1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa Serial Number 014 I

1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa s/n 014 I. The 166 Spyder Corsa was the first series of race cars built by Ferrari for clients, and 166 Spyder Corsa s/n 014 I was one of only two “short chassis” 166 Spyder Corsas built. Because of the short chassis and because 166 Spyder Corsa s/n 014 I was sold to Giampiero Bianchetti who raced his own car, it is possible to document the race history of this Ferrari. S/n 014 I has an extensive race history in 1948, 1949, 1950 and six races as late as 1951 with a final race in 1952.

During its race career s/n 014 I was updated with Houdaille shocks, traction bars, lightening holes, extra bracing and a later type 166 block # 63. The Webers are original 32 DCFs while the cam covers are the later ribbed style with Ferrari script. In 1956 s/n 014 I was rebodied by Scaglietti with a full-width Spyder body in the 500 TR body style, with egg crate side grilles, a headrest fitted and a cut down fuel tank. The gauges, steering wheel and aluminum horn button are original Spyder Corsa type while the radiator and magneto clearance bumps date to 1948.

History

S/n 014 I, Ferrari 166 Spider Corsa with body by Ansaloni, May 1948 build date. engine # 014 I, block number 63. Probably the seventh Spider Corsa built and one of two short wheelbase built. Originally a cycle-fendered Spider Corsa with Ansaloni coachwork. Later rebodied by Scaglietti with a 500 TR style body.

1948, May, completed.

1948, 30 May, raced at the Gran Premio Formula 2 di Bari by Giuseppe Farina on race #8 but DNF, front damaged. (See page 59 of the Luigi Orsini-Franco Zagari-Corrado Millanta book “Ferrari Automonili 1947–1953”).

1948, 12–13 June, raced at the 2nd Circuito di Mantova by Franco Cortese, race #12, DNF.

1948, 01 Aug., raced at the 10th Aosta–Gran San Bernardo hillclimb by Bianchetti, race #16, placed 7th OA.

1948, 15 Aug., raced at the Circuito di Pescara by Giampiero Bianchetti, race #21, placed 9th OA. (See page 68 of the Luigi Orsini-Franco Zagari-Corrado Millanta book “Ferrari Automobili 1947–1953”).

1948, 19 Sept., raced at the Gran Premio Formula 2 di Napoli at Posillipo by Giampiero Bianchetti who placed 7th OA.

1948, 23 Oct., raced at the Formula Libre race on Lake Garda, Sal�–Como, by Bianchetti, race #38, DNFed.

1948, late, officially sold by the factory to Giampiero Bianchetti, Milan, Italy. (See page 51 of the 1949 Ferrari Yearbook).

1949, 20 Mar., raced at the Giro di Sicilia, Targa Florio, by Bianchetti and Righetti, DNF.

1949, 26 June, raced at the Gran Premio dell′Autodromo Formula 2 at Monza by Nianchetti, race #46, DNF.

1949, 10 July, entered for the Gran Premio di Garda at Sal�–Como, Italy, to be driven by Bianchetti on race #36 but DNS due to an accident in the second heat (see page 31 of Cavallino magazine, issue #101 of Oct.,–Nov., 1997).

1949, 27–28 Aug., raced at the 2nd Grand Prix of Lausanne, Switzerland, by Raymond Sommer, race #2, DNFed.

1949, 01 Sept., raced at Aosta–Gran San Bernado hill climb where Bianchetti had his only success of the season when he came in 2nd in the F2 class.

1950, 28 May, raced at 3rd GP Autodromo Monza. Bianchetti was 3rd in his heat and 5th in the final.

1951, 166 Spyder Corsa s/n 014 I was now fitted with a nose similar to the 125 GP cars.

1951, 12 May, raced at the 4th GP Autodromo Monza, by Bianchetti, 6th in heat 1 and 7th on aggregate.

1951, 20 May, raced at the 500th year celebration of Christopher Columbus at Genoa, Bianchetti wore race #36, finishing 6th.

1951, 3 June, raced at the Circuit du Lac at Aix les Bains. Bianchetti wore race #32, retired during heat 2.

1951, 10 June, raced at the 12th GP di Roma by Bianchetti, 2nd in heat.

1951, 24 June, raced at the 4th GP di Naples. Bianchetti wore race #32, retired after eight laps.

1951, 23 Sept., raced at the 2nd GP di Modena. Bianchetti wore race #20 and scored a 6th overall.

1952, 08 June, the four year old Spyder Corsa was showing its age. Bianchetti made one last known race at Monza at the 5th GP Autodromo Monza, but his outclassed car retired on lap one.

1952, late–1956, there is no known record of 014 I racing, probably retired and just pushed to the back of a garage somewhere in Italy.

1955–1956, rebodied by Carrozzeria Scaglietti with a new full-width 500 TR-type sports car body with a headrest (later removed) and large Parravano-type air outlets in the front fenders.

1956/1957, sold by Italian car dealer Michele Vernola of Milan.

1957, owned by Nico Gianella, Lausanne, Switzerland. Gianella worked in a garage in Lausanne, Switzerland (possibly with Pierre De Siebenthal?).

1957, brought to the US by Gianella when he emigrated to Santa Barbara, CA.

1962, sold to Michael Peake, Santa Barbara, CA.

1969, January, advertised for sale in Prancing Horse magazine by Peake, issue #21.

1969, sold by Peake to Norm Blank, Pasadena, CA. Painted red, registered on California license plates IKC 501.

1994, 24 Aug., shown by Blank during the Ferrari Club of America International Concours at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey, CA.

2001, 17–18 Aug., RM Monterey auction. Per catalog, this car has never been restored. Red paint. Original Ferrari oval radiator. Seats in imitation snakeskin. For sale for first time in 30 years. .

2002, 23–26 May, shown at the Ferrari Club of America National Meet, Los Angeles, CA, USA by Norman Blank.

2010, August, engine rebuilt. Dyno tested at 119.90 hp. Total cost: $95,000 plus new headers at $5,000. Total weight without driver: 1,575 pounds.

See Cavallino issue 178 for an article on the 166 Spyder Corsa