VIN: the works / Doug Thiem / Tibor von Imrey Ferrari 248 SP / 268 SP / 196 SP chassis 0806
History of chassis 0806
Chassis 0806 was one of four new mid-engined SP-type Ferraris built up to contest the 1962 World Sportscar Championship. In addition, Ferrari’s pair of 1961 SP chassis were updated with the latest lowline bodywork. This gave the factory team a pool of six mid-engined cars at their disposal.
To complement the SP models, Ferrari ran a brace of front-engined models with four-litre V12s (the 330 TRI/LM and 330 LM) which were created for high speed tracks such as Le Mans.
The four new SP cars were fitted with a range of Carlo Chiti-designed V6 and V8 engines. The pair of existing chassis retained the 246 engines they had used in 1961.
Chassis 0806 originally came with a 2.4-litre V8 motor (making it a 248 SP). In this configuration it debuted at the Sebring 12 Hours on March 24th where it appeared under an NART entry (like 0790, the 246 SP also in attendance).
Stirling Moss and Innes Ireland were originally down to drive 0806, but they elected to go with NART’s front V12-engined 250 TRI/61 instead. As a result, 0806 was raced by Peter Ryan and John Fulp.
The Rodriguez brothers (Ricardo and Pedro) were in the 246 SP and Phil Hill / Olivier Gendebien debuted Ferrari’s brand new 250 GTO (also entered by NART).
The race got underway at 10am and Ryan initially ran steadily just outside the top ten. However, around the hour-and-a-half mark he ran out of fuel and was forced to start the long push back to the pits.
As darkness began to fall, 0806 had clambered back up to sixth. At this stage it was eleven laps behind the Rodriguez brothers who had assumed lead after Moss / Ireland were disqualified for an illegal refuel. Unfortunately, Fulp and Ryan had dropped back down to 13th by the time the chequered flag fell at 10pm.
Once back in Maranello, the 248 engine in chassis 0806 was switched to a 268 unit. The car then appeared as part of a four-car factory entry at the Nurburgring 1000km where it was allocated to the Rodriguez brothers. Also on hand was a 246 SP (Phil Hill / Olivier Gendebien), a 196 SP (Lorenzo Bandini / Giancarlo Baghetti) and the 330 LM (Mike Parkes / Willy Mairesse).
0806 went fourth quickest in practice, but grid slots were decided on engine size.
Having initially run fifth, Pedro Rodriguez then dropped back after on off-track excursion. While trying to make up for lost time, on lap three he overdid it and 0806 ended up in a ditch.
It was not raced again that year.
For 1963, the car was fitted with a 196 engine and sold to American privateer, Doug Thiem of Hartland, Wisconsin. It replaced a 250 GT SWB Berlinetta that Thiem had successfully raced in 1962 (chassis 3005 GT).
Thiem ran 0806 in a mixture or USRRC and SCCA events. He most notably scored fifth overall at Daytona, third at Pensacola and sixth at Road America.
Later in 1963, the 196 SP was sold to Nathan Thaler from New York who entered it for Bob Grossman to race at the end-of-season Bahamas Speed Week. Grossman won his class in the Governor’s Trophy and placed second in class in the Nassau Trophy.
Thaler sold chassis 0806 to fellow New York resident Tibor von Imrey for the 1964 season. That year, von Imrey recorded three SCCA class wins from his five outings in the car.
0806 then went through the hands of a couple more US-based owners before making its way back to Europe in 1972 when it joined the collection of Pierre Bardinon in Aubusson, France.
Bardinon retained the car until the 1980s when it was sold to Fabrizio Violati for his Maranello Rosso collection.
Notable History
Scuderia Ferrari, Maranello
Fitted with 248 SP engine
24/03/1962 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (P. Ryan / J. Fulp) 13th oa, 3rd S3.0 class (#36)
Fitted with 268 SP engine
27/05/1962 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (P. Rodriguez / R. Rodriguez) DNF (#93)
Fitted with 196 SP engine
Sold to Doug Thiem, Hartland, Wisconsin (Thiemite Racing Team)
03/02/1963 USR Daytona (D. Thiem) 5th oa, 4th 2.0 class (#8)
26/05/1963 USR Pensacola (D. Thiem) 3rd oa, 3rd 2.0 class (#9)
09/06/1963 USR Laguna Seca (D. Thiem) 17th oa, 6th 2.0 class (#1)
23/06/1963 SCA National Road America (D. Thiem) 6th oa, 2nd EM class (#??)
30/06/1963 USR Watkins Glen GP (D. Thiem / T. Peacock) 9th oa, 6th 2.0 class (#4)
08/09/1963 USR Road America 500 mile (D. Thiem / T. Terrell) 7th oa, 4th 2.0 class (#4)
Sold to Nathan Thaler, New York
06/12/1963 BSW Governor's Trophy (B. Grossman) 7th oa, 1st S2.0 class (#90)
08/12/1963 BSW Nassau Trophy (B. Grossman) 15th oa, 2nd S3.0 class (#90)
Sold to Tibor von Imrey, New York
10/05/1964 SCA Regional Vineland (T. von Imrey) 2nd oa, 1st EM class (#16)
06/06/1964 CNC Mosport Player's 200 (T. von Imrey) 13th oa, 7th S2.0 class (#21)
13/06/1964 SCA Regional Lime Rock (T. von Imrey) 4th oa, 1st EM class (#21)
21/06/1964 SCA Regional Thompson (T. von Imrey) 1st oa, 1st EM class (#??)
28/06/1964 USR Watkins Glen GP (T. von Imrey) 9th oa, 4th 2.0 class (#22)
1960s sold to Donald Chab, Philadelphia
1967 sold to Richard Swift, Miami
1972 sold to Pierre Bardinon, Aubusson
1980s sold to Fabrizio Violati, San Marino
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
