Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty firm, is thrilled to supply over 165 collector automobiles at its annual Amelia Public sale, set for 7-8 March 2025, at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. Led by a number of sought-after supercars from the collector automotive pastime’s prime marques, Broad Arrow’s crew of automotive specialists has assembled a fascinating lineup starting from the world’s first supercar to at present’s most superior engineering marvels. Amongst this unbelievable lineup contains this 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione estimated at $10,000,000 – $14,000,000.
The genesis of the exceptional 250 GT California Spider befell within the closing days of 1957, when Ferrari’s outstanding West Coast importer John von Neumann acknowledged an unfulfilled area of interest within the American market. He envisioned a dual-purpose, open Ferrari focused at prosperous lovers who craved a thoroughbred sports activities automotive that would concurrently flip heads on Hollywood Boulevard and clinch victories on the racetrack with equal aplomb. This idea discovered a robust ally in Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari’s official New York-based importer, whose help would show instrumental in bringing the bold undertaking to fruition.
Chinetti’s distinctive affect transcended far past his place as Ferrari’s first importer within the U.S. As a three-time Le Mans winner (1932, 1934, and 1949) and the founding father of North American Racing Crew (N.A.R.T.), Chinetti introduced unmatched competitors expertise and an in depth private relationship with Enzo Ferrari. With Enzo’s endorsement, Scaglietti in Modena was given the inexperienced gentle to craft the now legendary California Spider. The place the concurrent 250 GT Cabriolet shared its form and mechanicals with the 250 GT Coupe, the Spider was a direct evolution of the revered Ferrari 250 GT LWB (Lengthy Wheelbase) Berlinetta “Tour de France”—one of the vital vital fashions in Ferrari’s aggressive historical past.
Manufacturing encompassed two sequence on the Kind 508 chassis platform earlier than transitioning to SWB (Quick Wheelbase) manufacturing in 1960. The preliminary LWB fashions have been constructed on the Berlinetta’s 102 inch-wheelbase Kind 508 C chassis whereas sustaining the Berlinetta’s Pinin Farina-designed physique profile beneath the waistline. A second LWB sequence retaining the identical 102-inch wheelbase, termed the Kind 508 D, was produced from December 1958 to the top of 1959 in roughly 27 examples—amounting to only 50 whole LWB California Spiders. These later examples benefitted from the Kind 128 D engine with strengthened connecting rods and crankshaft, revised rear wheel arches, and open headlights on some examples. Of those, a mere ten automobiles have been equipped in probably the most fascinating Competizione specification, with simply eight of those carrying full aluminum coachwork and geared up with competitors options.
Chassis quantity 1451 GT is the second of simply eight aluminum-bodied Competizione examples, boasting an impeccable Le Mans historical past and representing one of the vital vital competitors Ferraris in existence. Based on an exhaustive report compiled by Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini, its manufacturing started on 18 Might 1959 when the Kind 508 D chassis was dispatched to Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena for fitment of its aluminum coachwork. In the meantime, its competition-specification, Kind 508 D ribbed gearbox with a 3:55:1 closing drive ratio, and outside-plug, Kind 128 F engine topped with Testa Rossa excessive carry camshafts and triple Weber 40 DCL6 carburetors—the primary of its variety fitted in a California Spider—have been accomplished on 12 and 13 June respectively. Different distinctive competitors options included a 9.6:1 compression ratio leading to 262.5 horsepower, an exterior oil cooler, stiffer suspension, and a long-range, 35 gallon gasoline tank with an exterior gasoline filler cap. Last chassis meeting was accomplished on 15 June, a mere 5 days earlier than the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans the place it was set to be campaigned by Chinetti’s N.A.R.T. within the palms of its first proprietor Robert “Bob” Grossman and co-driver Fernand Tavano.
Grossman, who owned and operated franchises for Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, and Volkswagen in New York, had raced in SCCA occasions within the mid-Fifties with appreciable success together with an SCCA G Manufacturing title. He had even campaigned one other LWB California Spider—seemingly chassis 0919 GT—bought by Chinetti, however felt that he was unable to problem the Corvettes in SCCA Class B competitors. Chinetti promised an answer, delivering Competizione chassis 1451 GT by his Luigi Chinetti Motors. The Ferrari’s arrival to Circuit de la Sarthe was so hurried, in actual fact, that Grossman recalled in Stanley Nowak’s Ferrari California Spider that “a ‘flash’ of paint coated the primer and the unfinished seats have been coated with ‘rags.’” This, nor the truth that Grossman had by no means pushed at Le Mans and his co-driver spoke little English, prevented him from attaining the only most profitable lead to a 250 GT California Spider in competitors, with a exceptional fifth-place total end and third within the GT class at Le Mans.
Following its racing debut, the Spider was returned to the manufacturing facility the place it was completed correctly in metallic silver. The automotive was then imported to the USA later that summer season the place Grossman continued his spectacular 1959 season behind the wheel of chassis 1451 GT, together with a victory at SCCA Nationwide Races in Montgomery, New York. A protest at that occasion for utilizing a “non-standard oil cooler” resulted in Grossman working the automotive within the D Modified class for the rest of the season, which included a sixth total and second in school end at Thompson, Connecticut in September and participation within the Sixth Annual Worldwide Velocity Weeks at Nassau, Bahamas in December. The occasion spanned 5 races over three days, and noticed Grossman safe a primary in school, a primary total, and the Governers Cup for each five-lap and twelve-lap races.
