Where's Preston Henn's 275/GTB/C?

Been there many times and seen the Preston Henn car collection ; May 5, 2017 — Racer, race team owner, and noted supercar collector Preston Henn died on April 30 of natural causes. The owner of the Florida-based Swap Shop franchise was 86.; Henn also https://exclusivecarregistry.com › collection › wapshop
Becky, Preston's widow, sold most of the collection between 2020-2022. The only car that still remains in the collection is a Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione ...; AND Jul 13, 2024 — Ferrari 275 Competizione Speciale Preston Henn's Widow, Betty Henn owns the 275 Competizione Speciale or 275 GTB/C for short. AND per Barchetta
06885 65
Ferrari 275 GTB, Competizione Speciale, LHD
Yellow/black still with Henn estate : 14/jan/25 Platino XXIII. Cavallino Classic, class 5 Preston Henn AND Private Collection of late Preston Henn, located at a giant Flee Market and Movie theater called 'The $WAP SHOP', located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It consisted mainly of Ferraris. Becky, Preston's widow, sold most of the collection between 2020-2022. The only car that still remains in the collection is a Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione Speciale with good racing history. All Preston's race cars were managed and maintained by his long time friend Gunnar, from Gunnar Racing.

 

The wife clearly does not need the money and she is going along with Preson Henns wishes that he would never sell the car while he was alive . My guess is that in his will it was stipulated that she not sell the car OR she just wants to ensure consistency with his wishes. If she paases away I guess we will see MAYBE the first $100 million dollar ferrari sale

 

It is sad the car doesn't come to Cavallino anymore.

 

No.

Marcel Massini

 

06885 has been there at least six times, including the inaugural show in February 1992 (BoS).

Marcel Massini

 

I saw it 3 times i think. And he was still taking it on the track which was glorious to see and hear.
It was also funny to see it parked at the breakers regular parking lot.

 

Further to the various comments above on Preston's wealth. I can provide a little more background, being a former drive-in and flea market operator myself and visitor to many of his other drive-ins and Swap Shops in Florida over the years.

Preston took over a single drive-in theatre from his father and through the years bought several others eventually owning many in Florida. Many drive-ins introduced flea markets as alternative daytime revenue sources. This is where Preston succeeded above and beyond other drive-in operators. His Florida Swap Shop and Drive-in operation were models other drive-in operators around the world (like me) tried to emulate. There was only one Preston however. Do not underestimate the profits that drive-ins and their associated flea markets made in their peak years, there are several examples of fortunes built on drive-in theatre operation including that of the late Sumner Redstone owner of Paramount.

Preston expanded the original Thunderbird Drive-in and Swap Shop in Ft Lauderdale to over 80 acres and it became one of Florida's most visited attractions (claimed as number 3) and reportedly the largest retail centre in the state. It also was the world's largest drive-in theatre with 14 screens. His other Florida locations also mirrored Ft Lauderdale; Tampa, Margate, Lake Worth etc, all were large Swap Shops and drive-ins. Prior to those he owned several other large drive-ins including the Del-Ray and the 9 screen Hi Way Airport Drive-in. He also had other real estate and loved a deal as witnessed by his canny aircraft and car acquisitions.

Since his death in 2017, the family have been selling off his assets including all the other drive-ins and swap shops in Florida (Fun-Lan, Lake Worth, etc) The drive-in theatre in Ft Lauderdale at Sunrise Blvd has been closed for a few years now and just the Swap Shop flea market remains open. Preston left a caveat in his will that stated that the Ft Lauderdale Swap Shop cannot be sold until 20 years after his death (2037). The family do not seem to have the love for drive-ins or flea markets that Preston did.

As mentioned elsewhere, Preston was a serious and successful off shore power boat racer and track racer and built his magnificent car collection. Many of the cars have been sold off now I understand, I am not sure how many if any remain at Swap Shop. As far as the future for the 275 GTB/C is concerned, the family seem to have realised plenty of money from the drive-in land sales in recent years, but I'm sure it will come up for sale one day. When it does. I think it will go close bringing a record price; for a Ferrari anyway.
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Just found this thread this morning so I will answer this most vexing question. First customer G650 went to Bernie Ecclestone..

 

The family advertised 06885 in Hemmings(!) recently.

 

Not listed online on Hemmings... Do you have a link, screenshot, anything?

 

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That's a hellava ad. All it needs is a comment about the car being driven by a little ol' lady from Pasadena.

 

Where in the heck are you still finding a paper copy of Hemmings?

 

didn’t the first two stay with Gulfsteam as a test planes?

 

As I said, first customer plane to Ecclestone. He flipped it almost immediately when he discovered it was too big for a lot of airports he went to.

 

Remember during the frenzy buying in…what, 1989 or so?….pre-internet proliferation, people were paying to have Hemmings fedex’ed to them.

 

ohh yes, at a profit. His wife actually owned it btw

 

Wow, hilarious that they put an ad in that newspaper for this car. It’s almost fitting. So old school. Wonder how many calls they’ll get from people who don’t really know much about it and will fall on the floor when they are told the price is oh somewhere around $100 million dollars.

 

I remember shooting the car for my Scuderia Magazine Japan article at Preston's ocean from estate, Al Roberts was with us...that was 33 years ago.

That ad is a joke, who is hiding behind that name? Bernie Madoff's ghost?! Or one of the big time crooks who navigate around big ticket cars?

 

The car is in a trust.
I was involved when Preston set it all up.

Marcel Massini

 

Believe it or not Marc, the ad is on the level. I think that Tom Chitwood is Preston's son-in-law?

 

Incredible...

 

Reminds me to note that a group I am a member of which includes people adjacent to collectors at the TOP LEVEL have received three offers from agents offering the Bardinon collection in 2024. One of which went so far to say the quiet bit aloud, offering the collections 330P4/ 350 Can Am #0860 for $100mm plus. Hilariously the most recent "broker/ agent" demanded that the offer be made within 24 hours with a deposit to secure. I already knew that this was the auto equivalent of phishing and whatever deposit would almost certainly be washed through several hands and nothing further would be heard from said "broker/ agent". I mean the family have deep connections with several experts and dealers and auction houses and we all know the court settlement requirements that will be needed to secure sale of anything so why would the family seek out a no name Swiss real estate agent (per his likely fake Linkedin profile) to sell any of the cars? So I said run, don't walk from any further contact.

I would be pleased to be wrong regarding #6885, maybe they have just chosen to go delightfully old skool?