1953 Ferrari 375 MM

Italy was home to an open-road motorsport endurance race called the Mille Miglia, which occurred between 1927 and 1957 (taking time off during the Second World War). From 1953 through 1957, it was a round of the World Sports Car Championship. In the years preceding the war, the sport was dominated by Alfa Romeo, winning ten out of eleven times. After the war, they quickly re-established their dominance with a victory by Clemente Biondetti and Emilio Romano in an 8C 2900 B Berlinetta Touring. The euphoria was short-lived, as Enzo Ferrari who had worked in the racing department of Alfa Romeo from 1920 through the late 1930s, mounted an assault resulting in eight victories over the next decade and through the final race in 1957. A Ferrari 166 S with coachwork by Allemano won in 1948 followed by a 166 MM Barchetta wearing coachwork by Touring in 1949. In both years the car was piloted by Clemente Biondetti, joined by Giuseppe Navone in 1948 and Ettore Salani in 1949. A Touring bodied 195 S won in 1950 followed by Vignale-bodied Berlinetta's in 1951 and 1952. An open-bodied Vignale 340 MM Spyder won in 1953.

The Mille Miglia was a grueling race of approximately 1,000 miles that traversed the Italian countryside in a figure-eight shaped course that went from Brescia to Rome and back. Later races followed other routes of varying total lengths. It was a testament to the manufacturer to have a car compete and finish the race, proving the durability of the automobile and the skill of the driver. Winning the race meant the car was truly the best - best engineered, best built, and most durable. No other manufacturer did it better than Ferrari in the post-War era, winning nearly every time they 'toed' the line.

The demand for Ferrari's sports racers was plentiful and Enzo could have ramped up production to satisfy each request, however, he remained selective. His cars were sold to those with the innate ability and skill to drive in spirited competition that would compliment the car's technical prowess and performance. As such, a mere twenty-six examples of the 375 'MM', short for Mille Miglia, were built (including four converted from the 340 MM). The first prototype example was a Vignale Spyder, followed by three Pinin Farina Berlinettas, all converted from the 340 MM. Most examples received spyder coachwork by Pinin Farina, with 15 (as many as 16) wearing spyder configuration (chassis 0360 AM to 0460 AM). Scaglietti bodied a 375 MM in late 1954, having bodied his Ferrari, a 166MM, in 1952 and would soon become Ferrari's competition coachbuilder of choice. In the years that followed, Scaglietti would frequently work from Pinin Farina designs, adapting their own style and design cues during the implementation. The 375 MM bodied by Scaglietti (chassis 0366AM), however, was wholly Scaglietti in design.

Gioacchino Colombo had been hired as chief engineer when the Ferrari Company was formed in 1947. Colombo and Enzo had worked together while at Alfa Romeo, and Colombo was the right individual to design and build the engine that would surpass the mighty 8-cylinder Grand Prix engine he had designed for Alfa Romeo prior to the War. Racing regulations at the time allowed for a maximum displacement of 1.5-liters for supercharged engines and 4.5-liters for naturally aspirated versions. Colombo settled on the 1.5-liter V12 engine design and it would be used to power every Ferrari (of varying displacement sizes) up to 1950. 1950 was the first year of Formula One which Alfa Romeo dominated by winning every single race of the championship. Having failed at building an engine that was superior to the one he built for Alfa Romeo, Colombo was fired and replaced by Aurelio Lampredi, who designed a new engine for 1951.

Unlike Colombo, Lampredi chose the larger displacement size, and to counteract the additional weight, the cylinder block and heads were built from light alloy. It used seven main bearings and single overhead camshafts with roller followers and hairpin valve springs and dual magneto ignition. The all-aluminum 60-degree V12 engine would be produced from 1950 through 1959, spawning inline-4 and inline-6 variants along the way. The Lampredi SOHC engine made its debut in the 275 S, as a testbed, with a trio of Weber 40DCF carburetors producing nearly 270 horsepower. It was soon upgraded with 42DCF Webers which brought horsepower to nearly 300 bhp for the F1 car. The four-choke carburetor design allowed a single carburetor choke to each cylinder. The four-speed fully synchronized gearbox was mounted to the engine, driven by a multi-plate clutch. Everything was built for strength and reliability.

The 375 MM used a conventional Ferrari chassis based on two parallel oval tubes in a welded ladder structure. In the front was an independent suspension using parallel unequal length A-arms with a transverse leaf spring. In the back was a sway bar and Houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers. The solid rear axle with semi-elliptic springs, Houdaille shocks and parallel trailing arms was a tried-and-true Ferrari setup which accommodates both braking and acceleration loads.

The engine powering the 375 F1 for the 1951 season produced approximately 350 horsepower, which was less than the Alfa Romeo, but its fuel efficiency made it a contender. Alfa Romeo and Ferrari battled the entire season, with the championship being decided in the final race. Ferrari came close, but the championship would go to Alfa Romeo. With another championship title, Alfa Romeo withdrew from competition, perhaps not wanting to compete against Ferrari or perhaps they had nothing left to prove. With their departure and the prospects of an unrivaled season, the sport's governing body announced that the 1952 and 1953 championship would be run under Formula Two regulations.

