Henry Ford's '59 Testa Rossa

Does anyone have info-s/n-current pics of the 1959 TR at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn Mich. I saw the car on a school trip in the early 80's! At that time the car looked to be in "as raced" condition, checked paint, cracked leather, dents and scratches...AWESOME! Does this car stil reside in the museum or...? Has it been "freshened" or is it still in the same cond? Was it A personal car of Henry's or was it acquired for/by the museum? It would be really cool to hear the story on that car over twenty years after seeing it ! Any info is appreiciated

thanks Rob


P.S this is my first post!!

 

Hi

That was a cool car but I think the museum decided to sell/trade it for a Locomobile that had won the Vanderbuilt Cup.

Others?

 

Yeah, the car was sold, but I don't know the details.

 

Welcome, brudda!

A Locomobile would be good, if you didn't already have one......

 

This is actually a 1957 and not a 1959 car. Factory completion date was June 1957. Car is ex-John von Neumann, ex-Josie von Neumann, then went to Nethercutt and on to Dick Hahn and then to Art True. Following True's death in 1967 it was donated to the Ford museum in Dearborn/MI. In March 1997 Peter Helck's son Jerry Helck traded the rare Locomobile Old #16 (Vanderbilt Cup Winner) to Manny Dragone, who has a sports car sales business in Bridgeport/CT. Dragone then traded the Locomobile for the 250 Testa Rossa and cash to the Ford Museum in Dearborn/MI, and sold the 250 TR to Abraham “Abba” Kogan, Monte Carlo. Car now in England. Unrestored with lovely patina.
Here are some photos taken at the Retromobile in Paris 7 February 2003.
COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI
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Marcel you never fail to astound with your encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Ferrari - Thanks for sharing with us!

 

Those pictures bring back memories. I spent many an hour staring at that car when it was in the Ford museum...

 

Thanks for the great post Marcel!

 

Me too.

Thank you, Marcel. Wonderful, as always.

 

very cool, i love unrestored race cars

 

It ran at the 2005 Goodwood Festival of Speed driven by restorer Neil Twyman (wearing his Pete Aron replica helmet!) :-

http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/2314/127050030fa.jpg

http://img349.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p6240037xt6.jpg

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1939/fos20050624js.jpg

Paul M

 

Or his Chris Amon replica!

T308

 

While we're at it, why not roll the Spirit of St. Louis out of the Smithsonian and take it out for a spin at the next air show?

 

Marcel;
Thanks for the speedy and thorough reply! The pictures brought many memories! It's great to see the car "sorted" for at least occasional track time while maintaining it's "lovely patina"! It appears that the car is in good hands !

Cheers Napolis, Big Tex, Macca !!

Rob

P.S. What is on the headlights? Could that be good ol' masking tape?? Naww..

 

Yes, 49 year old masking tape. Original and authentic, not replicated.
Marcel Massini

 

Chris Amon's was blue-white-red; Aron's was reversed, red-white-blue.

Paul M

 

Hello,

I shot the car last year at goodwood before the start of the hill climb, was impressed by patina !!!!!

Best,

Florent
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Bar none, that is the coolest thing I have seen all year.

 

The mud flap behind the rear wheel and the license plate is not original and was added later.
Marcel Massini

 

You can say that again. This is a great story!

 

Funny... I saw the car last year on Marylebone road next to my office. A guy in suit at the wheel (car was parked and he was on his mobile).
I remembered the special fonts used for numbering the car.

 

I saw it in 1991 and it was sitting in the back caorner of the museum. Great to see it escaped and is back around!

 

I would think you'd HAVE to park that one, and turn it off, to use a mobile phone....LOL!

 

am i the only one who has the impression that there is a huge movement in preference from overrestored (pebble beach *ahum*) to original patina in the classic car world?

 

I've noticed that, but, eventually some of these cars do get to be restored. The Agnelli 375 comes to mind... I remember seeing it at Concorso in '99 when it was in blue (or what was left of it! Paint flaked off before your eyes). I don't like the colours they chose for it's recent restoration. I wish they would have left it alone...