Legacy Metrics

1954 Ferrari 375 Plus

0478 AMracingItaly
Engine
4.9L (4,954 cc) V12, up to 372 bhp

Ferrari 375 Plus chassis 0478 AM is one of only two cars built on the Tipo 102 Plus chassis and fitted with the 4,954 cc Lampredi V-12 engine. Delivered in early 1955 to Italian-American racing impresario Tony Parravano, it was driven to notable victories by Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney before passing to collector William Harrah. Later rebodied in aluminium by craftsman Jack Sutton, it subsequently received a professional restoration in Switzerland and participated in the Mille Miglia Storica multiple times during the 1990s. The original matching-numbers engine and rear axle are retained.

Ownership

  1. Auction sale
    Estimate US$5,500,000 – US$7,500,000

    RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →

  2. 1955 →Factory delivery
    Tony Parravano
    partial documentation

    Italian-American sports car racing promoter who ordered the car new with Scaglietti spider coachwork. Parted with the car as the newer 410 Sport model superseded it.

  3. → 1960Private sale
    Frank Arciero
    partial documentation

    California-based SCCA competitor who purchased from Parravano and had new aluminum bodywork fabricated by coachbuilder Jack Sutton, along with possible chassis modifications improving handling. Campaigned the car competitively through 1959.

  4. 1960 → 1984Private sale
    William Harrah
    partial documentation

    Casino entrepreneur and prominent American automobile collector who held the car for roughly 24 years as part of a collection that eventually became the National Automobile Museum.

  5. 1987 → 1996Acquisition unknown
    Swiss enthusiast
    partial documentation

    Unidentified Swiss collector who arranged a restoration by Graber Automobile and used the car in the Mille Miglia Storica on four occasions during the 1990s, with engine work carried out by René Ruch and Beat Roos Engineering.

  6. 1996 →Private sale
    Current consignor
    partial documentation

    Described as a world-class collector who kept the car largely out of public view for approximately 29 years, with a notable exception being its appearance at the 2000 Wine Country Classic driven by Dan Gurney.

Competition

  1. 1955-05-01SCCA
    Santa Barbara
    Driver: Jack McAfee3rd overall

    Car ran as number 98 in its first official competitive outing following delivery to Parravano.

  2. 1955-07-01
    Seattle Seafair airfield race
    Driver: Carroll Shelby1st overall

    Shelby later recalled this as his favorite Ferrari drive; cited as one of only ten Ferraris he piloted to an overall victory.

  3. 1955-12-01SCCA
    Palm Springs
    Driver: Carroll ShelbyDNF — crash on first lap

    A heavy incident in the preliminary race put the car out before the main event could be contested.

  4. 1957-12-01SCCA
    Paramount Ranch
    Driver: Dan Gurney1st

    One of three victories for Gurney while driving for Team Arciero that attracted attention from Luigi Chinetti and ultimately Scuderia Ferrari.

  5. 1958-04-01SCCA
    Palm Springs
    Driver: Dan Gurney1st
  6. 1959SCCA
    Pomona
    Driver: Dan Gurney1st

    Final noted victory with the car; Gurney's performances during this period led to a factory Grand Prix invitation for the 1959 season.

  7. 2000
    2000 Wine Country Classic
    Driver: Dan Gurney

    Gurney, one of the car's original period drivers, piloted it again at this event during the current owner's tenure.

  8. Mille Miglia Storica
    Mille Miglia Storica

    Car participated four times during the 1990s while owned by the Swiss collector; engine was rebuilt during this period.

Maintenance & restoration

  1. 1987Restoration
    Graber Automobile

    Comprehensive restoration carried out by respected Swiss specialists who had roots as pre-war coachbuilders and had evolved into restoration work.

    Commissioned by the Swiss owner following acquisition in 1987.

  2. Bodywork
    Jack Sutton

    Complete new aluminium coachwork fabricated and fitted by British-born metalworker Jack Sutton, replacing the original Scaglietti spider body. Possible chassis adjustments were carried out concurrently to improve handling.

    Work was commissioned by Frank Arciero after his purchase of the car; Sutton had a background in British aviation metalworking before establishing himself as a coachbuilder in Los Angeles.

  3. Modification
    Jack Sutton

    Chassis alterations potentially undertaken alongside the rebodying to produce lighter, more responsive handling characteristics.

    Described as possibly including chassis adjustments; precise scope is not confirmed in the source.

  4. Engine rebuild
    René Ruch and Beat Roos Engineering

    Full engine rebuild performed during the 1990s while the car was in regular use at Mille Miglia Storica events.

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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.