ferrari 250 tour de france 1958

1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France – Risen from the Ashes

The Ferrari 250 GT is known for their formidable engineering, beautiful design, and exceptional racing performance. In the mid-1950s, the model placed Ferrari at the peak of Gran Turismo racing. The Ferrari 250 GT is the perfect example of performance excellence both for historians and collectors alike. As a predecessor of the 250 GT SWB and the 250 GTO, the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France is still one of the most desirable and collectible models today.

The allure of the Ferrari 250 GT is somewhat because of the multiple successes the automobile provided in many of the most onerous period races; and it proceeds to do so in contemporary vintage events throughout the world today. To this day, rare competition examples of the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France with decorated provenance, detailed documentation, as well as exciting historic contexts remain profoundly sought after. This is due to the combination of stunning Scaglietti coachwork, excellent performance qualities, mechanical artistry, as well as iconic historic presence during the most historical years of motorsport racing. 

Arguably the most important and historic car events in time is the Tour de France race . It ran for five to six days, covering vast areas of undeveloped stretches of French country roads in a range of driving conditions that challenged even the most skilled and talented participants. The event will have the drivers go through multiple hill-climbs, road racing, and even established circuits, testing the skills of the drivers and the resilience of their cars.

Continually evolving, by 1956 the FIA Gran Turismo international racing classification decided they need a clearer and more defined relationship between competition and production cars. The change in classification was aimed at improving road car visibility, elevating racing to a larger audience, and therefore displaying motorsports brands to the masses.  

By then, Ferrari was already making road cars to expand their clientele, so they took up the challenge by building dual-purpose cars with the lightweight alloy Scaglietti coachwork, dual master cylinder braking, competition tuned engines, offset-shift aluminum case gearboxes, large capacity fuel tanks, dual fuel pumps, and larger brakes. All these elements came together to create a powerful car with a stunning body, making it ready for both competition and road use.  

Although fully intending to create an impressive car for road use, the finished product was a formidable competition car, built with just a hint toward road use with just a dash of comfort amenities. It is the seductive combination of raw power and road worthy drivability that makes this car so highly desired to this day.  

The 250 GT Tour de France is widely considered the premier entrant for almost every important vintage event including the Colorado Grand, California Mile, and the Mille Storico ( Mille Miglia ) in Italy. 

Though the exact number is still contested, it is generally believed that Ferrari built around 90 of the 250 GT Tour de France models between the years 1956 and 1959. In this four year period, Ferrari won this event all four years in a row, and three of those wins were by legendary driver Oliver Gendebien ; who also drove the Ferrari 250 TdF to the top podium finish in the GT class and third overall at the final Mille Miglia, now known as Mille Storico.  

Despite the huge impression that the Ferrari had made at the Tour de France race, Ferrari had yet to receive the “Tour de France” designation until well after their multiple wins at the event.  

It was during this period that Ferrari really made a mark, sealing their prowess as they collected victory after victory at race tracks worldwide. The 250 GT Tour de France repeatedly demonstrated that they were not only building a reputation as a European racing phenomenon but that they were also a force to be reckoned with in terms of sportscar development. The fact was driven home by Ferrari after winning victories at Sebring, the Tour of Sicily, Swedish Grand Prix, Reims 12 Hours , and a class win and overall 3 rd  finish at Le Mans in 1959 . 

There were five ‘variants’ that make up the series of the roughly 90 Tour de Frances that were constructed. The most distinct features that separate the five variants are the number of cabin ventilation louvers located behind the side windows. There were 14 louvers on the first cars, the second iteration cars had three raised-panel louvers, and the last of the series had a single louver. Both the three and single louvers are the most visually evolved, it was the design that influenced the GTO and the 275 GTB. All variants that were released were available with either covered or open headlights. The covered headlight was primarily fitted for aerodynamic efficiency, and yet it is still considered as the most desirable of the Scaglietti Berlinetta 250 GT Tour de France Ferraris. 

Serial # 0881 GT Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France

The car depicted in all the images has serial number 0881 GT and is currently on offer at Fantasy Junction. It is one of the eighteen models with three louvers and covered headlight cars. The example was made to race and was originally equipped with magnesium engine components that include the sump, cam covers, front engine covers, and intake manifolds. It was also furnished with a competition gearbox, lighter weight floor panels, as well as side and front ‘quick jack’ points so that quick tire changes could be made during competitions.  

Despite the impressive configuration and beauty in this rare and important car, its history shows it to be a very skilled fighter unwilling to give in to the needs of racing or the destiny of many lesser cars. 

