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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider - from Le Mans to a picnic

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Created on November 18, 2017

Reading time 7min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Diana Varga - Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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Maurice Louche - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy of the Klemantaski Collection - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Bruno von Rotz

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Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

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ACO

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Diana Varga - Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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Maurice Louche - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Courtesy of the Klemantaski Collection - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

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Bruno von Rotz

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Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

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Archivbild

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in voller Fahrt und mit passendem Helm beim Fahrer

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - wie auf der Hunaudières-Geraden von Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - an einem Acker fuhren sie in Le Mans damals aber nicht vorbei

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - wie auf der Hunaudières

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - ob Grossman auch so gross war?

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - mit Zusatzscheinwerfern für die lange Nacht von Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - so stilvoll konnte man vor bald 60 Jahren in Le Mans auf den fünften Platz fahren

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - man möchte sofort losfahren

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in der Lackierung, wie er 1959 in Le Mans fuhr

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - mit Trommelbremsen hinten und vorne

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - im Abendlicht, wie einst in der Sarthe

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - der Spider im Studio

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - der Spider im Studio

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Frontansicht

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Heckansicht

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Silhouette

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Blick ins Cockpit

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - wer braucht schon Snnenblenden?

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - alle Infos im Blickfeld

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - klassisches Ferrari_Lenkrad, grosse Instrumente

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Tacho bis 300 km/h

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - so schön waren die Sitze bei seinem Einsatz in Le Mans allerdings nicht überzogen

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Kopfstützen und Gurten hatte man damals noch nicht

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Helm und Handschuhe liegen bereit

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - längs eingebauter V12-Zylinder mit drei Litern Hubraum

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - der Motor mit den drei Dreifachvergasern

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - eingeschlagene Seriennummer

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Chassisplakette

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - eingeschlagene Seriennummer

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Zusatzscheinwerfer

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - zusätzlicher Windabweiser auf der Motorhaube

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - komplett restauriertes Auto

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Speichenräder von Borrani

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Tankverschluss im Heckdeckel

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - abschliessbarer Kofferraum

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - beleuchtete Startnummer

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - der Tank ging bis zum Heckabschluss

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Werkzeug und Tankfüllstutzen im Kofferraum

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - komplettes Werkzeug

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - Chinetti/Mitchelll/Thompson - Sieger der 24 Stunden von Le Mans im Jahr 1949

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1957) - Fertigung des ersten Exemplares im Dezember 1957 (?) bei Ferrari

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - vor dem Start in seiner Box in Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - an den Boxen von Le Mans, gefahren wurde natürlich offen

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - durch die S-Kurve - Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - fuhr bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans von 1959 auf den fünften Platz

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in Richtung Arnage - bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in voller Fahrt bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans, mit montiertem Kennzeichen

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Zieleinlauf in Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT California LWB (1960) - Der Ferrari 250 GT California LWB von der Scuderia Serenissima bei den Esses Tribünen (12 Stunden von Sebring 1960)

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1960) - bei einem Treffen

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1962) - an einer Ausstellung

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California Prototipo (1957) - F-66 - Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2017

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California Prototipo (1957) - F-66 - Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2017

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California Prototipo (1957) - F-66 - Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2017

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Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti Spyder California Prototype (1957) Erster Platz in der Kategorie Ferrari Grand Touring

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Summary

In 1959, an American bought a Ferrari 250 GT California Spider and covered the first 3000 km or so in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the end, the car finished in fifth place, even though it had not yet been fully completed. This early California Spider is one of just under 100 examples built with a long and short wheelbase, all of which were sold for millions. With its Le Mans history, however, this Spider is certainly one of the most significant. This vehicle report describes the history of chassis 1451 GT and shows the car in historical and current pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

The Italian-American Luigi Chinetti
Elegant racing car with long and short wheelbase
Racing romance of the late fifties
The Le Mans triumph
Two-year racing career
Early retirement
Restored twice and awarded several times
The most expensive classic Ferrari sports car of the 2017 auction year?
Further information

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Imagine this for a moment: An American orders a new fast road-going sports car, which is then delivered in France, just in time for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There, the American gets a French partner and together they contest the race in the Sarthe, eventually finishing fifth overall in the convertible fresh from the factory after around 4000 km. Unthinkable? Although this story sounds like a script for a Hollywood movie, it happened exactly like that. And the main character was a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, with Bob Grossman in the supporting role as driver and Luigi Chinetti pulling the strings in the background.

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