1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe

The first owner of the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, chassis number 3113 GT, was Doris C. Blackwood. In the fall of 1961, Mrs. Blackwood was traveling through Europe and decided to visit the Paris Auto Salon held at the Grand Palais. There, she saw a silver-gray Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. She negotiated its purchase, and when she went to pick up the Ferrari ten days later, she was informed that the car had already been sold. Enzo Ferrari promised she could have the next silver-grey SWB Berlinetta that became available. The following February, she returned to Maranello, to pick up S/N 3113.

By 1975, Mrs. Blackwood decided to part with the car and advertised it for sale in the FCA Bulletin. Bobby Jones from Hobart, Indiana, sent Mrs. Blackwood a $500 deposit. After a change of heart, Mrs. Blackwell returned to the deposit and an apology stating she was unable to part with the car. Mr. Jones was upset and very keen on purchasing the Ferrari and decided to sue Mrs. Blackwood. The lawsuit attracted the attention of a local paper. Her lawyer advised her to drive the car to put the car into a friend's garage for storage.

The lawsuit was settled in early 1977, with Mrs. Blackwood paying Mr. Jones $2,500. The following year, in the spring of 1978, Mrs. Blackwood (due to failing health) sold the car to James C. Carbone of Gig Harbor, Washington. He sold the car to Walnut Creek Ferrari on August 3rd of 1984. The next owner was James Wickstead of New Jersey, who purchased the car from Ferrari South in Jackson, Mississippi.

Shortly after purchasing the car, Mr. Wickstead began a sympathetic mechanical restoration which took the better part of a decade. The coachwork was repainted in its original silver gray. New carpets were installed, replacing the original gray.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014