From WOI Encyclopedia Italia

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Ferrari 212

Manufacturer:	Ferrari
Class:	front-engined sports car
Production:	1951 – 1952 80 produced
Predecessor:	Ferrari 166
Successor:	Ferrari 250
Engines:	2.6 L Colombo V12

The 212 replaced Ferrari's successful 166 sports car in 1951. Unveiled alongside the similar 195 at the Brussels Motor Show that year, the 212 was an evolution of the 166 — a sports car for the road that could also win international races.

The chassis was similar to the 125 with double wishbones in front and live axles in back. Coachbuilders included Carrozzeria Touring, Ghia, Vignale, and now Pinin Farina. The latter was an important move for the company, as Farina was already well-known and adding his styling skills would be a tremendous boost for Maranello. However, Pinin Farina was as proud as Enzo Ferrari, and neither would go to the other to request business up to this point. A mutual meeting halfway between Maranello and Turin was the negotiated solution.

Ferrari 212 Coupe

Both 2500 mm and 2600 mm versions were built (Export and Inter models, respectively), both with a larger 2.6 L (2563 cc/156 in³) version of Ferrari's Colombo V12 engine. Like the 195, the additional displacement over the 166 was achieved with a larger bore, this time to 68 mm. Output was 150 to 165 hp (111 to 123 kW) with one or three Weber 36DCF carburettors. The short-wheelbase Export model got the more-powerful engine. 5 hp (3.7 kW) more was on the table for 1952 thanks to better cylinder heads.

1952 Ferrari 212 Berlinetta "Uovo" (egg)

1951 Ferrari 212 Export

February 8th, 2006

Details on the Markowski Barchetta

Story by Werner Pfister

(History copyright Marcel Massini)

As displayed at Cavallino XV, 0086E, unrestored

January 22, 2006. Peter Markowski, owner of RPM Restorations, in Vergennes, Vermont, proudly displayed a very tired 212 Export (0086E), in it's first public showing in 38 years. Found in the proverbial barn, the barchetta had originally been owned and raced by the Marzotto brothers in 1951.

Markowski had known about the car for more than 40 years, when Stan Hallinan of Concord, NH, mentioned to him that he had purchased a Marzotto Ferrari. Markowski, of course, rushed over to see it, since he too, owned a Marzotto Ferrari. Amazingly, Markowski had purchased the first 340 America, at the tender age of fifteen.

Needless to say, Markowski was thrilled to see the Marzotto barchetta, and asked Hallinan if he could have first right of refusal, should the car ever be offered for sale. He had to wait almost forty years, but eventually Hallinan decided to sell, and made good on the first right of refusal. Markowski jumped at the chance.

0086E began life when the Marzotto brothers purchased the car from Ferrari in 1951 as a bare chassis. They commissioned Carrozzeria Fontana of Padua to construct a racing body which has often been called a "Carretto Siciliano", or "Sicilian cart." Marzotto achieved successes with this car in its inaugural event, winning first overall in the Giro di Sicilia, but dnf'd at the Targa Florio the same year.

Another body for 0086E, this time a station wagon, or "shooting brake". Image courtesy of Marcel Massini

Subsequently, the Fontana body was removed and Vignale rebodied the car as an export spyder. In a strange twist of fate, the Fontana body wound up on the same 340 America which Markowski would purchase as a fifteen year old enthusiast. In rapid succession, Marzotto had Fontana put a shooting brake type body on 0086E, and eventually back to a spider body reconfigured out of the first body!

In April of 1952, the 212 returned to competition at the Giro di Silicia and placed 7th, and again dnf'd at the bigger event, the Mille Miglia. In the late 1950s, at the end of it's competitive life, the car found it's way to Jim Flynn, who competed in a race at Watkins Glen in 1959.

By 1952, 0086E had been rebodied again. At the Mille Miglia, the car is driven by di Lapigio and Piccolo. Image from "The Red Arrows"

Forty years ago, when Markwoski first saw Hallinan's Marzotto, the body was still painted. But in 1967, Hallinan decided to strip the paint. Interestingly, although not a factory team car, the Marzotto 212 sported large Scuderia Ferrari decals, and thankfully, these were spared from the paint remover. 0086E still proudly displays the Scuderia Ferrari prancing horse on its flanks.

