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1961 Ferrari 250 GT news, pictures, and information

Short Wheelbase Coupe
Chassis Num: 3087 GT
 
Sold for $4,510,000 at 2008 RM Auctions.
At the Paris Auto Show in October of 1959, Ferrari introduced its 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta. It rode on a wheelbase that measured just 2400mm and was fitted with four-wheel disc brakes. The disc brakes on all four corners were a 'first' for the Ferrari marque.

The engine was from the established 250 Colombo design, a descendant of the original 1.4-liter design, offered 240 horsepower. The spark plugs were now located outside the engine and coil-type valve springs in place of the hairpin-type. The moving of the spark plugs to their new location allowed for improved flow through all the intake ports. The engine was designated Tipo 168, had a compression ratio of 9.2:1, displaced 2,953cc, and was fitted with three Weber 36 DCS carburetors. The Tipo 168B, the racing version, produced an additional 40 horsepower.

Between 1959 to 1962, there were a total of 165 examples produced. Scaglietti was tasked with clothing the rolling chassis, which they did with both steel and aluminum bodies. Most of the competition versions utilized aluminum bodywork, while the street 'Lusso' versions generally had a steel body with aluminum hood, doors, and trunk lid. The Lusso versions are different from the later 250 GT Lusso, which was introduced in late 1962 and would be the final iteration of this series.

This particular 250GT SWB is chassis number 3087 GT and is the 117th of the toal 165 units built. It is a left-hand drive 'Lusso' example and was sold new to its first owner Otello Feretti of Bologna, Italy. It was later exported from Italy to the United States. In the early 1970s it was owned by G. Cole and then acquired by Bill Rudd, and in 1978 sold to Chuck Reid. In the 1980s it was sold to John Hajduk of bensenville, Illinois. A German individual was the vehicle's next owner; however, it remained in the United States. The car was stored at Shelton Ferrari in Fort Lauderdale. The car was sold to another individual from Germany, Heinrich Fries before coming into the care of its current owner.

The car has been given a no-expense-spared restoration at Shelton Ferrari. it is believed that the restoration cost $600,000. Since then it has been used sparingly and shown at events such as Cavallino Classic where it was awarded with Platinum Awards and the prestigious Excellence Cup.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics of Monterey' presented by RM Auctions. It had an estimated value of $3,700,000 - $4,200,000 and was one of the highlights of the event. The lot was sold for $4,510,000 including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2009
Cabriolet
Designer: Pininfarina
Chassis Num: 2489 GT
 
Ferrari 250 GT with chassis number 2489GT is a Series II Cabriolet constructed by Pininfarina. It is a left hand drive vehicle that does have a factory hardtop with a sunroof. Its first owner took possession of the car in 1961. It remained in their care for a number of years before finding its second owner in the mid-1990s. The second owner had its engine and gearbox rebuilt. The current owner has actively shown the vehicle at a number of prestigious events including the New York Concours in 2005, Palm Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2006, and the Cavallino Classic in 2006 and 2007. It is a beautiful car with a dark red exterior and a black interior.
By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2007
The 250 GT SWB was designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti. It was designed for the race track and the road. This two-seater had an aggressive stance and a wheel base 8 inches shorter than the LWB edition. The street versions were called 'Lusso' (luxury) and contained a Colombo V-12 producing as much as 280 BHP and propelled the vehicle to a top speed of about 150 mph. Modifications had been made to the engine to make it easier to work on during competition events. For example the spark plugs were moved to make them more accessible. The competition models had their body entirely made of the weight-saving metal aluminum. Also, plastic side windows were used to help keep the weight to a minimum. By shortening the wheel base, the chassis became more solid and the vehicle more agile.

The Berlinetta (litle coupe) Lusso (luxury), more commonly known as the 250 GT/L was also designed by Pininfarina and debuted at the 1962 Paris show.


There were vents located under the front head lights. These were used to cool the disc brakes. There were also vents behind each wheel which served the same purpose.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2008
Cabriolet
Designer: Pininfarina
Chassis Num: 3093GT
Engine Num: 3093GT
 
Sold for $385,000 at 2009 Gooding & Company.
The Series II Cabriolet was produced from 1959 through the end of 1962, and created during the same time as the California Spider. Scaglietti bodied the more sporting, 'inexpensive' cars while Pininfarina produced the more upscale Grand Touring models. There were slightly more than 200 examples of the Series II Cabriolet produced.

Chassis number 3093GT was shipped from Ferrari to the Pininfarina plant in Torino on October 12th of 1961. When it left as a complete Cabriolet it was painted in Shelly Gray paint with a red interior. The certificate of origin was issued on January 20th of 1962. A mere six days later the first owner, Mr. Fontanella (president of Mondial Express S.r.L. of Milan, Italy), took possession. It came equipped with a factory-original hardtop that was painted in metallic silver-blue.