On February 25th, 1958 , #0881 was invoiced to Francorchamps, Belgium and it was delivered to Count Antoine d’Assche who, in the same year, participated in the following racing events with Jacques Swaters: 

Rescuing the Ferrari from Fire

It was in 1996 that Ferrari historian David Seielstad revealed that while under d’Assche’s ownership, #0881 racing career was brought to a halt after it burned in a garage fire in Belgium. The garage had another Ferrari Tour de France #0707, including many of its glass and trim parts which had been removed for repainting.  

Eyewitnesses claimed that the two cars were in danger of burning so all efforts were made to pull the cars from the garage. In the midst of the fire, it was reported that the #0707 waspulled from the garage, although the #0881 and the spare parts of the #0707 could not be retrieved. After the flames died down, the #0881 was inspected and found to have miraculously kept many of its critical original components. Instead of dismantling the #0881, it was then sold to Van Den Bosch, although there was little documented reference during this time. By 1962/1963, it was imported to England by Rolls Royce dealer Malcolm Bennett.  

Bennett was able to purchase both the #0707 and the #0881 which according to records still had its original engine, differential, and forward portion of the original chassis, and all were stated to be in good condition. Not much was known about the history of the #0881 during this time though there are speculations that it was brokered privately for sale.  

It was in 1990 that Ferrari collector Steve Pilkington took notice of the car and its remarkable history. It was then immediately purchased by the avid collector with the goal of bringing it back to its former glory.  

Expert alloy panel crafter Terry Hoyle was brought in to create an all alloy body to exact specifications, making sure to match the famous three-louver, covered headlamp Scaglietti body that #0881 wore when it was new. The all alloy body was then fitted to the chassis, which was then composed of the original front portion of the frame; while the center and rear frame portions were taken from a Ferrari Boano chassis that most likely belonged to the #0579 GT. After the body and chassis were put together, the #0881 was restored using correct drum brakes, two-ear kockoffs on correctly sized Borrani wire wheels, proper Marchal headlights and driving lights, as well asl other correct period details.  

Upon completion, #0881 was offered for sale in 1992/1993.  Joseph W. Moch was the next custodian of #0881, who then immediately started participating it in the following events: 

In April 2000, the car was offered for sale by Mike Sheehan, Costa Mesa, CA, and sold to the next owner Jeffrey Mamorsky. Like Moch, Mamorsky participated in a number of vintage motorsports events, sharing driving duties with Nick Soprano. 

In 2005, the current and consigning owner purchased the car. Over his fifteen years of ownership, the car has participated in multiple vintage motorsports events achieving consistently high placements both in class and in overall finishes. 

After 15 years, serial number 0881GT will be offered once again for sale by the team at Fantasy Junction Sales. Given this Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France has matching numbers engine, FIA certification, historic racing heritage, recognition as a 1957 competition car by expert Jess G. Pourret, it offers the best driving features and matching coachwork that would enchant any vintage enthusiast.  

Exterior of the Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France

The red and black paint is vivid and glossy, with smooth coverage that accents the dramatic long hood, as well as the short deck design that defines all Gran Turismos. The paint has settled over time and although some areas do show signs of use, the overall look and feel of the exterior are harmonious.

The wide hood and full-length hood scoop are further enhanced as the black stripe blankets out toward the powerful grill. . The desirable covered headlights and inboard foglamps, both correct Marchal units, add a finishing competition touch to the look of the car. Additionally, aluminum outside filler cap, three-panel louvers, lift-off hood with time-hued leather bonnet latches adds further competition touches.  

The interior is finished with supple brown upholstery that had an excellent fit, finish, and proper pleating to the contoured seats. The door panels, seats, booted gear shifts handle still show excellent fit and finish. The parcel shelf area is diamond-stitched and the under-dash sections accents nicely against the tan carpet.

The instruments are finished with beautiful color and clarity, contrasting against the correct crackle black finish of the dashboard, and highlighted by the wood-rimmed steering wheel.  

Every part of the interior, even the ones under the dashboard used correct components as part of the restoration. A protective roll  bar, and a couple of five-point Simpson racing harnesses have been installed (dated Jan 2016), as well as a fire suppression system and fire-bottle pull-tab placed on the right side of the dashboard. The trunk is sparse but is finished with weight savings in mind. 

Engine Compartment

The engine compartment is validated by matching numbers, authentic castings, with a recent Terry Hoyle engine rebuild. The underside is properly cared for, though not ready to be displayed.

The overall condition is consistent and accurate although it also shows a few items of interest like the correct vintage black canister Koni shock absorbers (which replaced the original Houdaille units), correct oil pan with excellent condition to the cooling flutes, proper drum brakes, and correct ANSA mufflers. The driver’s door is a lightweight alloy.  

