24h Le Mans
Last weekend during Monterey Car Week in California, several cars that have competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans were sold at auction, among them was the Ferrari 250 GT SWB, seventh overall in 1960.
Presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1959, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB (Short Wheel Base) went on to have as successful a career as it was brief, racking up many wins, namely at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960 and 1961. And many remember Stirling Moss's first lap in the lead of the 29th edition in the 250 GT entered by the Rob Walker outfit and representing the NART team (North American Racing Team).
With a wheelbase of 2,400mm, considered by many engineers as ideal in competition since it afforded the perfect roadhandling balance both in curves and in straights, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB was equipped with a new generation V12 engine beneficiary of the Ferrari's years of experience.
The 1759 GT chassis (the sixth of the 250 GT SWBs) at auction by Gooding, designed especially for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was tested at length by official drivers Phil Hill, Richie Ginther and Wolfgang von Trips at Monza prior to being purchased by Dr. Harvey Schur, client and financial support for the American NART team. The Luigi Chinetti team entered the chassis at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans. Of the the three 250 GT SWBs sporting the colours of the overseas outfit, two crossed the finish line, in second and fourth place (1759 GT chassis driven by Ed Hugus and Augie Pabst, in the same lap as the two cars preceding it) in the GT 3.0 class (less than 3,000 cm3), fifth and seventh places overall. Those two 250 GT SWBs were a part of the one-two-three-four achieved by the transalpine constructor in the class despite the rain hitting the circuit!
After the race, the 1759 GT car crossed the Atlantic and changed owners several times, participating several times in the historic Monterey week. This time, the Italian car with the Scaglietti body was one of the stars of the auction organized by Gooding and was sold for 13.5 million dollars after an estimate of of between 15 and 20 million dollars.
Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
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Photo (Copyright - Archives ACO): It was the American NART team's sister car to the #18 Ferrari 250 GT that was sold at auction last week.