During the next 38 years, the car was stored in a barn and was the home to an extended family of rodents. Years of neglect and major doses of D-Con rodent poison took their toll in the engine bay.

After getting the 212 home, Markowski immediately set about to clean the engine of debris. He doused the entire engine compartment with Marvel Mystery oil to put a lid on the decades old embedded odors. And that's the way the car was displayed at Cavallino.

Markowski says that the drive train is entirely original, which is one of the reasons he always wanted this car. He had to sell the 340 several years ago, and says that this 212 is a "keeper". He hopes to restore it to its original appearance. Source

1951 Ferrari 212 Export barn find

Chassis# 0086 E

Engine internal #10/E

Copyright Marcel Massini 10/30/02

February 22, 1951

Chassis sold to WI.PU.CO., Via Larga 8, Milan, Italy, for first owner Count Vittorio Marzotto, Valdagno/Italy Certificate of origin #118 issued

March 1951

Much delayed the new chassis frame arrived from the Ferrari factory for the Scuderia Marzotto of Valdagno, Italy Giannino and Vittorio Marzotto had the naked chassis BODIED by Carrozzeria Paolo Fontana of Padua as an ugly and very crude "Sicilian chariot" or "Carretto Siciliano" „h1 (see also Prancing Horse magazine, issues# 86 and 87)

March 20, 1951

Registered on Italian license plates of Vicenza SVI 20371¡¨

April 1, 1951

Raced at the XI Tour of Sicily by Count Vittorio Marzotto and co-driver Paolo Fontana, race #440, placed 1st OA (pictured on pages 201/202 of the book "Ferrari Automobili 1947-1953", authored by Corrado Millanta, Luigi Orsini and Franco Zagari) (pictured page 71 of Pino Fondi's book "Il Giro di Sicilia")

May 8, 1951

Engine 0086 E was equipped with three carburetors instead of the original single one

1951

REBODIED by Carrozzeria Vignale of Turin as a spider (similar to chassis #0076 E)

July 15, 1951

Raced at the Grand Prix of Portugal at the Circuito Vila real by Giovanni Bracco, race #14, placed 1st OA (pictured pages 74/75 of the book "Piloti Biellesi", authored by Enzo Russo)

July 16, 1951

Raced at the Lima Stadium Night Festival at Oporto by Bracco, race #16, placed 1st OA

Then

Following a design by Count Giannino Marzotto and Mr. Reggiani the car was REBODIED again by Fontana's coachworks into a Station Wagon (type "Giardinetta" or "Famigliare") It was said that the station car would be used as a spare parts transporter for the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico in November 1951.

Later

REBODIED again by Fontana, now as a spider with insweep body flanks

March 9, 1952

Raced at the Tour of Sicily by Guido Mancini on race #464, still on Italian license plates “VI 20371”

March 19, 1952

Raced at the Grand Prix Siracusa by Sergio Sighinolfi, entered by Scuderia Marzotto, race #16, placed 2nd in the Gold Cup sports category

May 3, 1952

Raced at the XIX Mille Miglia by Fabrizio Serena di Lapigio and co-driver Walter Piccolo, on race #628, still registered on license plates “VI 20371” as the car was on loan from the Scuderia Marzotto Shortly after Rome the car took fire

July 13, 1952

Raced at the VI Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti by Guido Mancini, on race #102, placed 12th OA (pictured page 109 of Gianni Cancellieri and Cesare De Agostini’s book “Polvere e Gloria – La Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti 1947-1956”, published by Giorgio Nada Editore 2000)

March 14, 1953

License plates changed by the Scuderia Marzotto from “VI 20371” to new license plates “VI 24196” (because the former license plates “VI 20371” had been “demolished” according to the ACI/PRA documents)

1953

Raced by Serena and Mancini in Italy

May 24, 1953

Raced at the Terni-Marmore hillclimb by Serena on race #925 (pictured in the Ferrari Yearbook 1953))

August 15, 1953

Raced at the Pescara 12 hours, XXII Coppa Acerbo, by Mancini-Serena on race #16

October 7, 1953

Sold to Guido Mancini, Rome, Italy

January 10, 1954

Re-registered on Italian license plates of Rome “Roma 193078”

Late 1950s

Owned by James A. Flynn, Syracuse/NY/USA (who also owned 290 MM Spider Scaglietti #0626)