Tag Archives: Borrani

One Seventy Four – Maserati Ghibli SS

In 1969, three years after the launch of the original Tipo AM115 Maserati Ghibli the Tipo AM115/49 Maserati Ghibli SS was introduced.

Maserati Ghibli SS, Silverstone Classic,

The major difference between was the increased displacement of the quad cam motor up from 4,719 cc / 288 cui to 4,930 cc / 301 cui which with the latest four vertical twin Weber 42 DCNF/11 carburettors pushed the power up from 310 hp to 330 hp.

Maserati Ghibli SS, Silverstone Classic,

Similarly the top speed was pushed up from 155 mph to 174 mph.

Maserati Ghibli SS, Silverstone Classic,

After 1,195 Ghibli Coupé’s and Spyders of both AM115 and AM 115/49 types had been manufactured Maserati dropped the Ghibli for a new Bertone designed Maserati Khamsin in 1974.

Maserati Ghibli SS, Silverstone Classic,

The Tipo AM115/49 seen at Silverstone Classic in these photographs was built in 1971 and is fitted with Borrani wire wheels that were optional when the car was new.

Thanks for joining me on this “One Seventy Four” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I will be looking at a vintage French car fitted with a vintage American aero engine. Don’t forget to come back now !

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It Is Frank’s – Ferrari 275 GTB/4 #10785

Today’s blog is the last in the current series featuring the 275 GTB model.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Official records show this car was built in 1968 indicating it is a 275 GTB/4 with the 300hp 4 cam 6 carb motor.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Official records also tell us that this car was first registered in the UK on the 3rd December 2004.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Thanks to Mark Shannon at Ferrari Chat I now know this car chassis #10785 was bought by former Nottingham BMW Alpina dealer and 1988 British Touring Car Champion Frank Sytner in October 2003 for over US$ 300,000.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

#10785 seen in these photographs at Silverstone Classic was originally delivered to US Agent Chinetti motors in 1967, but by 1980 had found it’s way to Arnold & Werner Meier in Meilen Switzerland where it remained until Frank acquired it.

Thanks for joining me on this “It Is Not Steve’s” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow for a look at a Silver Cloud. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Ferrari Friday – San Marino Motor Classic

For the final visit to this years San Marino Motor Classic today’s featured marque is, unsurprisingly Ferrari.

Ferrari 250 GT PF Coupé Speciale, San Marino Motor Classic

Oldest of the Ferrari’s in this years show and winner of the
Art Center College of Design Award, was this Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Coupé Speciale. Built in 1956 with a 410 Superamerica body the car was delivered new to a descendent of FIAT’s Agnelli family who coincidentally was also member of the FIAT boardroom.

Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet S2, San Marino Motor Classic

Looking at the entry list which names only the entrant, marque and date and other resources it appears the vehicle above is a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Cabriolet Series 2.

Ferrari 250 GT Coupe PF, San Marino Motor Classic

I’m much less certain as to the identity of the vehicle above it’s definitely one of 351 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Coupé’s. The combination of repeater light, absence of optional bonnet scoop and drivers side only door mirror lead me to believe this particular vehicle may have been built for a US Serviceman from Chicago who kept the car for 16 years.

Ferrari 250 GT/L, San Marino Motor Classic

Winner of the Pasadena Humane Society Award was the 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L belonging to Alan & Wendy Hart, a car originally delivered to a customer in Belgium.

Ferrari 365 GTS/4, San Marino Motor Classic

There were only 122 Ferrari 365 GTS/4’s built but I have not been able to link the owner of this 1973 example on the entry list to any particular chassis of the many with yellow bodies and Borrani wheels.

Ferrari F40, San Marino Motor Classic

It will also take a historian far more capable than me to tell you which of the 1,315 F40’s, like the 1990 example above, this is.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton and Paul McNabb for sharing their photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Friday” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at some details from last month’s Avenue Drivers Club meeting. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Wanting For Nothing Except A New Owner – Ferrari 330 GTC # 10653

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

Basking in the cool shade on a hot day at a Silverstone Press Event a couple of weeks a was this elegant Ferrari 330 GTC, though as we shall see less kind mortals than myself might have construed it’s presence as a spoiler for a rival auction coming up at Goodwood Festival of Speed organised by Bonham’s on the 1st of July.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

