0529GT Alloy Boano

Really? I thought he imported 0721 in 1957. Hmmm...

T308

 

We talk about 0529 GT here. You mention 0721 GT. 0529 GT GT was built 96 cars before 0721 GT. In 1956 Ferrari produced a total of 81 cars, in 1957 a total of 113 units.
Marcel Massini

 

Tom, as an amateur tracker of Corvettes and barn cars, I have a question. In order to "find" that car, did you start with a tale of a Ferrari somewhere in Venezuela, then track it down, and only then discover it's serial number,...
OR,....did you start with a serial number and then track THAT SPECIFIC CAR to it's current location in Venezuela?
I've tracked a Corvette that I started with a serial number off a transmission before. And I've tracked down a 57 fuelie Corvette with a 25 year old sighting in a small town. Just curious how you found a Ferrari in Venezuela.
A great find. I hope for the sake of your wallet that the shipping container is NOT empty when it arrives. Please post more photos when it arrives.

 

I was going to post a picture of the Carlos Kauffmann showroom taken in October 1955, but it is a copyrighted photo . . . . by Marcel Massini!!! Even though it shows three competition Ferraris in the showroom that were in town for the '55 GP of Venezuela, Carlo K was not at that time an official importer of Ferraris. See Cavallino 95 (October '96) article about the first Ferraris sold by Kauffmann (author Alan Boe). first recorded sale 10/5/57 - 500 MDTR.

 

Bryan, THANK YOU for NOT posting that photo and respecting the copyright!
Much appreciated.
Marcel Massini

 

Tom:

I'm surprised you were able to get anything, much less a Ferrari out of
Venezuela due to the political climate. We had an exchange student from
Venezuela stay with us last year, and he had trouble trying to receive
anything, especially U.S currency from his parents. That's the problem
with a dictator. Great find!

Mark

 

Beautiful cars the Boanos. I remember in the early 80's trying to persuade my dad to buy one of either a 250 Boano or Europa fixer-upper (2 cars a local old car dealer had), something that we could work on together.

In the end he bought a big old '30s Lanchester 'cos it would be easier to work on

Tom, is it difficult to get the papers to get a car like this out of Venezuela?
I know Cuba and India have basically put a stop on any old cars leaving the country.

 

The first in-the-metal Ferrari I ever saw was a tired '56 Boano on a used sportscar lot here in Dallas, 1965. Asking was $2,995.00. To me, it was beautiful and exotic in every way.

 

Don't remind me of old prices! When I first came to California in 1968, there was a used sportscar lot on Sunset Blvd, opposite the Playboy club. On that lot was one of the Ferrari 340 Mexico coupes, for $3500!!

 

Stu,

In the 1970's you could have backed some Harvard dropouts who were starting a computer programming business. If I recall, they had to raise $50k to buy something called DOS.

Hindight is a wonderful thing.

Art S.

 

Yes, and in 1972, the a Bugatti Atlantic sold at Sotheby's in Los Angeles for only $59,000...

 

Hindsight can be fun! I got rid of my collection of early-to-mid '60s Road & Tracks and Car & Drivers around 1980 but still clearly remember the Ferrari models and prices...250 TDF-$3000, 250 SWB-$6500, and so on

The thing I remeber about the Boano...there was a very nice salesman who let me spend as much time looking at it as I wanted...I got to drink in all the details and store them in memory. The Ferrari had a dead battery and wouldn't crank but he took me for a very hair-raising ride in a new Sunbeam Tiger.

 

Not to get too far off the subject. In the mid 70's , while in high school,
there was a green Lusso on the neighborhood Lancia, Triumph , Fiat's
showroom floor listed at $17,000. I tried everything I could to get my
father to buy it, but it fell on def ears!! I'm sure they're many father's
who've heard these stories from their son's. Please keep us posted on
your restoration.


Mark

 

What's the word Tom? Did that shipping container arrive yet?
(If it arrived EMPTY, I can understand you wanting to quietly forget the entire unsavory transaction and downplay your shame!) But if it arrived as expected, we need pictures!

 

the rope on the engine does not look period correct .
i think you were taken .

 

I like!!! Glad to know that you didn't receive a container full of sailboat fuel.
As for making the BIG bucks, are they really LARGER than regular dollars???
Please keep us informed.

 

I have seen far worse... Nice to think no matter what was paid, it is still worth more each day even if left only as, which at the moment resembles a piece of Southern lawn art.

Cheers,

Bill

 

It looks like those cam covers will clean up good...otherwise, I'm speechless.

 

Looks good will make a nice GTO rebody, lots of others out their in those bannana republic Countries, I am sure Cuba has a few nice Ferraris as well.

 

Guys, reality says that in all of these cases, back then all of these cars were alot of money and they were in used condition. You could buy contemporary brand new cars for the same amount. $59,000 in 1972 could get you a very large house...

I said these very same qestions to my dad: "Why didn't you buy such-and-such car back then?" His response: "I had a mortage to pay, put food on the table and clothes on our backs"...

Back on topic, cool car Tom, I wish I was in your position

By-the-way, how do you plan to attack this thing? What do you expect to replace, or just recondition/restore?

 

It looks like you have your work cut out for you (or a good workout for your checkbook)!

Enjoy working on the car, it'll probably turn out great.

 

Tom,

No problem: quick squirt of resale red; armorall on what's left of the interior engine and tires; and you're good to go!

Good luck with this one Tom, I hope you decide to keep it together.

Regards,

Art S.