The very beginning
Well, in 1947 there was first the 125, 1.5-litre V12 from Colombo, chassis numbers 01C (which then became 010I) and 02C (which then became 020I). Then, also in 1947, there was the 159, 1.9-litre V12 from Colombo, also two units, 03C (nothing is known about this) and 04C (nothing is known about this either). But it was still in 1947 that things got serious, when the first Ferrari with the designation 166 came onto the market, with a displacement of 2 litres – and we now want to take a closer look at these. Because things get really complicated for the first time.
It is divided into four models.
Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa (1947/48, 10 examples – 002C, 004C, 006I, 008I, 010I, 012I, 014I, 016I, 018I and 020I)
Chassis number: 012I (May 1948)
Sterzi/Monari’s first race was the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti in July 1948, followed by further races and a first victory (Circuito del Garda, Giovanni Bracco), who then also bought the car in 1949 and became Italian champion with the car known as “chiodo” (nail). After the end of the season, 012I was refitted by Fontana, and in 1950 there was a 195 engine (and a 9th place in the Mille Miglia with Marzotto/Fontana). The conversions continued, in 1951 there was a roof and a 2.5-litre engine, in the mid-1950s the chassis was shortened, and from the 1970s the car passed through many hands. Auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in 2012 for just over 1 million dollars.
Chassis number: 014I (May 1948)
It drove its first race with Righetti at the end of May 1948 and was sold shortly afterwards to Giampiero Bianchetti, who drove it in many races (and never won). In the early 1950s, a larger engine and the first modifications to the bodywork were carried out, and in 1955/56 the car was then re-fitted by Scaglietti in the style of a 500 TR. Was auctioned by Artcurial in 2017 for 2,960,400 euros.
Chassis number: 016I
Was sold to Luigi Chinetti, who was still living in Paris at the time. And who won the 12 Hours of Monthléry with it in 1948. Briggs Cunnigham bought the car at the end of 1948 and raced it until 1953. The Ferrari was never sold; today it is kept at The Revs Institute for Automotive Research.
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Ferrari 166 Sport (1947/48, 3 Ex – 001S, 003S and 005S)
Chassis number: 001S
Count Bruno Sterzi from Milan drove this Allemano Spyder in the 1948 Mille Miglia, but did not finish. In 1950, Baron Stefano La Motta bought this vehicle – and died in this Ferrari in a racing accident in April 1951. The vehicle has been considered completely destroyed since 1951. (It is possible that this vehicle with the same chassis number already began its life in November 1947, at that time at best as a Spyder Corsa and with Baron La Motta as the first owner).
Chassis number: 003S
Clemente Biondetti/Giuseppe Navona won the Mille Miglia in 1948 with this Allemano-Berlinetta 003S. In the 1950s, the vehicle was refitted after an accident at Colli, only to finally die a little later after another accident; the engine is said to still exist.
Chassis number: 005S
This vehicle must also be categorised as a 166 Sport, even though it has a less sporty Touring body. The car was exhibited at the Motor Show in Turin in September 1948, then came to Count Antonio Sterzi, was sold on in 1951 – and has probably only changed hands twice since then. The #005S is said to still exist in its original form and with the original engine (013S). (The Touring Barchetta on the right is 0006M, by the way, see below).
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Ferrari 166 Inter (1948 – 1950, probably 38 Ex.)
Bertone Cabriolet: 0057S
Chassis number: 0057S
Stand in blue at the Motor Show in Turin in April 1951. Came to Germany in 1957, the first known owner was one Wolfgang Kaspar. He offered the Ferrari, now “red-brown” and with a “defective engine”, for sale in March 1965 in “auto,motor und sport” for DM 3300. The car ended up with Erich Doerflinger, who wanted to get rid of it again in October 1965, probably with a repaired engine, as he was asking DM 4900. The next owner was a Kurt Gaensdorfer – his inheritance is probably still being disputed today.
Ghia Coupé: 0049S
Chassis number: 0049S
A good story, because before this Ferrari was delivered, Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari drove it into a wall on the factory premises. It is not known whether 0049S was already wearing the Ghia livery at the time, with which it was then delivered in 1950 via the Roman dealer Bernabei to a customer in Naples. From there, the vehicle travelled to the USA – and was immediately dismantled into its individual parts and the engine sold. In the 1970s, the rest of the vehicle was burnt, and around the year 2000 it was given a copy of a Touring Barchetta body (and its original engine back). In 2010, 0049S was sold at auction for 753,500 dollars.
