Vintage Ferrari's in South Africa | FerrariChat

Vintage Ferrari's in South Africa

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Ferrari 360 CS, Jan 1, 2021.

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  1. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Thanks to many years spent involved with the Ferrari Club here and having the late life president of the club as a friend I was drawn to the history of the club and the number of vintage Ferrari's which were imported into the country. An interesting fact was the importer for many decades was a company called TAK which basically supplied farming equipment like and imagine the irony here....tractors. Another sad irony is the records this importer had are apparently "missing" so the task I am trying to accomplish, tracing all the vintage cars which were imported into SA is much more difficult!

    A good friend of mine is the member of the Lupini family and his grandfather imported the first road going Ferrari into South Africa which was I think 0811 GT. He also imported a 335s which was apparently driven by de Portago at one point but I cant seem to trace that SN.

    There were various interesting cars here over the years, a lusso with GTO/LMB type front which I think would be 4385 GT.

    Also here for a while was a 250 MM but again I cant seem to trace that SN.

    There were a few 250 SWB, Lusso's and 275's here, not to mention Daytona's, some of these are still in SA but all of the 250s's barring one 250 are gone, the 250 left here sat under a cover for decades before being rescued about 3 years ago, mechanical restoration was done and the car shows great patina.

    One of 250 Lusso's which was imported here was involved in a road accident whereby it went down a ravine, not too badly damaged apparently. Again no idea which SN that would be.
     
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  2. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    Jacques

    Interesting topic.
    Here a few quick infos:

    166 MM Barchetta Touring #0058 M, Robert Van Zyl.
    225 Sport Spider Vignale #0154 ED was sold as used car in 1956 to Lupini Racing Stable (Mario and Italo Lupini), Johannesburg/South Africa.
    330 GT 2+2 #6753 via TAK to 1st owner Rauff.
    Two brand new 250 GT Lusso Berlinettas imported by TAK to SA with #4849 GT and #5081 GT.
    250 GT Lusso Speciale #4385 GT as a used car in 1968 to Doctor Morettino, then William Olds, Howard Cohen, Hugh Gearing.
    Some cars entered SA via Luanda, Angola, incl. 225 Vignale Spider #0200 ED.
    Several 275 GTBs and 275 GTB/4.
    No fewer than ten brand new 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinettas were imported new to SA but by company CONTAC.
    Three brand new 365 GT 2+2 Coupé Pininfarina (a.k.a. Queen Mary) imported by Contac, #11703, #13401 and #13863.
    Three brand new 365 GT4 2+2 Coupé Pininfarina imported by Contac, #16291, #17323 and #17465.
    A RHD 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer in Blu Dino 106-A-72 with beige interior VM 3234, chassis #18355.
    Three new 288 GTOs via TAK (Pty.) Ltd., chassis #55647, #56199 and #56755.

    Not to forget Johan Rupert and his Franschhoek Motor Museum at the L'Ormaris Wine Farm, where there are at least 16 Ferraris.

    Name of TAK was Trans African Kontinental.

    Marcel Massini
     
  3. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Thanks Marcel! Indeed the Motor Museum has quite a few Ferrari's, a great collection to see in one place!

    Thanks for the information, there are still three 365 GT 2+2 that I know of, a friend of mine completed a very nice restoration on one of them recently. Very interesting re the Blue Dino BB, there are a few of these still in SA but as ever with vintage/older Ferrari's one is never too sure if they were resprayed red as particularly here it seemed to me trying to sell any Ferrari in any other colour but red was difficult even back in the 1970's and 1980's!

    Also in South Africa for a brief period was the Dino prototype, I think 00106 if my memory is correct.
     
  4. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    Yes, Howard Cohen owned 00106 from 1986 until January 1993 but Cohen also had a place in West Vancouver, CDN.

    Marcel Massini
     
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  5. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Correct I also have record (not very good records it has to be said) of him also owning a 250 MM and a picture of said car at at a show in South Africa in the mid 1980's.
     
