With so many incredible cars for inspiration I am always internally debating the "great 8" of Ferraris to choose from for my next piece. I have a few ideas for my next sculpture but I was wondering what everyone would consider some of the most historically significant Ferraris either racing or road cars. I have already done a 1958 250 TR and I think I'm leaning towards a race car for the next one. There are just sooooo many to chose from! What would be your top 8 or 10?
The standard list in my opinion: - 156 F1 sharknose: 1st championship F1 car with engine in the middle - 330TRI LM: last front engined Le Mans winner for Ferrari - 250GTO: the Ferrari almost everyone in the world has heard of and one of the most allround racecars in the sixties - 330P4: the ultimate long distance racer that met an even better car on the track (unfortunately) - 166MM Barchetta: the car that started it all with Chinetti behind the wheel at le Mans - 312T4: the ultimate 3 liter flat12 F1 car that clinched the last title for a Ferrari driver until Michael Schumacher came to Ferrari - 250TR 1957 pontoon fender: one of the most beautiful creations ever in racing, and highy succesful - F40: the last road car during Enzo's life and one of the last cars that wasn't a compromise - 308GTB: the quintessential Ferrari that became the standard shape for decades to come. Perfect Pininfarina design. - 365GTB/4 "Daytona": regarded by many as one of the most beautiful GT's ever.
A legitimate contender would be 1C with the full fender body or 2C with the cigar body. The start of everything or the first winner. The Le Mans winning 166 barchetta. The start of a long line of Ferrari wins at Le Mans. 250 GTO. 375 F1 - ended Alfa Romeo in F1 and supercharging as the accepted practice. 312B3 - A dominating car in the pre-ground effects era but was styled by Pininfarina P4 - a great car with an absolutely gorgeous design. Penske 512 - a car that should have won repeatedly against the horde of 917s 246 Dino - still a design for the ages 0677GT - The 1957 14 louver car of Olivier Gendebien that won the Tour de France and about everything else it competed in. A perfect example of the dual purpose late 50s GT car. 0488 - The King Leopold 375 Pf cabriolet. Another gorgeous design but this time represents a custom commissioned car. Runner ups: Any Schumacher championship F1 car Testa Rossa - not a pontoon but one of the factory cars, partial to the 61 TRI 250 California spyder - SWB with covered headlights Vignale bodied something - highly expressive designs that were decidely different. Pick one that was one of the restrained efforts. Jeff
Good points. I find it interesting that the Ferrari 500 isn't in there since it was their first F1 championship.
The Ford Mk-IV beat the P Cars every time they raced which admittedly was only twice at Sebring and Le Mans.
I would have thought that the 250/275LM would have made the grade. Won Lemans (last time for Ferrari, IIRC), was beautiful, and actually a few made it onto the road in private hands.
Here are two of my "Most historically significant Ferraris": 275 GTB/C "Speciale" s/n 06885: ex-Ecurie Francorchamps 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours - 1st in class 315 Sport s/n 0684: winner of the 1957 Mille Miglia Best regards Kevin
166MM..........1949 LM 1st OA 375+.............1953 LM 1st OA 250 TR... .......1958, 60, 61, 62 LM 1st OA 250P..............1963, 64, 65{LM is a "P" with a roof,different gas tanks, and a shifter on the left not right-except for Pierre's car} 250 SWB.........GT cars......Puuuuhleeeeeez....... 250 GTO.........LM 1st OA GT class, 1962, 63, 1st OA TdF 1963....again, Puuuuuhleeeeeez.... 290/315/335...1956, 57, MM 1st OA, 1st cars to average 200Km/hr at LM trials in 57 250TdF...........The name sort of says it all-non ???? They were ALLalloy bodied RACING CARS-non? 275 GTB..........The end of the line for boy racer street/track weekend warrior compcars capable of winning LM 1st OA GT Class-twice...... P3/412P/P4......The last of an era.....Are Daytonas REALlLY a Ferrari when FIAT was the manufacturer? I realize that this list is the OPINION of the "old guard"....and a rather hard core and narrow view at that, in that if the sports cars didn't win-there would NOT have been the money available to race in Formula 1 during this era...ask the "real " historain guys, they will tell you-for example: in 1962, the GP of Monaco came at the end of May... The ADAC, Daytona, Sebring, the Targa, LM Trials , and-if my feeble memory serves me correctly-the MM was in the late spring...these were "all done" by this point in the Calendar....it gives a real clear perspective on the oft joked about quip as to : "Win on Sunday, sell them on Monday...." In short, it "all is owed" to the un-ending ardour of the sports car guys.... Formula 1 is a more National pride issue....sort of like the World Cup in soccor/"football".... So, through that prism of historical viewing...there's a 10 most important list.... CIAO! 335s All of Motorsports was changed forever when: first Ford and the GT40 program came in to beat the man with the "Red cars", and subsequently, Porsche's "fronting" for the entire ColdWar,West-German Military Indusstrial Complex
+10. If that particular car ever came up for sale it would slaughter all previous Ferrari sales records IMO. It is 100% as how it was ... etc. Pete
The last time I saw that car was at the Petersen in Los Angeles. Since it had been raced after Le Mans it was even further beat on and modified. Patina is one thing, mangled and decrepit is what it looked more like. I absolutely love LMs and this one certainly has the finest accomplishment history but it needs a deep pocket book of love. As far as setting highest price, the 2nd place overall GTO would probably still do better if both ever came to the market at the same time. Had to say but LMs just don't command the same level of adoration. Jeff
Depends on what you consider significant. Do you want the most important styling Ferrari's or most important racing Ferrari's? Both lists would have the following cars: 250 GTO 1962 250 TR 1958 250LM 1964 330 P4 1967 Most important trend setting styling 1950's Ferrari 375 Plus King Leopold
I'm kinda partial to 002 which is the first major race winner (The Turin GP) which interested people in buying a Ferrari which became the first Ferrari Enzo could sell which kept the whole thing going.
A major turning point in Ferrari history has to be the marriage with Fiat so the Dino 206 should qualify.
I have to go with s/n 0008 M too. The very first Ferrari to win Le Mans is pretty special. Some other cars may look better as a sculpture....but if you are going for the most historic one, then that's it.
Great list, 335s. Just a couple of mods; 375+.............1953 LM 1st OA -actually was the 1954 winner. 250P..............1963, 64, 65 -1964 winner was a 275P. Best, Dave
My top 8 : 1st Ferrari 121 LM (0532LM) 2nd Ferrari 250 GT TDF 1958 3rd Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta 4th Ferrari 330 P4 5th Ferrari 500 TRC 6th Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Touring 7th Ferrari 250 TR (0704TR) 8th Ferrari 250 GT California (1451GT)
My vote would be for #0808. I don't thing any single Ferrari chassis went thru more mood swings than this one. Just one man's opinion. tongascrew
Why the 166MM Berlinetta rather than the Barchetta? The three team cars made up the first group of a production based racing team and in 1949 collectively won 24 hr of Le Man, 24 hr of Spa, Mille Miglia (and 2nd OA), and in '50 no 0010M came to the USA and won at Elkhart Lake, Palm Springs (also '51), and 2nd at Sebring (1st in class). 166 should be on the list for sure. - George
Wow! So many great suggestions. I need to learn how to work faster to cover them all. Thank you for all the great input. I was leaning towards the 166 as mentioned but I'm not sure it would have the same impact in sculpture form as say a 250 GTO. Decisions, decisions!
I think the 166 could be more interesting as the 250 GTO has been done too often. The real thing is great but it might be a bit cliche'd now in sculpture.