Privately Sequestered for Decades in Northern California, This 1954 Monza winner, US National Champion Mondial Embodies All the Glory of International Sports Car Racing. Eligible For Premier Worldwide Rally and Show Events. Without Question an Exceptionally Important Historic Competition Ferrari.1954 Ferrari Mondial 500 by Pinin Farinas/n 0430MD, Engine no. 0464MDRed with Tan Interior While most vintage Ferraris are well-known for their V12 engines, in the early 1950s Enzo Ferrari began taking notice of smaller profile cars using four-cylinder engines that made great power and delivered significant performance when installed in lighter weight cars. Particularly suited for racetracks with tight corners and limited straightaways, these cars were often highly competitive against larger, heavier big engine competition. Inspired by this, Enzo assigned engineer Aurelio Lampredi to immediately develop a robust and high revving engine. The end result would prove to be one of the most successful engine designs, delivering successes in race after race at the hands of some of the most capable drivers, including Alberto Ascari who proved the four-cylinder Ferrari was something to contend with, achieving consecutive championships in the four-cylinder F2 Monoposto, clinching the 1952 and 1953 titles.The 1,984-cc dual overhead-camshaft Lampredi engine featured two Weber 40 DCOA/3 carburetors, four-speed manual transaxle, and offered a surprising 170hp. The power to weight ratio not only proved to be fantastic, in some cases, the performance could outdo the V12. Mounted into the tubular steel chassis, the independent front suspension with transverse leaf springs, de Dion rear axle with parallel trailing arms and semi-elliptic leaf springs, with four-wheel drum brakes, all contributed to making a very nimble race car with peak torque at lower rpms. The combined package was not only nimble, but the engine also delivered great acceleration especially on tight racecourses and hill climbs.By 1954, Ferrari offered the four-cylinder sports/racer to customers as a two-liter model, with each cylinder displacing almost 500 cubic centimeters. The car was dubbed the 500 Mondial, in recognition of Ascari’s back-to-back World Championships. Beginning with chassis 0404MD, 18 spiders and two berlinettas were built comprising the first series, all of which were bodied by Pinin Farina. A second series of 10 Scaglietti-bodied cars followed, resulting in the construction of just 30 500 Mondials before yielding to the three-liter 750 Monza. And, while any Mondial is surely a rare and desirable Ferrari, chassis #0430 stands today as a singularly remarkable example with highly desirable “low grille” covered headlight alloy coachwork, featuring period racing history and long-term ownership. Sequestered for decades from exposure or exhibits at major events, this beautiful Mondial reflects not only the stunning craftsmanship and mechanical excellence of the era, it remains true to the original intent of this series, preserving the authentic debut racing achievement garnered in Italy and multiple period North American racing wins throughout the 1950s. According to the Marcel Massini report and other supporting documents authenticating this car, on May 18, 1954, chassis 0430 (tipo 504) entered the Pinin Farina facility for alloy body construction. Designed and constructed at the factory with the desirable “covered-headlight”-style bodywork, the car is believed to be the 10th 500 Mondial built, transitioning from the earlier designs into the more refined and smoothly contoured low grille profile. On June 27, 1954 #0430, nearly completed, was pulled from the production line and called into racing duty. The 2.9L 735 engine, #0428MD, was installed in time to compete at the 2nd Grand Premio Supercortamaggiore in Monza, driven by legendary race car driver Mike Hawthorn and co-driver Umberto Maglioli. Hawthorn, an accomplished Scuderia Ferrari driver would go on to achieve the 1958 FIA Formula One World Championship for Ferrari as well as numerous other victories in a wide range of Ferraris. The intrepid team performed flawlessly, delivering a 1st overall in race #14 at Monza, which ultimately would lead to this series of cars becoming known as the “Ferrari Monza”. This first-place finish has been well documented by Motor Sport magazine in an article about the race published in 1954 (see accompanying article).As was common for that period, this Monza winning car, having achieved victory, was returned to the factory to be outfitted with engine #0430 and sold as a brand-new car. An order was processed for Bill Frick Motors, USA for customer William Carpenter. The car was painted blue with a central white stripe, and delivered to the first owner, Mr. William K. Carpenter, Montchanin, Delaware in October 1954. Later that year, Carpenter sold the car back to Bill Frick, West Palm Beach, Florida, who then offered the car for sale in the January 1955 issue of Road & Track