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1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

  • Coachwork by Scaglietti
  • Designed by Pininfarina
  • Chassis Number: 1215 GT
  • Engine Number: 1215 GT
  • Body Number: Internal No: 0214 D
Ferrari began to build its 250 model in 1953. The car would be in production for a number of years and would emerge in a number of different guises. Over the course of the eleven-year production run the different evolutions of the 250 would become the best-selling line for Ferrari in its early years of sports car manufacturing.

It would all begin with the 225S. These would serve as the prototype but would be quickly dispensed with by the larger 250. The 250S models would be entered in the Mille Miglia in 1952. And although the cars were slower in top-end speed, their handling and stability in the curves would more than make up the difference and would lead to a victory for Giovanni Bracco and Alfonso Rolfo.

Enzo Ferrari was keen to capitalize on the success and would end up producing the 250MM and a number of other racing models. All of the success on the track would end up spilling over to the company's Grand Touring models.

As with the racing series of 250s, there would be a number of evolutions of the 250 GTs as well. Such evolutions included the 250 Europa GT, the 250 GT Berlinetta and the 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina. But then, in 1957, Ferrari would introduce its latest evolution meant for export to America. It would be called the 250 GT California Spider.

There would be only 50 long-wheelbase California Spiders built. One of those would be presented for auction at the Gooding and Company Pebble Beach auctions in August of 2011.

The one presented at auction would be chassis 1215 GT and it would be constructed by Ferrari in February of 1959. Included in the design was a 3.0-liter Tipo 128 V-12 engine. The engine would be capable of producing 240 bhp with the help of three Weber DCL3 carburetors that also included velocity stacks. The chassis was the 508D and it featured improvements over the previous iterations of the 250.

While Ferrari was building the chassis for the car, Scaglietti was hard at work creating its truly magnificent, and yet, simple bodywork. The body and the chassis would be united and the car would be finished in March of 1959.

At the time of completion, the car would be delivered with a dark blue finish and red leather interior to a real estate firm based in Rome. Rumors would abound as to who the actual owner of the car was. Many ideas and rumors were suggested. One of the more colorful suggested the car was actually for the Grimaldi family of Monaco.

By the late 1960s, the car had become the property of Garage Mario and Gastone Crepaldi Automobili S.a.s. This was an official Ferrari concessionaire in Milan. Finally, after almost ten years, the car meant for export to the United States would actually end up heading there. Fittingly, the car would be shipped to California.

Charles Betz would end up becoming the owner of the car. By the time Betz had taken delivery of the car the drum brakes had been replaced with the new disc brakes (which was not uncommon for the time). However, the car would still arrive in the finish it had left the factory.

Over the period of about ten years, the car would change hands numerous times mostly amongst collectors and individuals around the Kentucky and Ohio areas. The car would even spend a spell in Georgia and Toronto, Canada. During its stay in Canada, the car would undergo restoration work and would reunite the original engine with the car that had been replaced at the time Betz had taken receivership of the car.

The car would again be sold a number of times and would end up in the hands of Lee Herrington of New Hampshire. The 250 GT California Spider would end up taking residence with a number of other Ferrari's from Herrington's fine collection. Under Herrington's ownership the car would be refinished to its current state of Fly Yellow complete with a black leather interior.

Herrington would end up selling the car in 2008 to its current owner. Immediately the car was sent to Bob Smith for servicing and preparation.

Ferrari's usual mixture of performance and luxury, it is easy to understand why the 250 series became Ferrari's best-selling series of automobiles from the late 1950s and through the most part of the 1960s. The elegance combined with the performance provides the street-goer with a truly incredible performance. With the lovely lines, the spider design, and raw performance; the 250 GT California Spider elegantly captured California's lifestyle and reputation. Chassis number 1215 GT, with its matching engine number and restoration work would end up catching a price of $3,335,000 at the auction in August.

Sources:
'Lot No. 13: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider', (http://www.goodingco.com/car/1959-ferrari-250-gt-lwb-california-spider-1). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/car/1959-ferrari-250-gt-lwb-california-spider-1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari 250', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 August 2011, 11:08 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_250&oldid=446300282 accessed 23 August 2011

By Jeremy McMullen

2011 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auctions

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $3,000,000-USD $4,000,000 
Sale Price :
USD $3,355,000

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Ferrari 250 GT California

(Data based on Model Year 1959 sales)
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione
Chassis#: 1235 GT
Sold for USD$10,840,000
  2021 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours Auction
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione by Scaglietti
Chassis#: 1451 GT
Sold for USD$17,990,000
  2017 RM Sotheby's : Icons
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti
Chassis#: 1503 GT
Sold for USD$9,453,996
  2017 RM Sothebys : Ferrari - Leggenda e Passione
 
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione
Chassis#: 1603 GT
Sold for USD$18,150,000
  2016 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti
Chassis#: 1307GT
Sold for USD$8,500,000
  2015 RM Sotheby's : Monterey
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
Chassis#: 1425 GT
Sold for USD$7,700,000
  2015 Gooding & Company - Arizona
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder avec hard-top dusine
Sold for USD$5,890,875
  2012 Artcurial Motorcars at Rétromobile
 
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
Chassis#: 1505 GT
Sold for USD$3,905,000
  2012 Gooding and Company - The Scottsdale Auction
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
Chassis#: 1215 GT
Sold for USD$3,355,000
  2011 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auctions
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder
Chassis#: 1307 GT
Sold for USD$3,594,578
  2011 RM Auctions - Villa d'Este
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder
Chassis#: 1489GT
Sold for USD$2,612,500
  2010 RM Auctions - Sports & Classics of Monterey
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT
Chassis#: 1603 GT
Sold for USD$7,260,000
  2010 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auctions
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder
Chassis#: 1253
Sold for USD$2,755,346
  2010 RM Auctions - Sporting Classics of Monaco
 
1959 Ferrari 250GT California (LWB)
Chassis#: 1487 GT
Sold for USD$2,858,689
  2009 Ferrari – Leggenda e Passione
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California
Chassis#: 1489GT
Sold for USD$3,630,000
  2008 Gooding & Company
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  1959 Ferrari 250 GT California image  
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder
Chassis#: 1217 GT
Sold for USD$1,320,000
  2005 The Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction
 
1959 Ferrari California Spyder Replica
Sold for USD$54,060
  2003 The Florida Collector Car Auction
 

Ferrari 250 GT Californias That Failed To Sell At Auction

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti1203 GT2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island $9,000,000$11,000,000
1959 Ferrari 250GT California Spider1411GT2012 Bonhams Exceptional Ferrari Motor Cars $800,000$100,000
1959 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spyder Recreation 2009 Bonhams Goodwood Revival, Chichester, Sussex $260,000$300,000
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California 2009 Automobiles of Amelia Island$1,975,000$2,400,000$2,900,000
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Cal Spyder 2003 Vintage Motor Cars at Amelia Island$850,000  

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1959 Ferrari 250 GT California

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