The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
This special, one-off Ferrari initially left Ferrari’s Maranello factory in 1965 as a 330 GT Series II with Pininfarina coachwork finished in Rosso (19.374) and a Beige interior (VM 3309); as a U.S.-specification example, it featured instrumentation in miles. The car was delivered new to Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut. Chinetti sold the car to its first owner, Mr. Desy.
In 1967 the car returned to Chinetti Motors, at which time Luigi Chinetti Jr. decided to have the car rebodied in a unique shooting brake design. Chinetti Jr. collaborated with American illustrator Bob Peak to pen the new coachwork. The car was then professionally rebodied by the experts at Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale in Turin, Italy. The one-off, station wagon design provided more comfortable seating for four with the added benefit of a cavernous luggage space. It was refinished in metallic green with a gold metallic roof. At this time, it was noted that the car was fitted with engine no. 09269, the whereabouts of its original 07963 remains unknown. Vignale proudly displayed their work on their stand at the 50th Annual Torino Motor Show held at Parco Valentino. The car was returned to Chinetti Jr., who enjoyed the car for a number of years. From 1974 through 1977 the car was owned on the East Coast in the Philadelphia area and later New York.
The story of Carrozzeria Vignale represents one of the many somewhat forgotten success stories born against the backdrop of an Italy that was torn apart by the Second World War and which, starting from the end of the 1950s, was able to recover enough to know a real miracle. economical just a few years later.
Like Vignale, Enzo Ferrari had founded his small factory based in Maranello in 1946 and had come into contact with the Turin coachbuilder through Franco Cornacchia, well-known owner of Scuderia Guastalla and trustee of the Cavallino brand in Milan. The two manufacturers were united by some peculiar personal characteristics, which saw them both excel in the exasperated dedication to their work.