Stabilimenti Farina Berlinetta: 009S, 021S, 031S, 037S)
Chassis number: 009S
Like the 007S, it was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in 1948, dressed by Stabilimenti Farina as a Berlinetta, then sold to Franco Cornacchia in Milan, who was to become one of Ferrari’s best (early) customers. He drove a few races with it (including the Mille Miglia in 1950) and sold the Ferrari to the USA. There it passed through many hands, the last time anyone heard/read about this vehicle was in the mid-1990s.
Chassis number: 021S
The first owner was a Signore Bojiolo from Milan, who received the vehicle on 27 July 1949 with a body from Stabilimenti Farina, but sold it again in the same year. At some point, this Ferrari travelled via the USA and England to western Switzerland. And then back to England, where it was sold via Talacrest.
Chassis number: 037S
037 S was delivered to a Mr Tamorri in Rome in June 1949. However, he was soon no longer satisfied with the performance of his Ferrari and therefore had the 2.6-litre V12 installed, which had been introduced in the new 212 Inter model in 1951. With three Weber carburettors, this engine still managed 160 hp. This meant that even the lightweight 166 Inter was quite capable. Sold 2010 by RM Sotheby’s for 462’000 Dollar.
Stabilimenti Farina Cabriolet: 011S, 033S, 0063S
Chassis number: 011S
First shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1949, the first owner was Roberto Rossellini. The vehicle came to the USA in the 1970s and is said to have been with the same owner for 40 years.
Chassis number: 033S
Construction of chassis number 033 S began in June 1949, and on 5 November 1949 the vehicle was sold to Dottore Enrico Wax, the importer of Johnny Walker whisky in Italy at the time and already a good customer of Enzo Ferrari. Wax paid Ferrari 3 million lire, plus the bodywork, which was completed in March 1950, finished in a fine “Avorio Antico” and an interior in “Bleu Ceruleo”. In July 1951, Wax sold this Ferrari on to Patrizio Agostini, who in turn sold it to Sante Paura in 1954. In the late 1960s, the shoemaker Rino Botteon bought 033 S – and kept it until 2004, virtually unused. In 2012, the Swiss Heinrich Kämpfer took over the Ferrari and had it perfectly restored – Kämpfer was known for his fine touch.
Chassis nummer: 0063S
It was exhibited in Paris in October 1950 and in Geneva in March 1951, then came to Charles Edmund Tocchio via Emmanuel de Graffenried. As early as 1964, the legendary Rob de la Rive Box pulled this Ferrari out of a demolition site and sold it to England, where it was converted into a 166 Spyder Corsa and fitted with an engine from a 250 GT. Later in life, 0063S was also given a Touring Barchetta body, but was returned to its original form by Ferrari Classiche in 2014.
Stabilimenti Farina Coupé: 041S
Touring Berlinetta: 017S, 039S, 043S, 047S, 053S, 077S, 079S.
Chassis number: 017S
The vehicle was sold to the Cerana brothers in northern Italy via Franco Cornacchia. And came to Switzerland in 1958 – where it was allowed to remain until 2000. It was auctioned in 2009 for 258,500 euros, then in 2014 for 704,870 euros and is probably in England.
Chassis number: 039S
This vehicle began its life as a Berlinetta from Touring; the first owner was Angelo Biemmi from Trieste. In 1953, the vehicle had an accident and was refitted by Vignale. At the beginning of the 1960s, the then still dark blue Ferrari came to the USA – and was pulled out of a barn in 1990.
Chassis number: 043S
Exhibited at the Turin Salon in 1950, sold to a Doctor Moretti in Milan via Franco Cornacchia, came to the USA and back to Europe in the 1980s, was completely restored and repainted from the original red to dark blue, sold at auction in 2011 for just over 400,000. It is said to be back in the USA today.
Touring Coupé: 005S (see above), 007S, 013S, 015S, 019S, 023S, 025S, 027S, 029S, 035S, 051S, 055S, 073S, 075S.
Chassis number: 007S
Exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1948, fitted by Touring. Later received a new aluminium body from Stabilimenti Farina, has been in New Zealand for many years.
Chassis number: 015S
Was the exhibition vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show in 1949. Was then sold to Paolo Castelnouvo, passed through various Italian hands, came to South Africa in 1967 and to the USA in the 1980s. Was not sold at various auctions and is said to have been in Belgium for several years.
Chassis number: 027S
The vehicle for the Motor Show in Turin in 1950, sold to a young Roman, was in Italy until 2014, then probably sold to Belgium.
Chassis number: 029S
This is an Aerlux coupé from Touring, delivered to the Roman Francisco Severi in May 1949. The vehicle came to the USA as early as 1950, then back to Europe in the early 1990s and then to Japan in 2018, to the then CEO of Mitsubishi.
