To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Amelia Island event, 6 - 7
March 2020.
Estimate:
$1,300,000 - $1,600,000
- Nearly five decades of fastidious care under single
ownership
- Retains its matching-numbers engine
- Recipient of meticulous two-year restoration by the respected
Bob Smith Coachworks
- Two-time Platinum awardee at the Cavallino Classic
- Documented history by marque historian Marcel Massini
- A beautifully presented and minimally driven example of the
ultimate 250 GT road car
Please note that this lot is titled as a 1964.
The Ferrari 250 GT/L berlinetta, simply known as the "Lusso," is
without a doubt one of the most successful and visually arresting
grand touring cars ever built, as the apogee of the 250 GT
platform's mechanical development and claiming a sporting exterior
that is aesthetically among the most acclaimed designs of all time.
Introduced at the 1962 Paris Salon as a replacement for the 250 GT
coupe, the Lusso (Italian for luxury) featured an all-new interior
arrangement highlighted by a revised dash panel and leather
upholstery throughout the cabin.
Mechanically, the type 168 U engine was the ultimate 3-liter
development of the long-running short-block Colombo V-12, featuring
the outside-plug ignition and single-cylinder porting that had
proven so successful in the 250 Testa Rossa and California spider
racing variants. This fantastic base was further bolstered by
chassis improvements including four-wheel disc brakes, a suspension
with coil-over shock absorbers at each corner, and a rear Watts
linkage that had been perfected on the legendary 250 GTO.
Scaglietti's realization of Pininfarina's body design proved to be
one of the coachbuilder's most beautiful creations yet, with
classic early cues like the egg-crate grille and delicately curved
fenders giving way to long glass proportions and a fastback Kamm
tail. Originally owned by jet-set luminaries and celebrities, such
as Steve McQueen, the Lusso was built in a modest quantity of just
350 examples over roughly two years of production. The GT/L has
since evolved into one of Maranello's most collectable production
models, essentially the final and most developed evolution of the
revered 250 GT lineage.
This matching-numbers mid-production Lusso benefits from 48 years
of single ownership by one dedicated caretaker, culminating in a
boutique restoration that drew Platinum Awards at the Cavallino
Classic on two different occasions. According to the research of
marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis no. 5183 GT is the 152nd
example built and was dispatched to Scaglietti for coachwork in
September 1963. Originally finished in Verde Scuro (dark green) and
appointed with a beige leather interior, the car completed factory
assembly in mid-November specified as a left-hand-drive example for
the European market with instruments in kilometers.
The Ferrari was immediately distributed to M. Gastone Crepaldi, the
well-known marque dealer in Milan, and was soon sold to an unknown
buyer. Sometime over the following seven years, the 250 GT was
exported to the United States, and by 1970 the car was owned by
Alan Croxford, the owner of a television repair shop in Hopkins,
Minnesota. By this point the car had been refinished in traditional
Rosso with a black interior. Mr. Croxford had the brightwork
re-chromed and fitted new Dunlop wire wheels, new brakes, and a new
exhaust system before offering the Lusso for sale in 1972. The car
was then sold to Allan Pray of nearby Minnetonka, whose family
eventually retained possession for a remarkable 48 years.
During the late 1970s, Mr. Pray commissioned a repaint and
re-upholstery of the interior, while the engine was overhauled and
the suspension was rebuilt. The owner fastidiously maintained the
car while enjoying it on rare occasions, accruing very little
mileage. In the late 2000s, Pray commissioned a comprehensive
two-year refurbishment by the respected Bob Smith of Gainesville,
Texas, whose restorations have been awarded at prestigious venues
around the world. Mr. Smith completely rebuilt the engine, gearbox,
suspension, brakes, and rear differential, while all the glass,
chrome, and seals were refreshed. The coachwork was bare-blasted
and repainted in a deep finish of medium blue paint, and the
interior was retrimmed in supple beige leather.
The Ferrari was then presented at a handful of important events,
starting with the Cavallino Classic in January 2009, where it won a
coveted Platinum Award. In August 2011 the Lusso was displayed at
the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, California,
and in January 2019 the car returned to the Cavallino Classic with
a number of small corrections to factory standards, resulting in
another Platinum Award.
Currently displaying 22,055 kilometers (13,704 miles), this
stunning Lusso is accompanied by a complete tool kit and owner's
manuals, and it would make a fantastic complement to any collection
of sporting grand touring cars. The 250 GT continues to feature its
matching-numbers body and type 168 U Colombo V-12 engine. Restored
to a very high standard, 5183 GT is undoubtedly a superlative
example of one of Maranello's most acclaimed models, offering
driving enjoyment or future competitive display at top-tier events
and marque gatherings.To view this car and others currently
consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am20.
