Porfirio Rubirosa | Page 3 | FerrariChat

Porfirio Rubirosa

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by matumorales, Sep 23, 2013.

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  1. 275GTBSaran

    275GTBSaran Formula Junior

    Mar 5, 2012
    966
    Zurich, Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Le Monde Edmond
    Well considering that Kleissl has owned the car since the 1980s my statement 'recently' is very accurate my friend. I own a 300SL and know what I am talking about when I say Kleissl is the foremost expert in the world on 300SL. He is the ONLY one that does nothing else than 300SL. Kienle does all classic mercedes and Paul Russell does other cars as well. These three are considered the best, but the focus of HK only on 300SL puts him in another league. I bought my car from him and so I can speak from experience. I stand by my statements!
     
  2. HistoryBuff

    HistoryBuff Karting
    BANNED

    Jul 1, 2013
    133
    Like the fellow who publishes in this site with
    the old ads, I like to know when the car was at its cheapest price.
    I never saw a yellow gullwing, was that a factory color? Was it a lightweight alloy body car with knock off hubs?
     
  3. geno berns

    geno berns F1 Rookie

    Oct 26, 2006
    3,005
    Midwest
    Full Name:
    Geno
    #53 geno berns, Sep 24, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2013
    You had to have some grande Rubriosas to race all those cars in the day.

    Sorry for the redundancy...

     
  4. Pass

    Pass F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 29, 2008
    12,439
    Salida Colorado
    Full Name:
    Mark Passarelli
    I agree; Hans is top notch with regard to the 300SL.. He does do other cars but he is the Best of the Best.. and personally I think a better restorer than Kienle.. As Tongascrew would say "Just one man's opinion"..
     
  5. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
    Consultant

    Mar 4, 2005
    8,826
    ...and that should be the right statement!
     
  6. jjmcd

    jjmcd Formula Junior

    Dec 3, 2004
    490
  7. Wolf

    Wolf Formula Junior

    Nov 17, 2003
    499
    I found the Rubirosa 300SL in England, bought it and sold it on to Hans Kleissl in the 90ies. Hans knew of course that Rubirosa had owned it.

    Regards

    Wolfi

    Dr. Wolf Zweifler
    Possartstr. 6
    81679 München
    Tel.: +49-89-473307
    Fax: +49-89-479042
    Mobile: +49-171-6219059
    E-Mail: [email protected]
     
  8. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2006
    10,147
    opposite lock
    Full Name:
    Marc Sonnery
    Thanks for the link! A most entertaining and well written account which I enjoyed just as I opened a bottle of single malt, what I recall from previous articles is that he used to tell women that in the morning they would remember nothing so would feel no guilt...what a life he had whooohaa:) Those were the days!

    Best regards,

    Marc
     
  9. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    After further research, new update to the list:

    Road Cars:

    * 250 GT Cabriolet Series II (#1561GT) - Car in which he died. Destroyed.
    * 250 GT PF Cabriolet SI (#0783GT) - Gift from Doris Duke? Now owned by Joe Hayes.

    Race Cars:

    * 166MM (#0050) - Raced at LeMans 1950. Alive and well with a long term owner. Name not disclosed for privacy issues.
    * 375MM PF Berlinetta (#0380AM) - Raced at LeMans 1954. Had a Chevy engine swaped in. Now presumed to be destroyed in 1996, while owned by Roger Wheeler.
    * 500 Mondial Series II (#0556MD) - Raced at Nassau 1955 and Sebring 1956. Now owned by Bryanp.
    * 166MM/53 (#0328M) - Raced at 12 Hours Reims 1953. Picture taken with Zsa Zsa Gabor. First renumbered by the factory to #0050M (already owned by Rubirosa) to avoid problems at customs office. Then renumbered again to #0308M for unknown reasons. Currently owned by Bernard Worth.
    * 500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti (#0660MDTR) - Raced at 12 Hours Sebring 1958. Unknown current status. Restored by Fantuzzi. Now owned by Ernst Schuster in Germany.
    * 500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti (#0706MDTR) - Raced at Cuba GP 1958. Once had a 289ci Ford engined swaped in. Currently has a 750 Monza engine (#0582M). Now owned by Marvin Schein in NY.
    * 500 Mondial Spyder Scaglietti (#0464MD) - Gift from Barbara Hutton. Raced at Carrera Panamericana. Engine installed in a Siata. Currently has an engine with no stamped number on it. Owned by Siemes, in Zurich.
    * 625 LM Spyder Touring (#0644MDTR) - Raced at GP of Venezuela 1956. UCar was involved in an accident in 1957 in Virgina (US) while being raced by David Cunningham; rolled and hit a tree. The car is currently missing.
    * 500 Mondial Spyder PF (#0438MD) - Owned by a short period of time. Raced at Santa Barbara Now owned by Dr. Ulrich Schumacher - in Germany
    * 750 Monza Spyder Scaglietti (#0440MD) - Raced at Sebring 1957. Now owned by Robert Brooks.

    Non-Ferrari cars:

    * 1955 Mercedes 300SL W198 "Gullwing" (#198.040.4500087) - Now owned by Hans Kleissl who owns HK Engineering in Germany.
     
  10. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,737
    I don't know what your sources are but this list contains a number of errors.

    0706 MDTR was never owned by Rubirosa. At the time it was owned by Mike Garber of Hamden, CT/USA.
    0464 MD: owner does NOT live in Switzerland.
    0438 MD: NOT owned by Dr. Ulrich Schumacher (he sold it a long time ago).
    0440 MD: NOT owned by Robert Brooks.

