Fate of Luigi Chinetti Motors | Page 3 | FerrariChat

Fate of Luigi Chinetti Motors

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Ed_Long, Mar 21, 2006.

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  1. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

    Apr 13, 2007
    4,417
    São Paulo, Brazil
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    Mario
    As a relatively new poster I'm always really glad when people dig up the treasures that are these posts. Amazing stories. If only we had more of this instead of bickering about legal processes related to one car...
     
  2. rauldejalapeno

    rauldejalapeno Karting
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    Apr 21, 2008
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    Randy Bush
    Fantastic! What a memorable adventure. Thanks for sharing.
     
  3. ferraripete

    ferraripete F1 World Champ

    those were great days indeed. and you are correct. I vividly remember running to my widow when I would hear coco coming down the road...I knew it was a Ferrari that would be flashing by!!

    pcb
     
  4. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    Jan 12, 2009
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    Seth
    #54 intrepidcva11, Oct 16, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
    Just came across this wonderful thread and Mark - or Kram or however you wish to be addressed - your post brought back wonderful memories. Believe you didn't mention that the Chinetti store you stumbled into was a slender little showroom on Second Avenue, corner of 58th Street. I had done the same thing a year earlier on my way to dinner with my mother. Had dreamed of Ferraris since flying to Fla to watch Juan Manuel Fangio win the '56 Sebring 12 Hours in the 4 cylinder 860 Monza just before I reported for active duty in the Navy. Then in 1966 I had seen for the first time a 330GTC parked on the street in Easthampton L.I. and thought to myself: I know I'll never be able to afford a Ferrari but if I ever can, that's the one I want.

    Fast forward to spring 1978, on my way to dinner with Mom. Flane-ing my way down 2d Ave I looked in the window to see a 308GTB - turned out to be one of the fiberglass ones - and a 365GTC4. Walked in and met Jacques Vaucher, chatted and tire-kicked for a while, tried on both cars but wanted a 12 and couldn't sit comfortably in the C4. When I told Jacques about my unrequited love for the 330GTC he said we have one in Greenwich, why not come up this weekend and drive it. Did so and found the car to be tatty, needed a good bit of work. Two weeks later Jacques called and said that Mr. Chinetti had just taken in a car he had sold a year earlier and I ought to come up to CT right away since it wouldnt't be around for long. Asked if Jacques could bring the car into NYC for me to drive - which he did. Three or four tours of the Central Park road and I was in love. Sent him a check for $1K and drove up next weekend to conclude the deal. I've described the car elsewhere on FChat, suffice to say it was the best business transaction I've ever done, not to mention the joy the car gave me for almost thirty years! It was the 365GTC prototipi that others have called a speciale, a 330 with the typ245 4.4 liter engine months later fitted to create the 365GTC and built by Enzo F. on special order for Leopoldo Pirelli, the Chairman and CEO of Pirelli SpA. The build plaque in the engine bay describes the car as a 365GTC, and it is the first.

    Jacques and I stayed in touch through his leaving Chinetti to create l'Art et 'Automobile. Nereo Iori and I stayed in touch long enough for him to undertake a complete mechanical restoration of the car: everything apart, new main and rod bearings, camshafts, valves, springs, rebuilt transaxle, new Lobro half shafts from the 365GTC and Daytonas, brakes discs, suspension rebuilt, basically a new car mechanically.

    I lived in Manhattan so I kept the GTC in the garage across from the Greenwich CT train station and drove up weekends to enjoy it. Visited from time to time with Luigi Jr, Dick Fritz who had left by then. Tom Parker bought the store from Luigi Sr and shortly after, wanted to buy back my GTC. Told him it wasn't for sale. He said - at no price? I said well it's not my daughter's virtue so I guess there's a price. He said I'll call next week, think of a price. When he called I told him $250K. he said: that's crazy. I said, I know, I chose a price intended to tell you the car's not for sale. He then offered to swap my 330/365GTC + $10K for a flawless 275GTB4 he had on the floor. Worst business decision of my life. But I would not have enjoyed that GTC for 29 years, a better driving car IMHO than the 4-cam.
     
  5. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    Seth
    #55 intrepidcva11, Oct 16, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    The car was argento/nero when I bought it; ten years later paint was getting really tired and I had Bill deCarr take it down to bare metal and refinish it with, as he said, sixteen coats hand polished. On driving down to Bill's shop with Lyle Tanner, a good friend and occasional client, he asked what color I was considering; I said I'd always thought the car would be sensational in a rich, deep British racing green with beige leather. Lyle immediately answered, if you want to keep the car for life, paint it green. But selling a green Ferrari is a good exercise in self-flagellation. So I thought Bordeaux. Bill said he'd mix up samples of three different wine colors, put them on aluminum palettes and mail to me to consider and choose. What you see is what I got - not a factory color but a beautiful deep rich red-purple. The third image is me with the car, taken by David Gooding's photographer for the auction catalog when the car sold at Pebble Beach in 2007.

    Seven years and I still miss her..................
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  6. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 11, 2008
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    Thanks for sharing a bit of a very special car.
     
  7. rauldejalapeno

    rauldejalapeno Karting
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    Apr 21, 2008
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    Randy Bush
    What a fantastic account! Wonderful memories, indeed! Thanks for sharing.
     
