PRIVATE TREATYWINTER 2015/2016
Among the services which we offer clients isthe ability to help them efficiently find or sellimportant motor cars; inside you will find aselection of those from collections around theworld whose owners have asked us to representthem on their behalf. We hope you will findsomething to suit your discerning taste and remainat your disposal to discuss your requirements orsimply to offer professional, up-to-date advice onany aspect of our shared passion.Front cover: Giuseppe Inside front cover: Inside back cover: Back gatefold cover:Campari and co-driver ‘HMS Monty’- An enthusiastic audience If you own an 8C,Sozzi push their Works- the chateau-sized admires Pininfarina’s you’ll want this: fromentered Alfa Romeo 8C Monteverdi 375/4 ‘High sublime design as the long-term private Italian2300 Touring Spyder Speed’ in its natural Ferrari 250GT SWB ownership, an oversizedto the limit over the milieu as it rumbles to parades at the Concorso original enamelledgruelling Futa Pass as the awards podium at d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 1930s Alfa Romeothey fight for the lead on the 2015 Chantilly dealer shield (signedthe 1932 Mille Miglia Arts & Elegance Arrigo Coen, Milano, diameter 90cm)2 | Kidston SA | Welcome
IntroductionWhy do we collect? For love, money or both?The venerable 20th century British art historianKenneth Clark equated this question to asking whypeople fell in love.Who knows, but it makes us human.Art expert Larry Zane observes that collectorsestablish their credibility by possessing objects ofdesire in much the same way that artists attain theiroriginality by the act of creation, and that “both actsare intimate expressions of the self ”.Whatever drivesyour collecting, it’s a phenomenon Clark describedas “that complex human relationship which gives theprivate collection its life.”Have you noticed a subtle shift? Passion andinvestment aren’t mutually exclusive as motivations butthere’s a sense that collectors are newly empoweredas some speculators falter.We’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating: the market is polarising. As timeschange, and buyers react accordingly, never has it been more important to ignore the background noiseand choose wisely. Look for intrinsic value, beauty, historic significance and pleasure of ownership, ratherthan simply collecting by numbers: rarity alone does not make something great or classic.Each of the motor cars we’ve chosen to include in this brochure has passed our test and we believeis worth owning. If you own the best and leave the rest, you’re unlikely to have any long term regrets.Get in touch if you share that philosophy and would like to talk cars. Welcome | Kidston SA | 3
On Tour... K500’s Managing Editor Steve Wakefield on the hotline to OPECWhat’s the point in owning a car for an emergency refill for ‘HMSif you don’t enjoy it properly? Monty’ during the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Tour4 | Kidston SA | On Tour...
Left: A currentLe Mans ace fulfillinghis boyhood dream: weput GT racer MirkoVenturi behind thewheel of an F40… andin front of our camerasBelow: The ‘Gullwing’emerges after a nightpartying at the ChateauMarmont in LA. Nextstop: lunch in Big Sur Above: Sharing anecdotes with keen motoring connoisseur and event patron HRH Prince Michael of Kent at this year’s Concours of Elegance in Edinburgh Left: Learning the finer points of ‘Chip’ Connor’s Post-War Preservation Class Porsche as a judge at Pebble Beach On Tour... | Kidston SA | 5
6 | Kidston SA | On Tour...
Left: Jochen Mass tookover Giuseppe Campari’sseat in the ex-Works 1932Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo8C entrusted to Kidston SA.Who’s next?Right: Life in the fast lanewith Team Jaguar on the2015 Mille Miglia. FormerTop Gear presenter and GQmagazine contributor JasonBarlow shared the duties Left: This time we made it! Simon and Jason celebrating on the finish ramp in Brescia. We think the smile is for receiving the most points – penalty ones, that is… On Tour... | Kidston SA | 7
Multitasking at Villa d’Este. On umbrella and commentating duty, it’s congratulations time for Clive and Alison Beecham as their ex-Agnelli, 1952 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta scoops the Coppa d’Oro trophy8 | Kidston SA | On Tour...
Right: Doing whatcomes naturally:legendary test driverValentino Balboni inhis 170mph officeMain: Putting twospecial Miuras throughtheir paces in the Alps-and there happened tobe three of us travellingup from Geneva, so… On Tour... | Kidston SA | 9
Two hours, four burly men and five floors later, the ‘Mike Hailwood Replica’ Ducati 900 makes the perfect centrepiece for our library10 | Kidston SA | On Tour...
Automotive archaeology: it took almost three decades to track down and reunite this Bugatti(seen above in 1955 with its then-stablemates) with its original owners family. Finally this year it came home.Stay tuned for our next video… On Tour... | Kidston SA | 11
This year we continued to supervise a handful of ‘ground up’ restorations of significant motorcars to exactly ‘as delivered’ for clients, including (below) one of the 18 European-specification LHD ‘Daytona’ Spiders built, going back to its original Azzurro Metallizzato with beige leather and (right) a German-supplied Miura SV in the final stages of reassembly, part of a world class Lamborghini collection we have helped to assemble over the past decade12 | Kidston SA | On Tour...