  6. Ramboy

    Ramboy Formula Junior

    Aug 6, 2009
    766
    Stockholm
    Full Name:
    David Ramm
    I know of five 400i's imported new to South Africa - 31585, 32785, 37293, 48609 and 50333. All RHD autos. I may be missing a few though.

    David
     
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  7. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    I know of one 400 carb now sitting with a Chevrolet V8 in it, another is being stripped for a TR replica....sad. There are a few other 400i's around.
     
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  8. TerryG!

    TerryG! Karting

    Feb 12, 2017
    155
    Central UK
    Any 250GTEs go to South Africa? Particularly RHD?
     
  9. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    Five, via TAK.
    4681 GT, 4737 GT, 4855 GT, 4881 GT and 4941 GT.

    Marcel Massini
     
  10. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    Six 400i Automatic delivered via ROBO AG South Africa.
    31585, 32303, 32785, 33561, 33691 and 37293.

    Marcel Massini
     
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  11. TerryG!

    TerryG! Karting

    Feb 12, 2017
    155
    Central UK
    Marcel
    Thank you for confirming what I have long believed, that 4681 GT was first in South Africa.
     
  12. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Interesting on the subject of 250 GTE's, I believer the are still three in SA and another has recently been imported via DK Engineering. There is one 365 GTC 4 that I know of painted in Nero but old pictures of past events suggests there may have been another.

    There was one 365 GTC I know of still in SA, restored to show standard, another was also restored, owned by a fairly big collector here and then found its way to the UK and then I believe finally ended up in the USA
     
  13. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    365 GTC #12707, Blu Ribot 2.443.631 with Arancia VM 3104 interior, sold new to Mr. Crasnow in Johannesburg, RHD.

    365 GTC/4 #14655, Verde Bahram 2.443.546 with Beige VM 3218 and Scozzese #41 cloth for central parts of seats, sold new via Contac to Mr. Dodo.

    Marcel Massini
     
  14. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    14655 was born LHD. Not RHD.

    Marcel Massini
     
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  15. Ramboy

    Ramboy Formula Junior

    Aug 6, 2009
    766
    Stockholm
    Full Name:
    David Ramm
    The black RHD 365 GTC/4 in the pictures is 15029, sold new to Australia but has been in South Africa since the late 1970s when it was owned by Pierre Kelfkens, the Bugatti racing driver of the 1950s and one of the founders of SEFAC.
     
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  16. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Very interesting information, thanks for sharing. Pierre owned quite a few remarkable Ferrari's and as you say was one of the founder members of SEFAC.
     
  17. epdowd

    epdowd Formula Junior
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 31, 2005
    675
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Tom Wilson
    The light blue GTE is 2993 GT. Is it still owned by Dawie Gouws? When were these pictures taken?
     
  18. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    As far as I know it is, pictures were taken a few years ago at a track event at Kyalami.
     
  19. Birel

    Birel Formula 3

    Sep 12, 2005
    1,877
    Brisbane
    Full Name:
    Andrew Turner
    288 #56755 now in Japan showing 37,400kms when last seen.
     
  20. 330gt

    330gt Formula 3

    Nov 12, 2004
    1,981
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Kerry Chesbro
    There have been a few 330 GTs either bought new in South Africa or come there as a used car:
    6753, 7679, 8073, 8401, 8449 and 8667.

    Here is one from the Ferrari 1965 yearbook.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Regards, Kerry
     
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  21. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Wow.
     
  22. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary

    Mar 2, 2005
    22,739
    11771 GT:
    Originally painted Blu Caracalla 2.666.901 with Beige VM 3218 interior and sold new directly by the factory to original owner Sig. Vitaloni in Italy.
    One of 26 Queen Marys originally painted Blu Caracalla.

    Marcel Massini
     
  23. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Interesting because this car was at one stage a very unattractive beige colour and a friend of mine bought it and wanted to spray it blue, this resulted in a full strip down and mechanical restoration. Not sure he even knows that it was blue originally.
     

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