Ferrari Numbers vrs Pininfarina Numbers

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Tom Wilson
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Ferrari Numbers vrs Pininfarina Numbers

Post by Tom Wilson »

I just read Tom's blog on Pininfarina numbers and think some clarification is in order. The Pininfarina numbers DO coordinate directly with the Ferrari numbers, but there is no logical order. At the register we have the link between the Ferrari Numbers and PF numbers, which was written by Hil Raab from Ferrari's Records. Sorting through them I found that Pininfarina numbered each body in numerical order, with only one mistake. Ferrari also numbered their chassis' in numerical order, but those numbers covered all of the different series, making it harder to identify just the GTEs.

The real issue comes in when the bodies were mated to the chassis'. 50 GTEs were ordered at a time, but no one seemed to care which body went onto which chassis, making it impossible to guess at the number. The system is further complecated by the habit Pininfarina had of setting Right Hand Drive cars aside until there were enough to justify making the appropriate number of bodies.

I think that the confusion Tom Y refers to lies in the reality that even though Pininfarina had a system in place, the workers did not always follow it. To the best of my knowledge, all bodies went on the chassis that were recorded by Hil Raab. However, they got a little sloppy with the additional parts. For example, my GTE has PF number 412, but some (not all) of my leather pieces say 411. The color and fit was good, so nobody seemed to care.

There is also a similar confusion between the Ferrari Engine Numero Interno's and the chassis number. The Numero Interno was stamped on the block when it was made and that number was used for engine assembly and testing. Some of these engines failed, so there is not a complete set of numbers in the cars. It was only when the approved engine was installed into a chassis that the chassis number was stamped above the Numero Interno. Like Pininfarina, the Ferrrari factory workers did not care which engine went into each car, only that it was appropriate for the model. Therefore, the Numero Interno's are not necessarily in the same order as the Chassis numbers.

Pretty nerdy stuff, but it is all a part of our hobby...
Tom Wilson - Series III 250 GTE, SN 4247 GT
Curator of the 250 GTE Register
http://www.250GTE.com
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