turin show in the fall of 1948 and swept the greatest races in 1949, putting Ferrari firmly on the motor racing map. The barchetta won the Mille Miglia, Le Mans and Spa 24 hours in 1949.

Returning to 1948, the two shortened cars were turned over to the star drivers on the young team. Tazio Nuvolari an aging and sick 1930s superstar and Raymond Sommer the “French Lion.” The serial numbers of the two cars are believed to be 008I and 014I. The exact fate of 008I is unknown, but 014I survives and is here today.

It has not been possible to identify which SWB was which in 1948. It has been speculated that the team drivers used 008I and lessor drivers used 014I, but this is not always the case. During 1948 014I was sold to Bianchetti so thereafter one can assume he is racing his own car. To confuse matters Bianchetti also owned 003S, the Mille Miglia winning 166S at the same time.

To add further confusion to the mix, the Ferrari factory operated much like Scuderia Ferrari had in the 1930s. That is, not only was Ferrari building and selling cars, but he also maintained them for private owners. In addition the factory undertook to make entries and look after customer cars during events. Thus there was a very fluid situation as to who was the actual owner of a car at a given event and who was the entrant.

Since the cars cannot be separated definitively the following shows every short chassis appearance for 1948:

By the end of May 1948 both short chassis spyder corsas had been completed. The first race for the new model was at Bari on 30 May. At this race #8 was driven by Nino Farina and #6 was entrusted to Nuvolari. The Farina car is believed to be 008I. Nuvolari became too sick to continue and handed over to Cortese. He came in 4th while Farina retired.
Two weeks later at the F2 Mantua GP both cars appeared again. This time Nuvolari, the home town favorite, was giver #2, probably 008I, while Cortese is supposed to have driven #12 (014I?). A photo shows Cortese in #2. He is listed as DNF or 2nd in different sources!

On 27 June Sommer drove #46, a short chassis car, in the San Remo GP. He was 4th. This may be 014I.

At the Petites Cylindrees race at Reims (F2) on 18 July Sommer won again driving on #26.

Bianchetti is credited with racing a spyder corsa in the Aosta-Gran St. Bernard hill climb on August 1st. His #48 came in 5th overall and 2nd in class. Precisely what car he used is not known.

At Pescara 15 August six of the existing nine Ferrari showed up. Bianchetti, #21, was 9th and Sommer, #2, was DNF If Bianchetti was now the owner of 014I that would mean Sommer raced 008I. Bianchetti’s car is entered by Ferrari so ownership is not clear.

At the Naples GP on 19 September Sommer #36?, was a DNF with a short chassis car. Again this is probably 008I. Bianchetti was 7th in this race driving what could well be 014I.

A week later on the 26th six Ferrari showed up for the Florence F2 race. This time Sommer was in a new 125 F1 chassis with a 166 engine, he won while Biondetti in #18 was 2nd with 0081(?) and Righetti retired #14, which may be a short chassis car and therefore could be 014I.

At Garda on 23 October Sterzi raced a short car with #34 to 2nd while Biondetti and Righetti shared #14 another short chassis for 6th. Bianchetti was also in the race with #38. He retired. The question is which car was he driving? The Sterzi car may be 014I which would make the Biondetti/Righetti car 008I.

There was a late season hill climb near Rome at Vermicino-Rocca de Papa for the Gallenga cup. Vallone, #78, was 2nd in what is believed to be 008I.

In 1949 Bianchetti was the owner of both 003S and 014I. He raced 003s in the MM and in the Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza. More importantly he drove the spyder corsa in four events, but with little success.

In the combined Giro di Sicili/Targa Florio he on 20 March he retired. The same happened at the 26 June GP Autodromo Monza F2 on #46 where Fangio scored his first win with a Ferrari. At the Garda GP (Salo, Como) Bianchetti retired in his heat race and was not able to start in the final with race number 22. On 1 Sept at Aosta-Gran San Bernado hill climb he had his only success of the season when he came 2nd in the F2 class.

1950 was a year of little activity. There is a record of only one race. On 28 May in the 3rd GP Autodromo Monza, Bianchetti was 3rd in his heat and 5th in the final.

1951 was a year of more activity. Bianchetti raced his spyder corsa six times. By this time it was equipped with a nose similar to the 125 GP cars, which may explain why some reports note he was actually racing a “Ferrari 125.”

On 12 may he was back at Monza for the 4th GP Autodromo with what reports say is a “125”. His #12 166F2 (as it is also described) was 6th in heat 1 and 7th on aggregate.

A week later at Genoa he took part in the 500th year celebration of Christopher Columbus, again his car is listed as a “125” F2 166. Bianchetti on #36 finished 6th.