The new racing regulations for Grand Prix competition made the Lampredi engine obsolete, however, new uses were found in other racing series and applications. Between 1953 and 1954, it was used to power the 375 MMs, with the early example using the Tipo 102 engine of the Grand Prix cars. Most examples were equipped with the Tipo 108 engine which had a slightly different bore and stroke for improved reliability. The penultimate displacement could be found in the 375 Plus of 1954 which reached nearly 5 liters and had the same stroke as the 375 F1 engines. Except for the later 375 Plus and 410 S, all early Ferrari Sport racers with V12 engines used wet-sump lubrication, while the F1 cars used dry-sump lubrication. All Lampredi V12 engines, except the 375 F1 and 375 Plus engines, shared the same stroke of 68 mm.

The 375 MM never won the race for which it was named, however it was a frequent winner in 1953. It came in fourth at the 1953 Carrera Panamericana and second the following year. Giuseppe Farina and Mike Hawthorn won at Spa 24 Hours in 1953, and Umberto Maglioli won at the 12 Hours of Pescara. Farina and Piero won the 12 Hours of Casablanca in 1953. Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi contested the 1953 24 Hours of LeMans but were prematurely sidelined due to a clutch problem. Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari won the 1953 1000 km Nurburgring race.

The Nurburgring race and the Spa 24 Hours counted towards the 1953 World Sportscar Championship which Ferrari won due in part to the accomplishments of the 375 MM.

Giuseppe Farina with Umberto Maglioli won in 1954 at the 1000 km Buenos Aires championship race in Argentina. Piero Scotti won at the Coppa della Toscana. The greatest achievement for the 375 MM was in 1954 when a 4.9-liter 375 Plus won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 375 MM competed in races in South and North Americas, and in Europe, with many victories.

by Dan Vaughan

Spyder
Chassis number: 0364AM

Jim Kimberly was not some snotty-nosed, racing upstart, although that is how he would earn his money to go racing. Known as 'Gentleman Jim', Kimberly would thoroughly believe SCCA racing was for the amateur ranks, but he wouldn't ever really cry about the presence of the professionals. Someone experienced drivers felt comfortable going wheel-to-wheel with, Kimberly usually had the best cars, and therefore, served as a good measure of talent. Going up against the unique 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider would be the ultimate measure of talent.

Kimberly was the grandson of one of the founders of the Kimberly-Clark Corportation, the makers of Kleenex and other products. Although born into such wealth, Jim was a driven individual with a strong work-ethic and he wasn't one to avoid anything.

Kimberly would serve in the Navy during World War II, he would race airplanes, boats, enjoy sport fishing and sailing. However, racing cars would become his passion and it would lead to him beginning a racing career in 1950. It would also be in 1950 that Kimberly would begin his long-term relationship with Ferraris.

Entering the 1st 6 Hour Sebring race in a Ferrari 166, Kimberly would finish 1st in class beating out Ferrari-importer Luigi Chinetti driving Briggs Cunningham's 195. He would also go on to score victories at Elkhart Lake, Pebble Beach and a number of other locations throughout the United States. Kimberly would even venture south to Argentina to take part in races there.

Having the means to enjoy himself on the track, Jim would, therefore, also have the means to enjoy himself off the track. Friends with many influential individuals, including King Hussein of Jordan and actors like Gary Cooper and Mel Torme, Jim was considered a professional on the track and certainly had a bit of a reputation as a playboy away from it.

But, his wealth and his actions away from the track would not diminish his reputation and achievements on the track. Quite often during his racing career he would go wheel-to-wheel with such racers as Phil Hill.

The success on the track, the understanding of what he wanted and the means to afford it would enable Kimberly to negotiate almost directly with the Ferrari factory. One such example of his influence would be the Ferrari 375 MM, chassis 0364AM.

Throughout the 1953 season Jim would compete with a Ferrari 340 Vignale Spider. He would enjoy a good deal of success with the car but he would also grow frustrated with the loss of braking associated with the overheating built up around the front brakes. Kimberly knew what he wanted in a car to overcome this frustrating issue.

Only a total of 12 spider examples of the 375 MM would ever be produced and it would be Pinin Farina that would hold the contract to design and build the bodies for the Tipo 102 chassis. However, Kimberly would have his own ideas in which he would pen and submit to Pinin Farina himself.

Well before Scaglietti's 250 Testa Rossa, Kimberly would sketch a 375 with an area of the bodywork cut out from behind the front wheels. This would be to alleviate the overheating problems and would, by accident really, give birth to the pontoon-fender design.

Pinin Farina would try their best to give Kimberly exactly what he wanted. A few days after the chassis was completed at the Maranello factory, Pinin Farina would set to work fashioning the body that would sit atop it. Besides the cut-out areas behind the front wheels, the air scoop on the top of the hood would be enlarged to feed more air to the Lampredi V12 engine. Additionally, the fuel filler would be positioned in the center to help center every bit of the weight within the car. The only one of the 375 MM Spiders to be adorned in such bodywork, the car would even be adorned in a very special livery, a color that would become dubbed Kimberly Red.

Completed in Jim's favorite number, '5', he would take the new 375 MM Spider and would enjoy one of the most dominant seasons in SCCA racing history. Over the course of the 1954 season, Kimberly would take part in 20 races and would come away with 17 class victories. A total of 16 of those would be overall wins. In May of that year the car would suffer its one and only retirement. Interestingly, he was actually leading that race until it suffered a failure on the very last lap of the race. As a result of the success over the course of the season, Kimberly would earn the Most Improved Driver Award and the Class C Modified National Championship. As a result of the performance over the course of the 1954 season the Most Improved Driver Award would be later renamed the Kimberly Cup.