The famous ‘Conan Doyle’ Miura P400 atspeed in a Sixties television documentary(above), now undergoing total restorationback in its birthplace.The very early, ex-Innocenti CountachLP400 Periscopica has been one of our mostrewarding projects to date and will make itsdebut next summer, aged 42... On Tour... | Kidston SA | 13
Motor Cars offered for sale by Kidston SA14 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 15
Ex-Museo Stanguellini1935 Fiat 508S Balilla Spider Sport ‘Coppa d’Oro’Chassis no. 508S 086376“A much sought-after car that left a very profound mark on the sports scene to which Ideal Mille Miglia entry with excellentmany British drivers turned for competition” – Bill Boddy writing for MotorSport on competition handicap coefficientthe Fiat 508S. FIVA identity card and ASI Certificato di OmologazioneThe Fiat 508S Balilla A landmark Italian sportscarThe 508S was a proper competition car, originally built by Carrozzeria Ghia but latertaken into Fiat’s ownership and produced in two versions: ‘Coppa d’Oro’ (GoldCup) and ‘Mille Miglia’. The smart open two-seater bodywork had a finned tailreminiscent of more potent Alfa Romeos. It’s no exaggeration to say that the MilleMiglia would not have endured as long as it did without the scores of small-capacityItalian sports cars such as this that provided the bulk of the field right up to 1957. This motor car A genuine, Mille Miglia-eligible‘Coppa d’Oro’, prior to its current Austrian ownershipthis car was displayed in the Stanguellini Museum in Modena. Before that it hadspent most of its life in Italy with, we understand, a sojourn at the AutomobileMuseum of Reims Champagne in France. Ready for action, ‘086376’ comes with an all-important FIVA identity card (rating‘A3’,ie restored/original), Automotoclub Storico Italiano’s ‘Certificato di Omologazione’and Austrian road registration. This Fiat 508S Balilla Spider Sport ‘Coppa d’Oro’ is a fine and typical example,ready to enjoy the sunny roads and appreciative crowds of the world’s ‘mostbeautiful race’. 16 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 17
1938 Lagonda V12 Short Chassis Drophead CoupéCoachwork by LagondaChassis no. 14050“Mechanical refinement and silence combined with turbine-like power, particularly in the Matching numbers, five owners from newhigher speed ranges” – Lagonda chief engineer W.O. Bentley’s requirements for thecompany’s new V12 engine. Original body, engine and sporting, 124in short chassis The Lagonda V12 In fine mechanical condition and fresh from spirited participation on the Highland Tour at the 2015 Edinburgh Concours of EleganceAt Brooklands in October 1938, motor racing peer Lord Howe covered 101.5miles in one hour at the wheel of the new Lagonda V12 saloon… and Howe’s feat Ex-Lord Doune, still bearing the registration ‘HSO 100’included a stop to change a burst tyre… W.O. Bentley’s short-stroke, c.190bhp V12 his greatestFew had anticipated that ‘W.O.’, no less, would have been able to produce such a technical accomplishmentmasterpiece given Lagonda’s limited resources: a sophisticated, short-stroke V12 of4480cc with twin SU carburettors, overhead valves and two, chain-driven singlecamshafts. Every component was meticulously tested and extensive use made ofexotic and expensive materials. All engines were run on a test bed for 10 hours at 800-1000rpm before a periodat 4500rpm to test power, then stripped, valves ground in, reassembled and run fora further five hours. Every car was road-tested at least 300 miles. The engine, capable of 180-190bhp at 5500rpm, one that gave short-chassis carsmore-than-100mph performance, was a triumph, yet it was produced for barelytwo years. By designing an engine with a significantly shorter stroke than others (most notablytheV12 of Rolls-Royce’s Phantom III), Bentley’s aim was to have a high-revving motorthat would be as fast in third gear as the LG6 would be in top. The flexible V12,though, could still pull from walking pace to 105mph in top gear. 18 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 19
The Lagonda V12 motor cars shared many components with the LG6 straight- breeder, described in a period newspaper article pictured next to his Lagondasix. Available in three chassis lengths (124in, 132in and 138in – all slightly shorter and female companion with the caption: “lover of fast horses, fast automobiles,than the LG6’s), the new V12s had independent front suspension with torsion bars, and beautiful women”.a hypoid rear axle, stiff cross-braced frame and huge hydraulic drum brakes. Coachwork ranged from elegant drophead coupés to imposing limousines Wijnmalen’s affair with ‘14050’ lasted a while longer, but he then sold the car toand sedanca de villes, all by the coachbuilders of the day, though it is generally Douglas John Moray Stuart, later the 20th Earl of Moray, Lord Doune.The Scottishacknowledged that the finest designs came from the in-house team headed by stylist Earl’s passion for pre-War cars and motor racing had resulted in the founding of theFrank Feeley. Doune Hill Climb in 1968 and the formation of what became the Doune Motor Museum two years later.Sporting, powerful and quintessentially British: the pre-War Lagonda V12 had no equals at home and few abroad. Its development cut short by hostilities, with no During his ownership, undoubtedly as a proud Scot, Doune repainted the still silvermore than 190 built, it was the ultimate expression of ‘what might have been’. ‘14050’ a suitable shade of ‘Scottish