Legacy Metrics

1953 Ferrari 212 Europa Coupé (Vignale coachwork)

0287 EUroadItaly
Engine
2.6L SOHC V12, 140 bhp
Colour
Red with black roof

Ferrari 212 Europa Coupe chassis 0287 EU, bodied by Vignale and one of only six such examples built, was completed in the early 1950s and delivered new through Luigi Chinetti Motors to a New York financier. The car passed through a documented chain of American and European owners, participated twice in the Mille Miglia under Italian ownership, and was cosmetically restored around 2009 with a red-over-black finish and interior retrim. It subsequently completed two Copperstate 1000 rallies in 2012 and 2013.

Ownership

  1. Auction sale
  2. 1977 →Acquisition unknown
    Robert Raylor
    partial documentation

    Resident of Burlingame, California; owned the car from 1977.

  3. 1980 →Acquisition unknown
    Robert Lloyd
    partial documentation

    Based in Justin, Texas; initiated a restoration of the vehicle during his ownership.

  4. 1982 →Acquisition unknown
    John Ridings Lee
    partial documentation

    Dallas-based collector; had the coachwork repainted maroon and removed original chrome side trim during his tenure.

  5. 1983 →Acquisition unknown
    Russell Head
    partial documentation

    Hillsborough, California resident who exhibited the car at a Ferrari Owners Club concours event in 1984.

  6. → 1986-06-01Acquisition unknown
    Albrecht G. Guggisberg Oldtimer-Garage
    partial documentation

    Berne-based dealership that formally imported the car into Switzerland in June 1986 and promptly resold it the same month.

  7. 1986-06-01 → 1990-05-01Private sale
    Paolo Gecchelin
    full documentation

    Castelgomberto, Italy-based owner who used the car regularly, participated in club meetings and the Mille Miglia, before selling in May 1990.

  8. 1990-05-01 → 1992Private sale
    Graziella Palato
    partial documentation

    Vicenza, Italy resident who purchased the car from Gecchelin and later sold it back to him.

  9. 1992 → 1995Private sale
    Paolo Gecchelin
    full documentation

    Reacquired the car from Palato and again used it actively, including at the Mugello Ferrari club event, before making a final sale in 1995.

  10. 1995 → 1998Private sale
    Ralph Bruggmann
    partial documentation

    Gstaad, Switzerland-based collector who displayed the car at Ferrari's 50th anniversary celebrations in Italy in 1997.

  11. 1998 → 1999-12-01Private sale
    Albrecht Guggisberg Oldtimer-Garage
    partial documentation

    Berne dealership that repurchased the car and commissioned an engine overhaul before reselling it later that year.

  12. 1999-12-01 → 2009-05-17Private sale
    Edgar Schemerhorn
    full documentation

    Delft, Holland-based collector who used the car sparingly, exhibited it at several European events, and ultimately consigned it to an RM auction at the Ferrari factory in May 2009.

  13. 2009 → 2011Auction
    Texas-based restorer
    partial documentation

    Anonymous Texas owner who undertook a cosmetic restoration including a repaint in red with black top, interior reupholstery, and mechanical updates to shocks and fuel delivery.

  14. 2011 →Acquisition unknown
    Current custodian
    partial documentation

    Used the car on two Copperstate 1000 rallies and exhibited it at a New Mexico concours; had a full service carried out in early 2015 ahead of the auction.

  15. Date unknownPrivate sale
    Thomas Neelands
    partial documentation

    First owner, based in New York City; described as a prominent financier and automobile enthusiast who acquired the car through Luigi Chinetti Motors after factory shipment to the US.

  16. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Sid Colberg
    partial documentation

    San Francisco-based owner during the 1960s; no further details on tenure length or disposition.

  17. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Salt Lake City private owner
    none documentation

    Unnamed individual based in Salt Lake City, Utah; held the car for an unspecified period before it was exported to Switzerland.

Competition

  1. 1984-08-01
    Ferrari Owners Club Concours, Rancho Canada Golf Club
    Driver: Russell Head

    Shown by Head at the club concours held at Carmel Valley, California.

  2. 1987-10-01Ferrari Club Italia
    Ferrari Club Italia Meeting, Imola

    Gecchelin displayed the car at the club gathering in Imola.

  3. 1989
    Mille Miglia
    Driver: Paolo Gecchelin

    Car ran under race number 151 in its first Mille Miglia participation under Gecchelin.

  4. 1989-06-01Ferrari Club Italia
    Ferrari Club Italia Meeting, Imola

    Gecchelin exhibited the car for a second time at the Imola club meeting.

  5. 1990-05-01
    Mille Miglia
    Driver: Paolo Gecchelin

    Second Mille Miglia appearance for the car under Gecchelin's ownership.

  6. 1993-10-01
    Tutte le Ferrari in Pista, Mugello
    Driver: Paolo Gecchelin

    Gecchelin participated in this Ferrari gathering at the Mugello circuit following his reacquisition of the car.

  7. 1997-05-01
    Ferrari 50th Anniversary Celebrations, Rome and Maranello

    Bruggmann displayed the car at events marking half a century of Ferrari production, held in two Italian cities.

  8. 2002
    MECC Show, Maastricht

    Schemerhorn exhibited the car at this Dutch automotive show.

  9. 2005
    Uwe Meissner Modena Motorsport Track Days and Concours, Nürburgring

    Schemerhorn showed the car at this German event combining track activity and a concours.

  10. 2012
    Copperstate 1000

    First of two Copperstate 1000 outings under current ownership.

  11. 2013
    Copperstate 1000

    Second Copperstate 1000 appearance under current custodian.

  12. 2013-09-01
    Santa Fe Concourso

    Car was displayed at this concours event held in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Maintenance & restoration

  1. 1980
    Restoration

    Partial restoration begun by Robert Lloyd in Texas; extent and completion status unclear from available records.

  2. 1998Engine rebuild
    Oldtimer-Garage

    Engine overhauled on behalf of the Oldtimer-Garage following reacquisition from Bruggmann.

  3. 2009
    Restoration

    Cosmetic restoration carried out in Texas: coachwork refinished in red with a black roof, interior retrimmed in black leather.

    Work carried out by or for the buyer from the 2009 Maranello auction.

  4. 2009
    Mechanical

    Lever-action shock absorbers replaced with tube-type units for improved ride comfort; mechanical fuel pump substituted with an electric unit for greater reliability. Both changes noted as reversible.

    Performed in conjunction with the 2009 cosmetic restoration.

  5. 2015Service
    Bob Smith Coachworks

    Full service and detailing carried out in preparation for the auction consignment.

    Workshop located in Gainesville, Texas.

  6. Bodywork

    Car repainted maroon and side chrome trim removed during John Ridings Lee's ownership in the early 1980s.

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Each chassis record is compiled from public auction archives and links to its source material. Ownership, competition and maintenance entries are extracted from those catalogue listings by an LLM, which can make mistakes — please contact us with any corrections. The summary is Legacy Metrics’ own writing; we do not reproduce catalogue text.

“Full” and “partial” documentation labels indicate how well each entry is corroborated in the underlying sources, not an audit of the car’s physical paperwork. Names of recent or living owners are withheld for privacy.