VIN: the Franco Cornacchia / Roberto Bonomi Ferrari 375 Mille Miglia chassis 0358 AM
History of chassis 0358 AM
Chassis 0358 AM was the first of 22 Ferrari 375 Mille Miglias constructed.
It was ordered by Milan car dealer and racing driver, Franco Cornacchia.
Cornacchia was a close friend of Enzo Ferrari and the patron of Scuderia Guastalla.
0358 AM was dispatched to Pinin Farina on September 25th 1953 where it was configured as a bright red Berlinetta.
The car made its competition debut on the 1953 Carrera Panamericana (November 19th to 23rd). It appeared alongside four factory owned Ferraris which had started life as 340 Mille Miglias and then been converted to 4.5-litre ‘375’ trim for the second half of the 1953 season.
The quintet of 4.5-litre Ferraris contested the Carrera under a Scuderia Guastalla entry with backing from Cartiere Ricci and the Industrias 1-2-3 corporation.
0358 AM was allocated to Scuderia Ferrari driver, Umberto Maglioli, and navigator, Piero Cassani.
On stage one (329 miles from Tuxtla Gutierrez to Oaxaca), Maglioli finished fifth behind four works Lancias.
However, the opening day was marred by several fatalities. Six spectators died when a Lincoln ran into the crowd while Maglioli’s team-mates, Antonio Stagnoli and Giuseppe Scotuzzi, were killed when their 375 left the road at high speed.
Maglioli was fourth on stage two (256 miles from Oaxaca to Puebla) and third on stage three (81 miles from Puebla to Mexico City).
Having initially been outpaced by the Lancias, Maglioli won leg four (267 miles from Mexico City to Leon).
The fourth stage was blighted by another fatal accident when Lancia’s Felice Bonetto crashed.
Stage five (333 miles from Leon to Durango) was the longest of the event. Unfortunately, 0358 AM shed a wheel at around 120mph and the damage proved too extensive to continue. Maglioli and Cassani were out of the race.
0358 AM subsequently returned to the factory where it was repaired.
Franco Cornacchia made one appearance in the car (at the Trieste Opicina Hillclimb on June 20th) but was not among the class winners. Cornacchia had won the Trieste Opicina event in 1953 driving a 250 Mille Miglia.
Later in the summer, Cornacchia sold 0358 AM to Argentine amateur driver and wealthy land owner, Roberto Bonomi.
Bonomi purchased several Ferraris in the early 1950s to include a 225 Sport (0160 ED), the unique 250 Sport (0156 ET) and a 625 TF (0306 TF).
After racing 0358 AM at the Circuito di Senigallia on August 8th (DNF), Bonomi shipped the car to Argentina. He then teamed up with Carlos Peyloubet for an attack on the 1954 Carrera Panamericana but they were excluded on the opening stage for not reaching a checkpoint within the allotted time.
In 1955 and 1956, Bonomi and Ernesto Florencio Castro Cranwell drove 0358 AM at the Buenos Aires 1000km races, but failed to finish because of engine fires on both occasions. By this stage, the car had been re-painted silver with a black roof.
By 1957, Bonomi had sold 0358 AM to countryman, Leonardo Otero.
After failing to start the 1957 Buenos Aires 1000km, the car was retired from competition duty.
It went through the hands of several American owners. Ex-Renault F1 team boss and Ferrari collector, Jean Sage, then acquired it in the mid 1990s.
Notable History
Franco Cornacchia (Scuderia Guastalla), Milan
23/11/1953 WSC Carrera Panamericana (U. Maglioli / P. Cassani) DNF (#12)
20/06/1954 IND Trieste Opicina Hillclimb (F. Cornacchia) NC (#58)
Sold to Roberto Bonomi, Buenos Aires, Argentina
08/08/1954 IND Circuito di Senigallia (R. Bonomi) DNF (#??)
23/11/1954 WSC Carrera Panamericana (R. Bonomi / C. Peyloubet) DNF (#4)
Repainted Silver with Black roof
23/01/1955 WSC Buenos Aires 1000km (R. Bonomi / E.F.C. Cranwell) DNF (#6)
29/01/1956 WSC Buenos Aires 1000km (R. Bonomi / E.F.C. Cranwell) DNF (#42)
Sold to Leonardo Otero (Argentina Racing)
Repainted Red
20/01/1957 WSC Buenos Aires 1000km (C. Bucci / O. de Petris) DNS (#22)
1990s sold to Jean Sage, France
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