In 1955, the 375 MM Spider would suffer damage while being transported to Sebring. Being repaired, the cutaways behind the front wheels would be replaced with standard fenders. The car would then be taken by Kimberly and entered in a race, even before it had been repainted. Not concerned with the looks of the car, Jim would go on to win yet another class victory.

By September of 1955, the 375 MM Spider would be done racing with Kimberly and would be sold to Richard Lyeth of Detroit, Michigan. Lyeth would look at his purchase with a much more practical eye and would end up replacing the expensive Lampredi engine with a much cheaper Corvette engine. A number of other modifications would then take place to be able to fit the Corvette engine to the car. This would include the addition of a Quick Change rear differential and a number of other components. Bodywork changes would include a headrest and fin reminiscent of that which adorned the Jaguar D-Type.

The fate of the engine is literally underwater. The engine would be sold and installed on a boat for the intention of racing. However, the boat would sink in Galveston Bay and that is where the engine is believed to remain, even to this very day.

Lyeth would compete with his modified 375 MM up until 1960. The car would then be sold toward the end of 1960 going to Dick Londrigan before it ended up with Allen Berlinski, a GM designer. Then, in 1968, the car would be sold again, this time, to another gentleman racer Charles Weiss.

Weiss started racing toward the end of Kimberly's racing career and would end up working with people like Jackie Stewart. He would be noted for racing with a Ford Thunderbird, perhaps the last car one would consider as a racing car. Yet, Weiss would have a good deal of success with the car and would silence a good number of critics in the process.

It would be twenty years before Weiss would restore the car to its original look and feel. The work would be completed by 1989 after having involved considerable effort from a number of individuals. That year, the following year and would end up making its first appearance at Meadow Brook's concours event.

Over the course of the restoration event Weiss would come to discover just how unique the car actually was. Being a one-off design by Pinin Farina for Kimberly, the coachbuilder would have no notes, no drawings of the work done.

The original engine was lost to the sea but Kimberly, who assisted Weiss often throughout the process, would have memory of a spare engine but it was no longer available. This particular aspect of the restoration process would actually take a number of years until a spare engine could be located. Thankfully, a spare, which seemingly was never actually fitted to any chassis, would be found and installed in 0364AM.

A number of people, from a number of different American car manufacturers, would be involved in the project. It would be a remarkable collaboration that would see Dave Cummins of Chrysler responsible for the body restoration. Jim Quinlan of Ford Styling would be involved in aspects of the interior and upholstery.

When completed, even the original Kimberly Red livery and the number five would adorn the car. Following the debut at Meadow Brook, the car would be displayed at the Monterey Historic Races and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. In 1990, the car would win First Place at the Eyes on the Classics show and the Montefiore Concours d'Elegance. At the 1991 VMCCA National Meet the car would continue its winning ways taking home 1st in class, Best Race Car and the Judges' Choice awards and a Gold Award for vehicles scoring over 95 points in their first-ever showing.

Since its restoration at the end of the 1980s, the 375 MM Spider has been featured in a number of publications and remains one of the most remarkable Ferraris known to exist. Very exclusive and rare, even amongst it brethren, this 340 bhp champion is certainly expected to command top dollar when it makes its appearance at the 2013 RM Auctions Monterey event.

Sources:

'Lot 140: 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider by Pinin Farina', (http://rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1061975). RM Auctions. http://rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1061975. Retrieved 1 August 2013.

'The Bill Kimberly Interview', (http://www.themaseraticlub.com/Kimberly.html). Il Tridente Online. http://www.themaseraticlub.com/Kimberly.html. Retrieved 1 August 2013.

by Jeremy McMullen

Spyder
Chassis number: 0362 AM / 0374 AM

Ferrari had found a contender when it had developed its 340. Using its 4.1-liter engine, the 340 would make Ferrari very competitive in the sportscar market and in sportscar races. However, Aurelio Lampredi wouldn't sit idle and wouldn't settle for competitive. He wanted a car that could take Ferrari to a whole new level. This would give rise to the 375MM.

Lampredi's work with Ferrari's Formula One program had led him to produce a 4.5-liter V12 engine that was capable of producing 340 bhp. This engine would be used to great effect during the 1951 Formula One World Championship and would see Scuderia Ferrari well and truly take over as the dominant team in Formula One despite Juan Manuel Fangio winning the World Championship in an Alfa Romeo 158.

The engine would make up a lot of the difference. But there was a problem. The withdrawal of Alfa Romeo from the World Championship would leave Ferrari as the only competitive team in the series. This was not good for the series as they needed better competition and lower costs. Therefore, it would be decided the World Championship would be conducted according to Formula 2 regulations for the next couple of years. That meant Ferrari would have a number of 4.5-liter V12 engines lying around with no cars in which to put them.

Ferrari's designers and engineers set about to come up with a solution and sportscar racing would provide it. Pinin Farina would design new coachwork for the evolved 340 chassis and into the chassis would go the 4.5-liter V12 engine. The result would be something absolutely beautiful.

One of those beautiful 375MM Spiders would be offered at this year's RM Auctions held in Monaco on the 11th and 12th of May. Chassis 0362AM/0374AM would be one of about 15 Argentinean privateers that would enter the 1954 1000km of Buenos Aires on the 24th of January. Driven by a 33 year old Jose Maria Ibanez, the 375MM spider would join many other factory teams, like Jaguar, Maserati, Porsche, Cunningham, Scuderia Ferrari and Aston Martin taking part in the long distance endurance event that would utilize a nearby highway, as well as, the Autodromo 17 de Octubre circuit to form a 5.88 mile circuit.