The second owner took possession of the car in January of 1964. The new owner was a 22-year-old resident of Rome named Mrs. Flora Anna Panetta. She kept the car for only a short time, selling it in 1965. It was purchased by Edwin K. Niles, an attorney and car dealer based in Encino, California.

The car was advertised for sale in the Prancing Horse for $5,500 in 1966. The next publicly known owner was in 1976 when it was registered in the Ferrari Owners Club membership directory, then owned by Peter Olend of Wooland Hills, California. Ron VanKregten purchased the car in 1984, by this point the car was finished in red with a brown interior.

The car still has its original engine and FIM radiator. It has an original and rare belly pan and heat shields. There is the correct Marelli electrics, including the generator, distributors and voltage regulator. It has the original Siglia windshield, Sekurit glass, period Talbot mirror, Veglia gauges, Borrani wire wheels, and Michelin VWXs tires.

In 2009, this Series II Cabriolet was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell for $350,000 - $425,000. The lot was sold for hte sum of $385,000, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009
Berlinetta Speciale Coupe
Designer: Pininfarina
 
The 250 GT SWB (short-wheelbase) Berlinetta was built on a competition chassis in 1961 by Pinifarina to a special order for a Frech client. Although it was built to full competition specifications, it was never used in competition.

The car has a power rating of 240 horsepower with a 2,953 cc (2.9 liter) V-12 overhead valve engine and is coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. This aluminum chassis vehicle weights 2,112 pounds and has a top speed of 145-155 mph.

The car was restored in 2003.
Cabriolet
Designer: Pininfarina
Chassis Num: 2145 GT
 
Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet with chassis number 2145GT was constructed by Pinin Farina and is a left-hand drive, Series 2 car. It came to the United States in 1972 under the care of Dave Rosenbery. Since then it has been owned by Robert Nuzzo, John Sullivan Jr., and Jeffrey Fisher. Under Nuzzo's care it appeared at the 1993 Colorado Grand. In 1997, under Sullivan's care, it was shown at the Cavallino Classic where it was awarded an impressive, Second in Class. It has since returned to the Cavallino Classic under the care of Jeffrey Fisher of Palm Beach, Florida.
By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2012
Cabriolet
Designer: Pininfarina
Chassis Num: 1755GT
 
Sold for $770,000 at 2012 RM Auctions.
Chassis number 1755 GT is a Series II Cabriolet that was the ninth of the total 200 cars built. It left the factory finished in Avorio (Ivory) over Marrone leather hides. It was sent to Pinin Farina on January 19th before the completed car was presented in April of 1960 and sold new through dealer Renato Nocentini's Garage La Rotonda in Florence, Italy to Sergio Sorbi. By the early 1980s, the car resided in the United States, in need of restoration and with a modified trunk lid. The current owner's purchased the car in 1984 as a complete matching-numbers example, but requiring a total restoration. In around 2005, a two-year restoration began. Upon completion, it was shown at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours.

The Colombo 60-degree V-12 engine has single overhead camshafts and triple Weber carburetion. The 260 horsepower is sent to the rear-wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive. The wheelbase measures 102 inches and there are four-wheel disc brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Amelia Island sale presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $600,000 - $800,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $770,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012
Cabriolet
Designer: Pininfarina
Chassis Num: 3055 GT
 
Sold for $824,753 (€638,400) at 2012 RM Auctions.
This Ferrari 250 GT Series II Pininfarina cabriolet was finished by the factory in a rare colour of Oro Longchamp (16288 MM), with a Cuoio Natural interior (VM 3218). In 1994, the car was acquired by Paul Gilpatrick of Westminster, Colorado. That year, the car was shown at the Concorso Italiano and the International Ferrari Concours in Monterey, California, where the car earned 3rd in class. The following May, 3055 GT was recognized with a Silver Award at the FCA's National Concours in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Gilpatrick also campaigned the car in the 1994 and 1995 runnings of the Colorado Grand vintage rally.

Colorado resident Harry Mathews purchased the car in 1997. The car was campaigned in the Colorado Grand in 1997 and 1998 before selling it to Dick Belveal, who entered the car in the California Mille, the Colorado Grand and the Copperstate 1000. The car was awarded a Platinum Award at a 2007 FCA meet in Arizona. During its present ownership, the car has been given a full bare-metal re-spray. Currently, the car displays approximately 38,000 miles on its odometer.

