Miguel Sánchez
Although Ferrari has always been a brand that has chosen to centralize its sports activities within the Scuderia, the truth is that it has also known how to outsource on some occasions. In this sense, the first and most recurring thing is to name the prolific relationship between Maranello and North American Racing Team. The team founded in 1958 by Luigi Chinetti. An old friend of Enzo Ferrari. Who, in addition to being the importer of the brand in the United States contributed to the appearance of some competition models requested by himself. In fact, possibly the most striking example of this relationship was the spectacular 512 BB/LM with which he seriously considered winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
However, there is another company responsible for having collaborated with Ferrari in the appearance of what, even today, are still some of the “cavallinos” strangest and most unexpected in all history. We refer to Michelotto and his 308 GTB Group 4. Founded in 1969, this dealer and trainer from Padua had in the mid-seventies one of the most unexpected ideas in the entire history of Ferrari. Take one of these sports cars born by and for the asphalt tracks to compete on the dirt tracks. Something as if, in the world of road cycling, Bianchi or De Rosa decided to adapt a time trial model to paths of mud and stones.
Curiously, the idea did not sit too badly in the conservative mind of Enzo Ferrari. For this reason, the Maranello factory supplied Michelotto with chassis and mechanics for the rally variant of the 308. In addition, fiberglass bodies arrived from the Scaglietti workshops. Quite a rarity since only around 800 first units of the 308 presented in 1975 were made in this material. Left aside in the face of criticism from customers who considered its use by Ferrari unprofessional. However, when it comes to competition, fiberglass lowered the scale so much that it was undoubtedly much more preferable.
A fact that helped to squeeze even more power from the V8 with almost three liters, fed in most of the units prepared by Michelotto with a Bosch injection system. In addition, improvements in suspension and stabilizer bars, underbody reinforcement, increased wheel arches and new tires made the Ferrari 308 GTB Michelotto an excellent example of Group 4. Thus, everything was ready to jump into the competition. That yes, the power of the contemporary Lancia Stratos and FIAT 131 Abarth, as well as the irruption of the new Audi Quattro did not make things easy for these 308. Even less when, despite having the official support of Ferrari in the manufacturing phase, from Maranello they washed their hands when giving any support in competition.
ANTONIO ZANINI APPEARS ON SCENE
Despite not being recurrently victorious machines, the 308 Michelotto managed to win the Targa-Florio in 1981 and the Tour de France that same as well as the following. However, the appearance in 1982 of the Group B completely left aside these models born at the end of the previous decade. And it is that, after all, already entered the eighties neither the injection nor the rear propulsion had nothing to do with the powerful turbo engine combined with the all-wheel drive. In fact, the best proof of this was the Lancia 037 and its constructors' title in the 1983 World Rally Championship. Quite a swan song in the face of the overwhelming power of the Audi Quattro, proclaiming from the rooftops the arrival of a new era. .
Anyway, the Ferrari 308 Michelotto was still a very good car. Especially for rallies where there were a lot of tarmac stages. In this way, even being left out of international competitions, he was still seen in many French and Italian events. Countries to which Spain was added when Antonio Zanini from Barcelona chose it to compete in the 1984 Spanish Rally Championship. Active since 1970, before the 1984 season began, his name was at the top of national motorsports, having won the Spanish Rally Championship seven times to date. Also, in 1980 he had won the European while in 1983 he managed to get on the podium as third place.
All this driving cars as iconic as the Porsche 911 SC with which he won the European Rally Championship. The Talbot Lotus Sunbeam with which he achieved the Spanish in 1982. Or the FIAT 131 Abarth thanks to which he reached the top of the national championship in 1978 and 1979 with the SEAT Competition team. Thus, it is obvious to understand how Antonio Zanini is one of the biggest names in Spanish motorsport. Even more so if we take into account that, with his victory in the Spanish Rally Championship in 1984, Zanini bequeathed up to eight titles, five of them consecutive from 1974 to 1978.
THE PROBLEM OF THE TWO FERRARI 308 MICHELOTTO
At this point, everything should be normal. Antonio Zanini has chosen a Ferrari 308 Michelotto, he is going to race with it and thus win two years before retiring from the national championship. However, the complication comes from the fact that he ran the 1984 season with two of these models. Yes, not simultaneously. Therefore, in order to put order in all this mess, it is best to start from the beginning. After having followed in detail the path of each chassis number thanks to the official classifications and the data provided by the Bonhams specialist Philip Kantor.
To start we have the first of the two Ferrari 308 Michelotto. It is chassis number 24783. Brought to Spain by the Barcelona importer Fernando Serena. And with which the entire 1984 season should have been played from the beginning to the end. At this point, Antonio Zanini went to Italy to collect from the Michelotto workshops the necessary parts for his conversion to Group B specifications.. After this, the final assembly would be carried out in the Serena workshops. However, the work took so long that the 308 Michelotto was not ready for the start of the championship on February 17 at the Rally Costa Brava.
Thus, Zanini could not compete in the first test. And it is more, given that the work in the workshop was going to take a long time, the start in the second was also in danger. For this reason, he entered into talks with the Italian Pro Motor Sport team in order to rent one of his 308 Michelotto. And he did it. A) Yes, on March 17 he managed to be on the starting line of the Rally Costa Blanca achieving the second position with this Ferrari curiously painted in white and with chassis number 18869. Very recognizable thanks to the advertising of Saba and Martini. After this, the car traveled to Italy together with Zanini himself to run the Targa-Florio that year, finishing third.
A few days later, they were back in Spain to take the Montseny exit on April 7. They won it, thus adding his first victory despite having started without scoring in the first test. And well, from there Zanini's Ferrari won the Sierra Morena Rally. The Villa of Madrid. The Savings Bank Grand Prize. And the Basque-Navarro. Beyond these victories, two consecutive abandonments were experienced due to broken alternator and cardan shaft respectively. However, the points already gave Antonio Zanini and his Ferrari 308 Michelotto the Spanish Rally Championship of that 1984.
Anyway, reviewing photos from that season a recurring question usually arises. How is it possible that in most of the races the car was white and, suddenly, it was red in the last ones? The answer isn't in a quick and unexpected coat of paint. But in that before the end of the season, finally the 308 Michelotto imported by Serena and with which Zanini was going to race was ready. Therefore, the one leased from Pro Motor Sport was returned to Italy. Ending the season with what should have been the first and only car. Marked with chassis number 24783 Thanks to which he won the Osona Rally, reaping another rally in that 1984 so victorious for Antonio Zanini and his co-driver Josep Autet. Undoubtedly one of the best Ferrari stories in relation to Spain.
Images: Bonhams/RM Sotheby's
P.D. According to information regarding the history of the model with chassis 18869, it seems that this is one of the four units that were adapted to the specifications of Group B. And, let us remember, the 308 Michelotto were born to be homologated in the previous Group 4.
