Ferrari 212E Ghia-Aigle Berlinetta
Words: Warren de France & Tim Nevinson
Photos: Jared Clark & Quinn Hamill
Owning a Ferrari is a dream for most people, and this early example is one that even Ferrari owners dream about — and it’s here in New Zealand¦
The end of the ’80s was a high for everyone who had a Ferrari. A growing interest in classic cars lead to a plethora of articles, manuals and books describing Ferrari series cars from the 166s through the 250s — then, in the early ’90s, came the crash that still haunts the values of some models today.
At the time of all this hype, the Ferrari 212 was given only brief attention — that brevity proving misguided, because these early cars make up the backbone of the Ferrari legend. This era was the basis for the road Ferrari took, and forms the bedrock on which the company stands today.
In 1951, Ferrari manufactured many different chassis including the 166, the 195 and its replacement, the 212. While the top of the range was represented by the 4.1-litre, 340 America, Ferrari also sold the 212 chassis as a customer race car. The race car was officially sold as the 212 Export, and was produced alongside the 212 Inter, which was aimed towards the touring customer.
Ferrari’s 212 was capable of winning the world’s most prestigious races, and it was this car’s victories between 1951 and 1953 that established Ferrari’s reputation. During the early ’50s the 212 became Ferrari’s best-selling model. Whilst by today’s standards not that many 212s were manufactured (a little over 100 of the 212 chassis were built), they came in a very large variety of body shapes. Inters accounted for 77 of these, with one MM (Mille Miglia), and the remainder were Exports from various Italian carrozzeria.
The Colombo V12
The 212’s engine was designed by Gioacchino Colombo. Two single overhead camshafts, using a triple chain to drive the camshaft and rocker arms, finger followers and inclined valves were integral with his overall engine design. The spark plugs sit on the inside of the engine’s vee.
As was Ferrari practice at the time, the 212 cars derived their type number from the total displacement of each cylinder in cubic centimetres — 212x 12. The difference between the 212 Exports and Inter’s chassis was, in reality, not that great. Twenty-seven cars received the Export racing specification, which included a large capacity fuel tank and special tuning for the engine. Various carburettors could be ordered on the engine which, as standard, came with a single Weber 36 DCF. As an option for the purchaser, some of the 212 Exports came with the triple Weber 32 DCF set-up.
The Inter was designed for use in Italy and usually carried odd numbers for the chassis serial number. The Export, with even chassis serial numbers, was for shipment out of the country, mainly for competition. Typically, and this is what makes tracing the histories of Italian cars such fun, Ferrari did not always abide by these rules — and confusion amongst records of specific models or serial numbers still exists to this day.
Our featured Ferrari, serial number 0137, is a typical example. Some differences seen between this car, chassis #0137, an Export, and #0141— a Tuboscocca Inter derivative — prove that Ferrari’s cars do not all conform to the general rule.
Some modern sources note and identify #0137 as a Type or ‘Tipo’ 212 Inter, but Ferrari factory records are clear that this was in fact ordered new and built as a Tipo 212 Export. The car’s ID plate, although stating it is an Export, does not always convince everyone. Several noted experts, including Bill Noon and writer Stanley Nowak (Ferrari on the Road), agree the car is a 212 Export. Cavallino magazine notes that #0137 has had some controversy over its correct designation, but stated in a previous issue — “¦and it is a real 1951 212 Export Lungo Berlinetta with a rare body by Ghia-Aigle of Switzerland.”
Body by Ghia-Aigle
At the time, it was typical for Ferrari to sell its cars as rolling chassis and leave the customer to choose a carrozzeria to build the body and interior. The Ferrari coupes, spiders and barchettas were bodied by firms such as Ghia, Pinin Farina, Scaglietti, Touring, Vignale and Ghia-Aigle, to mention just a few.
