VIN: the Luigi Piotti / Ken Wharton Ferrari 750 Monza chassis 0514M
History of chassis 0514M
Chassis 0514M was a Scaglietti-bodied 750 Monza original sold to well-heeled 41 year old privateer, Luigi Piotti of Rome.
Piotti’s first Ferrari was a 212 Inter road car purchased in 1951 (chassis 0111ES). This was followed in close succession by a 212 Export (0104ED), a 166 Mille Miglia / 53 (0290M), a 250 Mille Miglia (0276MM) and 250 Monza (0432M), all of which Piotti successfully raced at national and international level.
For the 1955 season, Piotti acquired chassis 0514M which he debuted at the Dakar GP in Senegal on March 13th. On that occasion the car failed to finish as a result of engine trouble, but Piotti went on to have a very good season. Notable results included fifth overall and second in class at the Montlhery Coupes de Paris, second overall at the Monza Coppa Lombardia, seventh overall at the Bari GP and fifth overall at the Monza Supercortemaggiore.
In his penultimate outing with 0514M in 1955, Piotti won the 252km Tunisian Grand Prix at the Belvedere Park street circuit. He then posted a DNF in his final race with the car at the Targa Florio in October.
For the 1956 season, Piotti went on to race a variety of Maserati cars to include a 250 F single seater.
Meanwhile, chassis 0514M was sold via Ferrari to British pro, Ken Wharton.
Wharton had previously raced and rallied at the highest level to include F1 outings for the Owen Racing Organisation and Vanwall plus works drives for Jaguar and Aston Martin. He had the little red spyder repainted green with an orange noseband, after which he debuted the car under a Scuderia Ferrari entry at the Silverstone International Trophy. Unfortunately, 0514M dropped out with four of the 25 laps to go for reasons unknown.
Wharton dovetailed his drives in the 750 Monza with outings in Maseratis, OSCAs and Aston Martins in 1956. He also contested the Le Mans 24 Hours in a works Jaguar D-type.
As a result of his busy schedule, Wharton only ran 0514M at three other events in 1956; he most notably finished eighth overall in the Bari GP and then third overall at the season-ending Australian Tourist Trophy at Albert Park.
Seven weeks after his podium finish in Australia, Wharton lined up on pole for the New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore Park. However, the race ended in disaster; having led the field away, Wharton was battling with Jack Brabham’s Cooper T39 when, on the 18th lap, the Englishman drifted wide while attempting to pass a slower car down the pit straight. 0514M hit a hay bale and scaffolding pole support for the timekeeper’s tower which caused it to barrel roll at around 120mph.
Poor Ken Wharton was thrown from the car and died from his injuries an hour after arriving at hospital.
The damaged remains of 0514M were subsequently rebuilt by Ken Harris of Auckland who went on to race the car in 1958 and ‘59.
For 1960, 0514M was in the hands of another Aucklander, Bill Thomasen, who raced it through 1960. It was then sold to John Riley for 1961 who went on to fit the car with a Chevrolet V8 engine in an attempt to keep it competitive.
By the late 1960s chassis 0514M was in the possession of Len Southward of the Southward Car Museum in Wellington. The Corvette engine was removed and the 750 Monza was put on display.
In the years that followed, Southward was able to reunite 0514M with its original engine and in the early 2000s the car was restored to its 1955 configuration.
Notable History
Scaglietti Spyder
Red
Sold to Luigi Piotti, Rome
13/03/1955 IND Dakar GP, Senegal (L. Piotti) DNF (#24)
02/04/1955 IND British Empire Trophy, Oulton Park (L. Piotti) DNQ (#47)
12/04/1955 IND Goodwood Easter Trophy (L. Piotti) DNF (#118)
17/04/1955 IND Coupes de Paris, Montlhery (L. Piotti) 5th oa, 2nd S3.0 class (#30)
01/05/1955 WSC Mille Miglia (L. Piotti / L. Zannini) DNF (#706)
08/05/1955 IND Coppa Lombardia, Monza (L. Piotti) 2nd oa, 2nd S1.1+ class (#332)
15/05/1955 IND Bari GP (L. Piotti) 7th oa, 7th S2.0+ class (#22)
29/05/1955 IND Monza Supercortemaggiore (L. Piotti / F. Cortese) 5th oa, 5th S2.0+ class (#36)
05/06/1955 IND Mugello GP (L. Piotti) DNS (#122)
19/06/1955 IND Tunisian GP, Belvedere Park (L. Piotti) 1st oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#54)
16/10/1955 WSC Targa Florio (L. Piotti / F. Cornacchia) DNF (#100)
Sold to Ken Wharton, Smethwick
Repainted British Racing Green with Orange noseband
05/05/1956 IND Daily Express Trophy, Silverstone (K. Wharton) DNF (#28)
14/07/1956 IND British GP Support Race, Silverstone (K. Wharton) DNS
22/07/1956 IND Bari GP (K. Wharton) 8th oa, 8th S2.0+ class (#52)
25/11/1956 IND Australian Tourist Trophy, Albert Park (K. Wharton) 3rd oa (#??)
12/01/1957 IND New Zealand GP, Ardmore (K. Wharton) DNF (#64)
Damaged in Wharton’s fatal accident at Ardmore
Sold to Ken Harris, Auckland
Repaired and repainted red
11/01/1958 IND Ken Wharton Memorial Trophy, Ardmore (K. Harris) 3rd oa, 1st S3.0 class (#29)
25/01/1958 IND Lady Wigram Trophy, Wigram (K. Harris) 1st oa (#??)
08/02/1958 IND Teretonga Park (K. Harris) 4th oa (#??)
01/03/1958 IND Ardmore 50 (K. Harris) DNF (#??)
10/01/1959 IND New Zealand GP, Ardmore (K. Harris) 14th oa (#??)
24/01/1959 IND Lady Wigram Trophy, Wigram (K. Harris) 10th oa (#??)
Sold to Bill Thomasen, Auckland
Raced throughout 1960
1961 sold to John Riley, Auckland
Subsequently fitted with a Chevrolet V8 engine
Raced by Riley until 1963
Late 1960s sold to Len Southward (Southward Car Museum), Wellington
Original engine installed
2000s restored to original configuration
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
