1951 Ferrari 340 America Berlinetta
Ferrari S/N 0148A is part of a very aristocratic lineage of Ferraris, as it is equipped with the famous Lampredi V12, which would go on to contribute to Ferrari’s first victories in F1 in its 375 F1 version. In the 340 version, the 4101-cc engine develops 260 hp at 6500 rpm. It was a legendary […]
Which Ferrari for the Mille Miglia?
The Mille Miglia is the ultimate vintage car event, and a Ferrari is the ultimate car to drive in it. Which Ferrari to pilot, however, depends on your checkbook and tolerance for pain. First, ask yourself if you want to be dry, relatively warm and comfortable, or if you want to go fast, be wet, […]
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta TDF
Twenty-six-year-old Luigi Taramazzo’s first success with S/N 0911 GT (one of the most famous and successful of all Ferrari racing cars) came shortly after taking delivery in 1958. He brought it home second in class and sixth overall at the Coppa delia Consuma, behind the more experienced Eduardo Lualdi, also driving a 250 GT TdF. […]
Low-Buck Horsies
Like locusts, e-mails seeking advice about enny-level Ferraris descend daily. Each time SCM reports on a 400i or Mondial 8 selling for under $20,000, readers check their Visa card limits and start fantasizing about having a Prancing Horse in their driveway. It is possible to own a Ferrari for less than $20,000. Of course, you […]
The Valve Job Wars: Alfa VS. Ferrari
No one is more persistent in his questions about how to have an affordable Ferrari than our editor, who seems to believe it is his destiny to discover the “Northwest Passage” to the land of cheap Ferrari valve jobs. Here’s today’s plaintive and misguided inquiry: “Cindy’s ’78 Alfa Spider has gone in for a head […]
Importing and F50: A Tragi-Comedy in Two Acts
In 1998 Ian Hetherington, an English software mogul, decided to race his Euro model F50 in the Ferrari Maranello Challenge. He raced Ferrari F50 S/N 103496 in six of the twelve Maranello Ferrari Challenge races in preparation for an assault on the 1999 championship. For 1999 Hetherington and F50 S/N 103496 returned for 13 of […]
328 GTS or Testarossa?
The bargain-hunters in the Ferrari world seem to be obsessed with the price similarities of the 1986–89 328 GTS and the 1986–89 Testarossa. Endless comparisons ensue: V8 versus V12; classic versus trendy styling; Targa versus coupe. Which is the better car and which is better investment? The 328 GTS is popular today. A 1986 328 […]
A Two-Year 2+2
Dear Mr. Sheehan: Over 25 years ago I nearly bought a ’67 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 and have kicked myself ever since for not doing so. Now, being richer but not necessarily wiser, I would still like to own this car. I realize it’s not a “collector,” but it is a V12 Ferrari. If one […]
A Salvage-Title 456 and Other Oddities
Our esteemed Editor is always quick to pass Ferrari related questions on to me. A sample of this month’s questions, from the sublime to the silly, follows: Dear Mr. Sheehan: I saw a salvage-title 456 GT on eBay, item #544964159. It is black with a gray interior, and shows 44,422 miles. From what I can […]
The Grinch Who Almost Sold the GTO
If it weren’t for the GTO that failed to sell, the Bonhams & Brooks auction at Gstaad, Switzerland, would have been called a great success. By raising their own bar and trying to sell a car for $10 million, B&B created a kind of “all or nothing” scenario. In the eyes of the collector car […]