This year the entrance-impression was breathtaking at once, #4219GT and #4561SA, a 250 GTO and a 330 GTO, were the “reception committee”, two of the 36 birthday children celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, representing a multimillion dollar equivalent. #4219GT was new in Rosso Cina and gave its “virgin victory” to Pedro Rodriguez starting in the 3h Daytona Continental. Beverly Spencer acquired the car later that year for unbelievable US$14.000. Today it belongs to American collector Brandon Wang, who uses it, painted dark Blue today, for displays and Tour Auto entries quite frequently. #4561SA is a standard 400 Superamerica-chassis with a GTO style body from new and it counts in the chain of the 36 GTOs Series I. #4561SA never raced actively, but has to look back on two crashes in the 1960s. It was acquired by Engelbert Stieger from Switzerland where it remains.
You hardly could focus on these two beauties when the glimpse you took already made you aware of the Daytona Competizione #13367 and the one-off 712 CanAm with serial number 1010, promoting the Val de Vienne Sport et Collection-event, taking place from June 1st to June 3rd. 13367 may be an unofficial NART Competition, converted by Sport-Auto Modena in 1974, that is based on a “normal” Plexi-Daytona that was delivered new to his first owner in Milano, but it has a strong race history after it was converted for Chinetti’s NART-team, including Le Mans-, Daytona- and Sebring-entries. Later in its life, the car was owned by well-known Ferraristi Preston Henn before changing hands to John Bosch from the Netherlands. You even can track a slot model of this car since Fly did produce it as one of their various Daytona Comp. models. #1010 started its life as a 512 S undergoing a Berlinetta conversion with little success in racing overall except a victory in the 9h Kyalami. After it was transformed into the 712 with the according engine, Arturio Merzario did dominate the Coppa di Shell in Imola before the car received its shape of today as a CanAm Spider. The car was part of Albert Obrist’s famous collection before it changed hands to Cavallino Holdings, Seattle, and was acquired by Carlos Monteverde who entered it in the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge before Englishman Paul Knapfield bought the car.
And if you think, that would have been all, just follow me further tiptoeing through the fair. The youngest cars being present have been 30 years of age already, a 512 Boxer, s/n 39729 displayed on a tailor, obviously lent by Car Classic, Genève and a US-308 GTS on number 31795. Klaus Werner, classic car dealer from Germany were#8457 and 250 TdF #0909GT on display. Going through my files when I came home I found out that the 275 GTB was in fact the “GTB/GTC “Corsa” Scaglietti” that was raced by one of my best friends’ father in the 1966 1000km Nuerburgring and did achieve a 1st in Class. The “GTC” is obviously related to a false stamping to the chassis that happened when the car was built in 1966.
Sodemo Vintage of Magny Cours showed a 308 GTB, converted to a Competition car. The Serial Number, 21377, was taken from the window code, there was no steering column plate or Telaio in the engine bay. The engine # visible was # F106B*00742*. If it is matching numbers? If the windows belong to that car or is a plugged-in spare parts? Who knows? The engine number could fit, plus ou moins… Nevertheless, the colour was interesting: Orange!
The next mind explosion was to be seen at the Tradex SRL/Franco Meiners-stand. The "Spazzaneve“ is an easy one to identify because of its name giving front. It was tested in late 1972 and became a stillborn project when designer Mauro Forghieri was transferred to the experimental department and the car, a 312 B3, was stored in the Factory before it was, what was unusual for that time, sold to Anthony Bamford. Temporarily owned by Yoshijuki Hayashi in Japan it became part of Albert Obrist’s collection as well. #0776S was already spotted at Uwe Meisner’s Modena Trackdays in July at the Nürburgring and was at the stand as well, accompanied by the Fantuzzi Spider #0790. Not easy to name it the highlight at Tradex SRL/Franco Meiners’, but the barn find 250 Monza Spider #0466M in need of a full restoration and without engine was for sure the most impressive display.
Lukas Hüni chose a very distinguished silver metallic display that went very well with stand and carpets in black. 250 GT TdF, # 1141GT, the second “1 Louvre”-car at the show, featured a solid grey stripe and was originally Red whilst the SWB shown, # 3005GT, was shown in its original Argento livery. Fiskens from Great Britain had already added the two Ferraris on display to their online inventory a few days in advance of the fair, but, does that matter? 032 is a 206 Dino Spider without any Racing History. It sure was entered later by its present owner, Carlos Monteverde, in the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge. Strangely enough, there are the same suspects as usual who tie in the row of owners, this time it’s Brandon Wang again, who owned the car from 1997 to 1999. Remarkable is that Monteverde crashed the car seriously at the 2003 Goodwood Revival. Nevertheless, the car shows up beautifully restored in Red, accompanied by 275 GTB/6C Competzione Series I with S/N 7437GT.
Official dealer and long time French importer Charles Pozzi tends to show restoration projects. This time they had a Daytona #15375 transformed from its original Red livery into Grigio Ferro on display. You would have to imagine that the car has Nero seats as they haven’t been installed yet, but the engine was said to have travelled 83,212 kms since the car was first registered in September of 1972. The 365 GTB/4 stood together with “young chap” # 37351, a 512 BB. A bit crammed into a corner by Automobiles Historique Ltd. was another repainted car. 275 GTS # 6977GT was dark Red originally and changed to Yellow at some point.
A cloverleaf of 246 Dinos was on display with various dealers. The little Ferrari, longtime handled neglected, is truly one of Marnello’s masterpieces. #02616 in Rosso Dino was the prettiest and sold already of course.
Could this be it, Folks? No, it can’t. Even if it was the European cold wave of 2012 one knows what to do. If Champs Eylsées and Ave George V are “Ferrari-free Zone” under that condition, there’s always the Parking at Ave Foche that holds the “Modern Party” on display. 19 cars could be identified by its serial number. Before we went to the fair at Porte de Versailles we visited Bonhams’ Paris Sale at La Halle Freyssinet. Most surprisingly we met Hilary A. Raab again who is still doing very well and who is still “chasing Ferraris”. The entry to Bonhams was for free what made the difference to the Artcurial-Auction in the fair-halls.
Err, there always is a life beyond the event and if you are in Paris it sure is easy to spend any spare time you have from spotting. Ask for non-automotive hot spots, hotels and restaurants and you will be served, we give some examples below. Paris is worth any minute being there and – it’s the town where you can refrain from using a car at any time. Travel expenses have been 80 USD for the Thalys and two carnets, the hotel fair is legitimate and the flair du Paris is priceless…
Hotel Pershing Hall
49 Rue Pierre Charron 75008 Paris
very close to upper Champs Élysees, very quiet, very chilly, cuisine is only fair
Hotel du Petit Moulin
29 Rue de Poitou 75003 Paris
lovely, small thing with every room being different, located in a great quartier, breakfast only
Brasserie La Coupole
102 Boulevard du Montparnasse 75014 Paris
established nearly 90 years ago, big, bigger, biggest, a must, traditional French cuisine
Restaurant Bouillon Chartier
7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre 75009 Paris
traditional French restaurant, be there early to get a seat!
And approx. 7,500 other restaurants! Please share your experience with us.