THE 250 GT GOES TOPLESS

Introduced at the 1957 Geneva Salon, the Pinin Farina-bodied Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet was not only a triumph of design, with its elegant rear haunches, covered headlamps, and long centrally ventilated bonnet; but it also marked an auspicious milestone in Maranello history, as the company’s first series-produced open-top model. While the first two examples were essentially prototypes that visibly varied, the next 38 cars were generally more uniform in overall design, albeit with numerous trim variations.

The range of these details, from covered or uncovered headlamps, to a variety of bumper and body trim configurations, as well as various interior considerations and color schemes, render each Series I Cabriolet a virtual “one-off” bespoke grand touring machine. This idea was further cemented by the fact that the cars were individually built in Pinin Farina’s custom shop rather than on the more-commonplace factory floor. The degree of craftsmanship was evident in the car’s final price, which was substantially higher than the venerated California Spider, making it the flagship touring model of the company’s 250 GT range.

In total, only 40 examples of the first-series Pinin Farina Cabriolet were built before the body style gave way in late 1959 to the more practical Series II redesign. With a competition derived chassis and the ever-formidable Tipo 128C short-block V-12, the first-series cabriolets were not only beautiful to behold, but they were equally capable of exhilarating performance, representing the pinnacle of open-top grand touring in the late 1950s.

DRESSED FOR A SHOW

Benefitting from a 2024 refurbishment by one of the Ferrari niche’s most highly regarded restoration firms; followed by awards at Pebble Beach and the FCA National Concours, this magnificent 250 GT beautifully embodies the style and power that defined the first-series Pinin Farina cabriolet. According to the research of marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis number 0801 GT is the 17th first-series cabriolet built. Attractively configured with covered headlamps and front bumperettes, the 250 GT was immediately slated for presentation by the factory at the Geneva Salon, making it one of the marque’s important show cars. For this momentous occasion, the choice was made to finish the Cabriolet in a highly refined color combination, Grigio Metallizzato (MM 16201) paint over an interior trimmed in Rosso leather.

A month after being presented on the Ferrari stand at the 1958 Geneva Salon, the Ferrari was sold to its first owner, a professional opera singer based in Milan named Giuseppe Di Stefano. A multi-decade fixture in Italy’s opera niche, Di Stefano was a celebrated tenor who recorded numerous albums with the legendary Maria Callas, and he was a major influence on Luciano Pavarotti. Almost 18 months later Di Stefano sold the 250 GT to Count Alberto Paolo Zintovalle, who kept the car for three years before reselling it to Plaisance Bernard. Bernard soon moved from Milan to Modena, and he went on to retain possession until May 1971, when the Cabriolet was sold to Gastone Crepaldi Automobili, the well-known Ferrari dealer in Milan.

The Ferrari remained with Crepaldi for three years before it was purchased by Luigi Chinetti Motors, which ordered extensive cosmetic modifications (including changes to the tail lamps and dashboard configuration, and a repaint in blue). At this time the original engine was removed and installed in a 250 GT Ellena.

After being imported to the US by Chinetti, the Ferrari was soon delivered to its buyer, the well-known collector Philip Wichard, of Huntington Bay, New York. By 1975 Mr. Wichard sold the 250 GT to a dealer, and it proceeded through a short chain of owners over the next two decades, eventually being cosmetically refinished in 1987 in rosso over cream.

In May 2000, 0801 GT was acquired by the consignor, a Ferrari collector living in New Mexico who had long wanted to drive a flagship 1950s sports car on a vintage tour. Following participation in the 2002 Colorado Grand, the owner undertook some restoration of the mechanical elements, and the car then made a fantastic showing at the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolets staged at the 2007 Quail Motorsports Gathering. Four years later the Cabriolet was the subject of a full color feature in the November 2011 issue of Forza magazine.

Even while enjoying this recognition for 0801 GT as well as its spirited performance on the road, inspiration took hold of the owner over time to return the Cabriolet to its original specifications and recapture the grandeur it once displayed as a factory show car. To this end, in 2024 he submitted 0801 GT to Motion Products Inc (MPI) in Neenah, Wisconsin, one of the most trusted names in Ferrari restoration. In addition to performing a complete chassis renovation, the coachwork and interior details were returned to their original factory configuration. After studying a period album photograph, the experts at MPI recognized the depth of color in the original shade of Grigio Metallizato (MM 16201) and refinished the coachwork in a similar shade of Grigio Conchiglia Metallizzato, which features undertones of blue and green that spring to life in certain lighting conditions. After re-trimming the interior in Rosso leather as original, the result masterfully recreated the Cabriolet’s majestic appearance at the 1958 Geneva Salon.

Most significantly, the owner re-acquired at considerable expense the matching-numbers engine, number 0801 GT, sourced from UK based Ferrari specialists DK Engineering. The inside-plug type 128C engine was fully rebuilt and reinstalled in its rightful place adding to the car’s highly desirable state of authenticity. (This engine block had been previously inspected and restamped by Ferrari Classiche in the mid/late 2000s, in an endorsement of its originality.) As reflected by invoices on file, the total investment for the engine purchase and MPI’s comprehensive restoration work exceeded $2 million.

This factory show car debuted its immaculate restoration at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it received a 2nd-in-class award, bested only by a 250 GTO. A month later the Cabriolet was exhibited at the 60th Annual Ferrari Club of America National Meeting and Concours at Elkhart Lake, where it was the recipient of a Platinum Award and the David Carte Memorial Trophy for the most thoughtfully refurbished vintage Ferrari (commissioned by a well-known marque collector in honor of the late Ferrari restoration specialist, who won world-class awards for restoring important cars for elite clientele).

Having only been presented at Pebble Beach and the aforementioned FCA Concours since restoration, 0801 GT remains eligible to be shown at the world’s most exclusive gatherings such as the Cavallino Classic or the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza. Reunited with its matching-numbers engine and restored to an impeccable concours winning level, this magnificent Cabriolet is a stunning example of Ferrari’s boutique flagship model that is worthy of the most accomplished collections.