Drivetrain
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Body
Dealer Info
tel: 631-425-1555Autosport Designs, Inc. | Exotic, Vintage, and Classic Car Sales
203 West Hills Road
Huntington Station NY, 11746
Blue with Black leather interior, Black carpeting, Black convertible top and rare Factory hardtop in contrasting Silver, Numbers Matching with original type 128 D engine, Classiche Certified, excellent History from new, documented by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini
This 250 GT #1307 GT is the twenty-third of 50 long-wheelbase California Spyders manufactured. It is unique among them for several desirable and distinctive features, including the unusual Superamerica-style front fender vents and an insert air intake on the hood. Originally delivered on 27 March, 1959 to Prince Alvise Hercolani of Bologna, its certificate of origin was issued by Ferrari on 3 April, 1959.
Hercolani retained 1307 GT for about six months, selling it to the racing driver and car dealer Wolfgang Seidel in October 1959. In fact, Seidel drove the car to the V Grand Prix de Bruxelles in Belgium, as pictured in Jean-Paul Delsauxs book Les Grand Prix de Bruxelles. Seidel sold the car in 1961 to the cars third owner, Rolf Helm of Germany, before it was acquired by the fourth owner, William Morgan of Phoenix, Arizona. Morgan, who at the time lived in Wiesbaden, drove 1307 GT to Marseille, then put it on a boat to Corsica where he spent a two-week vacation with his wife. From there, the car boarded a boat for Genova before Morgan drove it to Modena.
Mr. Morgan would own the car for several more years. It was serviced at the factory in September 1963 and shipped to Pleasant Hills, California in 1965, as Morgan had since relocated back to the United States. 1307 GT was later sold on 22 September, 1966 to Mr. Edwin K. Niles, an attorney from California as well as well-known Ferrari enthusiast and collector. The car then passed through two other known owners before it was acquired by the 29-year-old Jim Swartout, who would own the car for the next 30 years. In 1999, next owner Jonas Liden of Sweden commissioned a full restoration at Carrozzeria Autosport, Bacchelli & Villa in Bastiglia, Italy. Following a showing at the Ferrari Owners Club UK National Concours in 2001, the current owner acquired the car in 2003.
Recently this 250 GT participated in the Texas 1000 and New England 1000, the car was stripped down to bare metal and refinished in a very attractive deep blue, the way it was during Seidels ownership. In addition to being shown at Meadow Brook in 2005, the car was also displayed at the 58th Annual Pebble Beach Concours dElegance in the special California Spyder category.
Most recently, the owner invested an additional $115,000 to bring the car to the Platinum Award-level standards mandated by the Ferrari Club of America. A complete motor and suspension rebuild were carried out by noted marque specialist Greg Jones. The convertible top and bows were restored, and the entire car was detailed appropriately to Platinum standards. As such, everything from restoring the instruments to fitting the correct inside mirror and replacing the exhaust tips was necessary. Furthermore, the side vents, which at some point were replaced by California Spyder side vents, were replaced with the correct 410 Superamerica pieces.
This exhaustive work has been documented with bills, receipts and photographs and, most importantly, was rewarded with certification by Ferrari Classiche, confirming the car is presented precisely the way it left the factory.
1307 GT is unique in several important respects. Most apparent is the switch box placed over the driveshaft tunnel just behind the shift lever. It contains the ignition switch and other controls which normally would be mounted on and below the dashboard and instrument panel, giving taller drivers more leg and knee room. As mentioned, 1307 GT also has distinctive Superamerica-style front fender vents formed from bright-finished aluminium. Fitted from new with the desirable and more reliable twin Marelli distributors, its three Weber carburettors breathe through factory-fitted velocity stacks and are contained within a cold air box, both highly desirable performance options fitted to only a few California Spyders.
1307 GT is a distinctive and rare automobile and a welcomed participant at various prestigious events throughout the world.
Blue with Black leather interior, Black carpeting, Black convertible top and rare Factory hardtop in contrasting Silver, Numbers Matching with original type 128 D engine, Classiche Certified, excellent History from new, documented by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini
This 250 GT #1307 GT is the twenty-third of 50 long-wheelbase California Spyders manufactured. It is unique among them for several desirable and distinctive features, including the unusual Superamerica-style front fender vents and an insert air intake on the hood. Originally delivered on 27 March, 1959 to Prince Alvise Hercolani of Bologna, its certificate of origin was issued by Ferrari on 3 April, 1959.
Hercolani retained 1307 GT for about six months, selling it to the racing driver and car dealer Wolfgang Seidel in October 1959. In fact, Seidel drove the car to the V Grand Prix de Bruxelles in Belgium, as pictured in Jean-Paul Delsauxs book Les Grand Prix de Bruxelles. Seidel sold the car in 1961 to the cars third owner, Rolf Helm of Germany, before it was acquired by the fourth owner, William Morgan of Phoenix, Arizona. Morgan, who at the time lived in Wiesbaden, drove 1307 GT to Marseille, then put it on a boat to Corsica where he spent a two-week vacation with his wife. From there, the car boarded a boat for Genova before Morgan drove it to Modena.
Mr. Morgan would own the car for several more years. It was serviced at the factory in September 1963 and shipped to Pleasant Hills, California in 1965, as Morgan had since relocated back to the United States. 1307 GT was later sold on 22 September, 1966 to Mr. Edwin K. Niles, an attorney from California as well as well-known Ferrari enthusiast and collector. The car then passed through two other known owners before it was acquired by the 29-year-old Jim Swartout, who would own the car for the next 30 years. In 1999, next owner Jonas Liden of Sweden commissioned a full restoration at Carrozzeria Autosport, Bacchelli & Villa in Bastiglia, Italy. Following a showing at the Ferrari Owners Club UK National Concours in 2001, the current owner acquired the car in 2003.
Recently this 250 GT participated in the Texas 1000 and New England 1000, the car was stripped down to bare metal and refinished in a very attractive deep blue, the way it was during Seidels ownership. In addition to being shown at Meadow Brook in 2005, the car was also displayed at the 58th Annual Pebble Beach Concours dElegance in the special California Spyder category.
Most recently, the owner invested an additional $115,000 to bring the car to the Platinum Award-level standards mandated by the Ferrari Club of America. A complete motor and suspension rebuild were carried out by noted marque specialist Greg Jones. The convertible top and bows were restored, and the entire car was detailed appropriately to Platinum standards. As such, everything from restoring the instruments to fitting the correct inside mirror and replacing the exhaust tips was necessary. Furthermore, the side vents, which at some point were replaced by California Spyder side vents, were replaced with the correct 410 Superamerica pieces.
This exhaustive work has been documented with bills, receipts and photographs and, most importantly, was rewarded with certification by Ferrari Classiche, confirming the car is presented precisely the way it left the factory.
1307 GT is unique in several important respects. Most apparent is the switch box placed over the driveshaft tunnel just behind the shift lever. It contains the ignition switch and other controls which normally would be mounted on and below the dashboard and instrument panel, giving taller drivers more leg and knee room. As mentioned, 1307 GT also has distinctive Superamerica-style front fender vents formed from bright-finished aluminium. Fitted from new with the desirable and more reliable twin Marelli distributors, its three Weber carburettors breathe through factory-fitted velocity stacks and are contained within a cold air box, both highly desirable performance options fitted to only a few California Spyders.
1307 GT is a distinctive and rare automobile and a welcomed participant at various prestigious events throughout the world.