Should one of the tyres on the four, originally optional, fetching Borrani wheels deflate this vehicle comes with a jacking bag to facilitate wheel changes.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

Introduced in 1966 the Ferrari 330 was in production while it’s predecessor the 275 GTB/4, with which it shared a common chassis features including wheelbase dimensions, oval tube construction and rear mounted gearbox attached to a transaxle, was still in production, both models went out of production in 1968, around 600 of the larger engine 330 models were manufactured.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

The Pininfarina bodywork is a master class in simple, sexy, sixties elegance from just about any angle.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

Not at all sure how the fuel cap works but it’s hard to imagine it operation will be any less elegant than it’s design.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

This particular vehicle was originally imported to the United States in June 1968 and sold through US importer Chinetti after spending 20 years in New York it moved to sunnier climes with a new owner resident in Florida and thence back to Italy. This car was bare metal restored in Switzerland in 2001 and sold to a Dutch Collector with whom it remained until it’s present owner acquired the car in 2009.

Ferrari 330 GTC, Silverstone

The car has been fitted with a 300 hp 4 litre / 244 cui Colombo V12 motor #07433 of the correct type, though originally installed in a 330 2+2.

As the man from Bonham’s says this car want’s for nothing except a new owner.

My thanks to Jonathan Gill of mpacreative, who facilitated my visit to Silverstone, don’t forget Silverstone Auctions sponsors of the forthcoming Silverstone Classic Weekend will be holding their own Silverstone Classic Sale on July 23rd.

Thanks for joining me on today’s elegant Pininfarina edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Lennon’s on sale again, Lot No: 363 – Ferrari, 330 GT, #06781, 1964.

I’d like to thank Steve Arnaudin for sending me a link to the subjects of today’s Ferrari Friday.

Lot No: 363 is billed as the greatest “collision of universes” on one website, and it’s not hard to disagree, it is well known that John Lennon had a couple of Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine‘s one of which was famously painted by J.P. Fallon Limited to become known as the ‘psychedelic Rolls‘ though the design is actually based on traditional designs of gypsy caravans one of which John had purchased for his garden.

John said of his Rolls that it was for ‘relaxing’.

Less well known was that John also had a Mini for ‘pottering about in’, and by all accounts had a crash involving his Austin Maxi.

News to me thirty years after his death is that John also bought this Ferrari, his biography ‘John Lennon – A Life’ by Philip Norman tells us “In February 1965, John passed his driving test, an event that made headline news across the nation. Within hours, every luxury car dealership in the Weybridge area, hoping for business, jammed the road outside Kenwood’s security gates with Maseratis, Aston Martins, and Jaguar XK-E’. John strolled out to inspect this gleaming smorgasbord, eventually selecting a £2,000 light blue Ferrari.’ “

This is the car sold on 20th April 1965 registered with these DUL 4 C plates to John who was officially recorded as living in central London at the time.

The 330 engine featured 12 cylinders of 330 cc / 20 cui each, from which the 330 name stems, giving the Colombo V12 a total capacity of 3,960 cc / 241 cui capable of producing 300 hp. This engine would form the basis of several racing motors including that used by the Ferrari P4.

John’s Right Hand Drive US bodied 330 GT was fitted with electric windows, a Webasto Sunroof and is one of 508 equipped with the original 4 speed gearbox with overdrive.

Unfortunately John’s car is no longer it’s original Azzuro Light Blue VM 3015 colour, the current darker colour was applied during a restoration in the 1990’s after the car had been found ten years earlier painted red.

The 330 GT came with shiny Borrani wheels adjustable Koni shock absorbers, rear leaf springs assisted by coils, unusually the dual circuit servo assisted braking had one servo operating exclusively on the front and the other exclusively on the rear brakes.

John said of his Ferrari he bought it ‘for zoom’ on 12th of November 1965 six months later DUL 4 C was advertised for sale with 3,000 miles on the clock.

The car is for up for auction at Bonhams Grand Palais event in Paris tomorrow it will be interesting to see if it fetches the maximum estimated € 170,000 in these times of economic uncertainty, my guess is that this is an extremely conservative estimate designed to draw the punters in.

Hope you have enjoyed todays Ferrari Friday ‘zoom’ edition of Gettin’ a little psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a look at a Piccoli Ferrari. Don’t forget to come back now !

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