Turning the car on will immediately get a response from its it’s twelve-cylinder engine. On the road, it delivers excellent throttle response. Handling, braking and overall ride shows that is it capable not just as a competition car, but also as a highly potent road car.  

Serial number 0881 GT is offered with complete with recent service records, copies of original Ferrari factory-build paperwork, 1997 issued FIA papers, a copy of the April/May 2008 Cavalino magazine that features the #0881 GT on the cover, as well as a collection of track photos, and copies of race event results related to this Tour de France.  

This extraordinary 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France is the embodiment of the finest competition cars built during the height of racing excellence and the rise of Ferrari as a formidable motorsports company. This 1957 Ferrari 250 GT is a great car that is ready for enjoyable use, for shows, or even further vintage racing events. 

For further details on the sale of this magnificent historic Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France, please visit Fantasy Junction.

[Source: Fantasy Junction]

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BOURNE SURVIVOR – 1965 BRM P261

Although the article mentions 5 iterations of the TdF it lists only 3 (14 louver, 3 louver and 1 louver). The other are the earliest with the wrap around read window and the last Interim which looks much like a SWB. All are 508 series chassis with 128 engines.

bwm – October 18, 2020. Long ago, I was thinking of lightly restoring a 1958 MB 220S Cabriolet. I was living in FL at the time, but had heard of a Master Craftsman in New Hampshire – Les Langlois. I called, spoke with him, and drove the 220S, up the East Coast without any issues. Also, I was able to drive the entire distance to the Hanover, NH area without the benefit of Google Maps!! Then, while driving into the gravel-covered parking area of Les’ shop building, I passed a 4-wheeled dirty-grey, silver “work of art”. Les and I did our restoration dance and I then asked him “what is that car out there?”. He responded that it was a “Tour de France – a Ferrari” (my only experience with Ferrari at that point, was when a fellow USAF pilot had bought a vehicle that was unrecognizable as anything resembling a beautiful car since it had been hit on all four sides in an accident – he said it was a Ferrari, and who was I to argue!). Les then asked if I would like to take a closer look. I couldn’t answer “Yes” quickly enough! He opened the doors and removed the hood. I was mesmerized by the V-12 and the compact, yet very comfortable, interior. Les asked if I would like to take a drive! We jumped in and he fired up the V-12. Since that time, I have been honored to own a 275 GTB 6 carb (#08477) and a 275 GTB4 (#10147). When Les cranked the starter on the Tour de France, I heard a growl and didn’t think the battery or starter were capable of cranking that V-12 to fire up. Now, with more experience in these early V-12’s, I realize that seemingly slow growl of the starter is normal, and, in the blink of an eye, the V-12 fired, with its marvelous early Ferrari roar! Les drove the car skillfully on some winding NH asphalt roads and I was able to experience the sound, fury, and raw power of this barely-insulated rocket. I was sold. From that point, the Tour de France was my goal – of course, never achieved. However, my personal experiences driving a 365 GT 2+2 in a New England Forza Mille, a 275 GTB 6 carb in a Copperstate 1000, the 275 GTB 4 throughout the Santa Fe, NM backroads, and a 330 GTC in a 2nd Copperstate 1000, have provided unbelievable early Ferrari driving experiences.

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1958 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta by Scaglietti

Over the past six decades, the 250 GT Tour de France has become one of the most sought after and collectible of the classic Ferraris. Marrying advanced engineering with magnificent aesthetics, the TdF achieved a fantastic racing record, paving the way for future competition berlinettas such as the 250 GT SWB, the 250 GTO, and the 275 GTB/C.

The Tour de France presented here is the fourth example of the 36 built in the single-louver style and one of even fewer fashioned with the elegant covered-headlight treatment. This TdF was equipped with a competition-prepared engine.

Today the coachwork is finished in a period-correct paint scheme — silver gray accented by a vivid red stripe. The interior was trimmed in handsome gray leather with matching carpets. The engine was rebuilt and then tested and tuned on the dyno.

This car earned a second in class at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. During an impressive winning streak, the car received a Platinum Award at the Cavallino Classic, First in Class at Amelia Island, the Speed and Style Award at Villa d’Este, and Best Race Car at the FCA National Meet. It was also the subject of a Cavallino magazine feature article by historian Alan Boe.

Chassis 0903GT has been granted a FIVA Passport and was certified by the Ferrari Classiche Department, attesting it retains its major components. It is further supported by factory build sheets, magazine articles, research notes, restoration records and Massini report.

