1957 Ferrari 250 GT Boano

Enzo Ferrari reluctantly embraced the need for an exclusive line of road-going cars to finance the company's growing competition efforts. Street cars were part of Maranello's roster, but they were built in very minuscule numbers, usually to special customer order, with no attempt made at standardization. This changed in 1954 when the Pinin Farina-designed 250 Europa was introduced at Paris. This was Ferrari's first true production model and would form the foundation for all future Ferrari 250 models. These included the second series 250 GT Europa, again designed by Pinin Farina, but since they were in the process of building a new, much larger production facility, they did not yet have the space to build the larger quantities of cars that Ferrari was requesting. Accordingly, the design they created was handed over to Carrozzeria Boano, headed by one of Pinin Farina's designers, Mario Felice Boano (formerly of Ghia). When Boano was later recruited by Fiat, construction was handed to his son-in-law, Ezio Ellena.

Carrozzeria Boano

Felice Boano had worked in the coachbuilding business during the pre-war era, including employment at Stabilimenti Farina in Turin before joining Pinin Farina in 1930. In 1944, Boano and Giorgio Alberti acquired Carrozzeria Ghia in Torino after Giacinto Ghia passed away. Designs that followed often featured a low-roofline, a styling feature that would become a hallmark of Boano's design. The coachwork they created was applied to the Lancia Aurelia and Alfa Romeo 2500 CC of 1950, the Karmann Ghia of 1953, and the Chrysler K200, among others. In 1954, Felice Mario Boano and his son Gian Paolo, along with partner Luciano Pollo, formed Carrozzeria Boano at Via Collegno in Grugliasco. The business was in operation for three years, closing after Boano accepted a job with Fiat in their styling department. His son, Gian Paolo, succeeded him in 1959, as leader of the Centro Stile, Fiat's styling department. Mario retired from Fiat in 1966 and Giano Paolo remained with Fiat until 1988.

Ferrari 250 GT Boano

The 250 GT Low-Roof Berlinetta was introduced in 1955 at the Geneva Motor Show and served as a replacement for the Europa GT. The new 250 Gran Turismo benefitted from the latest chassis developments and modern Pinin Farina styling, executed by Carrozzeria Mario Boano. They were sophisticated, refined, sporting machines that helped Ferrari gain greater recognition in important markets and appeal to a wider audience. The quiet, yet athletic lines hinted at the vehicle's dynamic capabilities, motivated by the wet-sump Colombo-designed V12 engine with a 2,953cc displacement, single overhead camshafts, three Weber 36DCZ3 carburetors, and developing approximately 260 horsepower. It used an oval steel tube ladder-type chassis with an independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs, while the rear received a solid axle with trailing arms and leaf springs. It had a 102-inch wheelbase, the same as the preceding 205 Europa GT, but less than the 110.2-inch wheelbase of the 250 Europa and Ferrari 375 America. The original 250 Europa had a 2,963cc Lampredi V12 engine with 197 horsepower while the 250 Europa GT that followed received the Colombo V12 with 217 hp - the first road-going Ferrari to employ this engine.

The Pinin Farina styling was an evolution of the Speciale Coupé (chassis number 0407GT) but with a completely redesigned rear end. In the front was a smaller, elliptical grille with fog lamps, while the rear incorporated square and protruding tail fins at both corners. This design shared several qualities with the 410 Superamerica, also created by Pinin Farina in the same year. The first prototype 250 GT Coupe rested beside a 410 Superamerica in March of 1956 at the Geneva Motor Show, both wearing very similar styling. Also present was a Boano-bodied Speciale Cabriolet. After Pinin Farina bodied nine prototypes, Boano officially took over the production. Distinguishable features of the Boano-bodied cars include the low roofline and a single straight line traversing the length of the car, without any kick-ups behind the doors.

The Carrozzeria Boano-built 250 GTs were distinguished by the 'Low Roof' and had an overall height of 53 inches. 250 GTs built by Ellena had a 'High Roof' and an overall height of 54 inches. Boano built approximately 74 examples (between 60 and 88 cars over a two-year production run) of the 250 GT while Ellena constructed another 50 examples. All but one were coupes - the single convertible (chassis number 0461 GT) was acquired by Bob Lee off the stand at the 1956 New York Auto Show. 14 examples were given lightweight alloy bodywork and are 'Competizione' models.