blue’– though officially (and unpatriotically) this was known as Prussian Blue. The car was featured in Peter Hugo’s well-receivedThis motor car 1973 book, Private Motor Car Collections of Great Britain. A desirable short-chassis example enjoying stylish and modern factory Drophead Doune owned and exercised the Lagonda for some 20 years before selling it toCoupé coachwork in gleaming silver, this motor car was delivered on 4 July 1938 to another enthusiast, who carefully brought it up to his own high standards, all thetea and rubber planter Mr K. Anderson, of Eastcote Place, Middlesex. while ensuring its originality. In 2008 a comprehensive engine rebuild with new camshafts, new Mahle pistons and new valves yielded a figure of 195bhp duringAfter a lay-up during WW2, it survived intact and was subsequently sold to subsequent time spent on the dyno.The owner and his wife carried out their ownHenry Wijnmalen, an Englishman of Dutch extraction, early aviator and racehorse tests, enjoying long tours and rallies throughout Europe in it.20 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Finding a new, North American Almost as impressive as the drivingowner in early 2014, ‘14050’ has experience is the 5in thick documentbeen the subject of further careful file that accompanies the V12, goingmaintenance and sorting with the aim back to Lord Doune’s ownership.of making it a perfect car for long- distance touring and events. An entry As a car offering a dashing sportinessto this year’s Concours of Elegance that the Phantom III did not, moreat the Palace of Holyroodhouse was refinement than a Bentley 4 1/4 Litreentirely fitting, given not only the car’s and far more performance than either,concours credentials but also its former in the final years of pre-War Britain theownership by such a well-known and Lagonda V12 was unrivalled.celebrated Scot. Equally at home on concours lawnsThe experienced co-driver of the or Alpine passes, this well-sorted andLagonda V12 on the Highland Tour still elegant V12 Drophead Coupé presentsbuzzes from time spent behind the a rare opportunity for the pre-Warwheel:“It was effortless to drive. So well enthusiast or post-War collector alike,behaved, it never coughed or spat and if either seeking a high-performanceyou push it, it really sits up and goes. Far tourer of character:“The fastest closednicer to drive in every way, with more or convertible car on the British markettorque, than a Phantom III. And for four in the immediate pre-War period,”of us, it proved such a fun car.” Dennis May, The Autocar. Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 21
The ex-Vittorio Giol1949 Maserati A6 1500 BerlinettaCoachwork by Pinin FarinaChassis no. 078“If you worked on the north side of the Via Emilia you were a Maserati man, and if you A handbuilt Maserati, one of 61 produced – the company’s firstworked on the south side, you were a Ferrari man” – First Maserati, then Ferrari man post-War production car, the last designed and engineered byRomolo Tavoni. the Maserati brothers The rivalry that existed between the two great Modenese manufacturers in the ‘On the button’, a highly desirable and eligibleshowroom and on the race track lasted throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, but entry for the Mille Migliacommenced with head-to-head sports car battles on Italian street circuits in thelate-1940s. Ferrari had its new 1497cc 125 S, Maserati the A6, a classic berlinetta Delivered new to winemaker and landowner Vittorio Giol,and sports racer powered by a 1488cc straight-six. San Polo Piave, ItalyIn 1947, Guido Barbieri, aided by contemporary aces Giovanni Bracco and Felice Restored to its original specification of blue coachworkBonetto, raced his modified A6 1500 to beat arch rival Ferrari driver Franco with leather/corduroy red interior Cortese to the Italian championship. As a model, regular A6 1500 berlinettas wereto feature in the Mille Miglia up to the early 1950s. The Maserati A6 1500 Although the Orsis had bought Maserati in 1937, the remaining three Maseratibrothers were bound by a clause in their contract to work for the company fora further 10 years. In 1947 Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto left to start O.S.C.A.,but before that they designed and built the 300bhp 4CLT Grand Prix car andMaserati’s first post-War production car, the A6 1500. The new A6 1500 was a classic example of expensive Italian sports cars of theera: a small, multi-cylinder engine, timeless yet modern styling by Pinin Farina,and suitable for competition in time trials and road races such as the immortalMille Miglia. 22 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 23
