1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe

Ferrari introduced the 212 Inter at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1951, and around 80 examples were produced, almost all of them closed coupes. Powered by a 2.5-liter V12 engine fed by a single Weber carburetor, the 212 inter was soon seen in competition. One of its first wins was at the 1952 Carrera Panamericana when a pair of 212 Vignale-built coupes finished the grueling road race in first and second place. Carrozzerie Vignale built most of the closed 212 coupes as well as several cabriolets, although other examples were built by Ghia, Pinin Farina, and Touring.

This car was delivered to its first owner via Ferrari dealer Franco Cornacchia of the Scuderia Guastalla racing team. After a succession of owners in Italy, the car went to the United States in the mid-1950s. Its list of American owners includes Jack Christianson, Warren Scott, who removed the original motor and sold it, and Jack Stewart, who reunited that engine with the car in the 1970s. The current owners acquired it in 2017.

In 1951, the Ferrari marque was still in its infancy. The four-year-old company had witnessed a victory by Count Giannino Marzotto in a Ferrari 195 S at the 1950 Mille Miglia. Their racing cars have proven their abilities on the worlds racing circuits and Enzo Ferrari believed his gran turismo road cars would be equally successful. In October of 1951, at the Paris Auto Show, Ferrari introduced the 212 Inter. It had a wheelbase that measured 2600mm and was powered by a 2.5-liter SOHC V-12 engine fed by a single 36 DCF Weber carburetor. They quickly proved their prowess, with a pair of 212 Vignale Coupes achieving a 1st and 2nd at the Carrera Panamericana, won by Piero Taruffi and Luigi Chinetti, with Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi close behind.

A total of 82 examples were built in the series including 37 clothed by Carrozzeria Vignale. They were built as a coupe and spider and wore coachwork by various coachbuilders.

This Ferrari 212 Inter left the factory with a 120-liter fuel tank, Pirelli 5.90-15 tires, and a type 166 crankshaft and Mondial pistons. The car was completed in November of 1951 and was finished in dark green with silver accents over a gray interior. It was soon acquired by its first private owner, Angelo Biemmi of northern Italy. In 1953, it was acquired by Ermanno Aebi of Milan. It subsequently passed to several other owners in Italy before it was imported to the United States and was sold to Jack Christianson. In the 1960s, it was acquired by Warren Scott. While in his care, the original engine was removed and sold to a dealer in the Los Angeles area. A Buick V8 was then installed in the empty 212 Inter bay.

In the 1970s, the car was acquired by Jack Stewart who re-acquired the original engine and re-installed it in the car. In the late 1980s, it was purchased by Ron Pinto of Palos Stewart, purchased the 212 in the 1970s; he re-acquired the original engine and reinstalled it in the car. In the late 1980s, the 212 was purchased by Ron Pinto of Palos Verdes Estates, California, who refinished it in red.

Mr. Pinto drove the Ferrari in the 1992 Mille Miglia and displayed it at the Santa Barbara Concours d'Elegance in 1992 and 1993, winning its class on both occasions.

In 2001, the 212 was purchased by Ven Fonte of Boston. The current caretaker purchased the car in 2007 and commissioned a full restoration which brought it back to its original glory. The work encompassed six years at a reported cost of $850,000. It received invitations to be shown at the 2015 and 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance but its restoration was not yet complete.

Currently, the car has about 100 break-in miles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2017