magazine, page two. In that advertisement, the car is described as “brand new, never raced, painted dark blue with a wide white stripe, asking price $11,000.00”. In November 1955, the car was sold to Paul Norair, Washington, DC.After Norair purchased the car, he entered it in its first North American race, the 2nd Annual Nassau Speed Week, Bahamas on December 9th, 1955, race #92, placing 29th overall in the Governor’s Trophy, and 2nd in class E. The next day, on the 10th of December 1955, the car competed in the Alberto Ascari Memorial Trophy (Ferrari Class Race 6), driven by Norair also #92, and again on 11th of December 1955, it further competed in the Nassau Trophy with co-drivers Carl Smidt and Campbell sharing driving duties placing 23rd overall and 3rd in the EM class. In the spring of 1956, the car was repainted to red and went on to participate in numerous documented races, completing two additional years of competition at some of the most important North American race venues. Over 30 entries including races at Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, Nassau Bahamas, Marlboro, Bridgehampton, and Cumberland are documented in the Massini report and further supported in entries noted on Ferrari car database barchetta.cc.On February 1, 1957 the car was advertised for sale in Sports Car Magazine with the advertisement noting “7 races, 6 trophies, excellent, retiring, $4,950.” In May 1957 the car was sold to Mike Gerber, Framingham, MA and extensively raced by Gaston (Gus) Andrey while under Gerber’s ownership. During this period, Andrey raced the car in white livery with twin red stripes and Swiss flags proudly flanking its sides, achieving 1st place in the 1957 E modified class, with Andrey also winning the 1957 SCCA E Modified National Championship. Further racing distinctions with Andrey at the wheel included victories at Watkins Glen GP (1st EM, 11th OA), Bridgehampton, and numerous SCCA Regional races at Limerock.The next known owner, Charlie Kolb competed with the car throughout 1958 at Vineland, Cumberland, VIR, Marlboro, and Berwick. In the 1960s the car was sold to H. Anderson, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia who sold the car to Robert Norwood, Denton, Texas, around the mid 1970s. At the time of his purchase, the car is believed to have been sold without the engine. By the mid 1970s Norwood arranged for the purchase of a Ferrari engine from Robert Lloyd in Texas. In 1976, the car was then offered for sale by the broker Katherine McClure, Manchaca, TX. At this time, the car is known to have been fitted with engine #0464, itself a critical part of Ferrari racing history, having powered a Mondial Spyder Scaglietti which debuted at the Carrera Panamericana driven by Porfino Rubirossa and Ernie McAfee, ironically with DNQ for “exceeding the time limit”, and later logging a DNF at the 12 hours of Sebring due to an accident. After the accident, Engine #0464 was removed from the car and subsequently installed in chassis #0430.In 1979 Bob Taylor, Burlingame, CA acquired the car, advertising it for sale, paired with engine #0464MD. Taylor, a well-known Bay Area proprietor of racing Ferraris, had supplied numerous cars to a wide range of West Coast buyers and privateers. In 1980, the Mondial was sold to the most recent Northern California owner, who retained the car until his passing. The recently departed private owner, a well-respected Northern California afficionado and sports car enthusiast was an exceptional caretaker of this historic and important Ferrari. During his ownership, he worked methodically restoring the car, employing a range of Bay Area experts on specialized tasks. In 1995, the original engine #0430MD, was offered for sale by Corrado Cupellini, Bergamo, Italy, and subsequently sold to a buyer in France. Being quite familiar with Ferraris and having access to some of the finest Ferrari mechanics in California and other experts worldwide, the owner restored the car to a high standard with the former Sebring 0464MD motor which has been a proud part of this car for more than 40 years.During the restoration, Doug Peterson of Comptech was enlisted to perform careful mechanical work on the lower end of the motor including the installation of a new Moldex crank, robust stock rods, and new pistons. The car was then dispatched to Phil Reilley for further engine work. During this time, Ferrari engine expert Jere Brown of Mouse Engineering worked on the head and barrel to correct a previous leak. Brown, having performed work on several mechanical aspects of this car, was careful to maintain as many of the original parts and components as possible. Detailed accounts of all mechanical work were retained with the records for the services. While the engine was being serviced, the clutch was replaced, and the gearbox inspected and then reinstalled in the car. Bay Area painter Rob Etcheverry, known for his expert workmanship on Ferraris, painted the car in rosso corsa. Over the past