Paired with Ignacio Janices, Ibanez would take part in the first round of the World Sports Car Championship on a warm dry day. Early on in the race Ibanez would be impressive battling with other famous names like Giuseppe Farina and Umberto Maglioli. Unfortunately, after 11 laps, Janices would flip the car and the pair would immediately be out of the race.

Originally given the chassis number 0362AM, the number would be switched quickly right before shipment to Argentina. Despite having its numbers quickly changed, the 375MM's orginal owner, Enrique Diaz Saenz Valiente would still get an incredible performer with a top speed of around 180 mph. And in spite of needing to undergo extensive repair after being flipped, the car would go on to win more than a half dozen races in the Argentine Sports Car Championship in the hands of Diaz Saenz Valiente.

The season would be an incredible one for the 375MM, but it would not be without its share of struggles as it would prove so fast that the birds wouldn't get out of the way fast enough and the car would come away with a number of dents all over the bodywork, but still the car carried on to finish races.

After racing the car one more time in the spring the following year Saenz Valiente would sell the car. It would eventually end up in the hands of Cesar Rivero and Raul Najurieta who would end up competing in a race in Buenos Aires against Diaz Seanz in his new 375 Plus. Najurieta would end up finishing in 2nd place in the race. The pair would then race against Saenz Valiente again in the 1955 1000km of Buenos Aires and would again finish in 2nd place. Throughout the rest of the season Najurieta and Saenz Valiente would battle it out race after race. Incredibly, 0374AM would go on to achieve its second-straight Argentine Sports Car Championship.

0374 would continue its racing career throughout 1956 and 1957. Unfortunately, its final race in 1957 would see it come away with damage from a crash. After being rebuilt, the engine would be removed and an American V8 would be placed inside. For more than a quarter century the car would disappear from known history.

In 1983, Count Vittorio Zanon di Valgiurata would come to own the car after it had been found in Montevideo, Uruguay. It was shipped to Italy and was immediately sent in for restoration. The restoration work would carry from 1984 through 1986. During that period of time Zanon, the then-president of the Italian A.S.I, would find and purchase a period correct 375MM engine. Its number would be 0376. Ferrari historian Richard Merritt of Bethesda, Maryland would be the one with the engine.

United with its more familiar powerplant, the car would be entered in the 1987 Mille Miglia Storica. The following year, Giorgio Perfetti would come to own the car and would actually enter it in the Mille Miglia.

Over the next decade the car would change hands a number of times. Its owners would include Yoshiyuki Hayashi in Tokyo, Yoshiho Matsuda and Ferrari collector Chris Cox. Cox would race the car a number of times throughout 1998 and 1999. It would be seen at such venues as the Monterey Historic Races and the Cavallino Classic. Yet another famed Ferrari collector, John McCaw would become its new owner and would have it overhauled and maintained by DK Engineering, noted Ferrari specialists.

McCaw would have the Ferrari in his possession until 2006 when it would be purchased by the car's current owner, another Ferrari enthusiast. Upon purchasing the car, its owner has competed in four Colorado Grand events finishing all four of them.

Filled with an extensive and noteworthy racing legacy, and still maintaining its spine-tingling acceleration and performance, this elegant Ferrari 375MM Spider, finished in red and black centerline is certainly a raucous beauty. Complete with its 340 hp V12 engine, three Weber carburetors and four-speed manual transmission, it is little wonder why the car was a two-time national champion in Argentina's Sports Car Championship and why it successfully took place in two Mille Miglia Storicas, four Monterey Historics and four Colorado Grands. Even in its advanced age, the car is still a performer at heart and still has that nervousness that every successful thoroughbred possesses. The 375MM had to be, quite simply, Ferrari's best sports car from the early 1950s.

To be offered for auction on the 12th of May, Ferrari 375MM Spider, chassis number 0362AM/0374AM, would be estimated at drawing between 3,300,000 and 4,100,000 EUR.

Sources:

'Lot No. 338: 1953 Ferrari 375MM Spider by Pinin Farina', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r394&fc=0). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r394&fc=0. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

'1953 Ferrari 375MM News, Pictures and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z9475/Ferrari-375-MM.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z9475/Ferrari-375-MM.aspx. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

'1954 Buenos Aires 1000km', (http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1954/54ba.html). Teamdan.com. http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1954/54ba.html. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

by Jeremy McMullen

Spyder
Chassis number: 0372 MM

Ferrari 375 MM Pininfarina Spyder with chassis number 0372AM was created in December of 1953. It was owned by Briggs Cunningham who had it raced in competition during the 1954 season. It made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring where it was piloted by John Fitch and Phil Walters and wearing the number 5. At the end of the 3rd hour, with Phil Hill driving, the car was in 1st place but toward the end of this hour, an oil seal failed and the car DNF'ed. After the race, Cunningham made a few adjustments and improvements to the car such as adapting liquid cooled brakes. It was entered in the 24 Hours of LeMans where it was again driven by Walters and Fitch, but failed to finish the race. The final outing for the car under Cunningham's ownership was at Watkins Glen where Cunningham drove the car to an impressive sixth place finish.

