Beautiful car! Wow. Really beautiful.
A few more which I took when I went to Villa d'Este for the concours and popped in to check on her Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks! It's taken a lot longer than I thought (over 2 years) and cost a lot more but I couldn't be more pleased! The rear bumpers just aren't on it those pics, sorry they all got a bit out of order. If you look at the pics with the hardtop on, in the last post, you can see them.
thanks very much, got confused. Please show more more more pictures, even of the interior. Carissimi saluti Ben
The car is at Dick Lovett Ferrari at the moment getting UK registered but will do when she comes home
It's connolly blue VM 3087 - as per the original (according to the factory) although I'm not sure how close the shades now are to the originals. I think connolly went bust and restarted in the meantime
Bob, Hmm...not sure if Connolly restarted as leather manufacturer / trader. There is a company called H.V.L claiming to being able to supply a matching quality. They also state "Even Ferrari Classiche is convinced now about this original classic looking Leather and started working with it in January 2009" HVL - Exclusive Italian Interiors Obviously i doubt H.V.L. to be producers of the leather, they seem to be traders. Anyway technically it is surely possible to produce Connolly matching leather whereever on this planet. Leathers are now mostly produced far away such as Bangladesh etc. (lower wages, lower environment standards). Surely Connolly did not only have superb leathers (Autolux, Vaumol, etc.) but that great unique perfume... (not all Connolly leathers were that good, because they had another quality called Autocalf -literally without profume and inferior leather quality - which was used on cheaper car brands such as Jaguar...) There is another supplier (trader) called UKHIDE http://www.ukhide.co.uk/brands/connolly/ which practically claims to supply Connolly quality as well. They claim to get that leather through members of the Connolly family which might be the same source as the H.V.L source. May i ask you: is H.V.L. or UKHIDE the supplier of your leather ? Carissimi saluti Ben
Well I don't know if they went bust or not but connolly are definately making leather now. The swatch I have has Connolly stamped on it. Also they have a website which looks pretty fresh. They have all the original codes for the leather (mine in Vaumol 3087 which is the code I got from the factory sheets) but they have a load of other also, so if it's not the original company I guess they mush have bought it out or bought the rights http://www.connollybros.co.uk/heritage.html
Bob, you made my day ! many thanks for sharing. This is new to me and thats absolutely amazing that one of the Connolly family is back to business to continue their unique fantastic Autolux, Vaumol etc. leathers. Looking into the fact it is one of the Connollys family (Jonathan Connolly) i have no doubt the leather to be real, genuine and correct, they always knew how to make the very special Autolux, Vaumol etc. leathers., next order will go to them. God how do i love the smell of real genuine and correct Autolux and Vaumol Connolly leathers, any time i enter a real Connolly equipped car i just take a fresh breeze of that perfume. They stopped trading some time ago, not bust just stopped trading if memory is right due to some financial problems. Since then i got the hides from UKHIDE (nice Autolux and Vaumol style leather, but not the correct Connolly feel and smell). There was and is another company which produces and produced leather goods which is not Connolly family or Connolly company anymore since many years if memory is right: Connolly London | Luxury Leather Goods Amazing your car got the 100 % Connolly family made correct leather, that is awesome ! CONNOLLY ***** 5STARS ! Have a nice day Carissimi saluti Ben
Yes! I'm pretty sure it is! I assume you took that at Toni Auto? I don't recognise the plates on it but I assume they put those on to test it.
Hi Ben, Before ordering, may I suggest calling Henk van Lith at HVL about genuine Connolly leather. He has all the original stuff from just before the old Connolly went bust. His opinion about the new Connolly might differ from what you've posted. No afilliation, just wanted to give you an oppertunity to broaden your perspective.
Dear Peter, thank you very much for your kind info. What you say sounds extremly interesting as it seems it is not stated on the HVL website. The HVL website unfortunately states: "After the closing of the Connolly leather factory in England in 2002 there was a big leather supply problem. Connolly was the supplier of exclusive leather for the world's most luxurious cars. There was a big leather supply problem .... not any more! Read on please ...... Since 2002, when the Connolly Leather Factory closed their doors, many suppliers were trying to remake this classic Leather again, unfortunately without desirable result. Because the 100% original quality of work and materials which HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors presents to its respected Ferrari customers from all over the world, *****HVL started up its own leather line*****. It was a difficult procedure but after a long time HVL finally succeeded. We are thrilled with the superb results and so are our clients. Even Ferrari Classiche is convinced now about this original classic looking Leather and started working with it in January 2009. We are proud, to introduce this top quality leather to the world. Therefore, I wish to show photos of the Connolly Leather samples which HVL use as reference to make the original color and grain for the leather used in the Classic Ferrari's. All the samples you see below (click the small photos below to enlarge), are different in color and do have the original old Connolly color number. *****The HVL Class leather can be made***** in every color, thickness, hardness, kind of painting (only the top or in a dye vat) in the old Vaumol crushed grain, old Vaumol luxan grain and on the old Autolux way. This all without loosing the natural open structure. Even the smell of the leather is back! Delivery can be per color, per car and of course all over the world. *****We are making a special selection of already the highest quality of hides to make this HVL class Leather 100% the way it was meant to be.***** I also wish to show a picture *****of the already made HVL leather***** Old Crushed grain in combination with the classic Vaumol Connolly Leather Crushed Grain, which is placed on a hide of HVL Old Luxan Grain Leather. This hide is made like Connolly Luxan Grain Leather. The delivery time is approximately 8 weeks." HVL - Exclusive Italian Interiors Perhaps it would be nice if HVL could update their website accordingly ? Anyway i always order a small test quantity first (one complete hide as sample) and then go on with the regular order once the sample is acceptable. As you say "original stuff from just before the old Connolly" would be really sensational if made before 2002 by the old Connolly company and if it is Autolux, Vaumol etc. (not Autocalf which unfortunately is just lower quality leather used in Jaguar etc.) and if actually available. Thanks very very much for your kind information again which i highly appreciate as extremly important input. I hope Bob does not feel offended as we are slightly walking away from the original thread: 250 Cabriolet 1697GT...Sorry Bob. Best regards Carissimi saluti Ben
A new thread dedicated to Connolly leather has been made, just to make sure we are not going to Hi-jack this wonderful 250 Cabriolet 1697GT thread here... http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/vintage-thru-365-gtc4-sponsored-vintage-driving-machines/502751-one-all-connolly-leather-thread-vintage-ferrari.html Have fun Carissimi saluti Ben
To possibly start another spin off... what's the consensus on wing mirrors? I must admit I am use to driving with them and feel a bit naked without, but they can tend to ruin the line. What mirror options are there for a 1960's Ferrari? I know the talbot bullet mirrors were pretty popular and they work pretty well on my 904 but are there other options? Will try and live without them initially, should be fine with the top down - I am reluctant to start drilling holes in the now pristine bodywork... After we have bottomed this one out we can talk about seat belts...
My vote is a NO on the mirror and the seat belts. There are workarounds that don't require drilling the paint (see Post #81 of the TdF picture thread as an example). If you have to have the belts try to fit something that suits the vintage of the car. john
I saw this recently on an Aurelia coupe. It's done very nicely I think. Mine is more makeshift than this, though it has held up well for 13 years now. But, I took this picture thinking I might make something similar to replace mine. john Image Unavailable, Please Login
That does look tidy thanks, is that something you could buy off the shelf? Actually looks like a rear view interior mirror, rather than a wing mirror?
