1962 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet

The second-series Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet was built from 1960 onwards, and incorporated many major improvements over earlier cars. Among these changes were an overdrive transmission, all-around disc brakes, a new 'outside-plug' Tipo 128 engine with 232 horsepower, better sound insulation, and revised shock absorbers.

This particular example is the 176th Series Cabriolet of the 200 examples constructed. Assigned chassis number 3499, this 250 GT Series II was completed at Pininfarina on June 20, 1962, and wore a color scheme of Midnight Grey (18933M) over an interior trimmed with Dark Beige leather (VM 846). A short time later, it was delivered to its first owner via Ferrari's local Parisian distributor, Franco-Britannic Automobiles. By July 10, it had received the Marseille registration '2984 BW 13.'

The original owner retained this Ferrari until January 1971, when it was acquired by another individual from Marseille who would keep it for the next 42 years. At the time of purchase, it showed 7,000 kilometers since it was new. The car was well cared for and driven sparingly, and has never been disassembled or restored. Sometime after 1985, the Cabriolet was put into storage.

When the current owner acquired the Ferrari in 2013, it was in highly original condition, albeit a neglected state. It was then submitted to D.L. George Historic Motorcars in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, for a comprehensive restoration that focused on preserving, rebuilding, and reconditioning as much of the car's original componentry as possible. The work cost in excess of $274,000 and included a full color-matched repaint in its factory-correct Midnight Grey, and the original Dark Beige Connolly leather was reconditioned, though the seats were in such a state as to require an entire rebuild and fitment of newly made Dark Beige leather covers. The car's original fabric soft top was repaired and thoroughly detailed, and the French-market Marchal headlamps and Borrani chrome wire wheels were fastidiously restored and refitted.

Chuck Sim's Cycles Immortal in Winterport, Maine, rebuilt the car's numbers-matching Tipo 128 engine. The transmission's Laycock de Normanville overdrive module was similarly rebuilt by Vincor Transmissions of Jacksonville, Florida.

The small finishing duties were assigned to Sublime Restorations of South Hampton, New Hampshire, which they completed in late 2016.

In 2017, the restored 250 GT Cabriolet Series II successfully completed the Copperstate 1000 Road Rally without issue. Currently, the car has 18,693 kilometers on its Veglia instrumentation, which is presumed to represent the car's true mileage since new.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024