1948 - 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta Speciale - Images, Specifications and Information

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Ferrari's first sports racing cars rank among the historians biggest nightmare; the cars were continually changing mix of engines, chassis and body styles. The car that is currently believed to be the oldest existing Ferrari chassis, s/n 002C, has been fitted with at least three different engines and as many bodies. At the end of 1948 Ferrari launched their first 'production' car and from then onward the history of Ferrari cars gets a little less complex. To commemorate the victory of a Ferrari 166 Sport in the Mille Miglia, the new competition car is dubbed 166 MM.

Technically the 166 MM was very similar to the first Ferraris, and shared the tubular frame that was characteristic for all of the company's sports cars of the 1940s and 1950s. Suspension was equally straightforward with wishbones at the front and a live rear axle at the rear. Where the early Ferraris really excelled was in the engine compartment, which housed the beautifully Gioacchino Colombo designed V12. In its first configuration the tiny engine only displaced 1.5 litre, but in its third incarnation had grown in size to just under two litres or 166 cc per cylinder.

What set the 166 MM apart from the previous Ferrari racers was the new car's body design and construction, for which a third party was commissioned. What the small car needed was a lightweight body; a task ideally suited for Touring of Milan whose Superleggera designs were the lightest available. At the car's Turin launch the press quickly dubbed the Touring bodystyle fitted 'Barchetta', which is Italian for little boat. The name stuck, as did the design, which today is the most famous Touring design ever fitted on a Ferrari chassis.

Ferrari had intended the 166 MM mainly as a customer racing car, but when they discovered the potential a number of works cars were also constructed. Between 1948 and 1950 just 30 examples were constructed of which 25 were fitted with the Touring Barchetta body. By the time the last 166 MM was constructed, Ferrari had diverted their attention at exploring the full potential of the long block Lampredi design V12. In those early 1950s the interest in two litre racers quickly grew and to meet the demand Ferrari constructed a second series of 166 MMs in 1953.

Both in the hands of the works drivers and privateers the 166 MM proved to be a very commendable racer, with a large number of class and overall victories. The most famous of these victories was scored at Le Mans in 1949, where Ferrari scored a victory the first time out. The winning car was entered by Lord Selsdon, but the later North American Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti did most of the driving, 23 hours to be precise. The only reason Lord Selsdon took the helm of his Ferrari was to comply with the regulations.

The 166 MM was a big success on and off the track and contributed greatly to the conversion of the Scuderia Ferrari racing team to a full fledged manufacturer of road and racing cars. After being abandoned for a number of years, the Colombo engine was revived and would form the basis of the 250 GT series powerplant, which had an identical bore as the 166 MM engine.

Pictured is one of the most exciting barn-finds of recent years; Ferrari 166 MM, s/n 0052 M. Although it was never really lost, it was hidden from the public eye for almost fifty years. It finally reappeared in the September/October 2006 issue of Cavallino Magazine, some two years after the first contact was made with the late owner's relatives. Symbolic Motorsport brokered a deal for the current owner and the highly original machine left the Arizona desert and entered his stable early in 2006. In the following months he started to take the car apart for a mechanical rebuild, carefully preserving the car's patina.

During the disassembling process of the engine he made some very interesting discoveries; it was no ordinary 166 MM, but in fact the slightly different Formula 2 engine. The first major clue was the gear drive for the camshafts instead of the usual chain drive. The engine stampings also suggested it was built in the same batch as the engines fitted to the two-litre F2 racers. It was the very first 166 MM to feature this type of engine and the matching numbers suggest it was fitted with it from its conception in 1950. It is now believed that 0052 M was in fact a factory experimental machine.

In the meantime marque expert Marcel Massini spent many hours in his archive to compare old pictures to get a clear view on the unique machine's competition history. He discovered it was raced at Le Mans in 1950 by the 1949 winner Lord Selsdon and a new co-driver Jean Lucas. An accident at Tertre Rouge meant a premature end for the Ferrari. During the next few years, it was actively raced in Europe with considerable success. Recognizable by its large hood scoop and red brake drums, it was also most likely also featured in the Touring 166 MM brochure. Its racing career ended in 1955 and it subsequently changed hands various times before being sold to a Californian in 1959, who rarely drove it. The 166 MM eventually ended up in the hands of an Arizonian who stored the car for the next forty-five years.

After its front-page magazine feature, the original and special 166 MM was first shown in public at the 2007 Cavallino Classis were the 166 MM model was one of the featured themes. The owner briefly drove his 166 MM on the Moroso track, before showing it on the concours field in front of the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. Courtesy of the mechanical, the owner told us that 0052 M now yields the best of both worlds: the highly original look and feel, while it drives like new.

During the car's stay in Florida, our photographer Rob Clements caught up with the oldest original Ferrari racing car and its very proud owner to capture every little detail. Despite the very un-Florida weather, the above gallery shows he succeeded very well. We would like to thank the owner for his help with the shoot and his patience in answering all our questions.