Page 31 - Demo

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Designers were challenged to both rethink products
that were in production—and imagine new products
that had never been built before. Engineers were chal-
lenged to implement the designers’ ideas, and workers
were challenged to develop skills to fulfill the engineers’
plans. Italy was no exception, and the rather relaxed
Italian lifestyle was replaced with an urgent need to
supply the troops.
After the war, raw materials and high spirits were
rather scarce in Italy, but skilled workers and the ma-
chinery of an industrialized nation were still in place.
As the darkness of Fascism lifted, wartime workers
began to use their skills on peacetime projects. In Italy,
much of the creativity gravitated toward the automotive
industry, where large and small automobile manufac-
turers began to flourish.
During this period, the creativity at Ferrari was
unparalleled. No fewer than 25 Ferrari models were
produced between 1947 and 1953. Each new model
featured an improvement from the previous model.
Horsepower rose from barely 100 to over 300—with
parallel increases in acceleration and top speed.
On the international front, Ferraris were competing
and winning at major races on several continents. The
most prolific model of this era was the 212 Inter.
every 212 a little—or a lot—different
Every time I research the 212s, I become more fas-
cinated with the model. My initial exposure to Ferrari
212s was through some rather mundane examples that
had all the appeal of a 1950s Nash. However, over the
years I’ve been surprised by the diversity of models—
and blown away by some individual examples.
There were 212 Exports designed for racing, 212
Touring Barchettas, and the mainstay 212 Inter. The
Inter was the production car, and it was built and sold
to help finance the racing side. At least five different
companies produced bodies for 212 Inters. The designs
run from uninspiring to truly exciting. No two bodies
seem to be exactly the same, and even the mechanical
configurations from car to car can vary. It is this diver-
sity that makes the value spread of 212s so wide.
The seller of our subject car, Larry Nicklin, brought two of the feature cars to
RM Auction’s 2011 Amelia Island sale: this 212 and a Ferrari 340 Mexico. Nicklin is
one of the unsung heroes of the Ferrari hobby. Nicklin, along with a small group of
like-minded enthusiasts, founded the Ferrari Club of America. The club has been a
networking hub for Ferrari enthusiasts worldwide for nearly 50 years.
The 340 Mexico (SCM June 2011, Ferrari Profile, p. 44) had an impressive racing
history. It had been restored in 1968, and perhaps because it had been on display
at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg museum in Auburn, IN, it still looked great. On the
other hand, the 212 had been repainted in 1979, and had substantially deteriorated.
While the car appeared sound, the paint was shot and Bondo—with large areas of
primer—dotted the body.
Restoration bills start now
The Mexico ran first. It sold for $4,290,000, the top sale of the day—and well above
the estimate. The 212 brought $660,000, which was 20% over the high estimate and
one of the top sales of the day. The sale price was not out of line with other recent 212
sales—until you consider this car needs no less than $100,000 of work.
212 s/n 0267EU has great provenance, good bones, and a wonderful Vignale body.
There will be a rallying cry to keep it original, but unfortunately it just isn’t nice
enough to display or use the way it is.
The reality is, it needs work and if you touch one area
there will be no stopping point. Considering its condition, the
buyer probably paid above market for it, but with few Inters
produced—and each one individual—if the buyer liked this
particular design, it was his only shot. Once restored, it will
be a hit wherever it’s shown. It will be eligible for most vintage
rallies and pretty much guaranteed an entry. It’s a car I would
love to have in my garage and neither party should be unhappy
with the result. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Auctions.)
seat Time
David Nelson, Akron, OH: I have owned my 1951 Ferrari 212
Alloy-bodied Ghia Coupe, s/n 0145E, since the mid 1980s, and I sent
it to Modena for a complete mechanical and cosmetic restoration by
top marque specialists—Auto Sport and Garuti Giuseppe—over a
ten-year period.
The car is a great old car that is fun to drive, and considering
that it is now 60 years old, the technology of this old 2.6 liter is really
quite amazing. I recently had it at Cavallino Classic XX, and I had
a great time driving it in the rally and all over South Florida. The
drum brakes and the 5-speed transmission can be a little challenging
sometimes, but I will take a clutch over an F-1 transmission any day.
Thanks for the opportunity to share this great old car with you
and my fellow SCMers.
July 2011 49