8 replies to this topic

[Michael Müller]

The photo below I found by accident on this website.
http://www.passionea.../articolo4.html
My Italian is not the best, but as far as understand it was part of a retro car exhibition at Podova last year, and is described as Ferrari 166 Corsa from 1947.
Well, the correct description should year "Spyder Corsa", number built is 8 and not 7, and except one the year was 1948. As some of you may know I researched the history of the SC's in detail, but this car is a surprise to me.



The bodywork looks like that of # 008I when sold to Roberto Vallone for the 1949 season (see below), no other SC had these partly integrated fenders, but # 008I disappeared in 1952.



So what is shown here? The car obviously is not ready yet, with an aluminium body looking like not being older than just a few weeks. Another replica built around a period M8x20 bolt? Anybody having available more details?

[dbw]

looks new to me...didn't early ferraris have 32mm hubs? these look like 42's....i suspect that there's a 45mm length of original tubing and a water temp guage in there somewhere...

[cabianca]

When building replicas up from an authentic tach needle, it's always better to choose a car that has been missing for a number of years, preferably decades. Chances of someone coming up with the real car to trump your replica are almost nil.

[Michael Müller]

Not that I'm announcing this to be a fake, but I'm pretty sure. Since 15 years now even the most unexperienced sheep farmer in the abruzzes and every foolish scrap yard owner in Bogota know that old cars are valuable, even as scrap, and that Ferrari scrap (logo is shown on numerous parts) is worth gold. So the typical barn found ...? Forget about it!
I fully agree, for creating a fake (not a replica, believe differences have been discussed in some other threads long and wide already) you need a missing chassis number, and in fact # 008I is lost. Interestingly they created the 1949 body version, and not the much more attractive original cycle wing version, so if "found" somewhere, the car of course should have the newer coachwork.
But again, may be it's no fake, but a replica, meaning the true "history" is offially disclosed.

However, would nevertheless like to know more details. Alessandro ...?

[Hitch]

Michael,
some years ago I read Gianni Rogliattis book about the Ferrari 166 (published in Germany 1987, Motor Sport Verlag) and he was very unsure about the chassis number of the short wheel based 166 SC pictured below. It might be 008I as well as 018I. Rogliatti wrote that the existence of the car 018l is doubtful as well.

Of course the Vallone/Singinolfi car was unique and I never seen another Type 166 with a similar body - so it's hard to imagine that there was another such car. It was a former works car, driven by Cortese and Sommer in 1948, but (so far) I haven't seen a picture before it's body was modified. Maybe I have to search a little more, but I gave away that book some time ago:-(

Sorry, no big help for you - maybe someone else knows more...

[Michael Müller]

Hello Hitch, for sure there was no telaio # 018I. # 016I (Chinetti car) was the last. However, major components for 2 or 3 further cars had been manufactured already and numbered accordingly, therefore rear axle # 018I and engine # 022I are known (in other cars).
There are some photos of # 008I from 1948, check out here
http://www.axos.nl/r...rrari/index.htm
There are some other pics which show most probably also # 008I, but final confirmation is still missing.

[Milan Fistonic]

Originally posted by Michael Müller
Hello Hitch, for sure there was no telaio # 018I. # 016I (Chinetti car) was the last. However, major components for 2 or 3 further cars had been manufactured already and numbered accordingly, therefore rear axle # 018I and engine # 022I are known (in other cars).
There are some photos of # 008I from 1948, check out here
http://www.axos.nl/r...rrari/index.htm
There are some other pics which show most probably also # 008I, but final confirmation is still missing.

Michael

I've just been looking at your Retrorace site and alongside a photo of Franco Cortese there is a "where".

The same photo appears in the Ferrari Tipo 166 book and the caption states that it is at the Circuito di Vigevano (Pavia) on July 15, 1947. There is also a photo of the car in what appears to be the middle of the front row of the grid. There are also another two photos of the car in the race.

The photo of Cortese sitting on the wheel of the 166SC is also in the book. It was taken at Mantua on June 12-13, 1948. All the phots were taken by Corrado Millanata, described as Cortese's very good friend. The caption to the one of him on the wheel of car 16 states that he drove car number 12, with a shortened wheelbase.

[Michael Müller]

Hello Milan, Vigevano was also my idea, but the r/n 40 does not fit. Acc. to my files Cortese had # 46 there. and also the other photo from Vigevano shows # 46. Additionally the # 40 on the left is much lower than the # 46 on the right, possible of course, but unlikely. Which race numbers can you identify on the Vigevano pics? Would be highly thankful for any good quality scans to substitute the rather bad ones I have.
About the "wheel sitter" Mantova was also my idea, but Cortese in fact had r/n 12 there. So he's sitting an Bianchetti's car ...

[Milan Fistonic]

Michael

The number 46 can be seen on the left side of the car in the better quality print in the book. The 6 is slightly higher than than the 4 so the top part of the six wraps over the top of the body.
And, yes, the number is higher on the right side.

The "wheel sitter" photo does not state whose car he is sitting on (number 16) only that he drove number 12. It also states the other Ferrari drivers that day were Giampiero Bianchetti, the brothers Gabriele and Soave Besana, Tazio Nuvolari and Burno Sterzi.