It was a bespoke car for aristocrats, All were different in some detail or This motor car Like so many other exotic cars ofbusinessmen and those of independent another, and Pinin Farina’s styling the day, an American servicemanmeans, built to order in a fashion echoed its seminal work for Fiat, and keen amateur racing driver,that would not shame the work of Cisitalia and Alfa Romeo. Underneath Commissioned in 1948 and sent to Pinin Lemual D. Ladd, purchased the carmaster tailor Nazareno Fonticoli and the elegant lightweight aluminium Farina for coachwork in September in the early 1950s and shipped ithis business partner Gaetano Savini, coachwork sat a single-carburettor, that year, this A6 1500 was delivered back to the U.S. The car’s third owner,who opened their first Brioni shop in 1488cc straight-six mated to a four- new to Italian landowner and David Chopourian of Billerica, MARome’s Via Barberini in 1945. speed gearbox with tunnel change. winemaker Vittorio Giol, of San Polo bought the car from Ladd’s estate in The separate tubular chassis had Piave, in the Veneto region of Italy in 1963, as he confirmed in the followingThe new A6 1500 (the ‘A’ for deceased independent front suspension and May 1949. After nearly seven decades, email correspondence after offering theMaserati brother Alfieri) saw the light a live axle at the rear. The fitment of it can be but conjecture that his car for sale as a‘garage find’ in Hemmings,of day in 1947 at the Geneva Motor Houdaille hydraulic dampers and brother Americo, who owned a similar June 2003:Show. Pinin Farina bodied most, either coil springs all round was typical of car, chassis ‘059’, influenced his choice.as seductive berlinettas or elegant the brothers’ intention to keep the “I believe I am the third owner.conver tibles. car closely related to the company’s The Giol family winemaking business is The second owner was Lemual Ladd. effective single-seater racing cars. in existence today, and is famous for its I purchased the car from his estate in sparkling and still white wines. 24 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
The Old World meeting the New – David Chopourian’s newly acquiredMaserati A6 1500 sits alongside his early Corvette1963. I drove the car for about 4 months. The timing newly acquired Maserati posing alongside his very eligible, being amongst the organisers’ top tier of carschain failed. It has been garaged ever since.The engine early white Corvette – truly the Old World meeting most likely to gain an entry.was removed and disassembled. The engine was not the New.fitted with the original carburettor, or electric fuel In one family ownership for four decades, ‘078’ alsopump. The distributor appears to have been retrofit The new owner treated ‘078’ to the most fastidious boasts confirmed ‘matching numbers’, its originalwith Mallory components. The serial number is 078. restoration over the next couple of years. For colours inside and out and a history file that includesI believe the paint is the original blue, the upholstery five years it enjoyed a life back in Europe, before the engine’s original dyno test sheet.is maroon corduroy and leather. Interior, including returning to West Coast America in 2012 and headliner, is in good condition, considering the age. the custodianship of its current surgeon owner, As production of its road cars grew, Maserati rapidlyPictures currently not available, since I have already a passionate collector and enthusiast who has enjoyed gained a reputation for being the marque of choicereceived considerable interest in the car, that may not showing the car at The Quail as well competing with for ‘old money’, those prizing discretion and morebe necessary. I do have a few pictures of the car taken it on the Mille Miglia Storica. than enough performance over brash, showy styling. while it was still registered in 1963, but I don’t have a digital camera to take pictures of the car today.” The level of detailing and finish is quite extraordinary, The post-War Maserati road car legend started with as can be seen from the photographs. The car is the A6 1500, and this example is the noble ancestorThe colour photos from 1963 accompanying presented in beautiful condition, mechanically capable of all subsequent Maseratis. the car show discerning enthusiast Chopourian’s and ready to tackle the Mille Miglia: it is also highly Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 25
The ex-Brussels Motor Show, 2015 Pebble Beach Award Winning1953 Bentley R-Type Continental FastbackCoachwork by H.J. MullinerChassis no. BC39LC“Only the very fluent can coin the exact phrase to describe such a car – others have to Ultimate specification featuring left-hand drive, manual centrecopy. Personally, I will borrow a ready-made phrase from The Autocar’s Road Test article: a change gearbox, wheel spats, fitted luggage and lightweight seatsModern Magic Carpet.” – Raymond Mays, amateur racing driver and the man behindE.R.A. and B.R.M., writing about a journey from the UK to Switzerland in an R-Type 1954 Brussels Motor Show car with detailed build records,Continental. liveried in original Special Grey with tan upholstery The Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Freshly completed total rebuild to concours standard by Clark & Carter at a cost of £420,000 (€570,000)The R-Type Continental Fastback in its time was the most expensive, finest, all-roundtouring car in the world: the ultimate in transcontinental land travel for the super-rich Just returned from the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance,owner-driver. where it was awarded 2nd in classIn drab post-War Britain, it was extraordinary that Bentley found over 200 buyers fora car with such a colossal price tag - £4,890 plus £2,083 purchase tax. But when theprototype was shown at the Paris Salon and the London Motor Show in the autumnof 1951, production was sold-out for many months ahead. Ivan Evernden, Bentley’s head of chassis design, had combined the principle of thealuminium bodywork and frame of H.J. Mulliner’s 1949 ‘Lightweight’ coupé with manyof the chassis developments of the Pinin Farina-designed ‘Cresta’. A tuned version ofthe new R-type’s 4566cc engine, coupled to a close-ratio gearbox and final drive ratioof 3.077:1 gave a 120mph maximum. The new Bentley was introduced to the public as the ‘Continental Sports Saloon’,a title that encapsulated its role as a long-distance express. A total of 207 (plus theprototype) were built in five series: ‘A’ to ‘E’, from May 1952 to April 1955, and notwo were the same. 26 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
