To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' The Petersen Automotive
Museum Auction event, 8 December 2018.
Estimate:
$22,000,000 - $26,000,000
- Raced as an official Scuderia Ferrari Works car for the 1956
and 1957 seasons
- Piloted by an amazing collection of the world's best
drivers
- Podium finishes at the Mille Miglia and 1000 KM of Buenos Aires
as a Scuderia Ferrari team car
- Overall victory at the Nassau Trophy and Memorial race with
Stirling Moss
- The final of four examples built and among only three surviving
examples
- Supremely eligible for the world's greatest classic car
events
- Retained by the Chinetti family for nearly three decades
- Beautifully restored by Ferrari Classiche to its 1957 12 Hours
of Sebring livery
- Ferrari Classiche certified; matching-numbers engine, gearbox,
and original body
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In the mid-1950s, Scuderia Ferrari was a force to be reckoned with.
After Mercedes-Benz's departure from international motorsport
following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, Ferrari's path to victory was
clear for Il Commendatore. His drivers and cars were ready to
cement Ferrari's reputation in the history books. Only Maserati
stood in his way.
Within the hierarchy of Enzo-era Ferraris, the sports racing
barchettas of the mid-1950s are amongst the most significant cars
to wear the Cavallino Rampante. The Works-campaigned examples are
especially significant, as they often finished at the front of the
pack at the most grueling races, piloted by the most talented
drivers.
Chassis no. 0628 is no exception to the rule. It boasts an enviable
racing history on three continents with many of the greatest
drivers of its decade.
FERRARI SWEEPS THE 1956 MILLE MIGLIA
At the time, Ferrari was experimenting with different engine
layouts utilizing the same displacement in order to assess the
efficiency of engines boasting greater torque versus engines
producing their power at high rpms. Hence the 2.0-liter 500
Mondial, the 3.0-liter 750 Monza, and the 3.5-liter 860 Monza came
to be, in addition to the six-cylinder, 4.4-liter Tipo 118 and 121
LM. Scuderia Ferrari was usually entering three to four cars in
each important race on the calendar, all with slightly different
specifications, engine layouts, and various other trade secrets and
innovations in order to distribute the team's risk and ensure
success.
Chassis 0628 began life in early 1956 with a four-cylinder 860
Monza engine utilizing Ferrari's new Tipo 520 chassis. Built
specifically as a Scuderia Ferrari Works car, its first outing
would be one of the world's most significant motor racing
spectacles: the Mille Miglia.
Peter Collins was assigned to 0628. Collins' copilot was the famous
motorsport photographer Louis Klemantaski, who captured an
incredible array of images from the race giving the public an idea
of what the Mille Miglia was like from a driver's perspective.
Wearing #551 and a green stripe across its nose, Klemantaski's
photographs of 0628 at all stages of the race help to humanize the
event, showcasing the masses that came out to cheer on the brave
racers and beautiful cars, in addition to showing Collins himself
throughout the event. Four entries from Scuderia Ferrari were
present at the event. In addition to 0628 with Collins and
Klemantaski, Juan Manuel Fangio piloted #600 290 MM (chassis 0626),
Eugenio Castelotti drove #548 290 MM (chassis 0616), and Luigi
Musso was in #556 860 Monza (chassis 0602).
Racing off the starting ramp three minutes after Castelotti,
Collins and Klemantaski rocketed out of Brescia and through the
Italian countryside for what would become a particularly intense
race through a downpour. At the end of the day, Ferrari claimed the
top five places, with Collins and Klemantaski 2nd behind Castelotti
and in front of Musso and Fangio, as well as Olivier Gendenbien and
Jacques Washier in a 250 GT LWB Berlinetta, making for one of the
most memorable outings at the Mille Miglia for the Scuderia.
The next race on the calendar was the 2nd International ADAC 1000
KM at the N�rburgring. Alfonso de Portago and Gendebien were
assigned to 0628 wearing #2, but the pair failed to finish after an
accident that damaged the nose of the car. Returning to Italy for
its next event, the Targa Florio, Gendenbien would once again be
behind the wheel, joined by Hans Herrmann, and the pair finishing
4th overall. Further success for 0628 was found at both the Coppa
d'Oro Delle Dolomiti, driven by Gendenbien and Jacques Washer, and
the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo hill climb with Umberto Maglioli behind
the wheel. At both events, 0628 crossed the line finishing 2nd
overall as well as 1st in class at the Coppa d'Oro Dolomiti. For
its final race of 1956, 0628 was piloted by Juan Manuel Fangio and
Eugenio Castellotti at the Swedish Grand Prix, but unfortunately
the pair failed to finish due to engine problems.
TWELVE CYLINDERS FOR 1957
Following the Swedish Grand Prix, 0628 was returned to Maranello
where it was upgraded with a Tipo 136, 290 S engine with double
overhead camshafts for the first race of the 1957 season, the 1000
KM of Buenos Aires. Prior to the car's most recent restoration at
Ferrari Classiche, evidence of this change was still visible on the
front lower crossmember of the chassis. Such upgrades were
frequently done at the time, as the Tipo 520 chassis was the
underlying platform for the 860 Monza, the 290 Sport, and the 290
MM. Both the 290 MM V-12 and four-cylinder found in the 860 Monza
boasted a 3.5-liter displacement and as a result, modifications
were necessary, but minimal, to make a V-12 engine fit where a
four-cylinder once resided.
After being shipped to Argentina, 0628 was designated #8 for the
1000 KM of Buenos Aires, the car was assigned to Alfonso de
Portago, Peter Collins, and Eugenio Castellotti. They would place
3rd overall. In February 1957, the Tipo 136 engine used in Buenos
Aires was removed from the car in Maranello, to be upgraded to Tipo
140-specifications and fitted to a 315. Afterwards, 0628 travelled
back across the Atlantic for its next event: the 6th annual 12
Hours of Sebring, now fitted with a 290 MM Tipo 130 V-12 with
single overhead camshafts as well as a slightly different nose,
with polished aluminum air ducts for the brakes. Phil Hill and
Wolfgang Von Trips drove 0628 as #14, but unfortunately the car was
forced to withdraw on lap 106 due to a battery failure.
POST-SCUDERIA RACING CAREER
Sebring would be 0628's last race with the Scuderia as in the
summer of 1957, the car was sold through Luigi Chinetti to noted
NART client Jan de Vroom, in trade for a 500 TRC. De Vroom's first
event with his new twelve-cylinder Ferrari was at the Swedish Grand
Prix but resulted in a DNF due to an accident on lap 23. Sent to
the factory for repairs ...for more information please contact the
seller.