Vignale Berlinetta: 045S
Vignale Coupé: 0051S, 0059S, 0061S, 065S, 0067S, 069S, 0071S.
Chassis number: 0051S
Dieses Fahrzeug begann sein Leben als Coupé von Vignale, Giovanni Vaccari aus Mailand bezahlte im Dezember 2’150’000 Lire dafür. Doch schon 1951 wurde der Ferrari zum Cabriolet umgebaut, erhielt auch einen 195er-Motor, kam in die Schweiz, in den 60er Jahren in die USA, 2007 wieder in die Schweiz, ging dann durch die Hände der üblichen Verdächtigen.
Chassis number: 0069S
There is a story: here (but sorry, just in German).
Chassis number: 0071S
It was converted into a 195 shortly after delivery, probably went to Argentina in 1952, then to the USA in the 1980s, and at the end of the 1990s into the hands of Stephen Dudley, who used this Ferrari extensively in historic races. The Vignale Coupé has probably been back in Argentina since 2008.
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Ferrari 166 MM (1948 – 1953, probably 47 Ex. two series)
Serie 1:
Others: 0012M
Touring Barchetta: 0002M, 0004M, 0006M, 0008M, 0010M, 0014M, 0016M, 0020M, 0022M, 0024M, 0024MB (the «egg»), 0028M, 0034M, 0036M, 0038M, 0040M, 0044M, 0046M, 0050M, 0052M, 0054M, 0056M, 0058M, 0064M, 0068M.
Chassis number: 0002M
Exhibited at the Motor Show in Turin in September 1948 – and was the first Ferrari to be exported to the USA.The first owner was “Tommy” Lee (who committed suicide in 1950 after a visit to the dentist), after which the Ferrari was taken over by his financial advisor Willett Brown, who kept 0002M until his (natural) death in 1995. The third and so far last owners are Robert M. Lee (deceased in 2016) and his widow Anne Brockington (who manages one of the most beautiful collections in the world).
Chassis number: 0004M
Scuderia Ferrari sold this “Barchetta Lusso” in 1949 to Luciano Musso from Rome, who won the Monte Pellegrino hill climb in April 1950, but then retired from the Mille Miglia. Scuderia Guastalla in Milan then took over, but the Ferrari with Salvatore Russo Velis/Salvatore Scuderi did not finish the Mille Miglia in 1950 either.In 1951/52 there was an update to the 195 engine, but 0004M also failed to finish the Mille Miglia in 1952. Shortly afterwards, the Ferrari was sold to the USA, where it achieved various class victories with Bob Drake at the wheel. After the end of its racing career (1957…), the Ferrari passed through many (prominent) hands; today it probably belongs to Oscar Davis.
Chassis number: 0006M
Giovanni Vaccari paid 2,950,000 lire for this Barchetta in March 1949, drove it in the Mille Miglia shortly afterwards (34th overall, 6th in class) and won the beauty contest in Villa d’Este. The next owner, Eraldo Stoppini, also tried his hand at the Mille Miglia in 1951, but did not finish. The Ferrari travelled to France via other Italian owners, was sold for 1500 dollars in 1957, went to the USA and came into the possession of legendary Ferrari collector Albert Obrist in 1979, who sold it again shortly afterwards for 165,000 francs. 0006M has probably been in the possession of American Brian Ross since 2006.
Chassis number: 0008M
Certainly one of the most famous Ferraris ever. In April 1949, Clemente Biondetti/Ettore Salani won the Mille Miglia with this car. And in June 1949, Luigi Chinetti/Lord Selsdon (who had paid 17,000 dollars for the MM winner) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans (although it was actually Chinetti who won, he was at the wheel for 22 hours and 48 minutes). In October 1949, 0008M was also on show at the Paris Motor Show. In 1950, the Barchetta came to Switzerland, to Peter Staechelin in Basel, who then sold it to Rob de la Rive Box in 1965 – for 4,000 francs. In 1967, the Ferrari went to America, eventually received the #0010M engine, came to England, returned to the USA – and has been in the collection of Robert M. Lee and his widow Anne Brockinton Lee since 1997. Apparently, they paid 1.4 million dollars for the vehicle; there is also 0002M in the same collection.
Chassis number: 0010M
Taruffi/Nicolini probably drove the 1949 Mille Miglia in the 0010M Barchetta and retired early (this was probably the case); however, there are also sources that are convinced that Bonetto/Carpani drove the 0010M and this pairing finished in second place (this was probably not the case, it was probably the 0016M). However, Jean Lucas/Pierre Louis Dreyfus certainly did not finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans in this Ferrari, but Chinetti/Lucas won the 24 Hours of Spa in the same year. As early as 1950, the car was sent to James Kimberly in the USA, where it enjoyed a fine winning streak. Since then, this Ferrari has passed through at least a dozen hands, but has apparently been with the same owners since 1996.