    Marcel Massini
     
  11. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Hello, Marcel;

    I sourced some of this information from barc*****; let's try to correct it before updating the list, then.

    0706MDTR: Never owned by Rubirosa, but he did race it in Cuba in 1958, while owned by Mike Garber, correct?

    0464MD: Does not live in Switzerland; what is its current location? Name of the owner still correct?

    0438MD: Do you know what the current owner's name is and the car's location?

    0440MD: Was it ever owned by Robert Brooks? Do you have more info on its current status?

    Thank you so much for your contribution! :)
     
  12. 275GTBSaran

    275GTBSaran Formula Junior

    Mar 5, 2012
    966
    Zurich, Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Le Monde Edmond
    Either your obsessed by Rubirosa or your writing a book on him. Which is it? ;)
     
  13. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Neither, 275GTBSaran; I just thought it would make an interesting thread. Being a Latin American, he had quite an extense (and interesting) Ferrari ownership history, which is not all that common; besides, when I first read about him on another thread here, on Vintage, there was a lot of information that wasn't mentioned... so I started this thread ;-)

    Oh! The fact that I'm VERY persistent whenever I start something truly helps! ;-)
     
  14. 275GTBSaran

    275GTBSaran Formula Junior

    Mar 5, 2012
    966
    Zurich, Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Le Monde Edmond
    Ok. I was only half kidding. Persistence is a GREAT attribute to have- I wish I had more of it..! ;)
     
  15. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    Or he collects peppermills.
    ;)
     
  16. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
    Consultant

    Nov 11, 2003
    3,627
    Nope. Rubi co-drove Hellburn's 0660MDTR.
     
  17. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    A-ha! That website I first mentioned mixed up the data again. I'll take that number off the list on the next update.
     
  18. Tom Roland

    Tom Roland Formula Junior

    Feb 14, 2006
    355
    0440MD was not raced at Sebring in 1957 and Rubirosa never had anything to do with it. By the way it was not a 750 Monza but a 750 Sport born 500 Mondial in 1954.

    A missing racing car in the list is 0580MD, another 1955 500 Mondial reputedly sold to Rubirosa in August 1955 but apparently never raced by him.

    Hope it helps.
     
  19. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Marcel; can you confirm this information?

    Thank you, Tom, for sharing this!
     
  20. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    New update:

    Road Cars:

    * 250 GT Cabriolet Series II (#1561GT) - Car in which he died. Destroyed.
    * 250 GT PF Cabriolet SI (#0783GT) - Gift from Doris Duke? Now owned by Joe Hayes.

    Race Cars:

    * 166MM (#0050) - Raced at LeMans 1950. Alive and well with a long term owner. Name not disclosed for privacy issues.
    * 375MM PF Berlinetta (#0380AM) - Raced at LeMans 1954. Had a Chevy engine swaped in. Now presumed to be destroyed in 1996, while owned by Roger Wheeler.
    * 500 Mondial Series II (#0556MD) - Raced at Nassau 1955 and Sebring 1956. Now owned by Bryanp.
    * 166MM/53 (#0328M) - Raced at 12 Hours Reims 1953. Picture taken with Zsa Zsa Gabor. First renumbered by the factory to #0050M (already owned by Rubirosa) to avoid problems at customs office. Then renumbered again to #0308M for unknown reasons. Currently owned by Bernard Worth.
    * 500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti (#0660MDTR) - Raced at 12 Hours Sebring 1958. Unknown current status. Restored by Fantuzzi. Now owned by Ernst Schuster in Germany.
    * 500 Mondial Spyder Scaglietti (#0464MD) - Gift from Barbara Hutton. Raced at Carrera Panamericana. Engine installed in a Siata. Currently has an engine with no stamped number on it. Owned by Siemes, unknown current location.
    * 625 LM Spyder Touring (#0644MDTR) - Raced at GP of Venezuela 1956. UCar was involved in an accident in 1957 in Virgina (US) while being raced by David Cunningham; rolled and hit a tree. The car is currently missing.
    * 500 Mondial Spyder PF (#0438MD) - Owned by a short period of time. Raced at Santa Barbara. Once owned by Dr. Ulrich Schumacher - in Germany. Unknown current status and location.
    * 750 Monza Spyder Scaglietti (#0440MD) - Supposedly raced at Sebring, 1957. Once owned by Robert Brooks. Unknown current status and location. Ties to Rubirosa pending confirmation.
    * 500 Mondial (#0580MD) - reputedly sold to Rubirosa in August 1955 but apparently never raced by him.

    Non-Ferrari cars:

    * 1955 Mercedes 300SL W198 "Gullwing" (#198.040.4500087) - Now owned by Hans Kleissl who owns HK Engineering in Germany.
     
  21. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,737
    AGAIN: 0440 MD was NOT owned by Robert Brooks. NEVER.

    Marcel Massini
     
  22. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Alright, Marcel!

    I'll remove his name next time I update the list. Do you have further information on this car's current status?
     
  23. tongascrew

    tongascrew F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2006
    2,989
    tewksbury
    Full Name:
    george burgess
    Interesting about Brooks. He did do the M.M. in 1989 #194 and 1990 #233. Presumably then he "leased/borrowed the car for these events from???? Thanks. tongascrew
     
  24. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,737
    #75 Marcel Massini, Oct 3, 2013
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2013
    No secret at all: It belongs since 25 years to Evert V. N. Louwman in The Netherlands. Louwman and Brooks are owners of Bonhams auctioneers.
    As is well known Louwman has a spectacular museum in Den Haag (The Hague) with dozens of cars including at least six Ferraris (#019 S, #02, #0440 MD, #0712, #6267 SF and #08031).

    Marcel Massini
     

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