250 TDF vs 250 SWB

Sorry, I disagree........Not 20%. Nearer 90% when it comes to cars such as the 250 SWB. I accept that these buyers have some automotive interest otherwise they might have bought a Monet or Matisse.......I'm sure some have these too......but the pendulum has swung far across to the investment buyer.

 

Supply and demand I agree with. Thats what moves all markets but I disagree that the present buyers are all genuine Ferrari enthusiasts. I offer a storage facility at my garage in central London and I not only know the content but how rarely if ever these cars see the light of day......and no Steve I wont disclose whats there...before you ask ...lol

 

I mentioned the GTO's in my other comments. But to add a little weight to my augment, look at the Classic Car Investment fund that Nick Mason is involved in; its only purpose is to speculate on these cars future values for profit, how can that be a good thing. The fact that Nick is involved just makes me sad

 

Is that still running ? I was sent all the blurb with an invitation to 'Invest' about a year ago but have never heard anything since....Perhaps they saw my bank statement and decided not to waste anymore postage costs.......

 

Paul I have a great deal of sympathy for your position as you are stuck between being an enthusiast and being a dealer and a business man. The more successful you are the bigger contributor to the problem you become; I don’t envy your position

 

I'm not sure to be honest with you, Edmond. People use mothballs when they store their clothes to ward off moths who eat holes into them. I'd guess that mothballs are used the world over, as would its translated word be used as a synonym, as we are using it here?

 

For heavens sake.......Please replace my use of the word Mothball and replace with store or withold from sale.......Nothing to stop DK using the car in this period though......

 

Sadly when it comes to SWB's today I am not very successful so sleep easy.....

 

LOL!!!

 

If at all possible buy the car you love and the best example of it.

Max Girardo of RM Auctions talking last year.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8g3UxxFYrc[/ame]

 

Anyone who has been involved in this hobby for more than 15 years has seen the continued lack of use of collector's cars. You just don't see them on the road as much any more.

George

 

I bet whoever decides to sell it in 5 years will probably do so through DK anyway... Unless it goes to auction.

 

By the way I think if DK is clever they will not hang on to or 'mothball' the car. They are business men, dealers and thus will close the deal and use the proceeds to hunt for the next deal. That is way dealers operate. I am not one, but you are /were one, you should know this better than me.[/QUOTE]

Maybe but some cars are very special and this is one of them......Not so easy to find a replacement

 

I have been collecting for ...25 years and one reason for which you see less and less is that original owners are getting ,,,older. This is just an evidence. So when 80 years old collectors take their car for a long drive, they feel tired. Specially if they are American and not used to European road manners..so it will be like that, not because they don't want to expose their cars, but because it is tiring, until a new generation get the classic cars. Classic Ferraris , specially race cars, are getting out of reach from young drivers except the Internet billionaires...but something will happen as current owners are not immortal, although they are doing their best to live longer! I drove recently GTB, TDF, SWB and LM in Tour Auto and on the road to and from events and during week ends, and will continue but in 20 year???

 

3487GT does sound like it may be a truly exceptional and highly original car if it has been correctly maintained and stored by its 4 owners during its 50 years and, if genuine, low 33000 miles. I notice that you rate the person that completed its restoration in 2011, Neil Twyman, very highly in another thread. Who carried out the restoration on any car, and when, is such a huge factor in gauging its quality, the importance of which I really cannot stress enough.

 

The joy of Neil's restorations is that they dont appear to be restorations.........

 

From his web site it looks like he's worked on some really important marques and Ferraris including 250 GTO s/n 3505GT.

http://www.twymanracing.com/

 

There are many young (self-made) millionaires who could afford vintage Ferraris and, as you already pointed out, many of them became rich through the internet but let's not forget sports stars and musicians. But there's something about young people that tells them to buy a gold Rolex studded with diamonds instead of a JLC minute repeater (what's that funny push piece on the left side of the case for?) or a rapper-white Ferrari 458 Spider instead of a 250 GT Cabriolet. If you feel like watching MTV Cribs to get the idea

This is all fine but is it good taste (which as we all know can't be bought)? Good taste can however be acquired over the years and things which were totally out of the question 10 years ago (classic music, cars, etc.) all of a sudden become more interesting and outstanding. Of course, some things will never change.

 

+1

A lot of this market is being driven by people wanting to have some fun in their later years while the world around them burns, crumbles, or simply stagnates. What's the point of making all that money if you can't enjoy it some? Especially since people, you, me, everyone, isn't getting any younger.

As the world moves along an uncertain path, buying things that give you joy makes all the sense in the world. Maybe even more than ever.

I like Jim's quote about buying stuff, something like "Buy what you like because you may be stuck with it for a while." If you buy something based on what gives you joy, you can't go too wrong.

-F

 

Good footage TdF 0763GT being followed from about 2.20 in the 1989 Mille Miglia Retrospective. Looking very beastly. Notice what is said about 3.40. I think the following car may be an Audi V8.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOJo4bt0X2s&feature=relmfu[/ame]

...and for about the first 30 seconds of this video.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIxoykFk4tM&feature=relmfu[/ame]

 

A serious, less expensive, but still hugely desirable alternative to a steel bodied "Street SWB" would be a 250 GT Lusso. There must be a reason why owners keep them for years. Think Eric Clapton, Steve McQueen. Quite a few of these were raced too. To my eyes they are extremely elegant and just exude so much class.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMB7rLGjj3g&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBey9mjY0U4[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbENTXsI0UA[/ame]

 

A couple I have seen that saw the track over the years...

Paul
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