1963 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta

In the 250 GTO, Ferrari produced the quintessential sports racing car of the post war era. Derived from the successful 250GT SWB Berlinetta, the GTO marked the culmination of the world-beating 250 Series.

Ferrari 250 GTO with chassis number 4293GT was built in April of 1963 and sent to Scuderia San Ambreous upon completion. Its first owner was Jacques Swaters who took the car racing only a short time after the purchase. Its first race was an overall victory at the 500km Spa in May of 1963 with Willy Mairesse in the drivers seat. At the end of the month it was raced in the 1000km Nuerburgring driven by Lucien Bianchi but failed to finish. In June it was raced in the 24 Hours of LeMans driven by Beurlys and Gerard Langlois van Ophem. The car did exceptionally well, surviving the entire 24 Hour race and finishing 2nd Overall and 1st in Class.

It scored a first at Zolder in 1963 and a First in Class at the 12 Hour Trophee de Reims. In July of 1963 it was sold to Jack Nethercutt of Sylmar California. Mr. Nethercutt would amass a massive and very impressive collection of automobiles during his lifetime, but this 250 GTO would not be apart of the collection. It was sold in 1964 to Chris Cord, then to Parfet in 1965 and back to Mr. Cord in 1967. It was sold again in 1968 to Steven Earle of Santa Barbara, CA. The car would remain in his care for nearly fifteen years before it was sold to Tohru Horinouchi. It sold again in 1996 and then was up for auction in 2000 at the Brooks Gstaad Auction. In July of 2002 it was purchased by its current owner who has brought the car to the Monterey Historic Races on several occasions, in 2004 and 2007, and shown at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2004.

Thanks to its comparatively short, accident free racing career, followed by a lifetime of caring ownership, 4293GT remains one of the most original GTO's in existence today.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2012