January 1954. Highly polished and fresh from deliveryon the SS Topaze, BC39LC sits on Belgian agentImperia’s stand at the Brussels Motor Show Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 27
First owners of the new Continental included the fabled front anti-roll bar, lightweight seats, Wilmot Breedon January 1974 Jorgen Truelson took ownership for aAmerican sportsman Briggs Cunningham, the Shah of bumpers, two foglamps, a kilometre speedometer, further nine years before it passed into the hands ofIran, Greek tycoon André Embiricos, the Guinness chrome side mouldings, wheel spats and a six-piece an Italian fashion house founder on 1 July 1983. Afterbrewing dynasty, author of The Cruel Sea Nicholas fitted luggage set. three decades of very sparing use, this gentlemanMonsarrat, shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and finally sold ‘BC39LC’ through Kidston SA in 2013.Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat, Just 26 LHD R-Type Continentals left the factory with Gianni Agnelli. manual central gearchange, of which 13 had lightweight With our assistance the new owner commissioned seats, so the ultimate specification is rare. The subtle multiple award-winning British marque and modelThis motor car tone of its mid-grey livery was a shade made to experts Clark & Carter to carry out a total ‘nut and sample: the colour of a favourite suit of its first owner, bolt’ restoration of the then 60-year-old car to world-A comprehensive document file accompanying the Belgian textile magnate Edouard Zurstrassen. class concours standard.car, together with details from the definitive work on the subject, Bentley Continental Sports Saloon The Bentley was shipped to Ostend on the SS Topaze Accompanying documentation and photographs of thepublished by the Palawan Press, record that the left- on 8 January 1954, but before Mr Zurstrassen took work when in progress show the painstaking lengthshand drive C Series, 4.5-litre ‘BC39LC’ was completed delivery of his car, ‘BC39LC’ starred on the Bentley to which the craftsmen went to produce probably thein December 1953. stand at the Brussels Motor Show. finest example of this iconic model in existence today. From November 2013 to July 2015, work to the valueIt was built to a sporting specification, with manual Mr Zurstrassen owned ‘BC39LC’ for over seven years of £419,050 (€570,000) has been completed, with nocentral gearchange (column change was standard), before selling it to Luxembourg resident E.K. Kjellerup- fastener, washer, screw or bolt too small to be replaced‘Colonial’ front springs, uprated dampers and a larger Hansen who enjoyed it until the early 1970s. On 1 or, if unobtainable today, restored and replated.28 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 29
A new set of fitted luggage to match the original was The exhaust system is a ‘New Old Stock’ original in the The result of this superlative work was a superb secondcommissioned. All chromework was replated, the correct grade of steel to ensure the right exhaust note. in class at Pebble Beach this year in the category ‘Rolls-windscreen glass and heated rear screen replaced, Royce and Bentley Post-War’ behind a 21-foot longall with new rubber seals. The original engine (with It should be noted that the engineers at Clark & Carter Rolls-Royce Phantom IV which had taken part in thenew pistons and all bearings) and transmission were not only restored the car, they also spent considerable Tour (a tiebreaker which the Bentley did not enter).rebuilt. All steering, braking and suspension parts were time carefully realigning and then setting the body disassembled, painted and then reassembled with the onto its many mounting points to minimise ‘stress’ and There can be few R-Type Continentals finished to suchutmost care. Five new road wheels and tyres were fitted. flexing. The result, with the rebuilt suspension and so exacting concours standards, yet with every desirable many all-new parts, is a solid, ‘as-new’ ride; after only a feature such as left-hand drive, lightweight seats, spats,The body was removed from the chassis and all parts short distance it is easily recognised as being as good as fitted luggage and a manual centre change gearbox.stripped of paint before painstaking hand finishing prior (or better than) Bentley intended in 1953. to final painting.All panel gaps were carefully measured ‘BC39LC’ is almost certainly the finest example ofand doors, bonnets and boot meticulously aligned. Finally, all upholstery was replaced in original and this iconic Bentley available today. The perfect UKA new fuel tank was hand-made to fit the car.All wiring matching tan Connolly hide, and the walnut veneer registration ‘1954 BM’ is included.was replaced with a correct, Bentley R-Type loom. dash and cappings restored to new. 30 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 31
32 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 33
