Sharing the same chassis as the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, the short wheel base (SWB) Ferrari 250 California Spyder was a fraction under 8 inches shorter than the original Long Wheel Base Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder of which 49 examples had been built 1957 and 1960.

Of the 55 SWB California Spyder bodies designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti 37 had faired in headlights.

First seen at Geneva Motor Show in 1960 the California Spyder was powered by a 276hp version of the 3 litre / 183 cui V12 motor designed by Gioacchino Colombo.

Along with the additional power the SWB California was fitted with hydraulic disc brakes in place of the drum brakes of originally fitted to the older long wheel base model.

At the time of writing it is not known who first purchased chassis #2891 in 1961, but it’s three known subsequent owners all lived in Europe, so this car appears to have never seen the California sunshine for which it was built.

Thanks for joining me on this “8 Inches Shorter” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll for the start of GALPOT’S 50th Anniversary of the Porsche 911 celebration. Don’t forget to come back now !