The oldest Ferrari in the world, a 1948 166 Inter, has been found in New Zealand, where it is still regularly driven. It is the fourth road car produced by Ferrari, with serial number 007-S, rolling out of the Maranello factory when the company was less than two years old. This discovery is tied to Ferrari’s tradition of using odd numbers for road cars and even numbers for racing cars. In fact, the first two cars with serial numbers 001 and 003 have been lost, while the 005 is housed in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. The 166 Inter is one of the few remaining examples of the 37 produced up until 1950.
The story of this Ferrari is captivating, especially how it ended up more than 18,000 kilometers away from its birthplace. After its production in 1948, the car changed hands several times, spending the last 30 years with an American couple, Ferrari enthusiasts, who now live in New Zealand. Before reaching its long-term home, the car had been owned by three Italians, including Pietro Barbetti, who participated in the 1952 Mille Miglia, finishing in 20th place.
In 1953, the car suffered a serious accident while owned by Henry Bartecchi, a captain in the U.S. Army. After undergoing repairs at Carrozzeria Touring in Milan in 1954, the Ferrari began a long journey around the world. Its new owner, attorney Bob McKinsey, had the car disassembled and shipped to the U.S., but the restoration proved difficult, leaving the car abandoned in a field for two years. In 1956, the third American owner, Thomas Wiggins, bought the car, but without its original bodywork, he kept only the mechanical components. It took another 15 years before Wiggins found a suitable coupé body, one of only five made by the Stabilimenti Farina for Ferrari, though this also required extensive restoration. The project stalled again for another 23 years, until 1994, when Wiggins finally gave up on restoring the car.
The turning point came when Amanda and her husband, “Phips,” after moving to New Zealand, found the car for sale. After six months of negotiations, they were able to acquire all the necessary parts to rebuild the Ferrari. In 1997, in time for Ferrari’s 50th anniversary, the couple completed the restoration and brought the car back to Italy for the celebrations. Since then, the 166 Inter has traveled over 50,000 kilometers and continues to be regularly driven, a living testament to the enduring legacy of the Prancing Horse.
Photos from official Ferrari YouTube channel