SCM Analysis

This car, Lot 17, sold for $5,100,000, including buyer’s commission, at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auction on August 16, 2019.

Excluding Formula One models, Ferrari production can be categorized into production cars and competition cars.

Up to chassis number 75,000, production cars are assigned odd-number chassis numbers while competition models are given an even chassis number. After chassis 75,000, odd and even numbers were used for both production and competition cars.

The division between production models and competition models can be pretty muddy. Competition models generally can be divided into Sports Competition, such as a 250 Testarossa, or Sports Prototype, such as a 330 P3.

Production models can be divided into production cars, such as a 275 GTB, or GT Competition cars, such as a 250 GTO. The 250 GT Tour de France falls into the latter category.

A new GT racing class

Following the deadly disaster at the 1955 24 hours of Le Mans, the racing sanctioning body, FIA, introduced a new racing class called GT. The class was intended for small-production Gran Turismo or Grand Touring cars built to be sold to the public for racing and road use.

There were several classes of GT cars, with the 3-liter class being the premier class.

The GT class was part of an international series of point races.

One of the races was the Tour de France. A grueling multi-day 6,000-plus-kilometer race (3,728-plus miles), the Tour de France challenged competitors to participate in hillclimbs and road-course races while they rallied throughout France.

Introduced in 1956 to participate in the 3-liter GT class, the 250 GT Tour de France was originally known only as a 250 GT. The organizers of the Tour de France allowed the manufacturer of the winning car to call the specific model a Tour de France.

Marquis Alfonso de Portago’s 1956 overall win in a 250 GT berlinetta allowed the model to use the TdF name. Overall wins during the next three years cemented the title to the model.

250 GT Ferraris would go on to be the overall winners of every Tour de France from 1956 to 1964.

Many variations

Not all Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France cars are the same. While it’s commonly known that the 14-louver examples are highly desirable, there can be other significant differences from car to car.

Some TdFs were delivered stripped and ready to race. Others were delivered with full carpet and prepared for a life as a sporty driver.

Engines came in different states of tune. Body styles could be significantly different, including examples with open headlamps, covered headlamps and Plexiglas headlamp shields.

Our subject TdF

Chassis 0903GT is an early example featuring covered headlamps and a single louver in the sail panel. The combination hovers near the middle of the TdF desirability chart. It was delivered new to a Swedish racer who hardly raced the car.

A DNF at the 1958 12 Hours of Reims is its major accolade. That’s a value ding for a model known for its racing prowess.

Prior to its 10th birthday, 0903GT ended up on its roof during a road accident. It was repaired and returned to service. While the model is known for being stout, 0903GT is reported to have had some frustrating engine issues along the way. At one time, it was disassembled and stored in boxes for three decades.

Once the boxes were recovered, the car received a top-quality restoration at a European restorer. In 2010, American Peter McCoy acquired the car. McCoy is a fellow IAC/PFA judge and a veteran of the concours scene. He sent the car to Motion Products for an update of the prior restoration, and $675,000 later it was ready for Pebble Beach.

Slipping in the market

When a car is auctioned, bidders determine its value right then and there. It takes two bidders to make a successful auction, and the more bidders, the better the results. If the second bidder drops out at a low price, the lot may be doomed. However, if two bidders are determined to buy the same lot, auction magic happens.

Gooding & Company has a world-class clientele. They have auction records in several categories. Their Pebble Beach Auction is one of the most respected in the genre. There are always large crowds and lots of money in the room. Few venues can match Gooding Pebble Beach for results.

Dual-purpose Ferrari 250 GT berlinettas are some of the most valuable cars ever produced, with a 250 GTO sale being the highest known auction sale of any automobile.

However, lately prices have been slipping.

The high-water mark for a 250 TdF was a $13.2 million sale in 2015. That was the actual Marquis de Portago 1956 Tour de France-winning car that the series was named for.

Subsequent auction sales are sparse, with one selling at $8.8 million in 2013 and another at $9.5 million in 2014. A year ago, a TdF sold for $6.6 million. Early this year, one sold for $5.9 million.

Too many auctions, too many cars

Gooding’s estimate for 0903GT was a tight $5.5 million to $6 million. The sale missed the lower estimate, but ultimately the car sold. This was a tough year at Monterey. Several big cars went home unsold. Others — like 0903GT — sold under the estimate.

Car collecting is a supply-and-demand business. A proliferation of auctions has brought a barrage of offerings to the market. The onslaught is desensitizing buyers and fostering apathy. A retreat in prices and the sting of losses taken by resellers of recent purchases has taken some of the fun out of collector-car speculating.

