Legacy Metrics

1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB (passo corto) berlinetta

3359 GTroadItaly
Engine
Matching-numbers V12, tipo 539/61 gearbox
Colour
Grigio Argento (silver) over Rosso Vaumol red leather interior

Chassis 3359 GT is a late-production Ferrari 250 GT SWB berlinetta, the 132nd of 165 built, delivered new in April 1962 in steel-bodied lusso specification finished in Grigio Argento over Rosso Vaumol leather. Retaining its matching-numbers V-12 engine and original gearbox, it passed through a documented chain of Italian, British, American, and Swiss ownership before undergoing a comprehensive Ferrari Classiche-supervised restoration costing approximately $500,000, culminating in a class award at the 2012 Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza.

Ownership

  1. Auction sale
  2. 1962-04-01 →Factory delivery
    Giuseppe Chiusolo
    full documentation

    First retail owner; car was sold by SEFAC and registered in Naples as 216600 NA at the end of April 1962. Acquisition researched by marque historian Marcel Massini.

  3. → 1973Acquisition unknown
    Italian owner prior to 1973
    partial documentation

    Car passed through Italian hands before reaching Tom Meade; it had apparently been stored in Milan for some period.

  4. 1973 → 1973-05-01Acquisition unknown
    Tom Meade
    partial documentation

    American Ferrari dealer resident in Modena, known for brokering used-car deals. He briefly held the car before selling it and was subsequently hired to transport it to Monaco.

  5. 1973-05-01 → 1974Private sale
    Michael Fisher
    partial documentation

    UK-based racing team proprietor who took delivery in Milan and had the car driven to Monaco and then Paris before bringing it to Britain, where he used it at circuits including Snetterton and Silverstone.

  6. 1974 → 1975Private sale
    Ted Rowbotham
    partial documentation

    Canadian expatriate living in London; during his ownership the car received a restoration by British marque specialist David Clarke of Graypaul Motors in 1975.

  7. 1976 → 1976Private sale
    Ronald Jahaaski
    partial documentation

    Resident of Ridgefield, Connecticut; car was exported from the UK and sold to him, then passed on before the year was out.

  8. 1976 →Private sale
    Dr. Terence Clark
    partial documentation

    Based in Clemson, South Carolina; acquired the car by the close of 1976.

  9. 1979 → 1979Acquisition unknown
    FAF Motorcars
    partial documentation

    Well-known dealership in Tucker, Georgia; offered the car for sale in 1979.

  10. 1981 → 1981Acquisition unknown
    Joe Marchetti
    partial documentation

    Chicago-based dealer through whose garage the car passed briefly in 1981.

  11. 1981 → 1981Acquisition unknown
    Michael Leventhal
    partial documentation

    Chicago local who held the car for a brief period during the same 1981 episode at Marchetti's garage.

  12. → 1998Acquisition unknown
    Swiss dealer
    partial documentation

    Unnamed Swiss intermediary through whom the car passed in the early 1990s after returning to Europe from the United States.

  13. 1998 → 2009Private sale
    Jean-Pierre Grave
    partial documentation

    French owner who actively used the car in the Tour de France Auto retro rally on five occasions across a seven-year span.

  14. 2009 →Private sale
    Jean-Pierre Slavic
    full documentation

    Respected collector from Mies, Switzerland, who commissioned a comprehensive restoration supervised by Ferrari Classiche and authenticated to FCA Platinum level, reportedly costing close to $500,000. He also campaigned the car at concours and historic events.

  15. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Don Walker
    partial documentation

    Owner of Dallas Motorsports in Dallas, Texas; subsequently sold the berlinetta to Marvin Johnson, also Dallas-based.

  16. Date unknownPrivate sale
    Marvin Johnson
    partial documentation

    Dallas-based trucking entrepreneur who bought the car from Walker in the latter part of the 1980s; car subsequently returned to Europe.

  17. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Current collector owner
    partial documentation

    Described as a connoisseur of significant Ferraris based in or using specialists in Southern California; car maintained by Motion Products and Brooke Betz during this ownership.

Competition

  1. 1973Formula 3
    1973 Monaco Grand Prix
    Driver: Danny Sullivan

    The car was not a race entrant here; Sullivan was engaged by Fisher to drive a March F3 at this event. The SWB was present as transport, with Sullivan driving it onward to Paris afterward on the owner's behalf.

  2. 1973
    Snetterton circuit event
    Driver: Michael Fisher

    Owner drove the car at track events including this circuit after it arrived in the UK.

  3. 1973
    Silverstone circuit event
    Driver: Michael Fisher

    Owner used the car at Silverstone in addition to other UK venues.

  4. 1999Tour de France Auto
    1999 Tour de France Auto
    Driver: Jean-Pierre Grave

    First of five participations by Grave in the retro rally over a seven-year period running to 2005.

  5. 2005Tour de France Auto
    2005 Tour de France Auto
    Driver: Jean-Pierre Grave

    Final of the five participations in the retro rally during Grave's ownership.

  6. 2012
    2012 Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza
    Class award

    Car was accepted and exhibited following completion of the Ferrari Classiche restoration; received recognition within its class.

  7. 2014-09-01
    Grand Prix of Montreux 80th Anniversary
    Driver: Jean-Pierre Slavic

    Owner drove the car at this historic commemorative meeting in early September 2014.

  8. Tour de France Auto
    Tour de France Auto
    Driver: Jean-Pierre Grave

    Additional entries in the retro touring rally; Grave competed five times in total between 1999 and 2005, with exact years of each individual entry unspecified beyond those bookend years.

Maintenance & restoration

  1. 1975Restoration
    Graypaul Motors

    The berlinetta underwent a restoration carried out by British Ferrari specialist David Clarke at Graypaul Motors while the car was in the UK under Rowbotham's ownership.

    Commissioned by Ted Rowbotham; the scope of the work is not detailed beyond being described as a restoration.

  2. Restoration
    Carrozzeria Autosport; Autofficina Bonini

    A comprehensive refurbishment supervised directly by Ferrari Classiche was undertaken, encompassing steel coachwork renewal and refinishing in the original Grigio Argento over Rosso leather colour scheme, plus extensive mechanical work bringing the car to FCA Platinum standard. Work reportedly totalled approximately $500,000. The matching-numbers V-12, original gearbox, and rear differential were all authenticated.

    Commissioned by Jean-Pierre Slavic; Carrozzeria Autosport (Franco Bachelli and Roberto Villa) handled the coachwork; Autofficina Bonini of Cadelbosco performed much of the mechanical work. Completed by 2012 in time for Villa d'Este.

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