Bill Spear continued to race this car in 1954 winning at the Thomson Raceway and ad Watkins glen where he set the course lap record of 86.6 mph, which still stands today. Spears sold the car in 1955. The car continued to race until October 1973 under various owners. Following the October 1973 Watkins Glen Race, owner Ian Gunn brought the car home and put it up on blocks until 2009. It has never been restored.

The 375MM is powered by a 4.5-liter Lampredi-designed V12 engine resulting in 300 horsepower.

Spyder
Chassis number: 0370 AM
Engine number: 0370 AM

This 1953 Ferrari 375 Mille Miglia Spyder is chassis number 0370 AM with matching engine number and coachwork by Pinin Farina. It was completed in the winter of 1953 and made its competition debut in the hands of Nino Farina and Piero Scotti at the Casablanca 12 Hour Race. It scored an overall victory in its first outing and would continue to have a successful racing career in its future. While still racing for Scuderia Ferrari, it achieved a first place at the 1954 Buenos Aires 1000 KM at the hands of Farina and Maglioli.

American racer Masten Gregory purchased the car in March of 1954. In 1954, it was raced in almost a dozen high-profile events and always finished in the top four, often claiming overall wins, and, almost without exception, capturing podium finishes.

At the 1954 Reims Twelve Hour Race, the car finished in 4th. It was 3rd at the Grand Prix Oporto and another 3rd was achieved at the Prescott Hillclimb. At Goodwood it finished 2nd and it achieved an overall win at Aintree. 0370 AM finished 2nd at the Coupe du Salon Montlhery.

The car returned from Europe and was given a new paint scheme livery of white with two black racing stripes. In this guise, Gregory piloted the car to an overall victory at the 1954 Bahamas Automobile Club race in Nassau. Two days later, it won the Nassau Trophy.

Gregory sold the car to A.V. Dayton of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1955. Dayton would continue its racing career in local races in Oklahoma and Kansas City before returning to Nassau where it again achieved an impressive finish.

The car raced in local Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas and Colorado events from 1956 until 1958 where it continued to achieve podium finishes.

Over the next few decades, the car would be housed in private collections, emerging in the mid-1990s and being treated to a comprehensive restoration. It was brought back to its livery that it wears today.

Since the restoration work was completed, the car has participated in selective events, such as the Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge, the Monaco Historic races, the Goodwood Revival and the Tour d'Espana.

by Dan Vaughan

Spyder
Chassis number: 0382AM
Engine number: 0382AM

After the success of the Ferrari 340 America and its Mille Miglia victory, the more powerful Ferrari 375 MM was launched at the Paris Auto Salon in 1953. These large displacement race cars were built to contest the World Sports Car Championship and competed with the best that Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Cunningham, and Jaguar had to offer. the 375 MM is powered by a 4.5-liter Lampredi-designed V-12 engine with either three twin choke Weber 40 DCZ or DCF downdraughts, resulting in 300 horsepower.

This car, chassis number 0382AM, was first owned by Bill Spear, who drove in many U.S. sports car races in 1953 and 1954, winning at the Thompson Raceway and at Watkins Glen. After he sold it in 1955, the car was raced until the 1960s. It has never been restored.

Spyder
Chassis number: 0286AM

Ferrari chassis 0286AM began life as a 340MM Vignale Spyder and its engine was later enlarged to the 375 Plus specification. It has had a brilliant racing career and was piloted by famous drivers such as Alberto Ascari, Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby, and Richie Ginther. Its first outing was at the 1953 Portuguese Grand Prix driven by Count Bruno Sterzi. Its first racing victory came at its second outing in late August of 1953. It was driven by Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina at the 1000km Nuerburgring race where it wore the number 1 and was driven to a very impressive first overall finish. Luigi Chinetti raced the car at the Carrera Panamericana in late 1953 but failed to finish the race. Chinetti sold the car in Mexico City rather than ship it home. Carlos Braniff purchased the car and brought it to a 100-mile race the car came in second overall. It was later sold to Allen Guiberson, an oil magnate and race team owner from Dallas, Texas who had the car repainted white and added a headrest and a fin. It was modified specifically for the Mexican Carrera the following year.

Phil Hill drove it at the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, along with his co-driver Richie Ginther, to a second overall finish. Other notable victories were achieved by both Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles in various SCCA events and the Seattle Seafair Races.

Eventually California racer Louis Brero purchased the car and it remained in his family until 1995. Brero continued the cars racing resume by entering it in several Grand Prix competition events. At the Nassau Ferrari race, the car was driven to a third-place finish. The car became the possession of his sons after he passed away. The car remained in his car until 1995 when it was sold for about $1.5 million.

During the mid-1950s the car was repainted red and within a short period of time was repainted brown. It was treated to a restoration by Pete Lovely in 1995. At the completion of its restoration, it was brought to the Pebble Beach Concours where it was awarded the Pebble Beach Cup. It has competed in the Monterey Historic Races in 2004. It was brought to the 2007 Cavallino Classic where it was awarded the Honorary Judges Cup.

by Dan Vaughan

Spyder by Scaglietti
Chassis number: 0366AM
Engine number: 0366 AM

The 375 MM built by Ferrari for its privateer clients used a 4,522 cubic centimeter twelve-cylinder Lampredi long-block engine with triple Weber 40 IF4/C carburetors and twin magnetos. Twenty-six examples of the 375 MM were built in total and all but three of them were clothed by Pinin Farina. The successor to the 375 MM was the 1954 375 Plus, which would capture an outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This particular example is believed to be the ninth of 26 examples built, and the fourth of 12 cars completed with spider coachwork by Pinin Farina.