Collector-car bidders are starting to watch from the sideline and the gains of recent years are becoming a thing of the past. It may take the demise of an auction house or two before the market stabilizes. ♦

(Introductory description courtesy of Gooding & Company.)

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• Kissimmee 2024 /
• 1958 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ Alloy Berlinetta

1958 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ Alloy Berlinetta

Lot S138 // Saturday, January 13 th // Kissimmee 2024

Chassis No. 0899GT, Overall Winner of the 1958 Coppa Sant’Ambroeus at Monza and the 1959 Castell’ Arquato Vernasca Hill Climb

Odometer reads †

33,848 miles

VIN / Serial

Information found on the website is presented as advance information for the auction lot. Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Mecum Auction does not verify, warrant or guarantee this information. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction.

† Odometer Reads simply indicates the number currently shown on the vehicle's odometer.

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1957 – 1958 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ 3-Louvre

Ferrari 250 gt ‘tour de france’ 3-louvre, 250 gt berlinetta “tour de france” 3-louvre.

In the spring of 1957 Ferrari revised their ‘Tour de France’ Berlinetta with a new body that included 3-louvres on the rear sail panel. Also new to the design were covered headlights that were mounted higher and further back into the fenders and rear fender which were more pronounced and finished with the taillights.

Along with the new headlights, the 3-Louvre got optional full-width bumpers which were sometimes mounted with fog lights. A small strip was also added to the sill panel which was dropped in 1959.

Mechanical changes included a new Fichtel & Sachs clutch, slightly harsher springing and a larger 136 liter fuel tank.

IN 1957 14 cars were built with the 3-louvre design including 0723GT, 0731GT, 0733GT, 0747GT, 0749GT, 0753GT, 0763GT, 0767GT, 0771GT, 0773GT, 0781GT, 0787GT, 0793GT and 0805GT. Four more 1958 cars also including 0879GT, 0881GT, 0893GT, 0895GT brings the total 3-louvre production up to 18 cars.

Our feature car is chassis 0805GT which was first sold to Pierre Noblet who got a first in class at both the GP de Spa and 12 Hours of Reims.

See full 1957 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ 3-Louvre Gallery here

Sources & Further Reading: 1. Pourret, Jess. Ferrari 250 GT Competition Cars . Foulis 1977.“”

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1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB 'Tour de France' Berlinetta | London 2011 | RM Sotheby's

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250 bhp at 7,000 rpm, 2,953 cc SOHC alloy block-and-head V-12 engine, triple Weber carburettors, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,600 mm

• One of the most desirable competition-bred Ferraris extant

• Alloy coachwork and V-12 power

• Desirable covered headlamps; one of 36 “single-louver” examples

• Ferrari Classiche-certified and matching numbers

• Restoration by marque specialists in Italy

The Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta not only has breathtaking looks, it remains arguably the greatest and most important Ferrari road/racing car ever built. Its forerunner was the 250 MM, so-named after the famous Mille Miglia race, which hard-charging Italian hillclimb champion Giovanni Bracco won for Ferrari in 1952. That achievement, plus Ferrari’s first World Driver’s Championship win with Alberto Ascari driving the Type 500 and the company’s first collaboration with Pinin Farina (the 212 Inter cabriolet) combined to make the year 1952 a particularly significant one in the marque’s history.

THE 250 GT LWB BERLINETTA

The last 250 MMs had been built by 1954, and work began on what would become the 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France. A new strengthened 2,600-mm tubular chassis was equipped with a modern wishbone/coil-spring suspension and the Colombo Tipo 112 “short-block” V-12 engine. Subsequently, this engine was developed further and re-designated Tipo 128B, C and D. Three more 250 GTs similar to the 250 MM followed the prototype Pinin Farina-bodied Berlinetta, 0369 GT, between April and July 1955.

That October, another car was shown at the Paris Salon and was the first design with many side louvers set within the rear sail-panels. Pinin Farina made two more prototypes, one of which was owned by the Marquis de Portago from Spain. At Nassau in December 1955, he scored the first victory for the car, a record that would reach epic proportions by the end of the decade. The Le Mans tragedy of 1955, where Peter Levegh’s Mercedes flew into a crowd of spectators, killing 80 and injuring another 200, prompted the creation of a new Gran Turismo category with an engine capacity of 3.0 litres, which would play directly into Ferrari’s hands in 1956.

Not to be outdone by Pinin Farina, Scaglietti appeared at the 1956 Geneva Motor Show with their own 250 GT prototype, which became known as the limited production, Series I, “14-louvre” 250 GT Berlinetta. The first production car was built in November 1956, and production was now the responsibility of Scaglietti in Modena.

