AutoCult Ford A "Juan Manuel Fangio" (1929) (Argentina)

About the Original:

The Beginning of a great Era

In October 1934 an prospective prize money of 1,000 Argentinian Peso arouse the interest of the young man from the village Balcara to participate in the race Benito Juarez. This young man was no less a person than Juan Manuel Fangio. There was just one problem; the 23-year old did not own a car!

His and his friends answer to this problem was to lend a car for the race, win the race to collect the price money and then to return the car to its owner. In theory quite simple. The right “victim” was quickly found. It was the taxi driver Bianculli, who drove his passengers with a Ford A built in 1929. He agreed and lent his car to the young guys, provided that he gets it back in a perfect condition the day after the race weekend. The good-natured taxi driver could not know that in the next night his set of wheels was completely converted into a unique race car. Fangio and his friends modified the Ford according to their abilities and possibilities. But their boundless optimism came to an abrupt end as Juan Manuel Fangio had to give up during the race due to an engine failure. The disappointment was big and additionally they faced a difficult conversation with Monsieur Bianculli the next day. Bianculli was really angry about the damaged engine and raged. Fangio and his friends had no other option but to ruefully settle the damage. Additionally to that they missed their aim to win the 1,000 Peso, they had to bear the costs of the engine repair and so their perfect plan turned out to be a loosing game in the end.

It is certain that the blue lacquered Ford with the number 19 would have been immaterial in the following era, if the young Juan Manuel Fangio had not become one of the greatest race driver of all time. With a total of five World Championship titles he was the most successful race driver of the Formula One for decades and only superseded by Michael Schumacher in 2003. Today Fangio’s heritage and therefore also the Ford is exhibited and cherished at the museum “Museo Juan-Manuel Fangio” in Buenos Aires.