1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C - Formerly the Property of Renzo Sinibaldi - Pebble Beach Award Winning Restoration by Motion Products Inc.
Coachwork by Scaglietti
Estimate: $12,000,000 - $16,000,000
Chassis: 09051
Engine: 09051
One of Only 12 GTB/Cs Built; the Ultimate Evolution of the Single-Cam Ferrari Berlinetta
Raced in Italy Between 1966 and 1970 with Numerous Class and Overall Wins
Retains Original Chassis, Body, and Engine
Beautifully Restored and Maintained by Motion Products Inc.
Offered with Extensive History File, Original Tool Roll, Books, and Literature Documented by Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini
3,286 CC Type 213/Comp SOHC V-12 Engine
Three Weber 40 DFI/3 Carburetors
333 BHP at 7,800 RPM
5-Speed Manual Transaxle with Limited-Slip Differential
4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Independent Suspension with Coil Springs and Shock Absorbers
PROVENANCE
Renzo Sinibaldi, Rome, Italy (acquired new in 1966)
Gino di Russo, Rome, Italy (acquired from the above in October 1966)
Alberto Federici, Rome, Italy (acquired from the above in 1968)
Vittorio Roveda, Watford, England (acquired from the above in 1971)
Robert de la Rive Box, Villmergen, Switzerland (acquired from the above in 1971)
Marco Spagnolo, Neuhausen, Switzerland (acquired from the above in 1971)
David Flanagan, Liverpool, England (acquired from the above via David Piper in 1971)
Martin and Ian Hilton, England (acquired from the above in 1978)
Hudson Li, US (acquired in 1993)
Ferrari of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, California (acquired from the above in 1993)
Private Collection, US (acquired from the above in 1993)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2004)
EXHIBITED
Club Ferrari France Rallye at Mas Du Clos, October 1974
Cavallino Classic, Palm Beach, Florida, February 1994
Chicago Historic Races at Elkhart Lake, July 1994
FCA National Meet, Monterey, California, August 1994
Chicago Historic Races at Elkhart Lake, July 1995
Reading Ferrari Concours d’Elegance, May 2006 (Nuvolari Award)
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, August 2007 (Second in Class)
RACE HISTORY
500 Kilometers of Mugello, July 1966, Sinibaldi/Grana, No. 98 (7th Overall, 1st in Class)
Trofeo Marco Venturi, July 1966, Sinibaldi (3rd Overall, 1st in Class)
Lago Montefiascone, July 1966, Sinibaldi (1st in Class)
Coppa Città di Chieti, August 1966, Sinibaldi, No. 224 (3rd Overall, 1st in Class)
Tolentino-Colle Paterno Hillclimb, September 1966, Sinibaldi, No. 234 (1st Overall)
Coppa del Cimino Hillclimb, September 1966, Sinibaldi (4th Overall, 2nd in Class)
Coppa Luigi Fagioli, September 1966, Sinibaldi (11th Overall, 1st in Class)
Rieti-Terminillo Hillclimb, October 1966, Sinibaldi (4th Overall, 1st in Class)
Vallelunga Autumn Trophy GT Race, October 1966, Sinibaldi, No. 66 (3rd Overall)
Trofeo Città di Orvieto, October 1966, Sinibaldi (9th Overall, 1st in Class)
Gara Tris Vallelunga, February 1967, Sinibaldi (3rd in Class)
Pieve Santo Stefano-Passo Spino Hillclimb, April 1967, Sinibaldi (2nd in Class)
Rieti-Terminillo Hillclimb, June 1967, Sinibaldi
Trento-Bondone Hillclimb, July 1967, Sinibaldi (3rd in Class)
Trofeo Città di Orvieto, October 1967, Sinibaldi (1st in Class)
Coppa Città di Volterra, May 1968, Sinibaldi (8th in Class)
Trofeo Micangeli-Arezzo, August 1968, Federici (1st in Class)
Catania-Etna Hillclimb, August 1968, Federici (1st in Class)
Trofeo Città di Orvieto, October 1968, Federici (1st in Class)
Ascoli-Colle San Marco Hillclimb, 1969, Federici
Targa Florio, May 1969, Federici/Lo Coco, No. 114 (DNF)
1000 Kilometers of Monza, April 1970, Federici/Vasari, No. 77 (DNQ)
LITERATURE
Autosprint, October 1966, pictured on p. 32
Autosprint, November 1966, pictured on p. 44
Auto Italiana, No. 37, September 15, 1966, pictured on p. 24
Ferrari Yearbook: 1946–1966, pictured on p. 26
Club Ferrari France Magazine, Issue No. 15, pictured on p. 13
The Prancing Horse, Spring 1977/78, “275 GTB/C: The Last Single Cam
Competition Berlinetta” by Dyke Ridgley, pp. 8–20
Robert de la Rive Box, Darf es ein Ferrari sein?, pictured on pp. 74–75, 92–93
Ian Webb, Ferrari 275 GTB & GTS, pictured on pp. 67, 69
THIS CAR
Starting with the 166 MM Berlinetta of 1950, Ferrari offered competition specification GT cars to customers who demanded automobiles that were equally at home on road or track.