There were five series of 250 GT Berlinettas in all. From mid-1957, the Series II cars were introduced, with three louvers and covered headlights. Just 15 were produced. Series III numbered 36 cars; these retained the covered headlights but had just a single vent louver. In 1959, eight single-louver cars were built with open headlights, a new Italian requirement. Zagato also made five superlight cars.

The real start of the 250 GT Berlinetta’s competition career began in 1956, and the car went on to win more races than either of its legendary successors, the 250 GT SWB and the GTO. Olivier Gendebien won the GT class in the Tour of Sicily at the beginning of 1956, but that year’s Tour de France was 250 GT Berlinetta’s most important race and propelled the car into the annals of motorsport history.

The Tour de France took five or six days and covered almost 5,000 gruelling kilometres around France, sometimes venturing into Italy, Belgium or Germany. The race consisted of up to six circuit races, two hillclimbs and a sprint. In 1956, in de Portago’s first attempt, with Edmund Nelson as co-driver in his Ferrari, he took the victory with Stirling Moss in a Mercedes 300SL second and Gendebien third in the first Pinin Farina ex-works development car, 0357 GT. With this win, ‘Fon’ de Portago earned the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta its enduring sobriquet, the Tour de France. In the hands of Olivier Gendebien, the 250 GT Tour de France was victorious for the next three straight years in the race whose name the car had now unofficially taken, and the car and its enviable competition record remain the stuff of legends today.

CHASSIS 1039 GT

The example offered here, 1039 GT, was supplied new via US Ferrari Importer Luigi Chinetti Motors of Greenwich, Connecticut to its first owner Hastings Harcourt of Santa Barbara, California on 26 November, 1958. Mr. Harcourt was the heir and owner of Harcourt Brace, the well known book publisher. Of particular note, 1039 GT is one of the 39 competition 250 GT LWB Berlinettas originally produced by Ferrari with all-alloy bodywork, the single vent and the desirable covered-headlamp configuration.

1039 GT remained in America for most of its life, and during this phase, it changed hands amongst a number of American collectors, as documented by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini. Early in its life in the United States, Ford units replaced the original engine and gearbox. The original 250 series V-12 engine was later reunited with the TdF, as confirmed by the Ferrari Classiche certification. In 1974, Charles W. Betz and Fred Peters of Orange, California acquired 1039 GT and re-united the TdF with its original Ferrari 250 series V-12 engine and gearbox.

The rare Ferrari remained in America for many years thereafter and was successfully campaigned a number of times at the world-famous Monterey Historic Automobile Races in Laguna Seca during the 1980s. In the early 1990s, 1039 GT was sold to Switzerland, and there, it joined an important Swiss-based private automobile collection. The prominent owner used the car sparingly in Switzerland and abroad, when it was driven on the Tour Auto in 1997 and in 1999. He retained 1039 GT for many years, and in 2005, it was certified by the Ferrari Classiche program, which confirms that the car retains its engine and all of its main components the way it was built by the factory, and therefore, it is indeed a true matching-numbers example.

The car was restored in Italy by some of the finest recognised Ferrari specialists in the Modena area, the birthplace of Ferrari. The engine was entrusted to Diena, who performed a full rebuild, Bacchelli & Villa handled the coachwork, and the interior was entrusted to the respected Selleria Luppi. Upon completion of the restoration, the car was tested and featured in Octane in January 2006, marking a thoroughly enjoyable and particularly satisfying drive for the magazine’s testers.

From Switzerland, the car was sold to its next and current English owner in late 2005, who is himself a fastidious collector. Upon acquisition of the car, he enrolled and was accepted to participate in that year’s edition of the Mille Miglia. Demanding perfection of all of the cars within his collection, the current owner recently commissioned UK-based Ferrari specialists GTO Engineering to perform a full, no-expense-spared service on 1039 GT at a cost of over GBP 10,000. Any mechanical part that was at all worn was changed, and as offered now, the 1039 GT runs beautifully and stands ready to be enjoyed. Of course, with its legendary pedigree, it will surely be welcomed at most any event the new owner chooses to enter.

RM Auctions has recently inspected the car, and we can confirm that 1039 GT presents very well. Some of the world’s premier Ferrari experts carried out its restoration, and it still shows today. The bodywork is straight, and the doors display proper fit. The paintwork is near-perfect, and the correctly trimmed tan leather upholstery presents beautifully, a true mark of Luppi’s workmanship, with the crackle-finished dash giving 1039 GT a true competition feel when you slip behind the wheel. The outside fuel filler, covered headlamps and single louver give the car an undeniable competition-bred presence, and as offered today, 1039 GT is correct in every way—a fact confirmed not only by marque specialists but also by the all-important Ferrari Classiche certification binder that accompanies it. Truly rare, purposefully beautiful and capable of performance that remains very impressive even today, this 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta is steeped in Ferrari’s rich competition legacy and very capably represents one of the most highly coveted Ferrari models ever built.

