Chassis No.6105Engine No.6105Gearbox No.16
The 23rd of only 32 examples produced; considered one of the very best in existenceShown at the Earls Court in 1966Successfully and frequently campaigned by Ron Fry, David Skailes, and Jack Maurice throughout England, with countless 1st place finishes Formerly of the renowned Matsuda Collection in JapanFerrari Classiche certified; retains all of its original mechanical componentsAn exceptional 250 LM in every regard; one of the most important and sought after of all Ferraris
320 hp, 3,286 cc aluminum-block V-12 engine with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors, five-speed manual transmission, independent suspension with front and rear unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 94.4 in.
RACING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Like all other 250 LMs, chassis number 6105, the 23rd of just 32 examples constructed, was destined for the race track. The Ferrari was ordered through Maranello Concessionaires by noted privateer Ronald Fry, a descendant of the prominent Fry family, who had made their fortune through confectionaries and chocolates in England starting in the 18th century. Ronald Fry was a seasoned racer, and it was no secret that his favorite cars were those from Maranello. Fry had traded in his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis number 3869GT), which he had campaigned quite successfully over the 1963 and 1964 seasons, and with the arrival of the 250 LM in mid-September, he was obviously quite excited to get his newest Ferrari out onto the track.
The 250 LM, boasting a new mid-mounted, 3.3-liter V-12, was developed for the GT class but forced to compete as a sports prototype. This was a drastically different automobile from earlier 250-series Ferraris. Nevertheless, it proved to be highly successful on the track, exhibiting spectacular poise due to its combination of handling and horsepower, which was beautifully mastered by a number of skilled drivers lucky enough to get behind the wheel. In 1965, chassis 5893 took 1st overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, making it the last Ferrari to ever do so, cementing the car’s place in automotive history.
The 250 LM is widely lauded as one of the greatest Ferraris of all time by owners, historians, and tifosi alike, and it would appear that Fry would agree. In his ownership, it was very actively campaigned on hill climbs, sprints, and club races around England for the rest of 1964 through to 1966, often placing in the top three with his weapons-grade Ferrari. Taking a 250 LM to such events was the automotive equivalent of taking a gun to a knife-fight, and the car’s results speak for themselves.
Chassis number 6105 (easily recognizable thanks to its registration number, RON 54) proved to be very successful in Fry’s ownership, and he often finished 1st in class and occasionally 1st overall. During the warmer months of the year, this car would be campaigned as often as four times a month. Seemingly every possible weekend that Fry could be out on the track in his Ferrari he made his way to an event and came home with a trophy in hand. In December 1965, Enzo Ferrari presented Ron Fry with a medal of recognition for his outstanding achievements in racing, which is a testament to the success of both Fry and his 250 LM.
More importantly, even though the car was campaigned with much frequency, Fry never had a major accident, and as a result, the car remained in exceptionally original condition. This is an important point to note, as 250 LMs in particular were raced hard and consequently many fell victim to the hardships of motorsport. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to find an example that is in such original condition, boasting such extensive competition history, as 6105.
In October 1966, chassis number 6105 returned to the Earls Court Motor Show, where it was displayed by Maranello Concessionaires in celebration of its racing success.
Prior to the 1967 racing season, Fry sold his 250 LM in January 1967 to David S. D. Skailes, of Staffordshire, the owner of Cropwell Bishop Creamery in Nottingham, who reregistered the car on plates BFB 932 B. Shortly after acquiring the car, Skailes had the engine overhauled by the Ferrari factory in Maranello and, at the same time, had body specialist Piero Drogo install a long nose on the car, giving it a more distinctive front end. Skailes continued to race the car at events in the UK and even campaigned the car, with Eric Liddell, at the nine-hour race at Kyalami in South Africa, placing 6th overall.
