Admiral, An exciting time and full of emotion I’m sure. My wife and I miss seeing you and your wife (and even Bryan) around Virginia and Maryland shows. I was just looking over some of the many photos I have of the little blue car. From St. Michaels to Silver Spring. Beautiful thing - the car and your story! Ray
Dear Ray, Thanks, we miss the MAR gang as well. Just received the annual directory and had fun checking out the pics. By the way, the NbyNW threw me until I read the fine print. Best regards, Robert
Dear Admiral, When you were interviewed on the Gooding video, there was picture right in the middle of your car at my Annual Vintage Ferrari show put on each May. What an honor to you and your car there that day. There is also a picture of you and Dick Merritt together in the car. We in the MAR do miss you and your family but I know you're enjoying New Mexico. Good luck with the auction, I hope the next owner enjoys the car for as long as you did. Best wishes Richard
Dear Richard, I always smile when I recall the story of how that picture got to my garage. Bryan was visiting and noticed it on your shop office wall. He commented that there were shots in the collage which he had not seen, whereupon Patty took it off the wall and said he needed to have it, and said you could always make another one. So now you have seen it in its place of honor. Always enjoyed your and Tom's vintage Ferrari gatherings as it draws true car guys. Best regards, Robert
What I love about the old school collectors like yourself is the true love for the cars they own. Your many stories from the sump oil damage after years of storage to the details of the design and rebuilding of the heads is something you don't see as much anymore. You really know every inch of this fine automobile. Your a walking encyclopedia on Mondial's!! I hope the next lucky owner is as appreciative as you are. I saw her 3 times if I remember correctly, the first time up at Road America in 2009.
Admiral Phillips, it's been a fun ride over the years. It was a pleasure to see your car progress from stately bare metal when we first met to the elegant, functional machine that it is now. I took these snaps in Reston at the Spring Thaw a few years back. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Greg, Nice photos but brings back a scary memory. That Spring Thaw was at Reston. HelenAnn and I had gone inside to eat while Bryan watched over the car. While talking to someone, he turned around and saw a youngster teething on the red vinyl door surround .When he yelled at the kid to stop, the child's mother took umbrage!!! So much for car shows in public places. Best regards, Robert
Congratulations, Admiral. We watched online and toasted when the hammer fell. You and the car looked great! Ray Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Whoever the new owner is, they made a heck of a buy. Still can’t really wrap my head around this wonderful chapter in the car’s history coming to an end.
Congratulations, although I’m sure it was a day of mixed emotions. Hopefully it has gone to a good home.
I was at the auction and when the admiral drove the car on stage he got a well deserved standing ovation ... congratulations admiral it was well deserved ...do we know who bought the car....?.
It was 4475000 hammer price .. just under 4.5...... while i do not know who bought it I did notice a well known celebrity and car collector was there and left after that lot??? The auctioneer worked pretty hard to get the admiral a good price....
Hi everyone! Yes, yesterday was definitely a day of mixed emotions. An old Navy friend of Dad’s reminded him of an old Navy tradition whereby the outgoing skipper would carve/sign his name and date of command somewhere on his ship before handing it to the new skipper. So we got a Sharpie and I wrote on the underside of the spare tire cover: “Pilota: R. A. Phillips, 1960-2018”. The car hammered at $4,550,000, I believe. The standing ovation from the crowd was also extremely gratifying. Yes, J Leno sat down right behind us (we were in the front row right in front of Charly Ross). Dad and Jay bonded during the filming of the Leno’s Garage episode in June, and Jay just wanted to stop by to say hi and offer support. The car is going to the upper Midwest. I won’t identify the new Owner, but will say that when we met him after the hammer, he hugged Dad and was moved to tears. So I think the right guy got the car. He gets it and will be driving the old girl. End of an era for sure.
Exciting moment. Congratulations. It was extremely moving. Sounds like the new owner will be a great steward.
So thrilled for both the car and your father that it has gone to a driver! Seems like congratulations to all is in order.
"The Admirals Ferrari" sold for $5 mil. Low end of estimate. (but how do you even come up with an accurate estimate on this unique, 1 of 1 car/history/story) https://www.caranddriver.com/flipbook/2018-monterey-car-week-pebble-beach-auction-preview#5 Gooding & Co. https://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1955-ferrari-500-mondial-series-ii/
Agreed. Pretty hard to say what a proper estimate would be. Does anyone think anything would have changed that? Certainly the car had great provenance and ownership.