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1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta

Coachwork by Scaglietti

SOLD $6,600,000

$6,500,000 - $7,500,000, car highlights.

The Fifth of 36 Single-Louvre Examples Built

Over 52 Years of Ownership by Noted Ferrari Collector Fred Peters

Unique Competition and Coachwork Features

Raced in the 1958 Targa Florio and the Trieste-Opicina Hillclimb

Exceptional Concours-Quality Restoration in Distinctive Original Colors

Participant in the Colorado Grand, Monterey Historics, and the Shell Historic Ferrari-Maserati Challenge

Technical Specs

2,953 CC Tipo 128D SOHC V-12 Engine

Three Weber 40 DCL/3 Carburetors

260 BHP at 7,000 RPM

4-Speed Manual Gearbox

4-Wheel Hydraulic Finned-Aluminum Drum Brakes

Front Independent Suspension with Coil Springs and Lever-Action Shock Absorbers

Rear Live Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs, and Lever-Action Shock Absorbers

Saleroom Addendum

Please note that this vehicle is titled 1959.

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1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour De France Berlinetta

• HISTORY (1)

Market Summary

The ferrari 250 gt berlinetta "tour de france" (1956 to 1959) market., vehicle history, a timeline of events that we've detected for this vehicle., comparable recent listings. see related attributes next to the score..

1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 'Tour De France'

• TMU 

1958 Ferrari 250 GT 'Tour De France' Alloy Berlinetta

• 27K - 41K 

1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 'Tour De France'

1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Scaglietti "Tour De France"

1958 Ferrari 250 GT 'Tour De France'

1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione 'Tour De France' by Scaglietti

1959 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione Alloy Berlinetta

1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour De France'

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione 'Tour De France' by Scaglietti

1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 'Tour De France' by Carrozzeria Scaglietti

Details about this vehicle - curated by our market specialists..

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Markets related to the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta "Tour de France".

Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta LWB 'TDF' 1956 to 1959

Comparable recent listings based on vehicle taxonomy and attributes..

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1958 Ferrari 250

• Baujahr  1958
• Automobiltyp  Sonstige
• Losnummer  331
• Zustand  Gebraucht

• Außenfarbe  Blau

Beschreibung

• The 52nd of 72 Berlinettas "Tour de France" built; "single-louver" example
• Several one-off features specified by the original owner, French industrialist and racer Jacques Peron
• 4th overall at the 1958 Tour de France
• Formerly the prized possession of David and Mary Love for nearly 40 years
• Retains its original covered-headlamp alloy coachwork, chassis, engine, and gearbox
• Meticulously restored to exacting standards, with mechanical restoration by Patrick Ottis
• Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance award-winner
• A superlative example of one of the ultimate Ferraris of its era

Please note that this lot is titled as a 1959.

CHASSIS NUMBER 1031 GT

The 52nd alloy-bodied 250 GT LWB Berlinetta “Tour de France” of 72 built, chassis number 1031 GT was originally finished in an Alfa Romeo color known as “Giulietta Blue” with a red stripe and Havana brown upholstery. These were but the least of the requests of its original owner: French industrialist and accomplished racing driver Jacques Peron, a skilled rallyist (having co-driven to overall victory at the 1951 and 1953 runnings of the Rally Morocco), circuit racer, and multi-year 24 Hours of Le Mans entrant.

Peron requested a 250 TR-specification engine, a hinged engine cover to enable easy roadside repairs as a solo driver, a transmission tunnel-mounted hand brake for standing starts on hill climbs, room for two spare wheels for endurance racing, an ammeter in place of a clock, and an altimeter to determine when to change carburetor jets. He also requested that the car be completed no less than three weeks prior to the 1958 running of the Tour de France, in which he wished to take part, so that he would time to test it, become comfortable behind the wheel, and, if necessary, trouble-shoot any ills. Copies of correspondence between Mr. Peron and Ferrari are included in the file.

The Ferrari factory proceeded to deliver the car with no time to spare, having declined or ignored a number of Peron’s requests, including the 250 TR-spec engine and tunnel-mounted hand brake; they did, however, offer to install the altimeter—if he would be so kind as to bring it with him upon delivery. Having already been required to present the factory with his racing resume before they would sell him the car in the first place, Mr. Peron was, shall we say, not pleased. Such was his rage that not even a highly respectable 4th Overall finish in the Tour, co-driving with the noted American sportsman Harry Schell and overcoming damage to the right front fender, could quell it; he sent Ferrari a strongly worded letter thereafter, noting sale of the car to another Frenchman, René Cotton, in 1958.

