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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

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

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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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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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ACO

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - at full speed and with matching helmet with the driver

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - as on the Hunaudières straight at Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - but they didn't drive past a field at Le Mans back then

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - as on the Hunaudières

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - was Grossman also this big?

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - with additional headlights for the long night at Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - this is how stylishly you could finish fifth at Le Mans almost 60 years ago

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - you want to drive off immediately

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in the livery as it drove at Le Mans in 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - with drum brakes front and rear

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in the evening light, as once in the Sarthe

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - the Spider in the studio

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - the Spider in the studio

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - front view

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - rear view

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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) - View into the cockpit

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - who needs sun visors?

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - all information at a glance

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - classic Ferrari steering wheel, large instruments

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Speedometer up to 300 km/h

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - however, the seats were not so beautifully covered when it was used at Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - headrests and seat belts were not yet available at that time

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Helmet and gloves at the ready

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - longitudinally mounted V12 cylinder with a displacement of three liters

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - the engine with the three triple carburetors

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - stamped serial number

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Chassis badge

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - stamped serial number

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Auxiliary headlights

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - additional wind deflector on the hood

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - completely restored car

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - spoked wheels by Borrani

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Fuel filler cap in the boot lid

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - lockable trunk

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - illuminated starting number

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - the tank went all the way to the rear end

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Tools and fuel filler neck in the trunk

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - complete tool kit

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Ferrari 166 MM (1949) - Chinetti/Mitchelll/Thompson - Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1957) - Production of the first example in December 1957 (?) at Ferrari

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - before the start in its pit at Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - in the pits at Le Mans, driven open-top of course

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - through the S-curve - Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - finished fifth in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - towards Arnage - at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - at full speed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with mounted license plate

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Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione (1959) - Finish at Le Mans 1959

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Ferrari 250 GT California LWB (1960) - The Ferrari 250 GT California LWB from the Scuderia Serenissima at the Esses Grandstands (12 Hours of Sebring 1960)

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1960) - at a meeting

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Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (1962) - at an exhibition

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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) First place in the Ferrari Grand Touring category

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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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