At the Circuit du Lac on 3 June with #32 he retired during heat 2. Special note in all the books and in photos this event is identified as “Aix les Bains.” There was no race at Aix les Bains in 1950 or 51, but there was a race at Circuit du Lac on the same date and Bianchetti took part. Bianchetti never raced at Aix les Bains.

A week later he was in Rome for the GP di Roma where he scored a 2nd in his heat. Continuing south he raced at Naples on 24 June as #32 but retired.

After a hiatus he raced at Modena on 23 September with #20 to score a 6th overall.

By 1952 the four year old spyder corsa was showing its age. Bianchetti made one more foray to Monza for the 5th GP Autodromo Monza. His outclassed car retired on lap one.

There is no other record of 014I racing. What happened in the next few years is not known. Most likely is that 014I remained dormant in the back of a garage somewhere in Italy. It was just a worn out old race car by then.

In 1956 it was rebodied by Scaglietti with a full width roadster body reminiscent of the current 500 TR style with egg crate grilles in the square side vents. It also had a headrest fitted and the gas tank was cut down to fit under the low bodywork with the spare tire lying on top of it.

An Italian car dealer named Michele Vernola of Milan or Bari sold 014I in 1956. By 1957 it was in Lausanne, Switzerland owned by Nico Gianella who worked as a mechanic in Lausanne. Gianella was a character who is reputed to have rowed a boat across the Atlantic. What is known for sure is that he came to the United States in the late 1950s looking for a business opportunity. In Santa Barbara he found a gas station/auto repair shop.

To finance his new venture Gianella shipped two Talbot drop had coupes and 014I to California. The Talbots were quickly sold. Gianella settled into Santa Barbara and brought his family over to America. In 1962 he sold 014I to Michael Peake in Santa Barbara. Peake used the rebodied spyder corsa as a road car until 1969 when he sold it to Norman Blank in Pasadena. Blank kept 014I until his death in 200?

By 1952 the chassis had been extensively modified with newer shock absorbers, traction bars, lightening holes and extra bracing. The block had been replaced with one of a later type 166 that has the timing hole at 12 o’clock, but the flywheel retains the timing marks that are read at 2 o’clock. The Weber carburetors are 32 DCF, but now have modern velocity stacks.

A later, “nine bolt,” gearbox is fitted, but the shift knob is an original 1948 spyder corsa type. The differential appears to date to 1948. The master cylinder and pedal box appear original. The reservoir is a later type. The cooling holes in the drums are modified, but the parking brake also appears original.

The suspension A arms, steering links and leaf springs are all correct for a spyder corsa except for the addition of 250 type rubber stops. The steering box is dated 5.8.52 and is a replacement. Larger 4.5 inch wheels have replaced the 4 inch spyder corsa type.

The instruments, steering wheel and aluminum horn button with concentric rings are all spyder corsa type. The round top radiator and firewall with cutouts for the magneto bases also date to 1948.

Of course the Scaglietti body is a 1956 replacement for the remnants of the much modified spyder corsa body last seen in 1952.



.....

 

two unworthy neanderthals (both f-chatters) making a break for it in 014i. Photograph by Thomas Shaughnessy in hot pursuit in 375MM.

Photo copyright by Thomas Shaughnessy. Violation of the copyright will result in parts disappearing from your vintage Ferrari in the middle of the night.
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Okay, point taken.

 

Cool pic!

 

Vernola was the guy working with the people at Road and Track to bring used Italian sports cars to the US. Most of the ads in the early R&Ts are actually cars brought over through Vernola. He was from Milan. Gianella was a friend of Tino Martinoli, who owned Marcor in Hollywood, and Tino came to the US as a mechanic on the Indy car team. I never met Gianella or Vernola, but knew Tino fairly well. He had a repair shop in Rome, and was the person who repaired a main bearing in the Ferrari 125 the night before Ferrari won it's first race ever! Tino then was "in" with Ferrari, although he stayed in Rome until 1952. He came to the US with the Indy car team as a mechanic, worked for a dealer in Hollywood, and later, opened Marcor in Hollywood circa 1965 just off Santa Monica (1/2 block south) and La Brea (a few blocks east). I believe he did the tuning on Hollywood Sports cars racing Daytona. Tino passed away about 10-12 years ago, and was in his 80s...

 

Who's 375MM? I didn't know Tom had a 375MM....

 

Stu,

Tom seems to like the early, big engined stuff. I seem to recall him having several very interesting toys in his personal hoard.

Regards,

Art S.

 

So do I, but unlike Tom, I can't afford them

 

0362/0374 AM