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Collectors Corner - Ferrari 125 S


Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125 - Piero Ferrari and son

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125 - Piero Ferrari and son

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

Ferrari 125 S Replica s/n 90125

 

Whilst at Alfa Romeo in the pre-war years, Enzo Ferrari had worked with a talented engineer by the name of Gioacchino Colombo on the 158 Alfetta monoposto project. Thus, as World War II came to an end and Enzo Ferrari’s thoughts turned once more to car production, it was only natural that he should contact Colombo to design the 1500cc V12 engine that he had in mind to power his proposed new car. Although Colombo had to return to Alfa Romeo to head their post-war design effort he found a draughtsman named Fochi and an engineer named Busso, who with Luigi Bazzi turned his proposals into reality in the shortest time possible.

... Ferrari 125 S Register >>>

On 12 March 1947 Enzo Ferrari gave the rolling chassis of the first car to bear his name its maiden test run between the factory in Maranello, and the town of Formigine on the road to Modena. Within two months two fully bodied cars had been completed, and were entered for a race at Piacenza. One had a fully enveloping covered wheel aluminium spider body, and the other a more spartan design, again in aluminium, with cycle type wings. The cycle winged car didn't start due to political problems with the driver, but the other car driven by Franco Cortese showed promise, leading the race before it retired with a fuel pump problem. This promise was fulfilled two weeks later on 25 May, in the Rome G.P. which Franco Cortese won in the enveloping bodied 125 S, to record the first of many race victories that have been taken by Ferrari cars over the years.

Under the aluminium body, the front mounted 1500cc 60 degree V12, single overhead camshaft per bank, engine coupled to a five speed gearbox, sat in a tubular steel chassis, with two main longitudinal members and cross bracing sections. The suspension was independent at the front, with a transverse leaf spring, and individual shock absorbers to each wheel, whilst at the rear there was a rigid axle sitting on leaf springs with lever type shock absorbers on each side. The wheels were Borrani wire type on rudge hubs with a knock-off spinner, with hydraulic drum brakes, with a cable operated handbrake to the rear wheels. This arrangement continued virtually unchanged into the succeeding 159 and 166 series models.

As there was a constant process of upgrade and innovation going on, these original two cars were the focus of this attention, as it was obviously cheaper to modify something that you already had, than to build a completely new car. Hence, neither example remains today in the form in which they were originally built. An American collector who bought the 166 Spider Corsa, chassis # 010 I, believes that this was originally the 125 S, chassis # 01 C, and has had the car re-bodied to the 125 S body configuration. Ferrari started the construction of an exact replica of the first car in the mid eighties, even going to the extent of manufacturing the original engine type to power it. This factory owned example appropriately carries chassis number 90125, 90 for 1990, the year that its construction was completed, and 125 for the model type. It is used frequently for promotional and display purposes at Ferrari events throughout the world.

Technical Specification

Engine

60 degr. V12, longitudinal, alloy block & cylinder heads

Timing Gear

2 valves per cylinder, single overhead camshaft per bank

Bore & Stroke

55 mm x 52.5 mm

Unitary Displacement

124.733 cc

Total Displacement

1496.80 cc

Compression Ratio

8.5 : 1

Maximum Power

100 bhp at 7000 rpm

Transmission

Dry single plate clutch, 5 speed + reverse gearbox

Chassis

Elliptical-section steel tubes

Front Suspension

Independent with transverse leaf spring and hydraulic shock absorbers

Rear Suspension

Rigid axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers

Wheelbase

2420 mm

Front Track

1255 mm

Rear Track

1200 mm

Kerb Weight

750 kgs

Fuel Tank

72 litres

Top Speed

165-175 kph


Keith Bluemel
11/2007