Chassis number: 0014M
The first owner was Gouvin from Belgium in 1949, followed by the Dutchman Hans Roosdorp in 1949, and from 1951 the vehicle was owned by Valdemar Sterner in Sweden. There it was made faster with a Formula 2 engine, among other things. Luigi Chinetti bought the vehicle as early as 1957, and it is said to still be in family ownership.
Chassis number: 0038M
What a life of a car! 0038M was delivered to Scuderia Ferrari in April 1950 as a touring Barchetta, probably with a 195 engine right from the start. Dorino Serafini/Ettore Salami came second in the 1950 Mille Miglia, Alberto Ascari won the Luxembourg GP and the Daily Express Trophy in Silverstone with this car, Giovanni Bracco took various victories in hill climbs. In 1951, José Froilan Gonzalez bought the Ferrari, had it converted into a coupé by Vignale and had a 212 engine installed, winning the 1955 Cuban GP with it (pictures below).
The vehicle remained in Argentina until the end of the 1970s, then had various owners before coming into the hands of the Japanese Yoji Oyama in 1987 – who transformed 0038M back into a touring Barchetta. In 2013, the Ferrari was auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s for 3.08 million dollars, with the Vignale body included in the sale price.
Chassis number: 0046M
The first owner of this Ferrari 166 MM with a Touring-Barchetta body was actually Giuseppe “Nuccio” Bertone. He drove it to 14th place overall in the 1950 Mille Miglia (and did not finish in 1951, as it already had a 225 engine), sold the Ferrari in 1952 to Emilio Maria Giletti, who became Italian champion in the same year (there were slightly more classes than cars at the time). In 1953, Luigi Bosisio bought the car, had it refitted by Zagato as a Berlinetta, raced the Mille Miglia without success, sold 0046M to another Italian, who in turn sold it to Luigi Chinetti in 1955. The vehicle travelled around the USA for a while and was sold to Darrell Westfaul in 1966 for just 1,500 dollars, who owned the 166 MM for more than 40 years. 0046M was last auctioned (in Zagato livery) in 2016 for 5.445 million.
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Touring Berlinetta: 0026M, 0042M, 0048M, 0060M, 0066M
Chassis number: 0026M
When Giannino Marzotto drove this Touring Berlinetta for the first time, he was apparently dissatisfied with the performance – and demanded a more powerful engine. Which of course he got, a 195 (i.e. 2.3 litre capacity). 0026M was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1950 – and then won the Mille Miglia with Marzotto/Crosara in April 1950. In June 1950, the Ferrari was exported to the USA and came into the hands of James B. Smith and Ron Forman, who installed a Chevrolet V8 in the vehicle. In 1965, the Mille Miglia winner was left unidentified in a car graveyard in California. John Andrews bought the vehicle, which had been dismantled for parts, for 1,500 dollars and was able to sell it to Tom Meade for one million dollars in 2001 (it was still in pieces at the time). In 2003, Jack Croul bought the Ferrari, which had been cobbled together to some extent in the meantime, for 1.7 million dollars, had it perfectly restored and apparently still owns it today.
Chassis number: 0060M
Raymond Sommer/Dorino Serafini competed in the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans with this Touring Berlinetta, but only completed 82 laps before they had to retire with electrical problems. Franco Cornacchia then took over the car, which was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in October 1950 – and then immediately passed on to Briggs Cunningham. Between 1952 and 1999, this Ferrari had at least 15 owners, was also painted red at times and was last put up for auction in 2018 (estimated price 6.5 to 7.5 million dollars), but could not be sold at the time.
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Vignale Berlinetta: 0062M
Chassis number: 0062M
Delivered in June 1950 to Franco Cornacchia, not much more is known about the early history of this Vignale coupé. Then in the USA in the 1960s, only a few owners, hardly ever moved. In the possession of Mitchell Eitel since 2004.
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Vignale Spyder: 0072E
Chassis number: 0072E
A very quirky piece, labelled 166 Export, delivered as a Vignale Spyder. The first owner was an Alberico Cacciari from Milan, who finished 90th overall with this Ferrari at the 1951 Mille Miglia. As early as mid-1951, the vehicle was given a new Spyder Corsa body by Campana (below), only to be rebuilt again a year later by Vignale, the shape now similar to that of a 340 Mexico Spyder. The vehicle then travelled to Brazil in the 1950s, where it is still said to be located.
