For the first time in over 50 years, these former Marzotto team cars are sitting side by side, prepared once again to compete in the Mille Miglia. Are these cars like working dogs, border collies or sled dogs who are anxious to work almost to their own demise or are they dreading the stress of the event?
The lighter red car is a Ferrari 340 America serial number 0030MT that belonged to my father, Peter Markowski for 35 years. He bought it as a worn out race car when he was in his late teens and restored over the course of many years then driving it for close to 100,000 miles. In the late 90′s our shop restored it again, overhauling the engine, transmission, brakes and other components. We performed a flawless pant job on the car and Peter sold it shortly after all that work was completed because he was not comfortable driving the car with reckless abandon as he used to.
The car sold to its current owner in Europe who disliked the perfection so performed some magic to make the car look more original followed by competing in many driving events which added some true “battle scars”. My father was probably quite emotional seeing this old piece of his history next to a car that he and his sons built from the ground up.
A well known Ferrari historian is working to make arrangements to have the two cars shipped to the home of Giannino Marzotto at Lake Como for a photo shoot and possible magazine article. I hope this works out as Signior Marzotto may have some incredible stories of racing these cars in the early 50′s.
Ferrari Marzotto 340
Marzotto Team cars 212, 340 Ferrari
