1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta

The Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso was introduced in 1962 at the Paris Salon as a replacement for the 250 GT PF (Pininfarina) Coupe. Lusso in Italian means 'luxury,' and befitting its name, the 250 GT/L was well equipped and luxurious with leather upholstery throughout the cabin and a revised dash panel. Beneath the curvaceous bonnet was the Tipo 168 U engine with a 3-liter displacement, outside-plug ignition, and single-cylinder porting. There were four-wheel disc brakes, a suspension with coil-over shock absorbers at each corner, and a rear Watts linkage.

Over a two-year production period, a total of 350 examples were built.

This example with chassis number 5521 GT is the 269th example built, and it completed assembly in April 1964 with a finish in Amaranto paint over a Beige leather interior. Fitted with left-hand drive, it was delivered to the U.K. marque distributor Maranello Concessionaires and sold new to a Mr. Moll, an English resident living in Sicily. Its next caretaker was based in Geneva, Switzerland, and purchased it two years later. Ownership changed again in 1967, this time to a British resident, eventually passing to racing enthusiast Mike McQuaker of London by 1973. By this point in history, the car wore a light green exterior paint scheme, and, a short time later, was refinished in dark green.

Mr. McQuaker began racing the Ferrari in 1976, and the car would receive a series of modifications and upgrades. The matching-numbers engine was fitted with six carburetors, while the motor's lubrication system was upgraded to a dry-sump configuration. Later, it was given larger GTO-style valves, high-compression pistons, Carrillo connecting rods, and a cold air box with velocity stacks. All new alloy coachwork by Williams & Pritchard was created, complete with GTO-style rear brake vents and a front end in the style of the Ferrari 330 LMB.

Mr. McQuaker competed with the Ferrari for fourteen years, bestowing additional upgrades which included Recardo racing seats and a roll cage, upgraded brakes with competition-style alloy calipers and vented rotors, a dual-circuit master cylinder, an aluminum radiator with an auxiliary cooling fan, a trunk-mounted fuel cell, and an uprated suspension system with adjustable sway bars and adjustable Koni shock absorbers.

Among the accolades reportedly achieved during its racing career include winning the British Maranello Ferrari Challenge Series in 1986 and 1987.

The car passed through at least two additional U.K.-based owners, including Peter Waterman, the 250 GT/L was sold to a Florida-based enthusiast in 1999 and in August 2002, was sold by RM Auctions at its Monterey, California sale. In March 2003, the Lusso campaigned at the historic challenge event at Sears Point Raceway, and by the end of the year, the car was owned by Richard Freshman's Fossil Motorsports. Near the close of 2003, it was purchased by Walter Medlin who gave it the current livery of rosso paint. Since that time, the car has been mostly undisturbed in storage. It was shown at the Water Park Concours d'Elegance in 2003, and the Celebration of Automobiles held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2014.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024