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’Chassis no. 198 040-5500574“It is truly difficult to convey on paper the fascination, amounting almost to awe, that Rare original factory special order colour combinationthis car imposes on those who drive it or are driven in it. It is the modern and logicalequivalent of the 36/220 and 38/250 models of the past…To remark that wherever Matching numbers and FIVA ‘A/3’ certifiedit stops the 300 SL causes interest and astonishment, from comment by small boys onits 160-mph speedometer to admiration for its bonnet full of complex machinery, is €200,000 cosmetic restoration carried out in Switzerland/to state the obvious.” The authoritative Bill Boddy reviewing the new ‘Gullwing’ for mechanical overhaul by Mercedes-Benz StuttgartMotorSport magazine, 1955. Swiss registered and freshly serviced by HK EngineeringThe Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’To listen to some people you’d think that every car over 15 years old was a ‘classic’,but age has nothing to do with it. Cars do not become classics, either they are orthey aren’t – a true classic has star quality from day one. There has never been atime when a Mercedes-Benz ‘Gullwing’ has failed to turn heads; like royalty, it wasborn to prestige and respect.Those ‘Gullwing’ doors helped, of course.When pictures flashed around the worldof Hermann Lang climbing out of his car after winning Le Mans in 1952, they couldnot have created a greater sensation had they been of a flying saucer. In fact, thosedoors were merely an expedient because the 300 SL’s true spaceframe chassis andhigh sills necessitated hinging the doors on the roof. Such was the stir they caused,however, that the organisers of the Mille Miglia (where 300 SLs took second andfourth) tried to ban them.The 300 SL was originally created to prepare Mercedes-Benz for a return toFormula One and there was no intention of production, until American importerMax Hoffman ordered a thousand. The ‘Gullwing’s incredible impact is moreremarkable considering the cars had appeared only four times (as well as Le Mansthey won the Carrera Panamericana).34 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 35
As soon as the 300 SL entered production it became green leather upholstery (cloth was standard), both In mid-2014 it passed from Mr Mirabaud to anotherthe most desirable road car in the world. Apart from marked ‘special order’ and a rare combination. Screen Geneva-based collector, since when it has not beenthe fact that its performance blew the opposition into washers were specified and 1kg of spare ‘DB 608’ used due to business commitments. The owner hasthe weeds, nothing could compete with its kerbside paint supplied, the finish of the car being listed as therefore decided to part with the car and as partpresence. On top of that it had Mercedes-Benz build ‘special high gloss paint’. of our mandate Kidston SA supervised a mechanicalquality and reliability and was a thoroughly practical service with HK Engineering in Germany prior to sale.car.You could load a full complement of luggage, edge The Gullwing Register shows later owners asinto morning rush hour traffic in any capital city in George T Mayer of Mount Clemens, Michigan and This 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ is offered with copy factoryWestern Europe without worrying about the clutch a Monsieur Hertel in Cannes, France, by which time data card, history file, numerous invoices for workor the engine overheating, and arrive at Monte Carlo it was fitted with handsome and expensive Rudge carried out, copy 300 SL instruction manual, FIVAin the evening still fresh enough to play the tables. type knock-off wheels and registered ‘814 BJY 06’. In passport (‘A/3’ category, i.e. restored to original 2006 Swiss collector Pierre Mirabaud, chairman of specification), fitted luggage in matching green leather,Without modifying it in any way, you could also the eponymous private bank, decided to acquire a BTI certificate allowing importation to the EU viacompete in international motor racing. A 300 SL was ‘Gullwing’ with which to take part in historic events Great Britain at just 5% and, mostly importantly forfifth overall and first in class in the 1955 Mille Miglia, and his search eventually narrowed down to this car. any Swiss buyer, Swiss registration papers.and Stirling Moss finished second overall in the 1956 Following purchase it was imported to Switzerland, allTour de France with a Paris restauranteur friend. import taxes being paid (receipts available) and ‘gone If there is one classic which is capable of satisfying through’ completely to ensure mechanical reliability every demand: appreciation (both aesthetic, dynamicThis motor car and proper cosmetic presentation. Detailed invoices and financial); usability (fast, reliable and fun) and on file total CHF 207,697 (circa €200,000) including eligibility (Mille Miglia,Tour Auto, Colorado Grand,VillaThis very striking, ‘matching numbers’ ‘Gullwing’ was mechanical overhaul by Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart, d’Este, Pebble Beach, Le Mans Classic, Goodwood…delivered new in August 1955 via Belgian Mercedes- repainting and retrimming in the original colours in the list goes on) then this is it.Benz agent IMA of Brussels. The factory data card Switzerland and attending to any other faults found.shows the original exterior colour was Elfenbein Since then the car has completed two trouble-free Once a classic, always a classic, and this well-sorted(Ivory, code DB 608) with contrasting DB 1073 Mille Miglias and other, shorter events. example will stand out from the rest.36 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 37
