Where's Preston Henn's 275/GTB/C?

The guy with the goofy grin?

 

Back to the subject at hand, the buyer of this car, for let's say for $100 million, will have to be a true fan. We're not talking about Chinese billionaires, I hope.

 

What years did Cluxton own the car?

 

June, 1966 to May, 1969 when he sold it to Preston Henn for $11,000 or $12,000 so that Harley could pay for his Law School fees. Preston thought it was for a few thousand dollars plus a 250 Europa but Harley has no recollection of that.

 

At Tulane University in New Orleans, correct? I knew Harley slightly when we were there but at that time I had no idea of the significance of the car.

I crossed paths with 06885 again many years later through my friendship with Al Roberts.

 

Harley states the he attended Tulane University from August, 1966. What a sight to behold and hear a fellow pupil driving such an awesome car, even though you did not know its significance.

Harley had a charmed life from a young age despite nothing being handed to him on a plate. He bought the car from Chinetti when he was working for him. He cannot remember the purchase price and borrowed the money from his sister. He thought it was the best car he had ever seen but apparently the others at Chinetti did not share his enthusiasm for the car.

 

I started there in 1964. I can still see and hear…and almost feel… that car for the first time hustling down Willow Street, right below my dormitory room. Up to that time I’d probably only seen two or three Ferraris in my life, aside from the incredible array of them at Sebring in 1963. The ancient (by US standards) and poorly maintained (by any standard ) streets of New Orleans must have made life inside that car pretty harsh, but hell, when you’re 20 years and old without a care…..

 

He said he stored it at his parent's garage in Lake Forest Illinois for a few years when not in use. Must have been 1967-1969.

 

Unlike the Japanese who seem to have a penchant for both their own and other cultures and were massive buyers of everything classic from art to cars to wine in the 1980s Tokyo property boom, the Chinese seem to love modern status symbols and their own culture. Looking at Sothebys and Christies, they have a lot of Euro centric wine sales in Hong Kong but few Euro or US centered art or classic car sales, and for that matter the wine sales are dwarfed by the Chinese art sales they hold in HK. I can only assume the Chinese diaspora doesn't have the sentimentality for European and American history that the Japanese have. Even the middle east by and large have little interest in classics and stick to post 1990s collectibles. Whoever buys #06885 will almost certainly be European or American. It is being sold into a crowded marketplace, what with RMs Indy sales and various GTOs and the like lurking in the trade for several years, and whatever is launched at Retromobile, and the sell down of the Wexner (and other) estate sales and so on.

 

Preston was not happy after being denied a La Ferrari--he split the sheets with Maranello after that, I believe.

 

Yes, and he went public with his, um, disappointment.

 

Yes, it is a very special car in Ferrari's History. In addition to the info in my post, 06885 has won many top awards when it was shown at events and entered tours by Preston Henn.

 

Yes, fantastic that it has been documented over the years forming an excellent history and that you and your wife inspected the car in 1993, but that was over 30 years ago. It now needs your 2025 appraisal, Dyke. Marcel Massini may have prepared one of his thorough Marcel Massini Reports on the car. There doesn't seem to be much to write about its ownership history with it having being owned by the Factory, Chinetti, possibly George Arents?, Harley Cluxton III, Preston Henn and latterly his family. There is already an excellent visual timeline published in the David Williams book on 06885 by Marcel Massini.

It's a very good book but there doesn't seem to be much in it about what was actually done to it on its 2 restorations, the 1st of which was done by Craig Fullerton who restored it and other rare Ferraris at his home and later by Al Roberts which was some time ago now. The car seems to have incorrect blue seat inserts and missing its Le Mans wheel arch mudguards, or that's how it was in 2015? Is the car matching numbers today and still with all its unique parts such as the magnesium transaxle? Although it may not need a Classiche Restoration, isn't (or wasn't?) Al Roberts the manager of a Ferrari Classiche dealership? If so, surely it could have been inspected by him and a Classiche Book/Report prepared, which would assure some of the mega rich younger and "newcomer" collectors who are not so knowledgeable. I really can't see a Classiche Red Book being anything other than a positive in the case of 06885, which could potentially be the most expensive Ferrari ever sold by the way it has been touted in the past. It will certainly achieve its highest price, whatever that is, with Ferrari Classiche Red Book Certification but could just raise unnecessary questions without it.

All just my opinion.

 

In 2012, five years before Preston passed away, he hired me to do an inspection and a highly detailed appraisal for his trust. At the same time another fchatter did the same, completey separate from me, also for Preston's trust. Without knowing about each other doing this we came up with the same findings and evaluation. It was pure fun and a total coincidence.
This car for sure does NOT need any red books, never ever, as it is absolutely bullet proof and unique.

Marcel Massini

 

This ^^ along with Dyke’s assessment/inspection clearly shows what real, firsthand experiences mean.
Some have them, others don’t.

 

Preston and yours truly in 06.

Marcel Massini

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The sound was so different than any 275, comp included. Real race car sound.

 

That's because it is a real race car with a full P spec engine breathing through 12 clear Weber nostrils.

 

Like 06885, one of a kind.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Al has been at Ferrari Ft, Lauderdale since its original owner, Robert Publicker, had it. It was called Pleasure cars then. Al is still there today, toiling away after some 60 years. He Classich’ed my 330GTC about 20 years ago.

Al accompanied Preston on the 275 tour in Europe years ago after the original co-driver….Henn’s lawyer!….had to cancel. Al said the car beat them up mercilessly every day but it was worth it for the food, the wine and the company!

 

With Al Roberts knowing the car so well, and having restored it, this is one of the reasons why I do not understand why 06885 is not Ferrari Classiche Certified, as this Ferrari Dealership he still works at is a Ferrari Classiche Centre.

Regardless of the opinions of Ferrari Classiche here, as well as the deservedly esteemed people who back the car as bullet proof, Classiche Certification builds confidence and value into any classic Ferrari, and will widen its market.

 

06885 at the 275 Tour on 20 June 2004, here at Fiorano.

Marcel Massini

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Can anyone share actual/indisputable evidence for this ^^ claim or is it just speculation ?
Like a few examples of otherwise known to be good cars being offered but difficult or impossible to sell without a certificate, yet selling, not only for higher price but easily & promptly after getting certified.

 

In cases like 06885, I think of Classiche similarly to how I look at my daughter's school work when a teacher sends a marked test home.

At the end of the day, the mark is the mark... but sometimes if the teacher adds that little gold star, it means just a little bit more. Maybe not to the 'adults', but you can still appreciate why it's there and why it matters to those it matters to