While Pinin Farina-built cars receipt script or emblems, the Boano and Ellena-built cars did not have any identifying nameplates, because they acted as subcontractors.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Boano
Chassis number: 0605 GT
Engine number: 0605 GT

The 250 GT Low-Roof Berlinetta was introduced in 1955 at the Geneva Motor Show and was designed as a replacement for the Europa GT. They had the latest chassis developments and modern styling created by Pinin Farina and executed by Carrozzeria Mario Boano. The Boano Coupes were refined Grand Touring automobiles and sophisticated sporting machines.

This example was completed on January 14th of 1957. It was the 52nd of 88 Boanos built and rides on the refined 508B chassis. Power is from a type 128B V-12 engine mated to a full synchromesh gearbox.

The car was delivered to Alberto Alberti of Milan who retained the car for only a short period of time before selling it to a resident of Rome. In June of 1960, Roberto Goldoni of Rome purchased the Boano from official Ferrari dealer Vincenzo Malago. In July, Sig. Goldoni sold the car to Ed Niles of Santa Fe Springs, California. The car was shipped aboard the SS President Hayes on August 8th of 1960. It had been freshly painted in a deep cherry red metallic finish with a brown cloth-trimmed interior. The car arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on September 11th, where Mr. Niles collected the Ferrari three days later.

Mr. Niles sold the Boano to Donald Berlin of D.B.A. Imported Motors Inc. on September 19th. From there, it was sold to a gentleman in Texas, where it remained until the late 1960s. In the fall of 1969, James Truitt of Carmel, California, acquired the Low-Roof Boano and would keep the car for 36 years.

After a cosmetic and mechanical restoration, the car was displayed at the 1974 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Six years later, it returned to the lawn at Pebble Beach, where it was placed in Class L, Postwar European through 1960.

In 2005, Mr. Truitt finally departed with the car; at the time the odometer showed just 44,000 km and still wore its original black and yellow California license plate. The car was sold to the current caretaker who performed a thorough concours-quality restoration.

The car is finished in dark red with a silver roof section. It rides on Borrani wire wheels and correct Pirelli Cinturato tires. The interior has been reupholstered in gray leather with contrasting light gray piping. The 2953cc type 128B single overhead cam V-12 engine has been fitted with three Weber 36DCL3 carburetors. The 240 horsepower engine is mated to a 4-speed synchromesh manual gearbox.

In 2013, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $675,000 - $800,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $836,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Boano
Chassis number: 0673 GT

Chassis number 0673 GT is fitted, from the factory, with the rare side vent option and is the second-to-last Boano built. This low-roof 250 GT was delivered new to Jacques Swaters' Garage Francorchamps SA in Brussels, Belgium, and in the early 1960s was exported to the United States and sold to John Calley of Los Angeles, California. In the mid-1960s, Larry Armi, a Pasadena college student, traded in a Volkswagen Notchback and $400 for the Boano which was then black with a red leather interior - the original factory color scheme. Between 1966 to 1987, the car was owned by Gene Curtis. After his passing in 1987, his widow sold the car to Patricia Potter of Thousand Oaks, California. By 1988, the car belonged to Robert Butler of Valencia, California but was in need of restoration, and the engine was out of the car. Rick Peterson owned it from 1993. Between 1999 through 2001, the car was given a complete disassembly and restoration where it emerged in its current claret paint with a grey leather interior with burgundy piping. Upon completion, the car earned a Platinum Award from the Ferrari Club of America at the 2001 Orange County Concours d'Elegance. Rick Intile of New York bought the car afterward.

In 2003, the car earned a Gold & Platinum Award at the 2003 Cavallino Classic and the Long Beach, California Concours. From there, the car has continued to earn awards at various shows.

In 2011, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $550,000 - $650,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $605,000 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Boano
Chassis number: 0641 GT

Chassis number 0641GT is a restored, numbers matching car that was completed on Valentine's Day in 1957 and delivered on June 8th of 1957 to. It was imported to the United States in the mid-1970s and owned by Paul Griep of San Jose, California before being acquired by Brian Hoyt.

