For Sale: 1959 Ferrari 250 LWB Tour de France in Maldon, Essex,

1959 Ferrari 250 Tour de France. The car offered is an exceptionally rare, professionally restored, open-headlight Tour de France with extensive international period race history. Chassis 1335GT is a 250 GT Long Wheel Base Berlinetta, or, as the model is more commonly known, a Tour de France. This example is a late series-four model as identified by the single louvre visible in each rear ‘sail-panel’. With only 36 cars produced in this last series it is already a rare Ferrari but when one considers that only nine open-headlight cars were produced it must be one of the most exclusive classics available today. The appeal of 1335GT is further enhanced by its extensive and well documented competition career that began at the hands of its first owner Casimiro “Miro” Toselli. Toselli was the typical gentleman racer of the period combining a degree of personal wealth with a passion for the sport. Hailing form Turin he had already established himself as a highly capable driver before taking delivery of his Tour de France. He was a competitor in the Mille Miglia on at least three occasions in the late 40s and 50s and in 1956 was road race champion of Italy achieving notable finishes with his Fiat 8V Zagato including a class win at the Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti and a third place in the Coppa Inter Europa, a result he would replicate in 1959 with the Ferrari. 1957 was less successful but he reclaimed his title in 1958 with strong performances in Sicily, Calabria, at the Targa Florio and again at the Coppa Inter Europa, this time driving an Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint. Toselli was not only at home on the race track but also competed in some of the major international rallies of the period including the Sestriere Rally in 1956 and 1959. Toselli took delivery of 1335GT in April 1959 and wasted no time in putting it into action with an entry in the sixth Coppa San Ambroeus on May 3rd, a decision which paid off when he secured a 2nd in class. Over the next few months Toselli and his Ferrari would appear at half a dozen hill climbs and race meetings securing a number of second and third places in the process, including the aforementioned 3rd overall in the 1959 Coppa Inter Europa at Monza. Perhaps the most ambitious race that 1335GT took part in was the first event of the 1960 season; the Buenos Aires 1000km race. Interestingly, although Toselli had manged a fourth in the 1958 Venezuelan Grand Prix driving a different Tour de France, he did not drive on this occasion but entrusted his car to Argentinian racing drivers Alberto Rodriguez Larreta and Carlos Menditeguy. Unfortunately in spite of their local knowledge and enormous experience they were forced to retire but the fortunes of 1335GT soon improved with Toselli back at wheel and by the end of 1960 they had achieved an outright win in the Coppa della Consuma hill climb, a class win at the Circuito di Posilipo in addition to multiple second places at other events. As was usual with racers of the time, once their car ceased to be truly competitive at top levels it was sold on and so in 1962 1335GT was passed to its second owner a Mr Dario Vico, also of Turin. Over the next ten years it passed through several further owners before coming into the possession of Giorgio Schon and Giorgio Ambrogetti who returned the car to competition. Since 1980 the car has run in historic races at Monza, the Mille Miglia and undertaken the Tour de France in 1997. By 2002 1335GT had been acquired by a London-based collector who subsequently sold it to a collection in Brescia where it was recently subject to a full bare metal restoration to the highest of standards and now provides a fantastic opportunity to acquire a car that has the highly desirable combination of breath-taking looks, proven-performance and exceptional rarity. Offered in stunning red with grey and beige interior it presents beautifully and the original factory competition specification engine, including high compression Borgo pistons, special Tipo 130 camshafts and Weber 36 DCL3 carburettors, it will be sure to satisfy the most demanding of drivers. A stunning example of this rare Ferrari. Please contact us for further details.   Race history:   Date Result Race      Driver   Race No 1959         May 2nd GT Monza Coppa San Ambroeus Casimiro Toselli #187 June dnf Gran Premio della Lotteria di Monza Casimiro Toselli #7 July 2nd GT Bolzano-Mendola hillclimb Casimiro Toselli   July 2nd OA 2nd IC Garessio-Colle San Bernardo hillclimb Casimiro Toselli   July 6th OA 3rd IC Trieste-Opicina hillclimb Casimiro Toselli #214 August 6th OA Giro di due Mare Casimiro Toselli   September 3rd OA Coppa InterEuropa, Monza Casimiro Toselli     1960         Jan  dnf  1000km Buenos Aires  Antonio Rodriguez Larreta/Carlos Menditeguy #54 April 7th OA 2nd IC III. Stallavena-Bosco Chiesanuova hillclimb Casimiro Toselli #594 May dns Targa Florio Casimiro Toselli/ Nino Todaro #132 May   GP di Napoli Casimiro Toselli   June 1st OA Coppa della Consuma hillclimb Casimiro Toselli #236 July 2nd OA 2nd IC Garessio-Colle San Bernardo hillclimb Casimiro Toselli     1st GT Circuito di Posilipo Casimiro Toselli   1981         April   Monza Giorgio Ambrogetti   1983         September   Ferrari Days Modena Giorgio Schoen #188     Mille Miglia Mario Vecchi/ Colonna #177 1985         September   80th Anniversary di Sport ACI con la Ferrari, Modena   Mario Vecchi/ Mauro Forghieri     1988    Mille Miglia Giorgio Schoen/ Ceresi    1989   Mille Miglia Giorgio Schoen/ Ceresi   1995         October   Tutte le Ferrari in Pista, Mugello Giorgio Schoen   1997         April   Tour de France Auto Gino Macaluso/ Monica Macaluso   May   Ferrari 50th anniversary Giorgio Schoen