Resurrecting the 156
When Enzo Ferrari ordered the scrapping of all 156s, it assured mythical status. Replica owner Jason Wright tells the story of its return
After the disappointing 1962 season, Commendatore Ferrari himself ordered the cars to be cut up and the pieces to be used in the concrete of the factory forecourt. And so the legend of the ‘Sharknose’ began. The fact that none of the cars remained created a desire in the minds of many enthusiasts that survived unfulfilled until a car appeared in the late ’90s.
The musician Chris Rea had written a film script about Wolfgang von Trips and the Sharknose and had built a lookalike 156 as a prop. This car created a wave of new interest, leading to collector Jan Biekens commissioning Jim Stokes Workshop to build a car. Having found an original 65-degree 1500cc motor and gearbox, as well as chassis drawings, they built a replica that was accepted as the definitive 156 copy.