After World War Two, Giacinto Ghia was a broken man because the allied bombers had hit the Ghia works, and nothing remained. He returned to Torino to supervise the reconstruction of the factory, but died suddenly on February 21, 1944. He was only 56 years old. Ghia’s widow wanted to continue her husband’s carrozzeria under his name, and offered what was left of the company to two of Giacinto’s best friends, Giorgio Alberti and Mario Felice Boano. The latter took control after being offered the position of director, and soon re-established Carrozzeria Ghia at Via Tommaso Grossi in Torino. Four years later the company moved to new premises at Corso Unione Sovietica.
In 1950 Carrozzeria Ghia began the production of Ferrari coupe bodies in small numbers with the emphasis on luxury. Giacinto Ghia’s original directives remained unchanged; limited luxury production, and insistence on quality over quantity.
Thirty-year old Luigi Segre was hired to handle a just established Chrysler of America connection and quickly became managing director of Ghia, concentrating his efforts on Gran Turismo coachwork. In 1953 Mario Boano left Ghia to open up his own carrozzeria together with his son, Giampaolo. At that time Ghia moved its facilities to a new location on via Agostino da Montefeltro, within a few miles of its old building.
From this time the Ghia-bodied Ferraris were strongly influenced by some of the Chrysler dream cars, which the firm was also building as prototypes for the US manufacturer. Eventually, Ford took a controlling interest in Ghia, and the company became Ford’s Italian styling studio and simply became a label attached to ersatz luxury Fords.
The Swiss Connection
The name ‘Aigle’ refers to Aigle in Switzerland, a coachbuilder which subcontracted to Ghia. In the case of our featured car, it formed a body to a strikingly beautiful design by Giovanni Michelotti, who was acting as a freelance whilst still under contract to Alfredo Vignale. In the late ’40s Mr Philippi of Aigle, Switzerland, owner of an automobile repair shop, visited Carrozzeria Ghia in Torino. He asked to use the name Ghia for his own coach-building business. The men in Torino agreed, sold him a license and hence Philippi’s Ghia-Aigle coachworks were born.
The French word Aigle means Eagle in English.
In 1951 Ghia-Aigle bodied two Ferrari 212 Exports, chassis number #0137 being an Export Berlinetta and #0195 an Export coupe. The badge the carrozzeria used was a brass plate with red, white and blue enamel, an eagle with wings spread and script Ghia-Aigle Lugano.
Michelotti’s drawings were transformed from pen and paper to coachwork by the respected Swiss firm, and the coachwork for #0137 is the only known example executed to this design. While completed as a road car and fitted with a full interior, the chassis was built according to Ferrari records as an Export Lungo (Export Long) which is normally associated with Ferrari’s race designs. It is believed the car has a competition heritage, and the current owner would be most grateful if anyone can supply further details in this regard.
The provenance
Basically, the Inters weighed around 950kg and the Export about 150kg less at 800kg. Their respective wheelbases were 2600mm and 2250mm. Our featured Ferrari, #0137, has a wheelbase of 2480mm. Engine compression ratios were about 7.5:1 for the Inter and 8.0:1 for the Export, while power output ranged between 97kW (130bhp) to 127kW (170bhp) for either designation. Generally speaking, the Inter’s power was in the lower range and the Export at the higher range, and fuel capacity was greater in the Exports at 120 litres, around 34 litres more than the Inters.
The fuel tank of #0137 takes up most of the boot area, its 120 litres fed through a huge ‘Monza’ filler cap located in the boot.
Chassis number #0137 has the official title of Ferrari Carrozzeria Ghia-Aigle. Presumably Tipo 212 and Export would be in its description somewhere too.
The Ghia-Aigle factory issued a sales brochure for chassis #0137 in 1951 (which the current owner inherited), selling it as a Ferrari 212 Export by Ghia-Aigle.
In early 1951, shortly after completion, the car was sold new to a Swiss resident, Mr Thiebaud. The factory two-piece windshield was updated early in its life to a single-piece unit, and bumpers were added front and rear. The exterior of the car was rather competition-oriented in nature, and notably void of superfluous chrome or aluminium trim. No bumpers were initially fitted at the front or rear.
