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1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

  • Coachwork by Scaglietti
  • Designed by Pininfarina
  • Chassis Number: 1203 GT
  • Engine Number: 1203 GT
  • Gearbox Number: 102 D
  • Body Number: Rear axle No: 227 D
The California Spider, named for the California market that had been its inspiration, shared the Tour de France Berlinetta's chassis with open coachwork designed and built by Sergio Scaglietti. It was sportier than the concurrent 250 GT Cabriolet, and most examples had bodies formed from steel with aluminum decklids and hoods, and they could be ordered with covered headlamps and highly refined engines. The chassis initially had a 2,600-millimeter wheelbase, which was retroactively referred to as the Long Wheelbase (LWB). The (SWB) short wheelbase version arrived in May 1960 with a 2,400 mm wheelbase and a widened track.

Beneath the bonnet was the traditional Ferrari 'Colombo' twelve-cylinder (Type 168) engine with a 2,953cc displacement with a 73mm bore and a 58.8 mm stroke. A trio of Weber double-barrel carburetors fed the engine until being displaced by larger 42-millimeter (compared to 36-millimeter) carbs from 1960 forward. Output was initially rated at 240 hp at 7,000 RPM for the LWB versions, while the SWB California Spyders developed 280 horsepower. The increase in output was due to the new cylinder heads and larger valves. A four-speed gearbox delivered power to the rear wheels.

Approximately one hundred examples of the 250 GT California Spyder were built, with around half in LWB configuration (1958 to 1960) and half in SWB configuration (1960 to 1962).

This 250 GT California Spyder is the 17th of 50 LWB examples, and of those, it is one of thirty steel-bodied ars with covered headlamps. It was completed in January 1959 and powered by the uprated competition engine with high-lift camshafts and an intake fed by velocity stacks through a cold-air box. The interior housed a Nardi wood steering wheel, Borletti instrumentation in miles, and Beige vaumol Connolly leather. The exterior was originally a Blu Genziana color scheme.

Upon completion, the LWB California Spider was invoiced to Luigi Chinetti and exported from Genoa in late February, bound for New York City aboard the SS Augustus. Its first owner, Harvey Schur of Scarsdale, New York, acquired it later that year. The car returned to Luigi Chinetti Motors in early 1960, after which it was sold to Alan Newman, who sold it in 1965 to Gary Wales of Detroit. Mr. Wales repainted the coachwork red and re-trimmed the interior in black before presenting the car at the 2nd Annual Ferrari Club of America meet in Indianapolis in May 1966.

Roger Adkins of Goodrich, Michigan, purchased the Ferrari in 1968 and retained it for 15 years, showing it at the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance in 1981. In 1983, it was sold to marque enthusiast and dealer Ron Spangler, and from him, the car passed through a short chain of collectors, including Tom Price of Daly City, California, Bob Baker of Omaha, Nebraska, and Pat Ryan of Montgomery, Alabama, who retained possession for 12 years.

Nigel and Sarah Allen of Surrey, England, purchased the Ferrari in June 2011 and embarked on a high-quality comprehensive restoration with the mechanical elements refurbished by marque specialist Ian Barkaway. O'Rourke Coachtrimmers refinished the coachwork in Amaranto, and reupholstered the cabin in Saddle leather.

Chassis 1203 GT was certified by Ferrari Classiche and received a Red Book in June 2013. This confirms the presence of all matching-numbers components, including the chassis, the competition-tuned V-12 engine, the gearbox, rear axle, and the coachwork.

In September 2013, the car was sold at the Salon Privé Concours d'Elegance where it was the class winner and recipient of Best of Show honors. It earned another class victory a short time later at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

The current caretaker acquired the Ferrari in February 2017 and presented it at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in August 2017, winning the Best Ferrari award. It was part of Ferrari's 70th Anniversary exhibit at the Casa Ferrari staged in conjunction with the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It won a Platinum Award in January 2018 at the Cavallino Classic, and a return to Cavallino weekend in January 2023 netted an Excellence in Class award at the Classic & Sports Sunday Concours d'Elegance at Mar-a-Lago.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023

2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $9,000,000-USD $11,000,000 
Sold for Confidential Amount

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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