The car was shown at the Cavallino Classic in 2004, where it earned a Platinum award. Following this accomplishment, the car was shown at various shows in the Northeastern United States. The car was purchased in the mid-2000s by the current owner, who embarked on a cosmetic freshening. It was shown at the 2009 Los Angeles Concours d'Elegance where it was awarded a First Place award and an FCA Platinum Award.

In 2009, this 250 GT Boano Coupe was offered for sale at the Sports & Classics of Monterey auction in Monterey, California presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $550,000-$650,000. The lot was sold for the sum of $583,000, including buyer's premium.

In 2010, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA. It had an estimated value of $600,000 - $750,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $605,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Boano
Chassis number: 0667GT
Engine number: 0667GT

This 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe by Boano was delivered new to Milan, and shortly thereafter sent to Guatemala, presumably to the Italian Consulate in Guatemala City for use by the staff. In 1969, it was acquired from British dealer Brian Classic by Robert L. Youngdahl of Prior Lake, Minnesota for $1,900. After executing a rebuild of the car's Columbo V-12, fitting new brakes, and sourcing a new clutch plate for the transmission, Mr. Youngdahl took the Ferrari racing. He regularly drove this 250 GT in competition, most notably at the Brainerd SCCA 100 Miles at the former Donnybrooke Speedway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on June 16 of 1978.

The car remained with Mr. Youngdahl for the remainder of his life. When he passed away in 2012, the car was acquired from his estate by the previous owner as a rust-free example that had never been given a complete, professional restoration. Shortly thereafter, the Boano coupe was dispatched to Italy, where several specialist shops were retained to furnish the car with its first complete and professional restoration. The paint was carefully stripped, revealing a body underneath that was in very good condition. The electrical system was replaced by Gatta and the upholstery by Luppi. More recently, the Ferrari received a no-expense-spared engine rebuild by Frank Buonanno and Matt Carfo at Black Horse Garage in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in January 2016. A month later, it received Best-in-Class honors from the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. In January 2017, it was exhibited at the Cavallino XXVI in Palm Beach, Florida. In October 2017, the vehicle returned to Black Horse Garage to receive its present, dark blue and silver paint scheme.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Boano
Chassis number: 0639 GT
Engine number: 0639 GT

This Boano Coupe was delivered to Milanese publisher Giorgio Mondadori in the spring of 1957. It was exported from Italy to England in the late 1960s and by the following decade, it was exhibited in the Lane Motor Museum in Liverpool for many years. It was most recently acquired by the current owner at the Monaco auction. It has received the Ferrari Classiche certification.

The Boano and Ellena coupes of the late 1950s are considered the first series-built Grand Touring cars produced by Ferrari. These 250GT-based cars were designed by Pinin Farina and made their debut at the March 1956 Geneva Auto Show. The first 250GT completed was chassis number 0429GT.

Pinin Farin did not have the capacity for series production at the time, and after just eight units were produced in the mid-1956, 250GT production was transferred to Carrozzeria Boano. The Boano built cars have a low-profile roofline, and a total of sixty examples were produced by Boano between 1956 and 1957. As 1957 came to a close, Mario Boano accepted an offer to set up Fiat's styling department. The 250GT production was taken over by his son-in-law Ezio Ellena and Boano's former partner, Luciano Pollo.

A further sixty examples were created by Ellena, and these cars are often referred to as Ellena Coupes. Subsequent to the first eight Ellena-built examples, the remainder of 250 GT Ellena production featured a taller roofline.

As would be expected from a low-production car, they were very expensive, priced from $10,975. They had many improvements over the previous Europa GT models, including increased luggage and passenger area. The Colombo-designed V-12 engine displaced 3.0-liters and produced between 220 and 240 horsepower depending on its speciation. Zero-to-sixty was achieved in just 5.9 seconds with a top speed ranging from 127 to 157 miles per hour depending on the final drive selected.

The mechanical specifications were very similar to those used on Ferrari's contemporary GT racing car, the Tour de France Berlinetta.

by Dan Vaughan

Production of the 250 Series began in 1954 and continued on through the early part of the 1960's. There were numerous variations of the 250 and would ultimately become Ferrari's most successful line of vehicles to date. The 250 is also recognized as the first Ferrari to ever receive disc brakes. This did not take place until the end of the 1950's. Also, the 250 was the first four-seater.