Chassis #0137 was later exported to the United Kingdom and registered on UK plates EAM 212L. It was purchased (around 1975) and later offered for sale by noted Ferrari enthusiast and connoisseur, Dan Margulies of London. The next custodian of this Ferrari was a Mr Buckland, who took the car to several shows and events. In 1985, it was exported from the UK to the United States. It was owned for several years by Robert Marceca, and was frequently seen at a variety of Ferrari Club events throughout the ’80s and into the early ’90s.
I believe Mark McClintick bought the car in 1992, and received a second in class for the National Concours in Grand Rapids in the same year. In 1995, it was sold by Symbolic Motor Car Company to Emile Yamano, and exported to Japan.
Yamano had the car carefully restored and prepared for vintage historic touring and racing events, and competed with it at numerous venues over the years. Most notably, Yamano and his daughter raced the car in the Mille Miglia, wearing race number 245.
In 1998 the Ferrari was purchased by Yoshijuki Hayashi. The next year, it became part of the growing Japanese Matsuda Museum Collection. The car was then sold to an American, Charles Arnott, who used it regularly and entered it in the Mille Miglia and several other events, local and overseas. It was finally shipped to New Zealand in 2004.
The Drive
Getting into the 212 is akin to getting into one of today’s supercars. The steering wheel is located virtually above the front of the driver’s seat, and instead of entering the car foot first, it is easier head first, before then somehow executing a triple lutz, which will plonk you in the exact position for driving.
There is tilt-adjust on the seat, but so little that it may as well not be there. Starting the car is by a push switch on the right-hand-side of the dash. No choke is needed to stir the V12 engine into life. In the colder months, a few pumps on the accelerator while turning the engine are all that is needed.
The painted metal dash holds a tachometer (with water temperature and oil pressure gauge) and speedometer (with fuel and clock). The pull switches for ancillary items feature white ceramic knobs, and are laid out in a systematic pattern — which you find out about by experimentation. All the knobs are the same, but a couple of minutes in the car logs them into your memory.
These earlier V12s have a magnificent sound. The heart, body and soul of all 12 cylinders, all valves, tappets and air intakes operating in unison can be heard in that burble emanating from the exhaust.
The gears are in a five-speed pattern with first at top left. Reverse requires you to push a button on top of the gear lever and locate the shift to the bottom right. Ferrari had a five-speed ’box and a four-speed available in the ‘50s.
First is non-synchronised, as is second, with third and fourth synchronised and fifth an overdrive gear. Getting second gear is difficult while the gearbox oil is cold, so starting the day’s drive from first to third is a normal routine. But there is plenty of torque available to cope with the missing second gear.
Third to fourth is a regular change, maybe a double-declutch. Not really necessary, but it feels good. Back down the gears is pretty much the same, with third to second requiring a double-declutch and being much easier than going up the gears. To go back into first it’s advisable, if you do not appreciate the sound of precious metal being roughly machined, to stop the car.
Driving around narrow and twisting roads, up and down the gearbox, is what this car was designed for — doing this is probably more fun on this type of road in a 212 than in a modern Ferrari F40.
There is immense pleasure in the difference this car has to a more modern car, particularly noticeable, for example, when you perfect the timing of your shift from first to second without audible complaint from the transmission. Practice makes perfect. The car draws you into itself, and the whole day becomes very pleasurable. However, it is not a car you would drive every day, as much more concentration and care is needed to drive this than any modern car at the same speed. But then again, if you drive a classic you will know that, and it is why you derive enjoyment from driving it.
This 212 is the realisation of a boyhood dream for the car’s current owner, being eligible for nearly every grand motoring event conceivable — including the Tour de France, Targa Florio, Mille Miglia, Colorado Grand, California Mille and Carrera Panamericana. I suppose all that has to be done is to make the time.Ë™