In October 1968, the 250 LM was acquired through Maranello Concessionaires by its third owner, Jack Maurice of Northumberland, who traded in his 275 GTB in order to make the purchase, and re-registered the car on license plates JM 265. Much like Ron Fry before him, Maurice continued to campaign his 250 LM on hill climbs and sprints around the UK, and the car returned to many of the same venues that it raced at under Fry’s ownership. For the 1970 season, Maurice had accumulated eight class wins, placed 2nd in the Shell Leader’s Hill Climb Championship, and won the Baracca Trophy and the David Poter Trophy for his exploits on the track.
Following the success of the 1970 season, 6105 took a brief respite from competition and was featured in a pair of articles written by Jack Maurice for the Ferrari Owners’ Club UK magazine, a five-page article in the Winter 1970–1971 issue, titled "Speed-Hillclimbing in a 250 LM", and a two page article titled "The Duchess" in Autumn 1975. Maurice had the engine rebuilt at Diena & Silingardi’s Sport Auto in Modena over the winter of 1975/1976 and sold the car in 1976.
After passing through Martin Johnson, chassis number 6105 was purchased by Richard Colton, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, and once more returned to the track under his ownership, participating in even more hill climbs and sprints around the UK. Following another four years of racing, Colton decided that his 250 LM was deserving of a restoration. To bring the car back to its original specifications, Colton purchased an original Scaglietti nose for a 250 LM from Robert Fehlmann, replacing the car’s Drogo long-nose, and had it fitted to the car during its restoration by GTC Engineering. Following the completion of the restoration, Colton showed the car at a pair of Ferrari Owners’ Club meetings in the UK, one in July at Eastington Hall and the other in September at Avisford Park.
AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE TRACK
Nearly 20 years after it was delivered new to Ron Fry, in 1984, chassis number 6105 was sold to its first owner outside of the UK, Mr. Yoshiyuki Hayashi of Tokyo. Hayashi kept the car in his collection for 11 years before it was sold to another esteemed Japanese collector, Yoshiho Matsuda, who also owned a 250 GTO and 250 Testa Rossa. In Matsuda’s ownership, the car was featured in a book on his collection, titled Rosso Corsa – Matsuda Collection, as well as pictured in issue 92 of Cavallino magazine and featured in the Japanese magazine Car Graphic.
Following a brief stint in the United States for three years with Kevin Crowder, of Dallas, Texas, the car returned to Europe and was owned by Robert Sarrailh and Andrea Burani before being purchased by Pierre Mellinger, of Lausanne, Switzerland. In his ownership, Mellinger exercised the car frequently, being driven and enjoyed by him on several European driving events. Mellinger drove the car on the Italia Classica in September 2011 from Maranello to Venice and back, as well as in the Tour Auto in April 2012. Also in 2012, chassis 6105 was driven by Mellinger at the Le Mans Classic, taking to the track for the first time in more than 30 years. Prior to this, the car received over $100,000 of work at GPS Classic in northern Italy, excluding an engine and transmission rebuild.
This 250 LM was sold to its current custodian later that year, as part of The Pinnacle Portfolio, and while in this collection, it has been beautifully preserved alongside other highly significant Ferraris. From the moment one first sets eyes on it, the sheer level of character and originality is instantly palatable. Although exhibiting slight signs of use from its more recent outings, it is evident that this is a very well-preserved and original example of one of Ferrari’s most celebrated racing cars. The car’s Ferrari Classiche certification only further confirms that it retains all of its original mechanical components. Additionally, it is offered with a spare, un-numbered 128 F-type engine, as well as an additional crankshaft and a set of Borrani wire wheels on Dunlop tires. Of course, the factory-correct appearance of its Scaglietti nose makes it all the more appealing.
The opportunity to purchase a 250 LM at auction is a rare occurrence, but the opportunity to purchase a pure example with known history from new is an unrepeatable opportunity. As one of the finest and most original examples of the last Ferrari to win overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the importance of the 250 LM as a model, and chassis number 6105 in particular, simply cannot be understated.