Ferrari's were custom-built cars built in exclusive quantities. Ferrari provided the engine and chassis while Italian coachbuilders provided the body. This meant the specifications varied. Engines also varied in horsepower rating, torque, and displacement. This was no different for the 250 GT which saw many different variations in body style and body types.

Ferrari built the road-going Ferrari's to fuel his passion for racing. Many of the vehicles he built for the road had a competition model. That is, a modified version of the road-going model. An example of this was the 1959 short-wheelbase (SWB) Berlinetta (Berlinetta which means coupe) and given an aluminum body. It was debuted in October 1959 at the Paris Salon. GT cars were road-legal vehicles that could also be taken to the track and compete without the need for modifications. Although this was their purpose, Ferrari realized that many customers would not race their vehicle, but rather wanted the power and performance that sports cars offered. To comply, Ferrari built these cars to be powerful and luxurious. The vehicles could still be run on the track, mostly requiring the adoption of stickers and complying with any safety requirements.

The 250 road-going vehicles mostly shared two-wheelbase sizes, a 2400 mm and 2600 mm. The 2400 wheelbase were referred to as the SWB (Short wheelbase) while the other was the LWB (long wheelbase).

The base engine was a Colombo 60-degree, single-over-head cam, 'vee' type 12-cylinder, with aluminum alloy block and heads, and cast-iron cylinder liners. The displacement was 180 cubic inches (2953 cc). Horsepower production was around 220-260. The front suspension was independent with double wishbones and coil springs. The rear suspension was a live axle.

The first 250 introduced was the 250S and available in either Berlinetta or spider configuration. Introduced in 1952, they were powered by a 3-liter Colombo engine producing about 230 horsepower.

At the 1953 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari introduced the 250 Europa and Export. These were the only models in the series that were powered by a Lampredi v-12 engine also seen in Formula 1. The 250 Export had a 2400 MM wheelbase, similar to the 250 MM. The 250 Europa had a larger, 2800 mm wheelbase which allowed more interior room. During their short production lifespan, only 18 examples were produced. Pininfarina and Vignale were tasked with creating the coachwork.

In 1954 four specialty-built 250 Monza were built for racing. They shared many similarities with the 750 Monza's, but were equipped with the 3-liter Colombo engine.

At the 1957 Geneva auto show, Ferrari displayed their 250 GT Cabriolet. Coachwork was courtesy of Pininfarina; the wheelbase was 2600 mm in size. In 1959 the second in the 250 GT Cabriolet series production began after only 36 examples being produced.

From 1957 through 1959 Ferrari produced the 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour de France' (TdF). The name had been given for the 10-day automobile race. Originally the engine produced 240 horsepower but was later modified to 260 horsepower. Carrozzeria Scaglietti was responsible for creating the bodies based on Pinin Farina's design.

Scaglietti was responsible for constructing the 1957 250 GT California Spyder. These sat atop a long, 2600 mm chassis, and aluminum was used throughout the body in an effort to reduce the overall weight. In total, around 45 examples were created before they were replaced by the SWB version in 1960.

There were 250 examples of the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB produced. Production began in 1959 and used the shortened, sportier wheelbase. Giotto Bizzarrini, Carlo Chiti, and Mauro Forghieri were responsible for the development. Some were built for racing while others were meant for daily transportation. Horsepower ranged from 240 to 280. Steel or aluminum bodies were used. The steel bodies were suited for the road-going vehicles, also known as Lusso. The racing trim vehicles were powerful and had low weight. They were very competitive and are regarded as the most important GT racers of their time. In 1961 the SWB Berlinetta captured the GT class of the Constructor's Championship.

In 1960 a Scaglietti 250 GT Spyder California SWB was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. Built as a replacement for the LWB and based on the 250 GT SWB, around 55 examples were produced.

