1955 Ferrari 121 LM
- Engine
- 4.4L straight-six with three side-draught Weber carburettors, 360 bhp
Ferrari 121 LM chassis 0546 LM is one of only four examples of this rare six-cylinder racing Ferrari ever built, and one of two cars converted from 118 LM specification by the factory. Displacing 4.4 litres and producing around 360 bhp, it raced at both the 1955 Mille Miglia as a Scuderia Ferrari works entry and the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours before passing to American ownership. It gained further notoriety when driver Ernie McAfee was fatally injured at the 1956 Del Monte Trophy at Pebble Beach, an accident that ended racing at that venue permanently. The car retains its matching-numbers engine bearing its Le Mans scrutineering stamp.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$5,720,000
- —Auction saleSold €5,742,500 (≈ $6.32M)
- → 1955Factory deliveryScuderia Ferraripartial documentation
Factory works team that campaigned the car at the 1955 Mille Miglia and Le Mans before converting it from 118 LM to 121 LM specification.
- 1955 →Acquisition unknownWilliam Dohenypartial documentation
CEO of Superior Oil who retained the car after the fatal Pebble Beach accident and undertook a restoration over approximately two years. The car remained with his family for roughly two decades after he acquired it.
- → 1997Acquisition unknownBill Zieringpartial documentation
Los Angeles-based owner who campaigned the car at Monterey historics multiple times over roughly two decades and also showed it at several concours events including Pebble Beach in 1975 and 1976.
- 1997 →Private saleCurrent ownerpartial documentation
Kept the car in a private collection largely off public display; it had one competitive outing at Lime Rock Park in 1999.
- Date unknownInheritanceDoheny familypartial documentation
Following William Doheny, the car stayed within the family for around twenty years, during which his stepson Chris Cord raced it at the inaugural Monterey historic races in 1974.
Competition
- 19551955 Mille MigliaDriver: Paolo MarzottoDNF — tire failure
Entered as a Scuderia Ferrari works car; a blowout at high speed during the opening stage ended the run. The car was subsequently returned to the factory for conversion to 121 LM specification.
- 19551955 Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: Maurice TrintignantDNF — mechanical failure
Co-driven by Harry Schell; the car retired in the tenth hour due to engine trouble. Sister car driven by Castellotti set the fastest practice lap and topped 181 mph on the straight.
- 1956-04-01SCCADel Monte Trophy, Pebble BeachDriver: Ernie McAfeeDNF — fatal accident
On lap 33 a missed downshift caused the car to strike a tree; the driver was killed on impact. Racing at Pebble Beach was subsequently prohibited.
- 19741974 Monterey Historic Automobile RacesDriver: Chris Cord
First appearance at the inaugural Monterey historic meeting, driven by William Doheny's stepson. Stated to be the only year the car competed there under Doheny family ownership.
- 1975Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Exhibited by Bill Ziering during his ownership period.
- 1976Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Second consecutive Pebble Beach concours appearance under Ziering's ownership.
- 1999-06-01Ferrari North America Historic ChallengeFerrari North America Historic Challenge, Lime Rock ParkDriver: Todd Morici
Only competitive outing recorded under the current owner's stewardship.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1955ModificationFerrari factory
Following retirement at the Mille Miglia, the factory converted the car from 118 LM to full 121 LM specification, fitting the larger six-cylinder engine and associated components.
The conversion was carried out prior to the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours entry.
- 1956Restoration
Substantial repair and restoration work undertaken by William Doheny after the car sustained severe accident damage in the fatal April 1956 Pebble Beach crash; completed over approximately two years. Work apparently resulted in the loss of the traditional chassis stamping.
The engine retained its matching-numbers status and Le Mans scrutineering stamp throughout; the gearbox is also matching numbers.
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