1957 Ferrari 250GT Ellena

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This is quite possible the most stunning and elegant FIfties Ferrari available for under £1 Million. It is a car that is totally sorted for fast road/Rally use. looks quite superb and in the current hot Ferrari market. is only going one way financially.

240 bhp. 2. 53 cc SOHC alloy V-12 engine with three Weber carburettors. four-speed manual synchromesh transmission. front independent suspension with unequal length wishbones. coil springs. and tubular shock absorbers. live rear axle with leaf springs. Houdaille shocks with axle location by twin trailing arms. and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2. 00 mm.

The 1958 Chicago Auto Show car
The 17th of 50 “High Roof” Coupés built
Restored to drive fast; an excellent event Ferrari

By the late 1950s. Pinin Farina had established itself as not only the creators of the “Ferrari look” but also the favoured design house in Maranello. However. whilst the coachbuilder was rapidly expanding. it was not yet ready to meet the demand for increasing Ferrari production. As such. the production of the first-series-built “production” Ferrari models were farmed out to Carrozzeria Boano. a coachbuilder established by Mario Boano. which built 82 “Low Roof” Coupés of the Pinin Farina design.

At the end of 1957. Mario Boano left his company to establish a styling department at Fiat. leaving his son-in-law. Ezio Ellena. to take over. along with his former partner. Luciano Pollo. The renamed Carrozzeria Ellena continued in Ferrari production and built a further run of fifty 250 GTs. now referred to as “Ellenas” or “High Roof” models. thanks to a two-inch raised roofline that improved headroom and. arguably. body proportions. A standard four-speed gearbox shift pattern was also adopted for these cars. along with larger brakes. a ZF steering system. and the fitment of a single distributor for the engine.

In the January 1958 issue of Sports Car Illustrated. the late. revered automotive journalist Griffith Borgeson test-drove Richie Ginther's Lime Rock-winning 250 GT. calling it “a Grand Touring masterpiece—without comparables—except other Ferraris…[with a] perfect seating position. silence at speed. the fully synchronised transmission. engine flexibility. rock-like solidity. predictable handling. and gigantic brakes”. He labelled the styling “contemporary Italian conservative. beautiful without being the least bit gaudy”.

Our car. chassis number 0755 GT. is recorded by Swiss Ferrari historian Marcel Massini as having been completed in December 1957 and then delivered the following month to Luigi Chinetti's distributorship in New York City. That same month. chassis 0755 GT. finished in Verde Scuro with a gold roof. was displayed on Chinetti's stand at the 1958 Chicago Auto Show. Shortly thereafter. Chinetti sold the Ferrari to its original owner. who was recorded only as a banker living in Connecticut.

In the early 1960s. the 250 GT was overhauled by famous racing driver and team owner George Reed's RRR Motors in Midlothian. Illinois. Further ownership is unknown until 1989. when the car appeared in the ownership of Randy Simon. of Beverly Hills. California. It was then owned for several years by well-known racing car enthusiast Richard Freshman.

In 2005. the Ferrari was restored from the ground up. with the body refinished in its original colour but with the addition of a silver-green racing stripe. The car retains its original offset transmission and Borrani wire wheels but has been outfitted with its present engine. number 2963. which came from a 250 GTE and had been fully rebuilt by well-known American Ferrari specialist Patrick Ottis. It also features 250 GTE gauges and disc brakes on all four wheels. The interior was reupholstered in Stockton. California. with assembly by Jens Paulsen.

In 2006. the completed Ferrari was driven by owner Richard McClure in the 16th California Mille. proving itself a capable event car. a capability in which it has been maintained by its previous owner who also notes that the only major work required in his ownership was a replacement of the exhaust system. The car is UK Registered with. obviously. all EU Taxes paid. drives superbly and will come freshly serviced by a leading Ferrari specialist.

This exciting Ellena with important show history has been built to drive. and it will provide an unrivalled driving experience for the true tifosi. Please have a look at the options out there. we are offering this genuine 1957 Ellena for the same price as some GTO Replicas and for less than any PF Coupe. Whilst it does not have its original engine. this is incredible value and Ferrari Classiche are very proactive in solving these problems if it is important to you. Really. this is the one to use and enjoy and you will not be parked next to another!

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