The car is powered by a 2953cc single overhead camshaft V-12 engine capable of producing 260 horsepower. It has a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auctions Monaco Sale. The car was estimated to sell for €525.000-€600.000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of €638.400 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2012
Production of the 250 Series began in 1954 and continued on through the early part of the 1960's. There were numerous variations of the 250 and would ultimately become Ferrari's most successful line of vehicles to date. The 250 is also recognized as the first Ferrari to ever receive disc brakes. This did not take place until the end of the 1950's. Also, the 250 was the first four-seater.

Ferrari's were custom built cars. They were not mass-produced. Ferrari provided the engine and chassis while Italian coach builders provided the body. This meant the specifications varied. Engines also varied in horsepower rating, torque, and displacement. This was no different for the 250 GT which saw many different variations in body style and body types.

Ferrari built the road-going Ferrari's to fuel his passion for racing. Many of the vehicles he built for the road had a competition model. That is, a modified version of the road-going model. An example of this was the 1959 short-wheel base (SWB) Berlinetta (Berlinetta which means coupe) and given an aluminum body. It was debuted in October 1959 at the Paris Salon. GT cars were road-legal vehicles that could also be taken to the track and compete without the need for modifications. Although this was their purpose, Ferrari realized that many customers would not race their vehicle, but rather wanted the power and performance that sports cars offered. To comply, Ferrari built these cars to be powerful and luxurious. The vehicles could still be run on the track, mostly on requiring the adoption of stickers and complying with any safety requirements.

The 250 road-going vehicles mostly shared two wheelbase sizes, a 2400 mm and 2600 mm. The 2400 wheelbase were referred to as the SWB (Short wheel base) while the other was the LWB (long wheel base).

The base engine was a Colombo 60-degree, single-over-head cam, 'vee' type 12-cylinder, with aluminum alloy block and heads, and cast-iron cylinder liners. The displacement was 180 cubic inch (2953 cc). Horsepower production was around 220-260. The front suspension was independent with double wishbones and coil springs. The rear suspension was a live axle.

The first 250 introduced was the 250S and available in either berlinetta or spider configuration. Introduced in 1952, they were powered by a 3-liter Colombo engine producing about 230 horsepower.

At the 1953 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari introduced the 250 Europa and Export. These were the only models in the series that were powered by a Lampredi v-12 engine also seen in Formula 1. The 250 Export had a 2400 MM wheelbase, similar tot he 250 MM. The 250 Europa had a larger, 2800 mm wheelbase which allowed more interior room. During their short production lifespan, only 18 examples were produced. Pininfarina and Vignale were tasked with creating the coachwork.

In 1954 four specialty built 250 Monza were built for racing. They shared many similarities with the 750 Monza's, but were equipped with the 3-liter Colombo engine.

At the 1957 Geneva auto show, Ferrari displayed their 250 GT Cabriolet. Coachwork was courtesy of Pininfarina; the wheelbase was 2600 mm in size. In 1959 the second in the 250 GT Cabriolet series production began after only 36 examples being produced.

From 1957 through 1959 Ferrari produced the 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour de France' (TdF). The name had been given for the 10-day automobile race. Originally the engine produced 240 horsepower but was later modified to 260 horsepower. Carrozzeria Scaglietti was responsible for creating the bodies based on Pinin Farina's design.

Scaglietti was responsible for constructing the 1957 250 GT California Spyder. These sat atop a long, 2600 mm chassis and aluminum was used throughout the body in efforts to reduce the overall weight. In total, around 45 examples were created before they were replaced by the SWB version in 1960.

There were 250 examples of the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB produced. Production began in 1959 and used the shortened, sportier wheelbase. Giotto Bizzarrini, Carlo Chiti, and Mauro Forghieri were responsible for the development. Some were built for racing while others were meant for daily transportation. Horsepower ranged from 240 to 280. Steel or aluminum bodies were used. The steel bodies were suited for the road-going vehicles, also known as Lusso. The racing trim vehicles were powerful and had low weight. They were vary competitive and are regarded as the most important GT racers of its time. In 1961 the SWB Berlinetta captured the GT class of the Constructor's Championship.

In 1960 a Scaglietti 250 GT Spyder California SWB was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. Built as a replacement for the LWB and based on the 250 GT SWB, around 55 examples were produced.

The Ferrari 250TR was produced from 1957 through 1958 during which only 19 examples were created. The 'pontoon' fender body was designed by Scaglietti and the power was supplied through a Colombo 12-cylinder engine mounted at a sixty-degree angle and outfitted with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. With 300 horsepower, the 800 kg vehicle was able to achieve a 168 mph top speed. From 1958 through 1961, the 250 TR was entered in 19 championship races where they emerged victorious ten times.

