Retromobile Paris 2013

I read today that Sir Michael Kadoorie reputedly paid $27m for 0728TR last year.

 

0716TR I presume.

 

Yes, 0716TR. On its way from US to Maranello for certification. See here: FISKENS Fine Historic Automobiles - News Story - Covers come off Fiskens? fabulous Retromobile line-up

 

But this is a Le Mans winner!

 

To swap threads, would you call it a period or non period rebody!?

 

Yes, 1958. Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien. 0728TR.

 

The 340/375MM #0320 will be good for you to see. It's being auctioned by RM at Villa d'Este.
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I think this car is interesting- I like the shape. I think it resembles the 250 MM a little bit! I know RM has a nice 400 Superamerica also lined up for Villa d'este if I am not mistaken.

 

Pictures from Philippe Cabie-Mathieu's FB page. Just look at the 512!!!!
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That black GTE is gorgeous!

 

No 250 GT SWB Berlinettas on display this year? Daytona from Philippe Cabie-Mathieu's FB page.
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I trust they take off the dreadful wing mirror for certification.

Well made but spoils the car
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Were head rest an option on GTEs?

 

No they were not, but there were a variety of aftermarket headrests available. I have a set myself that the original owner purchased, but never installed.

 

Kidston posted today on Facebook that the TR on Fiskens' stand may have been found in a Brazilian scrapyard. While I think that is highly unlikely, there was a pontoon fendered TR that raced in Brazil for a while, which was subsequently rebodied by Drogo, then brought back to Scaglietti specs later on in its life. Could the body on the Retromobile car have come off that particular TR?

 

I miss the 512 and the 312PB (no picture) in this thread.
Was there yesterday, no GTO but very nice alternatives.

The 250California there, (rebody) is not very well shaped....
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The 250TR is 0716 according to the attached information..

The 250GT 1958 needs attention, but this is the original paint, I would keep it as is (only polish it), its patina is great!

 

"0716TR has just undergone a full restoration by Neil Twyman Racing Ltd in the United Kingdom. During the course of the restoration, it was noted that the car was fitted with the larger drum brakes particular to the works Testa Rossa models, which this car was on its race debut, and also evidence was found on the firewall of damage on the right side, which was sustained in the first race accident. There was also evidence of straightening of the left steering arm, which sustained damage in the same accident. A welded up oval opening was also found in the firewall, which had originally been fed by a scoop on the inner front left wing, to feed cool air to the driver’s feet. This is verified by period photographs showing this intake, and also further scoops on the sill panels to feed air to the rear brakes, which have all been reinstated.

0716TR is currently fitted with a type 128 LM Testa Rossa engine with “numero interno” GES 14. Ferrari factory records indicate that this Testa Rossa engine was a spare unit used by the factory racing team in 250 Testa Rossa, chassis s/n 0770, at the 1959 Le Mans test day, the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring 1000km race the same year. They also show that it was used in 250 Testa Rossa, chassis # 0768, at Monza and at Goodwood during 1959.

Ferrari factory records show that the Testa Rossa engine GES 14 was then sold in September 1959. Coincidentally their records also show that an updated 290 MM model, chassis # 0606, was sold in September 1959 to Chico Landi for Escuderia Lagartixa in Brazil, fitted with a 250 Testa Rossa engine with “numero interno” GES 14. Thus aptly the engine now fitted to 250 Testa Rossa, chassis # 0716TR, also has Brazilian connections.

Great care has been taken in the restoration to present 0716TR today, as close as possible to the original factory configuration and finish, as it first appeared at Buenos Aires in January 1958.

August 2006, Keith Bluemel"

 

Thank you for this information. As far as I understood, the car's engine was the one fitted to Esc. Lagartixa's car, but no mention is made about 0716 being found in Brazil as a chassis/body. Perhaps I missed that. From what I understand, the 250TR that raced here was later re-bodied by Drogo, and possibly raced with an American V8 engine after it was crashed and the V12 was no longer considered "competitive" enough. I use these words because I remember reading accounts on a Brazilian website a while ago, which I'm looking for again so I can verify them. It was common for cars (including a few Maserati's) to enter Brazil engine-less and be fitted with locally sourced V8's, as I think the import rules at the time may have made it very difficult/expensive to import cars with engines from abroad. I've always thought the 250TR chassis that I am referring to here was later owned by Carlos Monteverde and painted yellow and green, and was recently sold.

I will search for the accounts of Escuderia Lagartixa's activities, and perhaps post a new thread about these cars here. In fact I'd better search for threads here first hahaha...

Thanks again.

EDIT: Here is the Barchetta info for the Esc. Lagartixa car 0738TR : http://www.barchetta.cc/english/all.ferraris/detail/0738tr.250tr.htm and here is the info for 290MM 0606 which got the upgraded TR engine which is apparently in 0716TR: http://www.barchetta.cc/english/all.ferraris/detail/0606.290mm.htm

EDIT AGAIN: I'm back here to correct myself after researching this matter a little further. I have read a fairly recent post by 0738's former owner Jean Louis Lacerda Soares that may explain some of this. He states that after he sold 0738 he heard that it was involved in an accident which had more repercussions to the bodywork than to the chassis/components, which were still in 'good' condition and ended up re-bodied by Drogo. The car was torn in half by a Eucalyptus tree after the driver who had borrowed the car for the race mixed up the pedal configuration. He states that the engine was fitted to a boat, however, which is untrue, as it was actually fitted to a prototype car in Brazil called "Furia", before being sold. He also states that many years later a gentleman contacted him having claimed to have bought the engine as well as the chassis/gearbox and the remains of the bodywork etc and asked him if he would help authenticate the pieces as coming from 0738 TR. We know today that DK Engineering built the TR58-type body that currently fits Chassis 0738TR, but I suppose the remains of its original body (which at that time looked more like a TR59 body than a 58) may have been "restored" into what is on 0716 - IF Kidston's post is to be believed.

Here is a link to the picture of the car winning the Grande Prêmio Juscelino Kubitscheck, the first race ever held in Brasilia: http://spe.fotolog.com/photo/14/17/2/lerfamu/1210829886_f.jpg and also a video showing among others, a Monza and another pontoon TR, as well as 0738... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KDEPv6U6O3Q

I think this may have to become a new thread, as the story of Lacerda's win that day is a very nice one...

Sorry about bringing this all Off-Topic, it's just that it is incredible to this 23 year old Brazilian to know that so many great automobiles once graced our shores... and that in some garage somewhere, they still might...

 

To see the post in full with commentary please visit
Retromobile 2013 » Le Monde Edmond

We attended the Retromobile this week in Paris which is one of the largest classic car shows in Europe. It was our second time and like always there were some very interesting cars for sale. While normally our posts are full of text we thought this time we will let the pictures talk. We have just written some commentary on each of the pictures to guide you through the car show. While there were plenty of wonderful cars to see, we thought last year the cars were more impressive, perhaps it's a reflection of the classic car market. Most great cars today sit in private collections and it is becoming increasingly hard for owners to part with their cars. While last year most dealers showed nice cars, this year Fiskens, a well known dealer based in the UK, stole the show. They had an impressive show of cars. Instead of writing more we thought we will let the pictures speak for themselves. (We apologize in advance for the lighting, that made taking pictures difficult).
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Great pics and commentary, Edmond. Thanks for sharing with us on F-Chat.

 

Does anyone know the Lusso chassis number ? Could it be 5417 GT ?