Auburn Auction: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta

The Auburn Auction, hosted by Worldwide Auctioneers from September 1 to 3, 2022, is just over a week away, and a lot of high-quality classic cars are getting added to the listings daily. Everything from pre-war Bentley’s to modern classics from the likes of Aston Martin and Porsche are crossing the block, but one that grabbed our attention almost immediately was one of the best looking, in both terms of beauty and also condition, Ferrari’s we have seen at auction, Lot 628, a 1958 250 GT Long Wheel Base Berlinetta. What makes this listing even more intriguing is the pedigree that this actual car has, as described in the full history that is provided as part of the lot.

This specific model is chassis 0885GT, which was originally destined to be a 250 GT Ellena Berlinetta, but was made a LWB at the last moment, then delivered to its first owner in New York in 1958. Three years later, in 1961, the car was sold to its second owner in Cleveland, where the first of several changes to the car were made. That second owner removed the Tipo 128C V12 and put a Ford 289 Cobra V8 in, and owned the car for a good 19 years. It was then sold on to it’s third owner in 1980 in New Jersey, who boosted the 289 Cobra’s power with fitting a 4-2V Weber carburettor setup, developing 330 HP.

It was then sold on to its fifth and sixth owners in the 80s, the first in Illinois, then second in Oregon. It stayed there until its seventh owner bought it in 2002, Marc Spizzirri. We focus on this transaction because at the same time as buying the 250 GT LWB, Spizzirri also bought the body shell of a 1957 Ferrari 250 GT TdF 14-louvre, specifically a spare one from chassis 0707GT. Only nine 14-louvre editions of the TdF were made, and this body shell was made to replace one that had been damaged in a racing crash, before the gentleman racer decided to have the original body shell repaired instead of replaced.

There is an extremely convoluted but certified and tracked history of the body shell in the auction description, with the hard copy report signed and stamped by noted automotive historian Marcel Massini included in the lot. This body shell was purchased to be fitted to 0885GT to make it into a track and race car eligible for historic events.

However, he instead sold the car, the body shell, and all the documents he had received to Eric Edenholm in Arizona, who bought it as a restoration project. He is a devoted Ferrari enthusiast, and 0885GT provided him with the perfect opportunity to bring a 250 GT LWB back to its original glory. It took several years, sourcing of genuine parts from the 1950s instead of having modern equivalents machined or made, and Mr Edenholm was not going to stop until the car was “as from the factory” in condition and specification. As part of the restoration, however, that TdF body was finally fitted to the chassis, making this an unofficial 10th car of the 14-louvre series of 250 GTs. Because of his exacting specifications and making sure every bolt, screw, knob, lever, and wire was as original as possible, the entire restoration required a staggering $240,000 to complete.

However, this means that 0885GT is fitted once more with a Tipo 128C V12, with a triple bank of Weber 36DCZ/3 carburettors, sending all 240 HP through a Ferrari 4-speed manual transmission.

Every nook and cranny is period correct, and 0885GT, since 2015, has been a darling of multiple Concours d’Elegance. It is also eligible for vintage racing, despite being restored as a concours car, and it will almost surely be seen at many of the best car shows and concours around the USA. The lot also includes the full, documented history of each sale, all maintenance, and a 99 page booklet of receipts for Mr. Edenholm’s meticulous, respectful, and complete restoration.