1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa

1948 Ferrari 166 Spider Corsa, s/n 016-I

In 1948, Luigi Chinetti won the 12 Hours of Paris at Montlhéry at the wheel of the display car. It was around this time that Enzo Ferrari appointed Chinetti as his first factory agent in the US. In 1949, Chinetti facilitated the sale of the display car to Briggs Cunningham, making this the second Ferrari (and first racing Ferrari) sold in America.

Cunningham received it just in time for the 1949 Bridgehampton race (in which both the display car and the nearby Ardent Alligator DNF’d). As he intended to drive this car at Watkins Glen, Cunningham ordered new parts from Modena and prepared the car with the help of Alfred Momo. Once again, this Ferrari raced against the Ardent Alligator—but this time, C. Miles Collier emerged as victor, with Cunningham taking 2nd place.

Tragically, Sam Collier was driving this same car at Watkins Glen the following year when he suffered a fatal accident.