1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta

This Pinin Farina 'Competizione' Berlinetta is one of three 340/375 MM works race cars that Ferrari entered at the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chassis 0320AM and 0322AM both were built on a late 340 MM chassis with a 2500-millimeter wheelbase Tipo 340/MM/53, and both were powered by a 4.1-liter V-12 engine. The third chassis, 0318AM, rode on the same chassis type but was powered by a 4494-cubic centimeter long-block Lampredi V-2 derived from the 375 Formula One cars.

This car, chassis number 0320AM, was given race number 14 at the 13th June Sarthe race and was piloted by Mike Hawthorn and Nino Farina. After just 12 laps, the car had advanced to 2nd place. Unfortunately, it was disqualified for adding brake fluid during a pit stop, violating an obscure and old rule that prohibited the addition of any fluids before the 28th lap.

A month after the Sarthe race, 0320AM underwent a number of factory upgrades. The original engine, internal number 70M, was disassembled, and the capacity was increased to 4.5 liters. During this time, body modifications were also made. It was given a more streamlined nose with recessed covered headlamps to improve the down-force at high speeds, and the wraparound rear glass was also replaced with a smaller glass pane abutted by larger sheet metal sections to reduce headlight glare during night-time racing.

At the 24 Hours of Spa on July 25th, 0320AM was forced to retire early due to rear-axle issues. In August the car finished 1st overall at the 12 Hours of Pescara, with Mike Hawthorn and Umberto Maglioli behind the wheel. After this, the car was delivered by the factory to its first private owner, Tullio Pacini, of Rome, Italy, on October 9th.

As November was coming to an end, this car was one of five Ferraris entered in the Carrera Panamericana, where Enzo Ferrari showcased his cars to the North American market. All five 375 MMs competed under the private banner of Franco Cornacchia's Scuderia della Guastalla. Chassis 0320AM was driven by Mario Ricci. During the fifth stage of the Carrera, Ferrari 375 with chassis number 0358AM (driven by Umberto Maglioli's) lost a rear wheel. Maglioli then got behind the wheel of Ricci's 0320AM. He advanced the car from 8th place to a 6th-place finish. Maglioli and 0320AM set a public road stage record, averaging an unbelievable 138 mph for 223 miles. Along with Guido Mancini's 4th-place effort in 0322AM, Maglioli's finish garnered enough points to help Ferrari win the 1953 Manufacturer's Championship.

Chassis 0320AM finished the 1953 season with a 1st-place finish at the Circuit of Guadeloupe in December, again driven by Maglioli.

In 1954, the car was purchased by Luigi Chinetti Motors and was imported to the United States. It was purchased by Walter Lufman, of Rye, New York. It was sold in late 1955 to Mark and Louise Schellenberg, of Denver, Colorado. The nose was modified by Charlie Lyon of Denver after it was involved in a minor collision to the front-end. At this time, the rear glass was changed back to the large wraparound style originally designed by Pinin Farina. A short time later, 0320AM was acquired by Richard F. Merritt and William Rhodes in 1958. They, in turn, sold the car to William de Creeft, of Santa Barbara, California. Mr. de Creeft retained the car for 12 years until it was purchased by Gene Curtis, of Manhattan Beach.

In 1974, the car was treated to a restoration by Steve Griswold, of Berkeley, California. Two years later, it was purchased by Robert Sutherland, of Denver. The car campaigned in August of 1976 at the 3rd annual Monterey Historic Races. A few days later it was presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, winning Best in Class. The car was exhibited and shown by Mr. Sutherland several times over the next 17 years, also racing at Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake, and the 1989 Mille Miglia.

Jerome Sullivan of Hartland, Wisconsin purchased the car in March of 1993. While in Mr. Sullivan's care, the car was refurbished by Wayne Obry. After the work was completed, the car was displayed at several Cavallino Classic meets over the next few years, before being acquired in 1999, by Sir Anthony Bamford, of Stoke-on-Trent, England, who presented it on June 4th of 2000, at the Louis Vuitton Concours d'Elegance, winning the Best of Show at the TAG Heuer 'Cheating the Wind' trophy. Following this achievement, the car was exhibited at several discerning European events during this period. It was also featured in the December 2000 issue of Classic & Sports Car magazine.

The current owner acquired the car in July of 2006. Since then, the car has been treated to a restoration in August of 2006 by Shapecraft Ltd. in England. The work entailed enlarging the rear-wheel arch intakes and reshaping the nose to its original style with non-recessed headlamps. Currently, the car is finished in its correct livery, as it appeared in the 1953 Le Mans.

The car was then displayed at the press days for the 2008 and 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This is the only known Ferrari works race car to have been driven by three world champions: Alberto Ascari, Dr. Nino Farina, and Mike Hawthorn.

Power the car is a 4494cc overhead camshaft V-12 engine with triple Weber 40 IF/4C carburetors and offers 340 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2013