With the introduction of the 250 series in 1953, Ferrari’s series of purpose-built GT cars continued to evolve. The 250 Mille Miglia was followed by several versions of the 250 GT Tour de France. In 1960, Ferrari introduced the 250 GT SWB Comp/60, followed the next year by the Comp/61. In 1962, Ferrari unveiled the 250 GTO, which pushed the envelope of GT car design and remained at the top of its class through 1964.
After the FIA refused to homologate the mid-engine 250 LM for the 1965 season, Ferrari decided to build three special competition cars based on the 275 GTB. These cars featured chassis lightened in every conceivable way, equipped with bodies made of the thinnest possible aluminum and 250 LM-specification engines. The most famous of these cars was initially campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari and then by Ecurie Francorchamps at Le Mans, where it placed 1st in Class and 3rd Overall.
Building on the success of these three 1965 cars, Ferrari produced a limited series of 12 similar cars for the 1966 season. The result was the 275 GTB/C – the “C” standing for competizione.
In an essay on the 275 series, noted motor racing historian Doug Nye describes the many unique attributes that distinguish these very special competition berlinettas:
“Here Ferrari tailor-made a circuit-racing gran turismo, which was effectively engineered from the tyres up, rather than a basic production car converted for occasional competition use. The 275 GTB/C is a very different animal indeed beneath its look-alike external skin, and the differences really begin with that external skin itself.
“Where production 275 GTBs were available with either standard-weight steel or lighter-weight aluminum bodywork, the GTB/C’s aluminum skin was of even thinner gauge than standard, to save many more kilogrammes in weight. Apart from the toughed-glass windscreen, the GTB/C’s windows and rear screen were in lightweight Perspex instead of glass, and the wheel-arches were slightly flared to accommodate the latest in (usually) Dunlop Racing tyres.
“The cabin interior was extremely sparsely furnished and equipped, the rear trunk was occupied by enormous long-range fuel tankage – with internal filler cap – and brakes and suspension were carefully tailored and set up for serious competition use in long-duration events. Borrani aluminum-rimmed lightweight wire-spoked wheels [outside-laced front] with knock-off centre-lock fixing were preferred instead of the road cars’ cast-alloy Campagnolo wheels.
“The 3.3-litre V12 engine in GTB/C form was equipped with high lift camshafts, 250 LM-type valves, competition pistons, a redesigned crankshaft and Weber 40 DFI/3 carburetors. Comprehensive use was made of lightweight magnesium castings in place of standard aluminum to save further weight, and the engine was also set up with dry sump lubrication in place of the standard wet sump road-going system.”
Given their specialized nature, many 275 GTB/Cs were sold to privateers such as the North American Racing Team, Ecurie Francorchamps, Maranello Concessionaires, and Scuderia Filipinetti. Despite their limited production, 275 GTB/Cs were extremely successful in racing, capturing class wins at Monza, Montlhéry, Nassau, and Le Mans.
The history of this 275 GTB/C can be traced to April 6, 1966, when Ferrari sent the bare chassis of 09051 to Scaglietti to receive its lightweight alloy bodywork. Completed that July, this GTB/C was the sixth example built, one of only eight specified in left-hand drive, and originally finished in the distinctive color scheme of Argento Metallizzato (Silver Metallic) with black leather upholstery.
