1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Pinin Farina Spider (Series I)
Chassis 0448 MD is a rare first-series Pinin Farina Spider built as a 500 Mondial in October 1954 and believed to have left the Ferrari factory fitted with the larger 735 engine — a 2.9-litre twin-cam unit producing approximately 225 bhp. The twelfth of only thirteen such bodies, it was delivered new to Californian racing entrant Tony Parravano and competed successfully at Willow Springs in 1955 and 1956 before passing through Mexican and American private ownership across several decades.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$3,850,000
- —Auction saleSold €3,717,500 (≈ $4.09M)
- 1954-10-01 → 1960Factory deliveryAnthony 'Tony' Parravanopartial documentation
Based in Inglewood, California, Parravano entered the car in multiple Californian racing events. He listed it for sale in a trade publication in early 1957 but retained it for several more years before vanishing in April 1960 amid IRS difficulties.
- 1960 → 1972Private saleJavier Valesquezpartial documentation
Mexico City-based director and organizer of the Mexican Grand Prix, Valesquez purchased the car from Parravano in spring 1960. He removed the rollbar but left the corresponding bodywork holes unrepaired.
- 1972 → 1999Private saleRobert N. Dusekpartial documentation
A noted Ferrari collector from Solebury, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Dusek acquired the car with the aluminum passenger seat cover missing and sourced a replacement through Charles Betz in California. He retained ownership for over two decades.
- 1999 →Private saleCurrent custodianpartial documentation
Acquired via a broker acting as intermediary following Dusek's sale; first public offering of the car in approximately 18 years at time of cataloguing.
Competition
- 1955-02-01Willow SpringsDriver: Bob Drake4th overall, 1st in class
- 1956-03-01Willow SpringsDriver: Pat O'Connor3rd place
Maintenance & restoration
No maintenance or restoration records.
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