In the Style of Tour de France
CHASSIS NO: 0885GT
• Ferrari 250 GT chassis, engine and transmission
• An iconic tribute to the famous '14 louvre' Ferraris
• Known ownership history from new
• Meticulously restored and sorted
• 99 pages of receipts totaling some $240,000
• Exhibition and track-ready
• Eligible for a plethora of international events
This Ferrari 250 GT, chassis number 0885GT, started life as an Ellena Berlinetta and was sold new to New York, New York resident Hilary Seal. Its second owner who acquired the car in 1961 was Gilbert Schaefer, of Cleveland, Ohio. Later, the car would undergo an engine change and be fitted with Cobra 289 engine 3K28A and then would be purchased in 1980 by New Jersey resident George Rappelyea, who was said to have boosted the Cobra power plant to 330 horsepower with a Cobra 4-2V Weber setup. Subsequent owners include Roger Kerlin of Illinois and then, in the late ‘80s, Tim Chinn of Eugene, Oregon. In 2002, Marc Spizzirri purchased the car and at the same time purchased a 14 louvre Tour de France style body to put on the car with the intention of building a race-ready 250 GT that could be used on the track. Both chassis 0885GT and the ’TdF’ style body were sold to Spizzirri by Kansas collector Bob Fernano. Fernano was said to have acquired the body from the estate of Joe Marchetti after his passing. The origin of the body was explained to Spizzirri to have been commissioned by Michel Ringoir.
In June of 1957, Ferrari 250 Berlinetta Competizione chassis number 0707 was purchased by Michel Ringoir, a wealthy amateur driver, through Ecurie Francochamps, the Ferrari dealer in Belgium. 0707 GT was the last of the 14 louvre TdF Berlinettas, with the further distinction of the only one having the largest fuel tank installed, with a 137-litre capacity. While Ringoir registered his new Ferrari for road use, he immediately began racing; first entering a GT event on the 14-mile Nurburgring. The following week, he won at Zandvoort in Holland. Four more victories followed, and then he went on to the 1957 Tour De France, where he DNF'd. He campaigned the vehicle in 1958 for a full and successful season, entering many hill climbs and street races, winning in many. 1958 also marked his return to the Tour de France, but again, he did not finish. 1959 brought one more attempt toward conquering the Tour de France, but records reflect that he did not start, due to a financial downturn for the gentleman racer.
It is said that somewhere during this era, perhaps 1958, 0707 suffered a bad shunt, with Ringoir deciding that rather than repairing the body, he commissioned Scaglietti to create an entirely new body, and at the same time upgrade the front end to include the recessed, covered headlamps with Perspex covers. Since Scaglietti was the original body manufacturer, it was an easy, yet authentic task. With the body project nearly complete, Ringoir had a change of heart and decided to make the necessary repairs on the original 0707 body. This body is said to have sat unmolested at Ferrari until the ‘70s when noted Ferrari collector and dealer Joe Marchetti bought it and had it on display as artwork in his facility in Chicago. When he passed away, it was acquired by Bob Fernano of Kansas City who also displayed it until eventually selling it to Marc Spizzirri as previously mentioned.
Since then, Worldwide Auctioneers, in an effort to clarify the origins of the ‘TdF’ style body on this car, has communicated with noted historian and expert, Marcel Massini. Mr. Massini stated that the body was not the body commissioned by Ringoir but rather one constructed by Carrozzeria Allegretti. The Allegretti name instantly conjures images of the legendary Maserati’s Tipo 60/61 Birdcage racing cars and the 5000 GT. In 2004, the body was finally mated to chassis 0885GT by Tom Horvath of Anahiem, California and soon after followed the acquisition and installation of a proper inside plug engine and transmission. That engine is numbered 0695GT and originated in the same year 250 GT Ellena, accordingly chassis number 0695GT owned by Peter Fino of Chicago. The engine had been owned by Bugatti dealer De Dobbeler and sold to the U.S., later with Dick Merritt where it would remain in Maryland. Merritt would later sell the engine to Ash Marshall. Spizzirri, after a period of negotiating, was able to purchase the engine from Marshall. The negotiations were not simple, as Spizzirri also had to purchase a replica D-Type Jaguar from Marshall just to obtain this special engine. The engine was rebuilt and installed by Bill Pound who is well-known for his mechanical genius on many other important Ferraris and racing cars. Once mechanicals were all complete, the interior was properly outfitted with period-style blue racing seats and set up for some track time to dial it all in. It would then be exhibited at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel Valley, California in 2010 where it sat alongside many of the world’s great period sports cars including its Ferrari brethren.
Eric Edenholm of Scottsdale, Arizona would be the next owner of the 0885GT. Several important details were still lacking on the car upon his acquisition, and he wanted the car to be entirely correct in presentation. With that in mind, the car was taken to noted sports car restorers Fast Cars Ltd. of Redondo Beach, California who performed a concours restoration to exacting specifications with work being completed in 2015. Included with the purchase are nearly 100 pages of receipts showing in detail the work that was performed. In recent discussions with Mr. Edenholm, he indicated that the work was performed at a cost of some $240,000. It is easy to see the attention to detail and accuracy in the work that led to that cost indeed.
This car is a faithful tribute to the highly sought-after second series ’14 louvre’ cars, of which only nine examples were built. Today chassis 0885GT presents with a correct engine and transmission along with many other accurate, hard-to-source period Ferrari components. It has a known ownership history dating back to when it was sold new and comes with documentation reflecting its readiness and prowess that hearken back to the late ‘50s when some of the world’s greatest road and track-going Ferraris were driven and raced. Due to the age and rarity of this car, the new owner can expect to use 0885GT at a myriad of vintage racing events, tours, shows and rallies across the globe. Extremely satisfying to drive, powerful, and visually stunning in appearance, it will draw the attention of enthusiasts and collectors everywhere.
The Auburn Auction - Schedule of Events
Wednesday, August 31
9am – 6pm • Auction Preview, Car Corral and Swap Meet
6:30pm – 8pm • Andy Stone Celebration of Life Reception
Thursday, September 1
9am – 6pm • Auction Preview, Car Corral and Swap Meet
11am – 6pm • Collector Car Auction
11:45am • Hoosier Tour Arrives at ACD Museum and ACD Festival Kick-Off
6pm – 10pm • Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, ‘Art of the Automobile’ Annual Benefit & Celebration
Friday, September 2
12pm – 9pm • Shuttle to Downtown and Museums
9am – 6pm • Auction Preview, Car Corral and Swap Meet
11am – 6pm • Collector Car Auction
6:30pm • ACD Festival 9th Street Experience Downtown on the Square
Saturday, September 3
12pm – 9pm • Shuttle to Downtown and Museums
9am – 6pm • Auction Preview, Car Corral and Swap Meet
9am – 11am • ACD Club Reunion Judging & Car Show at Eckhart Park followed by Parade of Classics
