1964 Ferrari 250 LM Coupe

The Ferrari 250 LM was built for the track with its uber-powerful 3.3-liter V-12 engine. The car was built on a 94-inch wheelbase - it was lithe, agile, fast, and packing 320 horsepower.

This is the 22nd car of the 32 produced, and it was purchased new in Cina Red (Rosso Cina over seats trimmed in Bleu cloth upholstery) by race driver George Drummond of England. Drummond actively campaigned this car around England in 1965 with exceptional success, taking first overall at meetings at Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Silverstone. The following year, Drummond took the car to the 24 Hours of Daytona, followed by outings to Austria and South Africa. In 1968, the 250 LM raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Paul Vestey and Roy Pike, but sadly failed to finish. Some twenty years later, the 250 LM returned to the track in the Chicago and Monterey Historic Races and today it presents in Rosso Cina - its race-ready livery of 1965.

Twenty-one examples of the Ferrari 250 LM were built prior to the construction of chassis number 6053. Upon completion, it wore a Rosso Cina exterior over an Bleu cloth upholstery interior, and was delivered in October 1964 to Colonel Ronnie Hoare's Maranello Concessionaires. British driver George Drummond acquired the car and raced it on local BRSCC circuits along with the occasions 'larger' events. Among the accolades it achieved was a class victory in April 1965 at Wiscombe Park, four overall wins at Brands Hatch, two victories at Snetterton, and a win at Silverstone.

Innes Ireland and Mike Hailwood raced the Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Daytona in February of 1966. It wore race number 24 and had side-market lights positioned high on the door sides. After 90 laps, a gearbox failure forced an early retirement from the race. At least eight more 'major' races were contested over the next two years, earning 3rd in class and 8th overall at the Austrian Grand Prix of September 1966 (piloted by Michael Parkes).

It raced in local British races before contesting four events in Africa during November and December 1967. Notable finishes include a 5th overall at the Lourenço Marques 3 Hours in Mozambique.

London-based Paul Vestey Racing acquired the Ferrari 250 LM in May of 1968 and added it to their stable of racing machines. At the time, they had another 250 LM (chassis 6167) which driver David Piper crashed at the Targa Florio after a steering arm came loose. The engine and transaxle were salvageable, but its body and chassis were beyond repair.

The 1968 24 Hours of LeMans
The engine powering chassis number 6167 had been approved by the Le Man's scrutineers, so it was installed into chassis 6053, along with transaxle number 17. Chassis 6053 with engine number 6167/22LM was one of six 250 LM vehicles that were entered at the 1968 24 Hours of LeMans. Piloted by Vestey and Roy Pike, it wore a purplish dark blue exterior with a white stripe, race number 19, and qualified in the 32nd-place starting position.

After the first hour, the 250 LM (chassis 6053) was in 26th position which it held through the second hour. Losing control at the Arnage Corner, Vestey lost control, spun the car, and damaged the car's rear end, requiring minor repairs at the pit. After repairs were completed and Roy Pike re-entered the race, the LM had dropped to 46th place. Over the next several hours, the 250 LM made up some ground, and was in 31st place through the 10th hour. A gearbox failure on the 99th lap prematurely ended the 250 LMs Le Man's aspirations and became one of the thirty-nine cars that did not finish the race. Only fifteen cars would complete the full twenty-four hours.

American Ownership
The Ferrari 250 LM was sold in April 1969 through British dealer Colin Crabbe to Richard Merritt of Bethesda, Maryland, who soon re-sold it to Terry Myr of Detroit. A brief time later, it was sold through Kirk White Motorcars to dealer Harley Cluxton. In 1971 Cluxton sold the car to Robert Sutherland of Denver, Colorado, who commissioned a complete restoration three years later. Upon completion, the Ferrari was shown at the FCA Meeting at Rockton, Illinois, in May 1975.

Anthony Podell of Manhattan Beach, California, purchased the Ferrari in 1983, commissioning Mike McCluskey to perform some restoration work before entering it into vintage racing at the 1987 Chicago Historic, and the 1988 Monterey Historic Races. A Swiss enthusiast purchased the 250 LM near the close of 1988 and sold it in 1990 to the Mitsubishi Corporation. In 1994, it was sold to collector Shiroh Kosaka who would keep it for 24 years. In 1990, it was given a restoration by Dino Colognato's shop in Vigonza, Italy. The current caretaker acquired the Ferrar in 2018.

Under the care of its current owner, the Ferrari was sent to the Ferrari factory for full restoration and certification by Ferrari Classiche. The work was completed in 2021, and it was shown at the Ferrari Finals at Mugello in November 2021, then at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, and at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August 2022.

This Ferrari retains the engine and transaxle from chassis number 6167, as raced at Le Mans in September 1968, and its matching-numbers chassis and coachwork. It has a Rosso Cina exterior paint scheme, Bleu cloth upholstery, and alloy Borrani wire wheels.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2023