Casimiro de Oliveira was a gentleman racer from Porto, Portugal who began competing in motorsports events prior to World War II. 0366AM was completed in November 1953 and delivered to de Oliveira in Casablanca, Morocco. The car was to be included as part of the Scuderia Ferrari team assembled to compete in the 12 Hours of Casablanca race. Reigning World Champion Alberto Ascari put the car, wearing #1, on the pole for the race. Unfortunately, de Oliveira then crashed hard during a practice session and the car was unable to compete. Returned to the Ferrari factory for extensive repairs, it was shipped to Sweden in May 1954 for the 9 Hours of Hedemora Grand Prix where de Oliviero qualified on the front row and won. Another crash in the 1954 Grand Prix of Sweden sent this 375MM back to Ferrari for further repairs. The damage was sufficient to require an entirely new body and the 375MM became the first and only of its kind to wear coachwork by Sergio Scaglietti. It went to its new Swedish owner, Ferrari importer Tore Bjurstrom, where local driver Vlademar Stener raced it to second overall in the Helsinki Grand Prix and fifth overall in the Swedish Grand Prix.

After the 1956 season, the car was retired from competition. Gunnar Fristedt became the car's next custodian during the mid-1960s and he commissioned a coachwork modification that changed the front end into a dual-nostril shark nose design. It was shown at the sports car show in Malmö, Sweden in 1969 and sold the following year to Ake Andersson of Stockholm. Two additional Swedish owners followed during the early 1970s before it was treated to a restoration by David Clarke's Graypaul Motors in the United Kingdom.

Lord Charles Brocket acquired it in 1992 and retained it for a short time, displaying in 1992 at Coy's Historic Race Festival at Silverstone before being sold to Chuck Wegner of Chicago in early 1993. Mr. Wegner drove it on the Mille Miglia Storica, then presented the car at the FCA National Meet at Palm Beach, Florida, and the 2nd Annual Monterey Vintage Ferrari Concours at the Quail Lodge.

Giuseppe Calgaro became the next custodian in July 1996, and he entered the car in the Trofeo Alberto Ascari historic race at Monza in September 1997. Four months later, it was purchased by Scott Rosen who presented it at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in the class for Scaglietti Coachwork.

Oscar Davis purchased the Ferrar early in 1999, displayed it at the 2000 Cavallino Classic where it won a Silver Award, and was featured in the May 2001 issue of Forza magazine.

Davis sold the Ferrari in March of 2002 to Graham Revell of Hidden Hills, California, and was used in the 2003 and 2004 Mille Miglia Storica, though mechanical issues prevented him from actually running the vintage tour in the first year. Fossil Motorsports of Richard Freshman was commissioned to prepare the car for touring and following significant preparation, the car was shown and toured at various events. It won the Francesco Barraca Award for a Ferrari of exceptional merits at the 2008 Reading Concours d'Elegance and was exhibited at the 2009 Cavallino Classic.

Mr. Davis re-acquired the car around 2017, and prior to this, the car had been submitted to Frank Triarsi's Classic Coach Repair in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for a complete restoration. The work included returning the nose section to the original 1954 configuration of the Scaglietti design and correcting the cosmetic alterations made to the car in prior decades. In 2020, the car was shown at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

Ferrari is the most successful constructor in Formula One's history, but it all started rather humbly. Despite being an elite, high-profile automaker and racing team, Ferrari performed rather unobtrusively in Formula One's first season. Success rarely comes overnight, but the waiting period is dramatically shortened when you have already designed a dominant product in which to take and build off. Enzo Ferrari and Gioacchino Colombo both came into being after helping Alfa Romeo ascend to the top of the grand prix world. This knowledge and experience would help Ferrari be immediately competitive in grand prix racing, but still not enough to break the grip the Alfa 158's had in 1950. Though Ferrari performed well in Formula One's first season, the dominance and the records would have to wait. Ferrari used 1950 to tweak their designs to break Alfa Romeo's hold on the championship and to begin the Ferrari/Formula One legacy.

Ferrari would turn to its model 125 for Formula One's first season. Designed in 1949, the 125 was Ferrari's first single-seater designed specifically for grand prix racing. However, much of the internals of the car had been taken from the 125S sports racer which was designed and built in 1948. The 125F1, as it became known, closely resembled one of Colombo's chassis designs—the Alfa Romeo 158. Of course, the 158 had already proven itself and obviously would have made a good basis for any team looking to be competitive right away and with aspirations for more.

There were only two engine options the FIA allowed. Either a team chose a supercharged engine with a maximum displacement of 1.5 liters, or, the team would have to choose a normally aspirated engine that had a maximum of 4.5 liters. Ferrari decided to go the route of Alfa Romeo and used a twin-stage Roots-type supercharger to boost the power of their 1.5-liter V12 engine. Designed similar to an aircraft fuselage, the 125 consisted of a tube-frame chassis with longitudinal and cross members to help with strength while not gaining too much weight. The wide upside-down U-shaped nose was ever so slightly angled back and gently sloping. Of course, the nose was dominated by the radiator inlet to provide cooling for the 1.5 liter V12 that was hidden in the long, rounded nose. Just aft of the radiator inlet was a shapely scoop that protruded into the airstream through which air would pass and would be able to enter the supercharger. The addition of the supercharger would boost the engine's horsepower from what was around 118hp in the 125S to somewhere around 230hp. By 1949, another revision to the engine happened that boosted power up to around 280hp. This was still short from where the Alfa Romeo 158s were by close to 100hp. Still, this boost is what made Ferrari competitive straight-away. And though not alone, at the time, Ferrari used a five-speed gearbox to match their higher-revving V12. Most teams were utilizing only four-speed gearboxes.