The Ferrari 250TR was produced from 1957 through 1958 during which only 19 examples were created. The 'pontoon' fender body was designed by Scaglietti and the power was supplied through a Colombo 12-cylinder engine mounted at a sixty-degree angle and outfitted with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. With 300 horsepower, the 800 kg vehicle was able to achieve a 168 mph top speed. From 1958 through 1961, the 250 TR was entered in 19 championship races where they emerged victorious ten times.

The 250 in 250 TR represented the unitary displacement while the TR was an acronym meaning Testa Rossa. Testa Rossa translates to 'red head' which referred to the color of the engine's cylinder head.

The 250 TR series was built to capture the world championship which was experiencing questionable times. During the 1955 24 Hours of LeMans a fatal accident occurred and the Commissione Sportiva Internazionale (CSI) began investigating ways to make the sport safer for the drivers and the spectators. Their efforts were escalated in 1967 when another fatal accident occurred at the 1957 Mille Miglia. The committee decided upon a displacement limit but they were in disagreement on the size; the proposed figures ranged from 3 to around 3.5 liters.

1958 was the introductory year for the new regulations, which had been announced during the latter part of 1957. Ferrari had been building, testing, and racing the 250 GT which had performed well during the 1957 Mille Miglia. The Colombo V12 260 horsepower engine received a larger bore, camshaft, and other improvements resulting in a 3.1-liter displacement and 320 horsepower. Testing continued throughout the 1957 season in both body configuration and mechanical components.

Ferrari had anticipated the new engine size regulations and thus had been sufficiently prepared to capture the world championship. Due to the potential of negative publicity caused by the fatal accidents, other manufacturers, such as Aston Martin, Lotus, Cooper and Jaguar, were hesitant to continue racing. Ferrari believed their closest competitor would be the powerful and technologically advanced Maserati 450 S which featured a quad-cam eight-cylinder engine.

Ferrari quickly began capturing victories during the 1958 season. The 250 TR was a solid vehicle thanks to the preparation and testing. The steel tubular ladder frame was of traditional Ferrari construction; a DeDion rear axle was used on the works racers. Customer cars were outfitted with a live axle. Drum brakes were placed on all four corners of the car. The engine had been modified to comply with regulations and to fit in the engine bay. In reality, the vehicle was an outdated car having only the benefit of proper planning and proven technology. Most cars featured disc brakes which provided superior stopping power. The Colombo engine dated back to the beginning of Ferrari and was antiquated in comparison to the modern power plants.

Nearing the close of the 1958 season, the competition began to rise. Aston Martin had a lethal combination, a 3 liter DBR1 racer and Stirling Moss as the driver. Even though the Aston Martins did score a victory at Nurburgring 1000 KM, Ferrari was able to capture the World Championship. The legendary Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien easily capture a third victory for Ferrari at the grueling 24 Hours of Lemans. The 250 TR works cars were referred to as TR58, to distinguish them from the customer TRs.

For the 1959 season, the vehicles received slight modifications which made the vehicle lighter and more powerful. The big news was the use of Dunlop disc brakes. The engine received coil valve springs and the horsepower increased slightly to 306. A Colotti-designed five-speed gearbox replaced the four-speed unit. Pininfarina was tasked with designing a new body and the construction was handled by Fantuzzi. As a result of the improvements, the name was changed to TR59. At their inaugural race, the TR59 finished first and second. This streak did not last and at the end of the season, it was Aston Martin who emerged as the world champion. The TR59 was plagued with reliability issues mostly due to the gearbox. The vehicles were forced to retire early from races, including Le Mans.

For the 1960 season, the TR was modified slightly to comply with new regulations and to rectify transmission issues. These vehicles are commonly referred to as the TR59/60. Aston Martin had withdrawn from the championship which left no factory opposition for Ferrari. Porsche and Maserati provided competition, especially at Targa Florio and the Nurburgring 1000 km where they scored victories. At Le Mans, Ferrari finished first and second and captured the world championship, beating Porsche by only four points.

For the 1961 season, Ferrari introduced the mid-engined 246 SP. The TRI61 was given a new spaceframe chassis and was able to capture victories at Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans. With victories between the 246 SP and the TRI61, Ferrari once again captured the world championship.

The CSI implemented stricter rules for the 1962 season which meant the TR was unable to score points for the factory. It was still allowed to race for the overall victory.

by Dan Vaughan