The 1960 season proved much more profitable, with Grossman securing outright victories at Marlboro (April and July), SCCA Nationals at Bridgehampton (Might), and the Vanderbilt Cup at Roosevelt Raceway (June). He additionally achieved first in school at Virginia Worldwide Raceway that Might, adopted by notable second-place total finishes at Thompson Nationals and Watkins Glen in September. The automotive’s competitors profession concluded when Grossman opted to buy the then newly-available 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione, parting methods with chassis 1451 GT which he wouldn’t see once more for 20 years. The automotive’s whereabouts remained unrecorded till the early Seventies when it surfaced within the care of a Maryland banker. Subsequently found in Florida by collector Gerald Sutterfield, the automotive was authenticated by marque specialist Stan Nowak as Grossman’s former Le Mans competitors chassis. Although supplied again to Grossman, it handed as a substitute to Sidney Stoldt, a New Jersey-based VSCA member, who demonstrated the automotive’s sound mechanical situation on the time by driving it again north.
The automotive reportedly handed to Connecticut-based collector Paul Pappalardo earlier than promoting to Jon Masterson of Lengthy Seaside, California in 1981. Beneath Masterson’s possession, the automotive instantly underwent a complete restoration that might set new requirements in Ferrari preservation. Choosing a period-correct Rosso Corsa end with a tan leather-trimmed inside, different minor alterations have been constructed from the automotive’s authentic competitors look, together with the omission of the auxiliary lights, bug deflector, and roundel decals, whereas the beforehand eliminated exterior gasoline filler was restored.
The prime quality of this restoration was validated by a formidable sequence of concours victories and competitors appearances spanning greater than a decade. The automotive’s post-restoration debut on the 1983 Pebble Seaside Concours d’Class secured First in Class for Postwar European by 1960 Open Vehicles, adopted by Better of Present on the Ferrari Membership of America Concours at Lake Lanier, Georgia in 1984. In 1986, the automotive captured Better of Present on the Palm Seaside Concours d’Class, and its significance was additional documented in Stanley Nowak’s definitive work Ferrari Spider California. Worldwide recognition got here by its look on the 1990 Bagatelle Concours in Paris, the place it acquired the Franklin Mint Award.
The automotive’s dual-purpose nature was notably evident within the Nineties, with Masterson campaigning profitable outings on the Monterey Historics on 4 separate events and finishing the difficult Colorado Grand in 1990. It additionally maintained a robust presence on the concours circuit, returning to Pebble Seaside in 1994 for the devoted Ferrari Grand Touring Spiders Class (M-2) and showing at Cavallino Basic occasions into the 2000s. After practically three many years of possession, Masterson bought chassis 1451 GT to Martin Gruss of New York in 2007. The California Spider promptly resumed its energetic present circuit presence, making its first look underneath new possession on the 2008 Palm Seaside Cavallino Basic XVIII. That very same yr marked one other vital milestone when the automotive acquired its Ferrari Classiche certification, confirming the authenticity of its authentic chassis, physique, Kind 128 F competition-specification engine, Kind 508 D gearbox, and correct-type rear differential.
The automotive continued to be exercised and proven in 2009, with participation within the demanding Copperstate 1000 and concours appearances at each the Ferrari Membership of America Nationwide Meet at Elkhart Lake and the fifth Annual Masterpiece Concours in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After collaborating within the Cavallino Basic historic races at Palm Seaside, Gruss undertook the numerous determination to fee an entire restoration geared toward returning the automotive to its authentic Le Mans configuration. This complete work was entrusted to the famend Ferrari specialists at Wayne Obry’s Movement Merchandise Inc., who accomplished the restoration in 2011. The California Spider made a formidable return to the present subject that very same yr, debuting in its authentic competitors livery on the Palm Seaside Cavallino Basic XX the place it secured a Platino award. The restoration was put by its paces throughout the Le 250 Tornano a Casa rally throughout France and Italy in 2014, earlier than returning to Pebble Seaside for a 3rd time to take Third within the Ferrari Competitors Class (M-2). In 2016, a becoming tribute to the automotive’s competitors heritage got here on the 53rd Annual Ferrari Membership of America Nationwide Meet in Columbus, Ohio, the place it acquired the N.A.R.T. Award. Acquired by its present proprietor in 2017, the California Spider as soon as once more graced the Pebble Seaside Concours d’Class in 2024, the place it was prominently displayed at Casa Ferrari.
Chassis 1451 GT, the second of simply eight aluminum-bodied Competizione LWB California Spiders and the primary to be geared up from the manufacturing facility with the competition-specification Kind 128 F engine, stands because the definitive instance of Ferrari’s legendary dual-purpose sports activities automotive. Its extraordinary debut on the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans alone would safe its place in Ferrari competitors historical past, but it was merely the start of an illustrious profession that might span each racing and concours excellence. From its quite a few appearances at Pebble Seaside to its participation on the planet’s most unique historic motoring occasions, chassis 1451 GT has constantly demonstrated the dual-purpose versatility that defines the California Spider legend. The automotive’s distinctive standing is furthered by its exceptional preservation of authentic elements by a number of fastidiously thought-about restorations, as confirmed by its Ferrari Classiche certification.
Few Ferraris of any period can match chassis 1451 GT’s mixture of interval racing success, long-term preservation, and continued significance in concours venues. Its existence helps outline the very essence of what makes the 250 GT California Spider so revered—a automotive equally able to securing podium finishes at Le Mans and best-in-show awards on the world’s most unique present fields. On this means, chassis 1451 GT, supplied at Broad Arrow Auctions Amelia Island public sale on 7-8 March, represents not simply the best instance of its kind, however stands because the very cornerstone of the California Spider’s legendary standing among the many most important road-going competitors Ferraris ever produced.
To view extra thrilling automobiles on supply at Broad Arrow’s the Amelia Public sale, please go to their web site at broadarrowauctions.com and remember to register to bid for this thrilling must-attend occasion.
