Porfirio Rubirosa | FerrariChat

Porfirio Rubirosa

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by matumorales, Sep 23, 2013.

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  1. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Hello, everyone!

    I just recently learned about this colorful character, and read that he was a regular client of Ferrari, back in the days, having owned and raced many "cavallino" cars.

    He died while racing a 250 GT, I believe, after partying all night. Does anybody have any information about this car? Serial number, color, options, etc.?
     
  2. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Mar 2, 2005
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    #2 Marcel Massini, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2013
    Rubirosa was a playboy of the Dominican Republic, born in 1909.
    He had homes in Paris/France and Palm Beach/FL/USA. Rubirosa met Barbara Hutton in summer 1953 at a dinner party in Deauville, France. Rubirosa married January 5, 1954 the 40-year old Woolworth heiress Hutton and was divorced after 73 days already. Hutton gave him a twin-engined airplane, a heard of polo ponys and 1 million dollars in cash.
    At the 1955 Festival de Cannes Rubirosa was accompanied by Zsa Zsa Gabor. October 20, 1956, Rubirosa married the 19-year old French actress Odile Rodin. It was his fifth marriage. December 31, 1956 and New Year 1957 he spent with Odile and a bunch of friends at St. Moritz, Switzerland. Rubirosa died July 5, 1965 when trying to avoid a crash with a BMW in the Allée de la Reine Marguerite at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris he hit a tree with his metallic grey Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II (#1561 GT).

    See four page article with many photos in "Cavallino" magazine, issue #102, of December 1997/January 1998.

    Marcel Massini
     
  3. damian in nj

    damian in nj Formula Junior
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  4. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
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    #5 miurasv, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    He also owned this beauty, 250 GT PF Cabriolet S1 0783GT now owned by FChat member Joe Hayes.

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcNANEiIXu8&feature=player_embedded]Harold Hayes - 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Pininfarina - YouTube[/ame]
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  5. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
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    Asunción, Paraguay
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    Daniel Morales
    #6 matumorales, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Is this #1561 GT?

    Was this car ever restored? Is it still around?
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  6. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
  7. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Talking about other F-cars he owned... is there any information regarding the cars with racing history? Let's try to come up with a list off all the F-cars he raced, and where they are these days!
     
  8. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    #9 miurasv, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  9. damian in nj

    damian in nj Formula Junior
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    Well, that's one reason why he was married to two of the richest women in the world during his lifetime, and countless other beauties!
     
  10. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
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    Daniel Morales
    Well... whoever said that "size doesn't matter", is full of #$%#! LOL!
     
  11. damian in nj

    damian in nj Formula Junior
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    Doris Duke, his third wife and the 'richest girl in the world' bought him the '57 Pininfarina cab as a birthday gift I think. I'll be visiting Duke Farms this week in NJ and will ask about Rubi. She never married again after they divorced . . .
     
  12. readplays

    readplays Formula 3

    Aug 22, 2008
    2,344
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    He ran the 166MM 0050 at 1950 Le Mans.
     
  13. Bryanp

    Bryanp F1 Rookie

    Aug 13, 2002
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    Santa Fe, NM
    #14 Bryanp, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Rubi bought our car, Series II 500 Mondial s/n 0556(0446)MD from Ferrari in November 1955 after it won the 2-liter class in the Grand Prix of Venezuela driven by Schell and then Castellotti. Rubi took it to the Bahamas a few weeks later and ran it at the Nassau Speed Week, coming in first in class in the Nassau Governor's Race on 12/9/55 and second in class the next day in the Nassau Ferrari Classic. (pic of Rubi in the car below) The following day, Rubi flew back to Miami for a polo match, and allowed his friend, Ebby Lunken from Cincinnati, drive the car in the Nassau Trophy Race (pic below) where he scored another first in class for the Mondial.