  8. Kram

    Kram Formula Junior

    Jul 3, 2004
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    Park bench, Canada
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    Mark
    Fabulous story, wonderful car, stunning colour choice!

    Many thanks for sharing.

    Kram
     
  9. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
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    Wonderful story, great looking car. I love the wheels!
     
  10. Alcav5

    Alcav5 F1 Rookie
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    Jul 28, 2012
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    Great story guys...
    Miller Motorcars had a grand re-opening event last night. They refinished, after about a year, their showroom and service areas, looks clean and state of the art. Though I have purchased a few cars from them I do not know the current owner's name but he gave a simple speech to the crowd recognizing all who attended , Ferrari's 60 years in the States, and the Building we were in as Chinetti motors. It was pretty cool to hear that he reminded us that where we were standing there had occured some historic events that Ferrari-philes still talk about.
    It was really a nice night, I like those guys there, maybe it's the building...
     
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  11. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    George, the wheels are 15" custom hand-forged Campagnolos, ordered by Leopoldo Pirelli; I have personal correspondence with him in which he confirmed that he had 'ordered the car from my friend Enzo Ferrari' and that he had had Campagnolo make the wheels since the car was used not only by him but Pirelli test drivers developing the new Pirelli radials. It's the only GTC with 15" wheels as the splines are unique to this car.
     
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  12. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
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    I'm reminded that perhaps a year after I bought the GTC Chinetti's parts manager, Geoff Ohland, offered to buy these wheels from me for $3,000. and a set of new Borranis. Since I had no interest, it didn't occur to me to ask if the offer was on behalf of the dealership or himself personally.

    Standard tire size for GTC's is 205/70x14; I put 215/70x15's on these rims making it 2X oversize. Thought it gave the car a stronger stance though it hurt acceleration slightly - lowered fuel use a tiny bit but I wasn't racing nor very concerned about 'mileage'. ;-) Had to be concerned about steering since at full lock there was a slight bit of scraping the wheel well with these tires.
     
  13. tongascrew

    tongascrew F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2006
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    tewksbury
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    george burgess
    Yes Jacques Vaucher managed the New York sales office starting I think in 1970. I have bought several things from him for my collection.He runs the place very well except no credit cards or Paypal payments. Pretty much cash or checks only. tongascrew
     
  14. GIOTTO

    GIOTTO F1 Rookie
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    Dec 30, 2006
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    #64 GIOTTO, Sep 20, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
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  15. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
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    Was Zumbach in some way connected with Chinetti or Ferrari, or were they just neighbors?
     
  16. Hugh Conway

    Hugh Conway Karting

    Jul 24, 2012
    141
    Wonder if the kid in picture #3 still remembers that scene if he's alive?
     
  17. SonomaRik

    SonomaRik F1 Veteran
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    Dec 15, 2006
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    Sonoma, CA
    wonder if he ever fulfilled his dream of owning one
     
  18. enio45

    enio45 Formula 3
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    Ed
    Related to old ferrari service center - anyone familiar with a shop call House of Colors in NY area?
     
  19. GBTR6

    GBTR6 Formula Junior

    Dec 29, 2011
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    Perry Rondou
    I know there was a Juniors House of Colors in California, that painted a number of Ferrari's in addition to lots of Hot Rods.

    Perry
     
  20. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Mar 2, 2005
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    Junior's House of Color
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    6725 E. Florence Avenue
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    Marcel Massini
     
  21. enio45

    enio45 Formula 3
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    Ed
    Thank you for the response.....

    Im pretty sure the previous owner of my car said the motor from my car was in NY, which makes some sense from the fact that it was an east coast car ( NY, CONN, PA ) .
     
  22. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
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    Aug 1, 2002
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    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    And the motor was out of the car when it was being offered for sale in PA in 1974. Since the car was sold to San Francisco, this is possibly where the two became separated.
     
  23. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
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    Nov 17, 2003
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    #73 msdesignltd, Sep 22, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2016
    Inbetween those vintage shots and the newest shots there was another Ferrari shop.
    The name was Formula 1 motors..The owner was a real colorful old world car lover.
    He had pictures of himself and Enzo all over the shop.
    His name was Biaggio....I had bought my first 308 from steven kessler and brought it to Biaggio to convert the body to Koenig style parts, including the rear wing.
    Eddie murphy was there alot and I met him a few times.
    He also had a fully equipped Koenig 308.
    Biaggio died of a heart attack about a year later.
    I believe I was there in 83 to 84..or 85
    I had 2 Italia Torino's in his showroom as well..
    Hollowed ground for sure.
     
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  24. 300GW/RO

    300GW/RO Formula Junior

    Nov 7, 2010
    991
    east end LI
    Full Name:
    Jack


    Bill of Sale in picture listed.....Sept 22, 1960....57 yrs ago TODAY !!
    Great story from 2014, still have car?

    Jack
     
  25. enio45

    enio45 Formula 3
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    May 16, 2004
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    Ed
    Yes you are correct car sold to brad balles who picked it up in colorado from curley.

    Brad later sold it to clarence daniels and it was
    Clarence who whet back and got the motor from house of colors who did the rebuild.

    Clarence had to pay the mechanics lean on the motor to get it. His lawyer handled the transaction and he reunited the motor to the car. It was still in the crate they shipped it in when i got the car 2 yrs ago.

    Wayne do u have that car for sale ad with motor out ?
     

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