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Zagato Berlinetta: 0018M
Chassis number: 0018M
Delivered in the summer of 1949 as the Zagato “Panoramica” Berlinetta (pictures above) to the Italian Antonio Stagnoli, who drove it in the 1950 Mille Miglia (36th place). Stagnoli had 0018M converted into a Spyder (pictured below) by Zagato in 1950, continued to race and sold the car to Yvonne Simon in 1953. The car is said to still be in France in very poor condition.
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Serie 2:
Ferrari: 0264M, 0272M
Chassis number: 0272M
0272M was bought by a Dottore Alberico Cacciari from Castelfranco. He entered the car for the 1953 Mille Miglia, the second round of the 1953 World Sports Car Championship – the co-driver was R.H. Bill Mason, the father of Nick Mason, drummer with Pink Floyd and himself a famous Ferrari collector. They achieved 56th place overall – and third place in the class up to 2 litres cubic capacity. The car also took part in the Mille Miglia again in 1954, this time in the hands of Emmanuel de Graffenried and G. Parravicini. However, it was less about the race and more about the film “The Racers” by Kirk Douglas, which made this Ferrari (referred to as the “Spyder Burano” in the film) famous.
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Pinin Farina Berlinetta: 0346M
Chassis number: 0346M
Delivered to the German Kurt Zeller in July 1953 (with chassis/engine number: 0143E). Came to the USA at some point, was found in a garden in the late 70s, overgrown with trees. Was somewhat restored by Gerry Sutterfield, got the engine from a 250 GT, was then bought by DK Engineering in 2002 and completely restored (incl. original engine). Apparently located in the Netherlands.
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Vignale Berlinetta: 0244M, 0300M, 0308M
Chassis number: 0300M
Delivered to the Belgian Jacques Herzet in 1953 as a coupé from Vignale, it achieved good results at Liège-Rome-Liège and also at the Tour de France (7th place overall). In 1954, the vehicle was converted into a spider by the unknown Belgian coachbuilder Oblin – and was then no longer so successful. In the 1960s, the 0300M came to the USA, was restored several times, returned to Europe in 2014 – and is said to have been in Mexico since 2018.
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Vignale Spyder: 0262M, 0266M, 0278M, 0290M, 0314M, 0328M, 0342M
Chassis number: 0262M
This vehicle was delivered to Franco Cornacchia in March 1953 and sold directly to Scuderia Guastalla (Giulio Musitelli). It is not clear why Musitelli passed the 0262M on directly to Carlo Abarth, but in any case the Ferrari was given a completely new body, known as the “Smontabile Spyder”. Musitelli drove it to 21st place in the Targa Florio, but seemed dissatisfied, as the 0262M was given new Spyder clothing by Scaglietti at the beginning of 1954. And a 3-litre engine from Ferrari. In the 1950s, the car came to the USA and spent a long time with Paul Hill (who gave it a Chevrolet V8). Today, the Ferrari is said to be in the USA – and once again bears the unusual Abarth bodywork.
Chassis number: 0314M
This vehicle also has a wild history, first belonging to Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi, then at some point coming into the hands of the German adventurer Helmut Frevel, who used it as a “daily driver” in South Africa for a few years and then put it away for 22 years. 0314M later passed through several German hands, was stolen during the 2000 Mille Miglia re-edition and found again seven years later. Quite a few original parts were then missing, but Ferrari Classiche always finds solutions to such problems for an appropriate fee – and so today #0314M shines as good as new again.
Chassis number: 0328M
A very interesting vehicle, because its first owner was Porfirio Rubirosa, one of the most famous playboys of the 50s and 60s, whose playmates included Zsa Zsa Gabor, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and Dolores del Rio. Rubirosa, a diplomat by profession for his home country, the Dominican Republic, had already owned a 166 MM from 1950, chassis number #0050M – and when he ordered the 166 MM/53 in 1953, he asked Ferrari to give his new car the same chassis number. This saved him a lot of tax (and something Ferrari was always happy to do for good customers). Rubirosa entered his new Ferrari for the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans as co-driver Pierre Leygonie, but he did not travel to the Sarthe after all. This was because he had just divorced the rich Doris Duke so that he could marry the even richer Barbara Hutton. He only drove a single race with #0328M/#0050M, the 12 Hours of Reims, then the 166 MM/53 went back to the factory – where it was given a new chassis number again, this time #0308M. The original #0308M was also a 166 MM/53, but with a Berlinetta body from Vignale, owned by a Frenchman named Antoine Causse, who had a serious accident with it in September 1953. Why #0328M/#0050M then became #0308M and #0308M then became #0050M is not entirely clear, but is said to be the case.
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