1962 Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta LussoCoachwork by PininfarinaChassis no. 3359 GT“Today, driving a 250 GT Short Wheelbase, or GTO, is a highly rewarding and fairly easy ‘Matching numbers’ late-model example of the legendary 250 GTproposition. One can still give a hard time to a 275 GTB/4… with effortless grace and Passo Corto, 132nd of 165 cars builtsupreme exhaust note…” – Marque historian and owner Jess G. Pourret writing inhis standard volume on the model, The Ferrari Legend – 250 GT Competition. To desirable original specification of Grigio Argento (16003) with Red Connolly Vaumol leather (VM 3086)The Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase Meticulously restored by Ferrari Classiche,‘Red Book’ certifiedLike ‘GTO’ and ‘Testa Rossa’, the words ‘Short Wheelbase’ (‘SWB’, or Passo Corto in and consigned from a leading Ferrari collectionItalian) immediately convey to knowledgeable Ferraristi everything that is great aboutthe most potent cars from Maranello: a strong competition pedigree,‘for best clients 2012 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza award winneronly’ exclusivity and, above all, world-class performance on road or track. The fact that Pininfarina’s design, transformed into metal by the artists at Scaglietti,has been hailed as one of the most beautiful shapes ever seen, mixing swoopingcurves with an aggressive nose and gently rounded haunches, is a bonus.The linesof a SWB speak unambiguously of potency and power. The short-wheelbase 250 GT Berlinetta was a faster, lighter and more streamlineddevelopment of the all-conquering 250 GT Tour de France. It was the firstproduction Ferrari to have disc brakes and was a true dual-purpose GT: alloyCompetiziones dominated the race track, while only slightly more civilised steelLussos were the Alfa Romeo 8C or McLaren F1 of their day. Stirling Moss won the Goodwood Tourist Trophy two years running in Rob Walker-entered SWBs. In 1961 he lapped the entire field.The cars scored class wins at LeMans in 1960 and 1961, and overall Tour de France victories in 1960, ’61 and ’62.38 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 39
Marque historians consider that no more than 165 SWBs were built. After an This motor carinitial run of pure competition cars with all-alloy bodies, over a two-year period Ferrari offered the more refined steel 250 GT SWB Lusso (‘luxury’) to its best As attested in research by authoritative marque experts Keith Bluemel and Marcelclients and some 90 were delivered. The doors, bonnet and boot were still alloy, Massini and in the history file that accompanies ‘3359 GT’, SEFAC S.p.A. (theand the cars had cast iron gearbox casings to dampen mechanical noise, carpeted official title of Ferrari’s trading company) sold this car on 18 April 1962 to Naplesboots, a generally higher level of trim and better sound deadening in the cabin. resident Giuseppe Chiusolo.The invoice was for 5,500,000 lire.The car was a lateAll had front and rear bumpers and glass side and rear windows. specification 250 GT SWB Lusso, with Tipo 168/01 motor, road exhaust by Abarth, 185x15in RW 3590 wire wheels shod with Pirelli Cinturato tyres and an 8x34 finalThe Tipo 168, triple-Weber, 2,953cc motor was tuned for better driveability and drive ratio, one of the lowest available and clearly chosen for outright acceleration.produced a reliable 220 – 240bhp, enough for ferocious acceleration dependent on gearing. Its pistons were from racing supplier Borgo, and the engine had 12-port, The colour selected by Sig. Chiusolo was a subtle and discrete Grigio Argento (ref.Testa Rossa-style cylinder heads.The gearbox was a 4-speed, by Ferrari. 16003) with interior in Red Connolly Vaumol leather (VM 3086). It was registered ‘NA 216600’.Furiously fast, eligible for all the best events and with instantly recognisable bodywork, the 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta remains in many experts’ The 30-page ‘Authority Criteria’ report by Ferrari Classiche (the ‘Red Book’) issuedopinion the finest-ever Ferrari road car. in March 2011 confirms that, when subjected to the most thorough inspection, it conformed in every respect to its original specification. 40 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 41
For the rest of the 1960s ‘3359 GT’ enjoyed a succession of Italian gentleman Matching its original build sheet and specification, the technicians in Maranelloowners, settling in Cervesina (Pavia) and then Milan in Northern Italy until 1973, made sure every aspect of the car complied with its strict criteria for originality.when it left for the United Kingdom, a sale handled by veteran American car guru The ensuing work by Ferrari Classiche, Carrozzeria Autosport of Modena (run byand occasional car designer Tom Meade, then resident in Modena. ex-Scaglietti employees Franco Bacchelli and Roberto Villa) and Autofficina Bonini of Cadelbosco (official Ferrari service agent and concours–winning workshop)David Clarke’s Graypaul Motors restored ‘3359 GT’ in 1975, painting it black and totalled over €300,000.retrimming the interior to match. In the 1990s Swiss owner Jean-Pierre Graveenjoyed ‘3359 GT’, now registered ‘GE 353889’ and painted Rosso Corsa, on many The result was the granting of full Ferrari Classiche certification on 10 Marchevents including the Tour Auto in 2000, 2004 and 2005. 2011. A little over a year later, ‘3359 GT’ was invited to Villa d’Este for the annual Concorso d’Eleganza where, competing in the ‘Ferrari 250 Dynasty’ class, it wonThe current owner purchased the car in 2010. It was to join a world-class the Mention of Honour.collection of Ferraris that included the best of every model, including a 250 GTO. When in his care, ‘3359 GT’ was sent to Ferrari Classiche for total restoration to Since then, the car has been kept under the watchful eye of Autofficina Bonini, who‘as delivered’ some 50 years ago. have carried out regular maintenance – although ‘3359 GT’ has covered less than 500km since restoration.42 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 43