Mr. Cotton soon entered the car in the Coupe de Paris at Montlhéry, where it was a DNF driven by Jean-Marc Beudin. Cotton then finished 6th Overall in the Lottery Grand Prix at Monza on 28 June 1959, then, co-driving with Beudin, DNF’d in the Tour de France of 1959. In 1960 the car was brought into the factory Assistenza Clienti at Modena for service and maintenance, still in Cotton’s ownership.

By October 1963 the car was owned by G. Tettamanti, then it passed in early 1967 to Ingegnere Beneteau of Agrate. Within months it had moved to the U.S. via the SS President Arthur, arriving in San Francisco in the hands of a new American caretaker, Robert Magnani. Mr. Magnani refinished the car in red and had it regularly serviced in his ownership by Steve Griswold’s now-legendary service facility, maintaining a detailed book of service records which still accompanies the Ferrari, while also driving the car some 15,000 kilometers.

In 1972, chassis number 1031 GT was sold to David and Mary Love. The Loves were great enthusiasts known for the loving long-term stewardship of their automobiles, which in addition to chassis number 1031 GT also included a 250 Testa Rossa and an Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 by Zagato. Mr. Love—fondly remembered for his pioneering, tireless support for historic racing and his decades of on-track exploits in his Testa Rossa—was a fastidious caretaker who researched the car’s history carefully and maintained it with the same precision, taking pride in maintaining it mechanically himself. After it was refinished in grey with a black racing stripe, Mary Love, an accomplished vintage racing driver, drove the car at the Monterey Historics in 1973 and 1974, finishing 1st and 2nd in Class, respectively. Later that decade the engine and gearbox were rebuilt by Mr. Love.

The car attended and completed six consecutive Colorado Grands between 1990 and 1995—with the Loves driving their mount to and from the event! The couple also completed the inaugural Copperstate 1000 in 1991 and the La Carrera Real in 1992. In the Tour de Marin in 2002, a ghost of the car’s past seems to have visited, when it sustained minor damage on the same right front fender that had been damaged in the 1958 Tour de France! This was corrected by 2004, with the body refinished to medium red, and the car continued to be enjoyed. During the Loves’ ownership the car was pictured in John Starkey’s respected tome on the model, The Ferrari 250 GT Story: Tour de France, and was generally considered one of the best-kept and most well-preserved examples of its kind.

Only following David Love’s passing in 2014 did the prized 1031 GT become available, and was then acquired by the present owner—accompanied by the collection of documentation that had been meticulously kept over the years. This information helped enable a restoration undertaken with great sensitivity towards the originality of components throughout. Mechanical restoration was undertaken by the respected Patrick Ottis, with attention to detail that included confirming the original engine and gearbox numbers to still be present, properly restoring the wiring, and fitting such priceless pieces as original 1958 Marchal headlamps, a period battery, and an authentic washer bottle. Ottis’s superior workmanship is well-recognized and is evident in every nut and bolt of the finished product here.

As the Loves had intended the previous cosmetic restorations to be “temporary,” they had carefully preserved a spot of original Giulietta Blue paint, to which the new finish was carefully matched by Charlie Potts in the course of coachwork restoration—a process aided by rare original Scaglietti paint samples possessed by Ottis. Period photos allowed the interior to be meticulously refinished to the original standard, including the black vinyl rear storage area, sized to accommodate two spare tires, and a passenger seat headrest, two of Mr. Peron’s many requests. Such was the sympathetic nature of the restoration that an etching in the door sills from the original construction was preserved. The painted Borrani wire wheels retain triple-ear knock-offs, which are seen in the earliest photos of the car. In sum, no stone was left unturned to ensure that the Ferrari would be presented exactly as it had appeared when Mr. Peron arrived at scrutineering for the 1958 Tour de France.

The car was debuted at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, completing the Tour d’Elegance and being judged 3rd in Class amidst very strong competition. It has been only selectively driven since and exhibited only more at Pebble Beach, this time at Casa Ferrari as part of the concours celebrations in 2019.

Accompanied by the considerable trove of documentation and meticulous maintenance records kept since the 1970s, as well as copies of the correspondence between its original owner and Ferrari, this is almost certainly among the finest Berlinettas “Tour de France” to be found—a car of unimpeachable quality, provenance, and distinction.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo21.

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