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The Ferrari 312 T4 was one of the seminal Formula 1 designs of its generation. Paired with such legendary drivers as the late, great French-Canadian Formula 1 star Gilles Villeneuve, the 312 T4 scored Ferrari another Driver and Constructor's world championship.
This particular example was purchased by Dr. Carlo Bonomi in 1981, a well-established customer and friend of Ferrari. Mr. Ferrari himself approved the sale to Dr. Bonomi of the Gilles' 1979 South African and Long Beach GP-winning 312T4 car, chassis serial '037.' The first factory invoice for it was raised on September 23, 1981, to Dr. Bonomi's Swiss company, Tradeconsult SA in Geneva. Chassis '037' was completed and delivered to him, and described in the invoice as a 'Vettura usata, debitamente revisionata' – 'Used car, duly revised'.
The Ferrari 312T4s (Chassis 037, 039, and 041) had been dismantled at the end of the 1980 Formula 1 season. Three T5s (chassis 042, 043, and 044) were built and based upon the number-bearing tubs of those T4 cars. At the end of that 1980 season, 312T5 car '042' was then sold into private hands, being preserved for many years by Jean Sage (now deceased) and still surviving in another collection today. The photographic record matches aspects of that car's tub with Villeneuve's actual 1979 South African and Long Beach-winning car.
037 would later pass to Adrian Hamilton in the 1990s, who sold it on to David Lucas in New Zealand. In 1997, Jean Sage questioned how '037' could survive in New Zealand hands when the original chassis was embodied within his 312T5 '042' - as described above.
On July 9, 1997, Mauro Cavadini of Ferrari SpA's Legal Department responded as follows: 'I furnish you the certificate of origin and the race record of the above-mentioned car...' – his letter being headed 'Re. Ferrari T4 Grand Prix Car Chassis No. 037' – and the appended race record for this car then confirmed its history as follows:
'3.3.1979 – South Africa (Kyalami) – Villeneuve – 1st
8.4.1979 – USA West (Long Beach) – Villeneuve – 1st
29.4.1979 – Spain (Jarama) – Villeneuve – 7th
16.9.1979 – San Marino (Imola) – Scheckter – 3rd'
The Certificato d'Origine provided with the car by Signor Cavadini (of Ferrari's Legal Department) cited its 3-liter flat-12 engine number as being '35' – still installed in the car today. That makes this car a factory-built, entirely genuine Ferrari 312T4 Gilles Villeneuve tribute.
The car was then sold on February 21, 2001, via Duncan Hamilton Ltd., to Richard Griot of Tacoma, Washington. The invoice described it as a 'Ferrari T4 Grand Prix car, Red, Chassis No 037, Engine No 035'. In 2004, it entered the car of its current US-based owner. In his hands, the Ferrari 312T4 has been race-prepared for vintage competition.By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014
This particular example was purchased by Dr. Carlo Bonomi in 1981, a well-established customer and friend of Ferrari. Mr. Ferrari himself approved the sale to Dr. Bonomi of the Gilles' 1979 South African and Long Beach GP-winning 312T4 car, chassis serial '037.' The first factory invoice for it was raised on September 23, 1981, to Dr. Bonomi's Swiss company, Tradeconsult SA in Geneva. Chassis '037' was completed and delivered to him, and described in the invoice as a 'Vettura usata, debitamente revisionata' – 'Used car, duly revised'.
The Ferrari 312T4s (Chassis 037, 039, and 041) had been dismantled at the end of the 1980 Formula 1 season. Three T5s (chassis 042, 043, and 044) were built and based upon the number-bearing tubs of those T4 cars. At the end of that 1980 season, 312T5 car '042' was then sold into private hands, being preserved for many years by Jean Sage (now deceased) and still surviving in another collection today. The photographic record matches aspects of that car's tub with Villeneuve's actual 1979 South African and Long Beach-winning car.
037 would later pass to Adrian Hamilton in the 1990s, who sold it on to David Lucas in New Zealand. In 1997, Jean Sage questioned how '037' could survive in New Zealand hands when the original chassis was embodied within his 312T5 '042' - as described above.
On July 9, 1997, Mauro Cavadini of Ferrari SpA's Legal Department responded as follows: 'I furnish you the certificate of origin and the race record of the above-mentioned car...' – his letter being headed 'Re. Ferrari T4 Grand Prix Car Chassis No. 037' – and the appended race record for this car then confirmed its history as follows:
'3.3.1979 – South Africa (Kyalami) – Villeneuve – 1st
8.4.1979 – USA West (Long Beach) – Villeneuve – 1st
29.4.1979 – Spain (Jarama) – Villeneuve – 7th
16.9.1979 – San Marino (Imola) – Scheckter – 3rd'
The Certificato d'Origine provided with the car by Signor Cavadini (of Ferrari's Legal Department) cited its 3-liter flat-12 engine number as being '35' – still installed in the car today. That makes this car a factory-built, entirely genuine Ferrari 312T4 Gilles Villeneuve tribute.
The car was then sold on February 21, 2001, via Duncan Hamilton Ltd., to Richard Griot of Tacoma, Washington. The invoice described it as a 'Ferrari T4 Grand Prix car, Red, Chassis No 037, Engine No 035'. In 2004, it entered the car of its current US-based owner. In his hands, the Ferrari 312T4 has been race-prepared for vintage competition.By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014
2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $1,500,000-USD $2,000,000
Lot was not sold
Recent Sales of the Ferrari 312 T4
(Data based on Model Year 1979 sales)
Ferrari 312 T4s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1979 Ferrari 312 T4's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
| Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 FERRARI 312T4 FORMULA 1 RACING SINGLE-SEATER | 037 | 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction | $1,500,000 | $2,000,000 |
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1979 Ferrari 312 T4
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