On either side of the chassis low and behind the front tire there were two cut-outs where the six exhaust pipes exited and blended into single pipes that ran back the length of the car, underneath the rear suspension, and out under the rear of the car. As with the Formula One cars of today, the Ferrari 125 sported many shark-like gills all over the engine cowling. These gills went to help expel the heat generated by the big V12 by the onward-rushing air creating a vacuum, pulling out the heat built up inside the cowling as the air rushed over the gills.

The Ferrari 125 utilized a double wishbone suspension for the front tires, with a transverse leaf spring to help with stability at the front of the chassis. Heading back from the nose, the shape of the chassis begins to change but in a gentle manner. The chassis begins to shift from the upside-down U-shaped body and begins to, in essence, stand up a little. The design shifts ever-so-slightly to more of a triangular shape to help counter, aerodynamically, the driver sitting up in the airflow. Of course, this would only help so much. Between the driver and the little windshield, the airflow in this region was quite disturbed.

The cockpit itself was rather tight with deep channeled out sides for the driver's arms. As with the day, the driver sat greatly exposed. Directly behind the driver sat the large, rounded fuel tank. The rear suspension on the 125 consisted of longitudinal struts that attached up near the cockpit and traveled back to the rear axle. Along with the struts, the rear suspension utilized a torsion bar style rear axle and shock absorbers for driver comfort and the all-important stability at the rear of the car. Besides all this, the main brake system used in those days, though not the greatest, but nonetheless employed on the 125F1, was drum brakes.

As the season went on the 125 was refined and continually improved upon, but more so to influence next designs. Alberto Ascari was able to guide his 125 to a second-place finish in Monaco. So it was obvious Enzo and Gioacchino were heading the right direction. Later on in the season the 125 was again updated and refined. The 125 was shortened and the rear suspension modified. The de Dion tube suspension was the latest technology of the day, and so, was incorporated, along with a leaf spring, into the 125's suspension. This package made Ferrari very competitive, but not enough to beat Alfa Romeo.

The Alfa Romeo 158 had one Achilles heal and it was shared by Ferrari's 125—it was too thirsty. The benefit of the power gained for the amount of fuel needed to do so was too high. Though not certain, it is likely Enzo was inspired by the performances of the Talbot-Lago T26C, which used its superior gas mileage as a competitive edge. Though down well over 100hp, they were there at the end because they didn't have to stop for fuel. Ferrari had to find an answer.

Enter the 275. Ferrari too faced the problem of poor gas mileage with their supercharged 1.5 liter engine, and thus dropped it. Instead, the team turned to Aurelio Lampredi. Lampredi designed and built an engine for the all-new 275 chassis. Lampredi built a 3.3 liter normally aspirated engine that was first employed in his experimental 275S. The same engine was then taken and employed into the new 275F1 chassis.

The 275 chassis was also redesigned from that of the 125. The nose was totally changed and was more rounded and bulb-like. Instead of a nose that sloped back ever-so-slightly from the vertical like the nose on the 125, the nose on the 275 was more rounded, protruding forward. The rest of the chassis, forward of the cockpit, went through some refining, and yet, still had some similarities to the 125. The most noticeable changes made near the rear of the car included the longitudinal struts that were lengthened and extended further forward near the cockpit, but also, the shape of the bodywork that covered the fuel tank was changed. Instead of a more dramatic curve of the bodywork, the rear was extended further back; creating more of a torpedo shaped rear end.

The 275, with its 3.3-liter engine, debuted at Spa Francorchamps and the Grand Prix of Belgium. The single overhead camshaft design was capable of producing around 300hp and Alberto Ascari was able to drive the car to a fifth-place finish. Despite the new engine, it seemed the team took a step backward. The performance was just not there, or at least not to level the team was seeking. And so, by the time of the race at Monza, Ferrari changed chassis designs two more times.

At the Grand Prix of Nations at Geneva, Switzerland, which did not count toward the championship, Ferrari unveiled its next design…the 340. By this time, Lampredi had designed a 4.1 liter V12. This engine was capable of producing around 335hp, enough to stay with the Alfa Romeos. Also, to make the car more stable, and thus comfortable for the drivers to take out to the edge of limits, a series of changes were employed. Enzo and Colombo made the overall length of the chassis longer. This helped to distribute weight and provide greater balance. To provide better stability, Ferrari employed the de Dion tube rear suspension once again. Ferrari also changed from the five-speed gearbox to a four-speed manual gearbox.

The chassis, overall, was refined, made into a more flowing racing machine. The nose was rounded even more than the 275 but the angle of slope remained similar. The wheelbase remained wider than that of the 125. Much more of an emphasis was placed upon aerodynamics which can be seen from the front wheels back. The air scoop on top of the engine cowling was reduced in size and made more shapely. Instead of a windshield attached to the top of the chassis, appearing more like an afterthought, the windshield was incorporated into the shape and flow of the chassis on the 340.

