1950 Ferrari 166MM Barchetta
Chassis #0054M is the 22 of 26 original 166MM Barchetta bodied by Touring.
In the first decade of Ferrari S.p.A., the world was introduced to a new and exciting constructor of road racing machines. The 166 MM (Mille Miglia) would be produced 1948 to 1953 with 47 examples made. Revealed at the Turin Salon of 1948, it would place 1-2 in its name-sake race and win the Targo Florio, too. In 1949, the 166 would win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Luigi Chinetti (American Importer) co-driving with car owner Peter Mitchell-Thomson; a.k.a. Lord Selsdon. The unfamiliar Ferrari machine defeated the previously entered Delahayes, Bentleys, Talbot and Aston Martins. This was an auspicious start for the new company and the older manufacturers were forced to take notice of the new-comer.
The 166 was an up-engined variation of the earlier 125 race car growing from 1.5 liter to 2.0 liter displacement from the same Gioacchino Colombo designed 60 degree V-12 aluminum alloy engine. A single overhead cam shaft per bank activates 2 valves per cylinder, generating 140 bhp at 6,600 rpm. A trio of Weber carburetors feeds fuel from a 90 liter tank. A 5-speed gear box puts the power to the wheels. Hydraulic drum brakes provide for stopping the 1,430 lbs. machine.
The stunning aluminum body was designed by Carlo Anderloni and Federico Formenti at Carrozzeria Touring to achieve aerodynamic efficiency and a top speed of 105 mph. The body covers a steel ladder-type chassis with wishbones and a transverse leaf spring up front and a live axle and semi-elliptic longitudinal leaf springs in back. Steering is by worm and sector.
This extremely rare machine was originally owned and raced by Scuderia Ferrari, one of six 166’s owned by the Scuderia.
Luigi Chinetti Sr. Winning the 12 hours of Paris
the 12 hours of Paris
1952 24 hours of Lemans
1950 US Grand Grix - Watkins Glen: Driver Bill Spear
1952 24 Hours of lemans: Spears and Cunningham
1952 24 Hours of Lemans: Pit stop
1951 Buenos Aires: Bill Spear
The Race history of this vehicle is un-rivaled.
June 24/25, 1950 Raced at the 18th Annual Le Mans 24 hours by Lord Selsdon and Jean Lucas, race #28, DNF due to an accident by Lucas at Tertre Rouge
July 23, 1950 Raced at the Paris 12 hours, Montlhery, by Luigi Chinetti and Jean Lucas, race # 6, placed 1st OA
August 20, 1950 Raced at the N0rburgring in the GP support race by Giovanni Bracco
August 26, 1950 Raced at the Silverstone Daily Express Trophy production car race by Dorino Serafini, race #37, placed 2nd (behind Alberto Ascari)
September 5, 1950 Returned to the factory, tested and modified for the sale to Chinetti
September 6, 1950 Sold to Chinetti & Plisson, Paris/France
September 7, 1950 Shipped on vessel SS Saturnia to New York to Luigi Chinetti Motors, New York City/NY/USA, who re-sold it through Alfredo Mamo to William C. Spear, resident in Manchester/NH and Southport/CT/USA Registered on Connecticut license plates "BC 621"
September 21, 1950 Raced at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix by Spear, race #111, placed 6th OA
December 31, 1950 Raced at the Sam Collier Memorial 6 hour Grand Prix of Endurance at Sebring, Hendrick Field airport, by Spear and George Roberts Jr., race #10, placed 4th OA
March 12, 1951 Raced at the General Peron Grand Prix, Circuito Costanera, Buenos Aires, by Spear, race #4, placed 8th
August 26, 1951 Raced by Steve Lansing of New York City at Elkhart Lake/WI, race #119, placed 7th OA
September 15, 1951 Raced at Watkins Glen by Logan G. Hill, race #34, placed 8th QA and 2nd in class
October 20, 1951 Raced at the Convair Trophy races, Allentown/PA, by John Fitch, race #65, placed 1st OA in the Miller handicap race over 1500 cc
December 9, 1951 Raced at Palm Beach Shores/FL, Riviera Trophy, by Spear, race #11, placed 5th OA and 2nd in class 4
March 8, 1952 Raced at Vero Beach 12 hour race in Florida by Spear and co-driver Phil Walters, race #31, placed 3rd OA, 2nd on formula, 1st class IV
March 1952 Sold to R. O'Brien, USA
March 15, 1952 Raced at the st Annual Sebring 12 hour race at Hendricks Field by R. O'Brien and Richard Cicurel, race #57, placed 4th OA
April 1952 Sold by O'Brien to Edmund P. Lunken, Cincinnati/OH/USA, who picked the car up in New York City and drove it home to Ohio. It had two windshields and canvas top, three carburetors, was red with blue interior but Lunken had it repainted black.
May 24, 1952 Raced at the 4th Annual Bridgehampton road races, Long Island, by Lunken
July 26, 1952 Raced at the Giants Despair hillclimb, Wilkes Barre/PA, by Ebby Lunken, race 6, placed 2nd in class
September 7, 1952 Raced at the 3rd Elkhart Lake Cup, Elkhart Lake/WI by Lunken, placed 1st in class 4E
February 21, 1953 Raced at McDill air force base, Tampa/FL, by Lunken and Charles Hassan, placed 1st in class E
March 8, 1953 Raced at the 2nd Annual Sebring 12 hour race by Lunken and Charles Hassan, race #49, placed 6th OA
June 21, 1953 Raced in the 200 mile race at the Offutt air force base by Lunken
July 5, 1953 Raced in the 100 mile race at the Chanute air force base by Lunken
September 27, 1953 Raced at Stout Field air force base, Indianapolis/IN by Lunken, race #4, placed 2nd OA
1953 Pictured in the Ferrari Yearbook with Lunken
May 2, 1954 Raced at the President's Cup at Andrews AFB by Bill Heldt of OH/USA, race #110
1956 Sold to Herbert Swan, USA Sold to Herbert Swan, USA
September 7, 1958 Raced at the USAC race in Lime Rock/CT by Swan, placed 8th
1959 Raced by Swan in USAC races using an Offenhauser engine
1960 Sold to Ferranti, Cleveland/OH/USA Still driven with an Offenhauser engine
1967 Sold to Henry G. "Hank" Haga, Detroit/Ml/USA, together with the original and a spare engine with the same number #0054 M
1983 Hank Haga, who was working for GM Design, was assigned to California and moved from Detroit to California Totally restored by Scott Restorations, Panorama City/CA/USA
March 12, 2005 For sale at the RM Auction at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, estimated price US$ 1 '900'000 to US$ 2'200'000