Although the factory’s delivery records indicate that 09051 may have been intended for German Ferrari distributor Auto Becker, the GTB/C was instead sold to Renzo Sinibaldi, an amateur racing driver from Rome.
Sinibaldi’s racing career began in 1958 with Alfa Romeo Giuliettas, which he successfully campaigned in local events through 1962. He went on to race an Abarth-Simca in 1963 and a Lotus in 1964. In May 1966, Sinibaldi and Tullio Sergio Marchesi drove the first 275 GTB/C, chassis 09007, in the Targa Florio, finishing 26th. This experience in the latest Ferrari surely inspired Sinibaldi to purchase his own GTB/C the following month.
The first race Sinibaldi entered with 09051 was the 500 Kilometers of Mugello in July 1966. There, he and co-driver Grana drove the GTB/C to an impressive 1st in Class and 7th Overall finish. After his successful debut, Sinibaldi campaigned 09051 in nine races between July and October 1966, placing 1st in Class seven times and capturing an overall win at the Tolentino-Colle Paterno Hillclimb. These results put Sinibaldi in third place in the final standings for the 1966 Italian GT Championship.
Although 09051 was technically sold to Gino di Russo in October 1966, the Ferrari remained in Sinibaldi’s hands, and he continued to race it throughout the 1967 season and into 1968. During this period, he finished 1st in Class at the Trofeo Città di Orvieto and had good results at Vallelunga and the Trento-Bondone Hillclimb.
In August 1968, 09051 was sold to Alberto Federici. In the ensuing period, he entered the Ferrari in the Trofeo Micangeli-Arezzo, the Catania-Etna Hillclimb, and the Trofeo Città di Orvieto, winning his class in all three events. In May 1969, Federici and co-driver Domenico Lo Coco entered 09051 in Italy’s oldest open-road race – the Targa Florio. Wearing race No. 114, the three-year-old Ferrari made a valiant effort, though it eventually retired after an accident damaged the nose. The 1969 Targa Florio is 09051’s last recorded race entry; it did not qualify for the 1000 Kilometers of Monza in April 1970 and was retired from active use.
In 1971, Federici sold his GTB/C to Vittorio Roveda, an oil trader in Watford, England. That September, Roveda traded 09051 to exotic car dealer Robert de la Rive Box for a 250 GTE. From there, the car was sold, via David Piper, to David Flanagan of Liverpool, England. An avid enthusiast, Mr. Flanagan entered the GTB/C in the 1974 Club Ferrari France Rallye at Pierre Bardinon’s Mas du Clos.
In 1978, Martin and Ian Hilton purchased 09051, adding it to a stable that included a 250 California Spider. In 1993, the Hilton brothers sold 09051 and the car was exported to the US, where it traded hands a few times before being sold to a noted private collector and vintage racer whose stable includes some of the finest sports racing cars in the world. He owned 09051 for over a decade, though the car saw minimal use in his ownership.
In 2004, the GTB/C was sold to the current owner, a discerning collector with a passion for the finest Italian sports and racing cars. In early 2007, he entrusted the car to Wayne Obry’s Motion Products Inc. (MPI) in Neenah, Wisconsin, a firm widely regarded as the preeminent Ferrari specialist in the US. Over the next several months, 09051 was restored to show-quality standards and refinished it its 1966 livery.
In August 2007, the GTB/C was invited to the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, where it was displayed in Class M-2 for Ferrari competition cars. There, the 275 GTB/C scored 99 points and was awarded a Second in Class trophy in one of the most competitive categories.
While most collectors would consider a restoration complete after earning a trophy at Pebble Beach, this was certainly not the case with this GTB/C. In 2013, the Ferrari returned to MPI, where, in addition to a complete re-restoration of the bodywork, the car was mechanically rebuilt to exacting standards. This included a complete engine rebuild, utilizing the finest internal components. Upon completion, the engine was tested on the dyno and records confirm that it produced 333 hp at 7,800 rpm – more than 100 hp per liter – and 265 lbs./ft. of torque at 5,600 rpm.