Driving the 340, Ascari was able to race with Fangio in his 158. It appeared Ferrari had found its contender in the 340. However, as the race bore on, the engine developed problems that led to Ascari's retirement. Despite having a good car that could challenge Alfa Romeo, Ferrari wanted a car that would absolutely break Alfa's dominance. Besides, Lampredi had his next engine ready to go. Therefore, Ferrari was done with the 340 and moved on.

Come September of 1950, Ferrari had their challenger—the 375F1. In a quest to defeat the Alfa Romeo 158, the Ferrari team never rested, always looking to tweak certain areas to make a more competitive race car. While rather happy with the 340 chassis, Ferrari, specifically Aurelio Lampredi, kept working on specifics, especially the engine, trying to find that balance between power, reliability and efficiency. He was able to produce a 4.5 liter version (the maximum Formula One would allow) of his V12 engine. And while the engine produced only slightly more power than its 4.1 liter predecessor, Lampredi had been able to work and produce an engine that balanced out better when it came to reliability and that mystical marriage between engine and chassis. The 375F1 simply worked, or at least it showed promise. It was, then, just some small details that had to be addressed and its first race at Monza proved that fact.

Despite the only real difference between the 340 and the 375 being the 4.5 liter engine, the combination just worked better. Ferrari just missed the pole in its first race with the 375 and actually was leading a good majority of the race until another engine failure gave up the win to the Alfa Romeo SpA team. Despite the loss of the win, Ferrari still had a solid second-place finish in the race and signaled to the team they had turned the corner and the tables. Alfa Romeo's days of dominance were coming to an end…it was just a matter of when.

At the end of the season Ferrari ended up fifth in the driver's championship. The finish, however, didn't reveal how poised Ferrari was for the future. Formula One cars today undergo many changes throughout the season, no doubt inspired by Ferrari's 'always improving' mindset as displayed in the 1950 season, from the 125 right on up to the 375. Ferrari debuted four combinations of engines and chassis. Each model contributed to Ferrari's search for dominance and would help to shape Ferrari's legacy in racing and, especially Formula One. The Ferrari team perhaps best understood they weren't designing a chassis to be dominant, but in fact were pursuing building dominance. This meant continually improving, never settling or believing in one thing, or design, to hold the key. Dominance determined the chassis and the engine. It was the team's job to find out what that all looked liked. The models of the 1950 season stand as a testament to the Ferrari team's desire to always improve, to continue in the search for dominance. For Ferrari, it all started with these chassis designs and each subsequent design built upon the successes and failures of the previous. Never was it believed that one chassis had it all because each year presented the challenge of pushing the edge a little further back. The Ferrari team: Enzo, Gioacchino, Aurelio and the many others understood this. And the fact of Ferrari's legacy and records proves that drive, that focus, has never left.

by Jeremy McMullen

The Ferrari 375 was introduced at the Paris Salon in 1953 and production lasted until May of 1954. The car was constructed for Ferrari's clientele who had the means to afford one of these beautiful creations. Since they were produced in limited numbers, the production took far longer than volume models.

Gioacchino Colombo started out being the primary builder of Ferrari's engines in the late 1940's and a major contributor to the success of Ferrari. Aurelio Lambredi became his assistant in 1947. Lampredi soon became convinced that a large engine that was naturally aspirated would have better fuel economy and provide more power. Colombo was of the belief that a smaller engine compiled with a supercharger would produce better results. Ferrari tested Lambredi's idea and proved it to be successful. Lampredi was promoted to chief design engineer and Colombo returned to Alfa Romeo. The Lampredi engines were used in the ladder part of the 1950's.

Power was provided by a 4.5-liter Lampredi designed V-12 engine with either three twin-choke Weber 40 DCZ or DCF downdraughts, resulting in 300 horsepower. On all four corners were drum brakes, Borrani wire wheels accented the exterior of the vehicle, and a leaf spring suspension was used in the front and the rear. With the four-speed manual gearbox, the car could achieve a top speed of 150 mph and could race from zero to sixty in less than seven seconds.

Most Ferrari's were custom-built cars. They were not mass-produced. Ferrari provided the engine and chassis while Italian coachbuilders provided the body. This meant the specifications varied. Engines also varied in horsepower rating, torque, and displacement.

In regards to the 375, Pinin Farina was tasked with building the bodywork for many of the models. The Pinin Farina design shared a similarity with the 250 Europa's. The dimensions of several automobiles were similar but their interiors, wings, bumpers, and detailing were all unique.

The 375 MM was given its name after the famous 1000 mile race, the Mille Miglia. This limited production series was constructed in 1953 and 1954. The car was outfitted with a 4522 cc powerplant, a small increase in performance over the 4494 cc road-going version. The four-speed manual gearbox was fully synchronized and mounted to the engine. The front suspension was independent by parallel unequal length A-arms with a transverse leaf spring. The rear was sold with semi-elliptic springs and parallel trailing arms. This combination made the 375 MM perfect for high-speed circuits and the open road. In total, only 26 375 MM's had bodywork provided by Pinin Farina in either spyder or berlinetta configuration. One example received bodywork courteous of Ghia.

In 1954, a 375 Plus was entered in the grueling 24 Hours of LeMans. Powered by a 4.9-liter engine, it captured the overall victory.

Produced in limited numbers, their exclusivity in modern times is guaranteed. These wonderfully designed unique creations powered by the coveted Lampredi engines are a true time-tested testament of the work inspired by Enzo Ferrari and fostered by Italian ingenuity.

by Dan Vaughan