Replica California Spider displayed at Galleria Ferrari Maranello, #4309 GT

At Galleria Ferrari in Maranello there is currently a REPLICA of a 250 GT California Spider on display. This replica is based on a 250 GTE 2+2 chassis. The donor car was chassis number 4309 GT. This GTE was originally painted Celeste with a Blue VM 3015 leather interior, LHD, delivered to first owner Maxham, an Englishman with a residence in Geneva, Switzerland. The car had been ordered through Maranello Concessionaires, the UK importer, with MC Order #74, but Maxham had it delivered to his Swiss residence (hence LHD). In December 1966 the GTE was sold by Maxham to Canada. Darcy Podmoroff, a body shop owner in Vancouver, sold 4309 GT on the 27th December 1988 to Edwin K. Niles in Los Angeles. On the 7th February 1989 Niles sold 4309 GT in rather tatty condition to Swiss dealer Charles Gnädinger and the car arrived at the customs station in Bern, Switzerland on the 29th March 1989. I was there that day and took some black-white photos (see below). 4309 GT was then instantly re-sold to Italy where it was used as donor car for a California Spider REPLICA. Rather surprisingly this REPLICA is now on display at the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello, with a metal tag on the gearbox tunnel describing it as a 250 California. Galleria Ferrari also put a sign next to the car describing it as a 1957 model...........Do they really know their cars?
COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI
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They definitely do not, thank you ;-)

 

It looks nice though.
Grant

 

I think that since Enzo Ferrari passed, Ferrari diverts...
The new "Dubai's Ferrari Land" is the example of this massive industrialization
I'm sorry, I have to improve my English!

EDIT: Furthermore, it's presented like a 1957 model, but it's a SWB Replica, so it have to be 1960!

 

As long as Classiche certified it as a California Spider, it is all OK. After all, Ferrari is the self proclaimed expert in all things Ferrari.

Really, that is just embarrassing.

 

Hey Doug:
I have come to the same conclusion...........
Ciao
Marcel Massini

 

I agree with Marcel and Doug. Ferrari seems to be far more concerned with sales and marketing than their history.

 

That aluminum plate on the console is ........well,.........





Tacky.




It just looks like a kid turned loose in High School Shop class......I wouldn't put it next to a BBburago!!!

 

I agree too!
I wonder what could what Enzo Ferrari could say about it...

 

This replica was already on display at the galleria once before in 2007. Thanks for the confirmation about the s/n Marcel! too bad it turned out to be a replica...

 

Presumably they don't care, given the plate still appears to be the original (250GTE).

That is quite sad for the factory to do that.

 

I thought Ferrari replicas were illegal in Italy! Hypocrites!

 

Thanks for posting this Marcel.

Very Sad.

 

Very sad indeed!

I expected better from Ferrari.

I saw that car at the Galleria before but I had no clue it was a replica

Marcel- You should get in contact with Ferrari and/or who runs the Galleria. What they did is seriously sad and embarrassing.

 

Disappointing and pathetic. Maybe they'll send it to Dubai and make it into a ride....

 

Didn't Dubai's financial world crash these past few days?
Marcel Massini

 

Exactly!
Jaguar is Indian, but Ferrari's going to be send to the Emirates....
I'm exaggerating, but now, Ferrari hasn't got the same spirit than the TRUE times, when Enzo Ferrari was at the commands of the society!
Now, they don't honnour the important people of Ferrari's History: Phill Hill, Gino Muranon of course, Igor Tourbetzkoy...
Fortunately, you're here Mr Massini! Thank you! Thanks to you, I learn VINs, new models (I discovered the 342 America -only two convertibles I think- not long ago!), and at the same time, I forget my mathematics lesson ( )!
I almost forgot, I'm only 16, so I have the time to learn!

 

I guess it is technically not a replica, as it is made from genuine Ferrari parts

 

When compared to the first photo by Marcel; the serial number plate is now held on by slot head screws. Obviously bigger changes than that happened to the old GTE. However not many would spend all that money to bring a GTE back to the condition of this different version open car now. At least it's alive but maybe should not be in the 'hall of fame' there...
CH

 

Yes, with a thud resounding enough to roil markets worldwide....

Jack

 

As are many of the Alfa's in Alfa's Museo Storico. Alfa (re) made them, so they're "real" (?)

 

Even if one makes the case that converting a decrepit GTE into a replica California is understandable from a purely financial perspective, (but how much less would the conversion be, compared with a sympathetic restoration of the GTE?), it's still impossible to understand why such a car would be displayed in the Galleria, *especially* as an authentic car.


Jack

 

I wonder what they would say when confronted with this truth.

 

I was wondering about that, too.

Jack

 

Here are a few more pix I took at the customs station in Bern, Switzerland, showing 4309 GT on its way from USA via Switzerland to the butcher in Italy (where it was born!). In my post #1 I erroneously indicated the date of arrival at Bern as 29th March 1989. That date was incorrect and I apologize. The correct date of these photos is 22nd May 1989.
COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI
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