    The following March (1956), Rubirosa painted the car dark blue from its original French Racing Blue, and, with co-driver Jim Pauley, won the 2-liter class at the 12 Hours of Sebring. (pic of Rubi and Pauley accepting the trophy)

    Rubi sold the Mondial to Chuck Hassan, another of the "Cincinnati Gang", later in the spring of 1956.

    I have never been able to find a picture of Rubi and Zas Zsa in our car, although I believe he was dating her at some point while he owned it. I have attached a pic of the two of them in another Ferrari, but it's not our Mondial.
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  14. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    Ok;

    So far we have:

    Road Cars:

    * 250 GT Cabriolet Series II (#1561GT) - Car in which he died. Unknown current status.
    * 250 GT PF Cabriolet SI (#0783GT) - Gift from Doris Duke? Now owned by Joe Hayes.

    Race Cars:

    * 166MM (#0050) - Raced at LeMans 1950

    * 375MM PF Berlinetta (#0380AM) - Raced at LeMans 1954. Presumed to be destroyed.

    * 500 Mondial Series II (#0556MD) - Raced at Nassau 1955 and Sebring 1956. Now owned by Bryanp.

    Is everything correct?

    This is getting good! :)
     
  15. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    #16 miurasv, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2013
    166MM/53 #0328M raced at 12 Hours Reims 1953.

    500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti #0660 MDTR raced at 12 Hours Sebring 1958.

    500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti #0706 MDTR raced at Cuba GP 1958.
     
  16. Boudewijn

    Boudewijn F1 Rookie
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    The last photo shows Rubi and Zsa Zsa in 0328M(0308M).
     
  17. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
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    What Ferrari model was 0328M? Was it also a Mondial?
     
  18. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    166MM/53.
     
  19. Boudewijn

    Boudewijn F1 Rookie
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    1561GT was destroyed.
     
  20. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    500 Mondial Spyder Scaglietti #0464MD raced at Carrera Panamericana 1954.
     
  21. Boudewijn

    Boudewijn F1 Rookie
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    0464MD was another car bought by/for (Barbara Hutton) Rubirosa. Edit: Beaten by 2 minutes.
     
  22. matumorales

    matumorales Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    470
    Asunción, Paraguay
    Full Name:
    Daniel Morales
    #23 matumorales, Sep 23, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2013
    Ok, updating the list:

    Road Cars:

    * 250 GT Cabriolet Series II (#1561GT) - Car in which he died. Destroyed.
    * 250 GT PF Cabriolet SI (#0783GT) - Gift from Doris Duke? Now owned by Joe Hayes.

    Race Cars:

    * 166MM (#0050) - Raced at LeMans 1950
    * 375MM PF Berlinetta (#0380AM) - Raced at LeMans 1954. Presumed to be destroyed.
    * 500 Mondial Series II (#0556MD) - Raced at Nassau 1955 and Sebring 1956. Now owned by Bryanp.
    * 166MM/53 (#0328M) - Raced at 12 Hours Reims 1953. Picture taken with Zsa Zsa Gabor. Unknown current status
    * 500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti (#0660 MDTR) - Raced at 12 Hours Sebring 1958. Unknown current status.
    * 500 TRC Spyder Scaglietti (#0706 MDTR) - Raced at Cuba GP 1958. Unknown current status.
    * 500 Mondial Spyder Scaglietti (#0464MD) - Gift from Barbara Hutton. Raced at Carrera Panamericana. Unknown current status.
    * 625 LM Spyder Touring (#0644MDTR) - Raced at GP of Venezuela 1956. Unknown current status.
    * ?? (#0438MD) - Owned by a short period of time. (Race info? - current status?)
    * ?? (#0440MD) - Raced at Sebring 1957. Unknown current status.

    Wow! This man really had a bunch of cars!!
     
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  23. Boudewijn

    Boudewijn F1 Rookie
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    May 15, 2003
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    0644MDTR was also owned by the playboy-racer.
     
  24. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
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    Steven Robertson
    625 LM Spyder Touring 0644MDTR raced at GP Venezuela 1956.
     

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