Federal # 001
This is Mario's other JPS car!
Chassis Number ?????????
Engine Number ????????????
??? miles (October 1997)
Car number 001 was presented to Mario after winning the F1 Championship in 1978.
There was a "rumour" that Federal #002 was Mario's car. In fact we can confirm that is not a rumour but a fact! The car formally presented to Mario was actually #002 and he had it for some time until the #001 was ready for him. To learn more about this story see James Strickland's car Fed #002.
More recent information confirms the story that "real 001" (as opposed to the one presented at the Long Beach grand prix) 001 was a domestic spec car (possibly #016 with added modifications) that was shipped to Mario without fanfare. This is the car that he (and later Michael) drove for several years and was later given to Mario's manager. The last rumoured location of the car was with an unknown used car dealer in Colorado. The car has dissapeared since then. Any tips as to the car's current whereabouts would be appreciated.
Bob Metz reported the following information:
US commemorative #001 sat for at least a year in the showroom of Tapp's Garage in Denver, six or seven years ago (i.e. around 1994). It was owned by one of the brothers, Jim Tapp, who took it on a mechanic's lien. After a long time on their floor, Jim sold the car to a Japanese owner, to whom it was shipped. This occurred at least five years ago.
Bob's knowledge of the car came from a friendly relationship with Jim while he had a '78 S.2 with retrofitted Dell'ortos. Since the JPS commemorative came into the US with Dell'ortos, Bob got Jim's permission and partly disassembled one of the carbs in his showroom to find out what was wrong with his. Bob noted the car had #001 in the laurels on the flanks, and Andretti's "signature" on the windshield. It had all the other trappings of the JPS commemorative.
Art Mason and Ian Munro are hatching a plot that gets as many JPS cars as we can round up and descend on Mario's house in a convoy so we can wring the complete story out of him. Beware the JPS register Mario! Keep your beer fridge stocked!