In fall 2016, the Ferrari returned to MPI for additional fine-tuning and cosmetic attention and, in preparation for its appearance at auction, it returned once more in 2017, with the consignor insisting that the car be “perfect.” As documented by records on file, the current owner has spent over $800,000 with MPI on the restoration, preparation, and maintenance of this exceptional Ferrari.
The GTB/C has not been exhibited since 2007, allowing its next owner to arrive at the world’s finest concours and driving events with an important, yet relatively unseen, car. As it has not been shown at Pebble Beach in a decade, it will be an outstanding candidate for that event, as well as other top-tier venues such as Villa d’Este, Chantilly, and Cavallino Classic. Additionally, the GTB/C’s outstanding performance would make it a delight to use in historic racing and rallies; it is eligible for Le Mans Classic, Tour Auto, Modena Cento Ore, and more relaxed tours like the Ferrari Cavalcade.
David Gooding recently had the opportunity to experience 09051 firsthand and reported the following:
“This GTB/C is just incredible – one of the best vintage sports cars I’ve had the pleasure to drive, and it’s unlike any 275 I’ve ever experienced. This Ferrari is dialed-in, unbelievably fast, and the sound from the unmuffled side pipes is glorious. Unlike most competition cars, this GTB/C is very user-friendly and not at all temperamental. You can drive it in traffic in a calm, measured way, but when the road opens and you stand on the throttle, it’s an absolute monster.”
The sale of 09051 includes a correct, original tool kit and an original leather handbook folio containing an owner’s manual, spare parts catalogue, and dealer directory. Additionally, two rare original pieces of factory literature are included: the 275-specific Dati di Montaggio e Istruzioni per le Revisioni and an engine assembly instruction manual.
The GTB/C is also offered with extensive supporting documentation, including copies of the factory build sheets and foglio allestimenti, ACI registration records, period photographs, correspondence, magazine articles, restoration records, and a report compiled by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini.
As an original 275 GTB/C, 09051 is undoubtedly among the most desirable Ferrari GT cars of all time. These purpose-built 275s represent the ultimate evolution of Ferrari’s single-cam, 12-cylinder competition berlinetta – a line of thoroughbreds that dominated international GT racing for two decades. Without question, this was the ultimate dual-purpose sports car of its day – a GTO for 1966.
Not only is 09051 a rare and significant competition Ferrari, its history and provenance are second to none. Delivered new to Italian racing driver Renzo Sinibaldi, this GTB/C competed in more than 20 Italian circuit races and hill climbs, regularly winning its class and capturing several outright victories. In the hands of its second owner, the Ferrari remained competitive, even running the Targa Florio as a three-year-old car.
Over the past 50 years, this Ferrari has been in the hands of knowledgeable, passionate owners. It is supported by an exhaustive file of important documentation and has been prepared by one of the world’s foremost Ferrari specialists in a no-expense-spared fashion. Most important, this GTB/C is a genuine example retaining its original chassis, engine (internal no. 1178/64), and aluminum bodywork (numbered B6). Chassis 09051 is held in high regard by knowledgeable Ferrari specialists, including Marcel Massini, who recently described it as a “sensational car.”
Doug Nye, in concluding his aforementioned essay on the model, provides perhaps the best argument for these special cars:
“Today, in classic car terms, the Ferrari GTB/Cs – of which only 12 were built – are highly prized and much coveted. These wonderfully fast, solid, reliable Ferraris are perhaps the most graceful of the later front-engined gran turismo line, which like the legendary 250 GTOs themselves, are equally usable and as much at home on both rugged mountain road or billiardsmooth race circuit alike. They are, in short, great classics. What more would one expect, from Ferrari…?”
Location: Gooding & Co Pebble Beach Auction:
Pebble Beach Equestrian Center
Corner of Stevenson Dr. and Portola Rd.
Viewing:
Wednesday, August 1610:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday, August 179:00am - 6:00pm
Friday, August 189:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday, August 199:00am - 5:00pm
Auction:
Friday, August 186:00pm
Saturday, August 1911:00am
Admittance:
Admittance - $40, admits one to all events
Catalogue - $100, admits two to all events
Cash or credit card only.
Children under 12 free