The 250 in 250 TR represented the unitary displacement while the TR was an acronym meaning Testa Rossa. Testa Rossa translates to 'red head' which referred to the color of the engine's cylinder head.

The 250 TR series was built to capture the world championship which was experience questionable times. During the 1955 24 Hours of Lemans a fatal accident occurred and the Commissione Sportiva Internazionale (CSI) began investigating ways to make the sport safer for the drivers and the spectators. Their efforts were escalated in 1967 when another fatal accident occurred at the 1957 Mille Miglia. The committee decided upon a displacement limit but they were in disagreement on the size; the proposed figures ranged from 3 to around 3.5 liters.

1958 was the introductory year for the new regulations, which had been announced during the later part of 1957. Ferrari had been building, testing, and racing the 250 GT which had performed well during the 1957 Mille Miglia. The Colombo V12 260 horsepower engine received a larger bore, camshaft, and other improvements resulting in a 3.1 liter displacement and 320 horsepower. Testing continued throughout the 1957 season in both body configuration and mechanical components.

Ferrari had anticipated the new engine size regulations and thus had been sufficiently prepared to capture the world championship. Due to the potential of negative publicity caused by the fatal accidents, other manufacturers, such as Aston Martin, Lotus, Cooper and Jaguar, were hesitant to continue racing. Ferrari believed their closest competitor would be the powerful and technologically advanced Maserati 450 S which featured a quad-cam eight-cylinder engine.

Ferrari quickly began capturing victories during the 1958 season. The 250 TR was a solid vehicle thanks to the preparation and testing. The steel tubular ladder frame was of traditional Ferrari construction; a DeDion rear axle was used on the works racers. Customer cars were outfitted with a live axle. Drum brakes were placed on all four corners of the car. The engine had been modified to comply with regulations and to fit in the engine bay. In reality, the vehicle was an outdated car having only the benefit of proper planning and proven technology. Most cars featured disc brakes which provided superior stopping power. The Colombo engine dated back to the beginning of Ferrari and was antiquated in comparison to the modern power-plants.

Nearing the close of the 1958 season, the competition began to rise. Aston Martin had a lethal combination, a 3 liter DBR1 racer and Stirling Moss as the driver. Even though the Aston Martins did score a victory at Nurburgring 1000 KM, Ferrari was able to capture the World Championship. The legendary Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien easily capture a third victory for Ferrari at the grueling 24 Hours of Lemans. The 250 TR works cars were referred to as TR58, to distinguish them from the customer TRs.

For the 1959 season, the vehicles received slight modifications which made the vehicle lighter and more powerful. The big news was the use of Dunlop disc brakes. The engine received coil valve springs and the horsepower increased slightly to 306. A Colotti designed five speed gearbox replaced the four-speed unit. Pininfarina was tasked with designing a new body and the construction was handled by Fantuzzi. As a result of the improvements, the name was changed to TR59. At their inaugural race, the TR59 finished first and second. This streak did not last and at the end of the season, it was Aston Martin who emerged as the world champion. The TR59 was plagued with reliability issues mostly due to the gearbox. The vehicles were forced to retire early from races, including Le Mans.

For the 1960 season, the TR was modified slightly to comply with new regulations and to rectify the transmission issues. These vehicles are commonly referred to as the TR59/60. Aston Martin had withdrawn from the championship which left no factory opposition for Ferrari. Porsche and Maserati provided competition, especially at Targa Florio and the Nurburgring 1000 km where they scored victories. At Le Mans, Ferrari finished first and second and captured the word championship, beating Porsche by only four points.

For the 1961 season, Ferrari introduced the mid-engined 246 SP. The TRI61 was given a new spaceframe chassis and was able to capture victories at Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans. With victories between the 246 SP and the TRI61, Ferrari once again captured the world championship.

The CSI implemented stricter rules for the 1962 season which meant the TR was unable to score points for the factory. It was still allowed to race for the overall victory.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2007
For more information and related vehicles, click here

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Arrow Right 1961 Ferrari models
Ferrari 156
Ferrari 196 SP Dino
Ferrari 250 GT California
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Sperimentale
Ferrari 250 GTE
Ferrari 250 TRI61
Ferrari 400 Superamerica

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156
166
166 F2
195
196
212
246
250 GT
250 Monza
250 Testarossa
275
288
308
312
328
330
333 SP
335
342 America
348
360
365
375
400
410
410 S
456
458
500 F2
500 Superfast
500 TR
512
512 BB/LM
550
553
575
599
612 Scaglietti
625
California
Dino
Enzo
F12berlinetta
F355
F40
F430
F430 GTC
F50
FF
LaFerrari
Mondial
Mondial 500
Testarossa
Type 340

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