When inspecting the car in October this year, Ferrari expert appraiser Keith Bluemelnoted that it was “matching numbers, the mechanical components within are all tothe correct specification for the model with the correct finishes, the interior is allin good unmarked order” and that it was “all in all, a very well presented exampleof the model.” Few cars could live with a well-driven SWB in its day – almost none on the racetrack. Today, one would be hard-pressed to list five all-time great collectors’ carswithout including a Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase.Kidston SA is proud to offer one of the finest.44 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 45
1966 Maserati Mistral SpyderCoachwork by FruaChassis no. AM 109 S1 *635*“The most prestigious sports car combining top performance with comfort and reliability” LHD, manual and ‘matching numbers’, one of only 125 Mistral Spyders, the final Maserati straight-six sports car– A caption from Maserati’s brochure for the Mistral coupé and Spyder. Presented in its original and handsome combination ofThe Maserati Mistral Rosso Capannelle coachwork with Bianco interior After the two Vignale-styled series of Sebrings came the first of Maserati’s ‘wind First delivered to Greek shipping magnate Basil Phrixoscars’, the Mistral. Papachristidis, son of the founder of Hellespont Holdings Ltd Pietro Frua was responsible for styling the new coupé. His work had been admiredby Maserati’s technical chief Giulio Alfieri and the new Mistral – named on thesuggestion of the French Maserati importer after the cold dry wind that blowsthrough the Rhône valley to the French Riviera – was a classic design, fit for the1960s and featuring an innovative glass ‘hatchback’ boot. Mistral Coupé and Spyderproduction was to last until 1970. For the Mistral, Alfieri installed the classic Maserati straight-six in a traditionalladder chassis with live, leaf-sprung rear suspension and a five-speed German ZFgearbox.The Mistral had everything the typical Maserati buyer wanted: understatedyet elegant looks; more than adequate, 140mph+ performance; tried-and-testedmechanical components and a luxurious, very high quality interior. It was Italy’sanswer to Aston Martin, even more so with the optional small rear seats. With production of the coupé well underway, at the Geneva Motor Show in spring1964 Maserati launched a convertible, named simply ‘Mistral Spyder’.The Spyder’sstyling surpassed that of the coupé, yet retained the practicalities and uniquedesirability of Maserati ownership so beloved by enthusiasts of the Trident: a lavishinterior with sumptuous seating now only for two, a generous boot with sparewheel underneath, and twin fuel tanks for effortless long-distance cruising.46 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Motor Cars For Sale | Kidston SA | 47
The Spyder went into production as a 3.5-litre, but convertibles of the period such as the Aston Martin Papachristidis’s Mistral Spyder was registered inwas fitted later with the 3.7-litre and 4.0-litre engines DB6 Volante or Ferrari 275 GTS. Bologna, Italy on ‘EE’ (for Escursionisti Esteri, temporaryof the coupé. All were fuel-injected with twin-plug export) plates as ‘EE 02396’.These were valid for noheads – proper racing practice. Most Mistral Spyders This motor car longer than one year.ran on Borrani wire wheels. Chassis AM 109 S1 *635* was delivered new in 1966 In 1985 the car was exported to the USA, where theJust 125 were manufactured until production halted in to a typical Maserati client of the period, the scion of current Italian owner bought it in 1998. Since than it1970. Famous first owners included British heartthrob a Greek shipping family, Basil Phrixos Papachristidis of has been well maintained and benefits from ongoingLaurence Harvey and starlet Joan Collins. the Hellespont Group: a “fancy free youngster (with a sympathetic and gentle restoration. generous father)” as he fondly remembers. With its ageless styling, the Mistral Spyder spanned Currently presented in cared-for but not concoursthe eras of the typical late-1950s, early-1960s front- His Spyder came with the desirable 3.7-litre engine, condition, the elegant convertible is in fine mechanicalengined Italian Gran Turismos and the coming tide of Borrani wire wheels and a five-speed manual gearbox. fettle and represents an opportunity for sun-seekersmid-engined supercars such as the Miura. The colour of Rosso Capannelle – a name inspired to enjoy the last rays of this motoring season and by the deep red wines of Chianti – set off Pietro many more beyond in true Italian style.Now, five decades on, the car is as desirable as ever, Frua’s masterpiece of styling to perfection, contrastingheir to the more numerous 3500 Vignale Spyder wonderfully with the interior in crisp Bianco.and worthy of comparison with other desirable48 | Kidston SA | Motor Cars For Sale
Search
