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Help identifying older Ferrari

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by 78bonanza, Jun 29, 2025.

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  1. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2018
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    Jim Cear
    #1 78bonanza, Jun 29, 2025
    My father was a frequent customer of Mr. Luigi Chinetti . We weren’t buying new cars, out of our price range, but he often traded cars and when I finally got my drivers license he let me drive many of them . Great times visiting Greenwich and so many memories.
    Dad’s long gone and all cars records were lost in a flood of our home and the cars long gone. . Happily one photo album escaped unharmed .
    Of all the cars I was able to drive I remember real enjoying this one. As bare as a sports car could be. Rubber floor mats , don’t think it had a radio and I remember, although my memory may be suspect , it had a much higher redline rpm. Perhaps 7000-8000, I could completely wrong .
    I just remembered it seemed like a race car destined for the street
    If anyone has any info on what year and model or direct me to a source I would certainly appreciate the help
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  2. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 Whisky, Jun 29, 2025
    model 250 GTO California Spyder, 1961 or so.

    Nice Vega in the driveway.
     
  3. readplays

    readplays F1 Rookie

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    #3 readplays, Jun 29, 2025

    Circa 1960, 250 GT SWB California Spyder. I’m sure the next person who replies will provide the chassis number.
     
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  4. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    #4 miurasv, Jun 29, 2025
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2025
    Chassis 3923 GT. 1962 Open Headlights Steel Bodied 250 GT SWB California Spider.
     
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  5. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    #5 78bonanza, Jun 29, 2025
    The Vega almost killed me , but that’s another story. . Nice catch
     
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  6. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    #6 78bonanza, Jun 29, 2025
    Anyone know if my aging memory was correct about it having a usually high redline?
    If so it must have had an impressively high compression ratio.
    I can remember it made a fantastic sound .
     
  7. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

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    #7 miurasv, Jun 29, 2025
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2025
    They all made a fantastic sound. You said it had rubber floor mats so may have had the carpets taken out which would have removed some the cabin sound deadening. The high red line was probably a psychological thing down to the blue racing stripe.

    Although all Californias are special, AFAIK it was a standard engine. Perhaps somebody has the build sheets showing whether or not it had a Competizione spec engine with higher compression pistons, open tray, velocity stacks, bigger Weber carbs and tipo 130 cams?
     
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  8. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 Marcel Massini, Jun 29, 2025
    3923 GT was completed 31 October 1962.

    Marcel Massini
     
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  9. Marcel Massini

    Marcel Massini Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 Marcel Massini, Jun 29, 2025
    When were these pix taken?

    Marcel Massini
     
  10. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #10 Rifledriver, Jun 29, 2025
    Vega is circa 72 or so. Prob early-mid 70s.
    They rusted terribly so it could not have endured too many north eastern winters.
     
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  11. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    #11 TTR, Jun 29, 2025
    My only personal 250 California experience was long ago, with a Competizione LWB and focused mainly on coach work corrections, but I would think your recollection of somewhere in 7000-8000 RPM range seems reasonable.
     
  12. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 Whisky, Jun 29, 2025
    Prove it. (LOL)
     
  13. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #13 Whisky, Jun 29, 2025
    About 5-6 years ago I was commenting to a friend 'you sure don't see any Vegas or Pintos anymore,
    when 50 years ago those were half the cars on our roads    ', and literally the next day I saw two Pintos and a
    Vega on the roads in different parts of the city. And they were in bad shape - but still being driven.
     
  14. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    #14 78bonanza, Jun 29, 2025
    I owned both. I was hit head on , left front quarter in the Vega by a drunk. It folded up like a tin can . Amazing I survived and before seat belts were mandatory. The drunk got a few stitches.
    What’s the saying about drunks and fools ?
     
  15. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
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    #15 kare, Jun 30, 2025
    Intake limits the redline on these engines. With air filter assembly they'll rev little over 7000, with trumpets (velocity stacks) around 8000 or so. Californias were delivered with both assemblies, so if it had higher compression it may aslo have had trumpets and may have been a little faster.
     
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  16. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    #16 78bonanza, Jun 30, 2025
    Absolutely Fascinating. How were you able to identify a chassis number from this photo?
     
  17. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
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    #17 kare, Jun 30, 2025
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  18. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    Jim Cear
    #18 78bonanza, Jun 30, 2025
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2025
    Yes that’s was my dad. I’m 73 now and rediscover his passion for cars after a career in the USAF. That photo was taken at our home, 5 Pickett Ct. Malverne NY
    I am so happy for the link and that his car lives on . At the time it was “ just a used Ferrari “
    He had no mechanical aptitude, ironically I was his opposite in that regard.
    I used to take out on the parkway regularly to clear his fouled plugs with a “ Ferrari tuned up”.
    I used to really wail on that car, clouds of black smoke and then it ran like a thoroughbred race horse , and was only 17 LOL
     
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  19. GIOTTO

    GIOTTO F1 Rookie
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    #19 GIOTTO, Jun 30, 2025
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  20. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
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    #20 kare, Jun 30, 2025
    Here's Kerry's link to 9083. Apparently still a 2+2 when with your father, then Chinetti had it converted into a special show car by Michelotti.

    http://www.330gt.com/Detail/9083.html
     
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  21. 78bonanza

    78bonanza Formula Junior

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    Jim Cear
    #21 78bonanza, Jun 30, 2025
    Yes he owned he Micolelotti too. . I drove it quite a bit as well . It was a “Pepsi can” blue then . I’ll send some photos when time permits
    Thank you for the replies . Much sentimentality and memories for me
     
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  22. TTR

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    #22 TTR, Jun 30, 2025
    ???
     
  23. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
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    #23 kare, Jun 30, 2025
    Hmm, "NS" on register plate likely stands for Nassau County then.
     
  24. ursoenzo

    ursoenzo Formula Junior

    Jul 20, 2006
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    Christian Rauch
    #24 ursoenzo, Jun 30, 2025
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  25. JAM1

    JAM1 F1 Veteran
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    #25 JAM1, Jun 30, 2025
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2025
    You might want to watermark photos you provide assuming you own them. It’s likely they’ll be reposted and may even included in reports and printed images (that could be sold) for the cars you’re sharing info on.
     
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