1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta
- Engine
- Colombo V12, racing-specification configuration
- Colour
- Cream/light yellow and blue (Argentine national colors)
Ferrari 166 MM barchetta chassis 0024 M, the tenth of twenty-five examples bodied by Carrozzeria Touring, was completed in late 1949 with full racing specification and a Lusso interior. Ordered by the Automóvil Club Argentina in the national colours, it made its debut at the 1949 Paris Motor Show before Carlos Menditeguy drove it to Ferrari's first sports-car victory in South America at Mar del Plata in January 1950. After subsequent Italian ownership and period competition, it received Vignale berlinetta coachwork in 1954 and later a Chevrolet V-8 engine. A comprehensive restoration in the late 1980s returned it to barchetta form with matching-numbers drivetrain.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate €4,000,000 – €5,000,000
- 1949 → 1950Factory deliveryAutomóvil Club Argentinapartial documentation
Car was finished in Argentine national colours and debuted at the 1949 Paris Motor Show before being shipped to Argentina.
- 1950-11-01 → 1951Private saleLuigi Francesco Zaccaria Terravazzipartial documentation
Milan-based owner who acquired the car after it was returned to the Maranello factory; competed in the 1951 Mille Miglia before selling to his co-driver.
- 1951 →Private saleAprile Palmerpartial documentation
Purchased the car roughly ten days after the 1951 Mille Miglia and subsequently entered it in two further competitive events that season.
- → 1956Unidentified Italian owners (three successive)none documentation
Three unnamed Italian custodians held the car over roughly five years; during this period Vignale fitted a new aluminium berlinetta body in 1954.
- 1956-04-01 →Private saleTheodore Palapartial documentation
Los Angeles resident who at some point had the original drivetrain swapped for a Chevrolet V-8 to keep the car roadworthy; the car was featured in a July 1959 magazine article during this ownership era.
- 1974-12-01 → 1986Private saleGary Schonwaldpartial documentation
Acquired through marque historian Stan Nowak; shortly after purchase tracked down and reunited the matching-numbers engine and gearbox, and had the Vignale coachwork removed.
- 1986 → 1989Private saleKeith Dulypartial documentation
Connecticut-based dealer who commissioned a thorough restoration: mechanical work by Jim Stokes and a new Touring-style barchetta body handbuilt by Bob Ford, completed in late 1989.
- 1989 →Private saleSanta Barbara, California enthusiastpartial documentation
Retained the car for approximately six years following the restoration's completion before selling to a Japanese collector.
- → 2008-03-01Acquisition unknownSecond Japanese collectorpartial documentation
Second Japanese custodian before the car returned to American ownership in March 2008.
- 2008-03-01 → 2011Private saleAmerican owner (returned ownership)partial documentation
Unidentified American owner who held the car from early 2008 until selling it in 2011.
- 2011 →Private saleMost recent American Ferrari collectorpartial documentation
Described as a serious, world-class Ferrari collector; current consignor.
- Date unknownPrivate saleFirst Japanese collectorpartial documentation
Car appeared on the cover of the Summer 1996 issue of Prancing Horse during ownership by one of the two Japanese collectors.
Competition
- 1950-01-15Mar del Plata sports car raceDriver: Carlos Menditeguy1st overall
Privateer entry; recorded as Ferrari's first sports car victory in South America.
- 1951-04-291951 Mille MigliaDriver: Luigi Francesco Zaccaria Terravazzi8th in class
Co-driven by Aprile Palmer; Terravazzi sold the car to Palmer approximately ten days after the event.
- 1951-06-03Coppa della Toscana
Entered by Aprile Palmer after acquiring the car from Terravazzi.
- 1951-07-21Susa-Moncenisio hillclimb11th overall
Second event contested under Palmer's ownership that season.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1954BodyworkVignale
Original barchetta coachwork replaced with new aluminium berlinetta bodywork fabricated by Vignale.
Carried out during a period of Italian private ownership.
- 1974Maintenance
Matching-numbers original engine and gearbox were sourced and reunited with the chassis; Vignale body removed.
Carried out by or on behalf of Gary Schonwald shortly after his acquisition via Stan Nowak.
- 1986RestorationNeil Twyman
Comprehensive restoration undertaken: mechanical work completed by Jim Stokes and a new Touring-style barchetta body hand-formed by Bob Ford, overseen by Neil Twyman of Potters Bar.
Commissioned by dealer Keith Duly; completed in late 1989.
- —Modification
Original drivetrain removed and replaced with a Chevrolet V-8 engine to allow continued road use.
Occurred during Theodore Pala's ownership; noted as common practice for period Ferrari race cars.
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