A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO will be among the featured entries at the 2014 Ennstal-Classic, scheduled for 9-12 July in Austria. The three-day rally in the Alps is open to interesting and sporting cars built before 1973.
Within the first 20 years of the Ennstal-Classic, cars like the pre- and postwar Mercedes Silver Arrows, the Jaguar C- and D-Type as well as the Porsche 917 could be admired at the Ennstal-Classic, but an original Ferrari GTO has never participated until Lord Laidlaw registered his example for the 2014 event.Laidlaw, who lives in Monaco and is well-known in the classic car community, regularly exercises his collection in races like the Goodwood Revival and the Tour Auto.
The first owner of the Ferrari GTO (3527GT) was the Viennese jeweler Gotfried Köchert. The 290 HP, three-liter V12 was delivered on May 22nd 1962. Köchert drove the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring together with his friend Umberto Maglioli. The team was in lead in the three-liter GT class until, after a pit stop, the engine did not start anymore.
The car was sold back to Maranello and then via Ecurie Francorchamps to Lucien Bianchi, who came in 7th at the Tour de France after he collided with a truck whilst in the lead. Afterwards Bianchi and Mairesse came in fifth at the 1000 km race of Montlhery and Bianchi won the GP of Angola.
Serial number 3527GT was sold to the Scuderia Filipinetti. The Suisse banker Armand Boller bought the GTO in 1963 and drove mountain races. In 1965 the car “civilised” for road use with a leather interior and wind-up glass windows at the Suisse company Graber.
From 1966 until 1972, Sir Anthony Bamford was the owner of the GTO. He sold it to Volkswagen dealer Don Nelson. In 1984 the car went on to Stephen Pilkington who owned the car for 20 years until it was bought by Irvine Laidlaw in 2005.
For additional information, visit ennstal-classic.at/en.
[Source: Ennstal-Classic]
