[R.I.P.] LUIGI CHINETTI

[pastmaster]

He was Ferrari's, " Point Man," in the USA. He won Le Mans, driving 23 hours, of the 24.

Did anyone know him? There have to be numerous, infamous stories of him and his life.

The North American Racing Team, N.A.R.T., with blessings from Enzo, to run, representing Ferrari, in Racing. He persuaded Enzo, to sell Road Cars, in America, after he won races in Europe.

Ciao...Paolo

[Jeff Kennedy]

There is an allegation that Luigi induced Enzo to build cars. As told to me by Luigi's son Lou, Luigi made a commitment that he could sell 10 cars if Enzo built them. As this story goes it was this commitment, one that Luigi could not back up financially, that conviced Enzo to convert from being a machine tool maker to building cars. In the book "Goes Like Hell" this allegation is repeated and attributed to Bob Grossman.

I asked Jess Pourret about this story and he flatly denied that it could be true. His reasoning is that the first Ferrari dealer was someone in Italy (he said who but I do not remember that detail) and that Luigi was not involved in any sales for more than a year.

As far as NART the actual organization and finacial arrangements still seem somewhat murky. It is known that the original bankroll for the creation and at least into the 1960s was from George Arents.

The relationship between Luigi and Enzo apparently was quite complicated.

Met Luigi and Lou at the FCA National in 1983 at Elkhart Lake.

Jeff

[Miura Jota]

Don't forget Luigi's victory at the 1951 Carrera Panamericana
which started and fueled America's interest in that then new marque

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...16047826_n.jpg

He did the same thing 2 years earlier in the first post war Le Mans race driving a 166 Barchetta

[bitzman]

I read where he wanted to be the main man, connecting Ferrari in
Italy to its US customers but would be mad if he found
you went to Italy and bought them directly.
I gather he sometimes took a car one customer bought and loaned
it to another team if they had a famous driver who might do well in the car
and garner more publicity. So is he famous for hanky panky in this regard as well?

[Jeff Kennedy]

Originally Posted by bitzman

I read where he wanted to be the main man, connecting Ferrari in
Italy to its US customers but would be mad if he found
you went to Italy and bought them directly.
I gather he sometimes took a car one customer bought and loaned
it to another team if they had a famous driver who might do well in the car
and garner more publicity. So is he famous for hanky panky in this regard as well?

I wouldn't call it famous but infamous for some of the games that Chinetti played. Was told by an old time Ferrari person in St. Louis that ordering parts from Chinetti was frustrating. Pay in full in advance with no returns - even if Chinetti sent the wrong part.

Stories are that Chinetti wasn't just mad if someone bought a new Ferrari in Europe and brought it to the US (versus buying directly from him). That buyer might be refused all support from Chinetti. Some in the formation of the FCA had the desire to create sources for parts that would be able to avoid Chinetti because of high prices, bad delivery and other such practices.

On the other hand one should recognize that Chinetti was habitually underfunded so every dollar counted.

Jeff