1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta lusso

1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta lusso Pining Farina designed their first Ferrari as early as 1952 and by the mid-’50s had truly established the Ferrari as exemplified by the Beano/Elena GT series. Eighty-two cars in the first series were built by Boano. Graff Bergeson’s very complimentary January 1958 Sports Cars Illustrated road test of the Richie Gather, Lime Rock race-winning 250 GT, which listed for
$10,975, called it a “Grand Touring masterpiece—without comparables—except other Ferraris.” This aspect, coupled with the minimal build numbers, means a very low survival rate for the 250 GT Beano/Elena series. Ferrari historian Marcel Massine, who inspected this car in 2005, estimates that only about 15 250 GT Ellen as remain in their original form.

1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta lusso Although marketed as Ferrari’s luxury grand touring car, these 250 GTs also distinguished them in competition, running in the Mille Magalia, scoring an Alpine Rally GT Class win and securing a remarkable overall victory in the 1957 Acropolis Rally.

PROVENANCE OF “BLACKIE,” A FERRARI 250 GT ELLENA (NO. 0861 GT)

The factory build sheets on file for Ferrari no. 0861 GT indicate that the construction of this car was commenced on January 7, 1958 with the testing procedure being signed-off on April 14, 1958.

Late in the Bales ownership, “Blackie,” as he named the Elena, was given a full body and interior restoration. In the spring of 2002, the present owner commissioned a total mechanical restoration from Andy Greene Sports & Vintage Race Cars of Savannah, Georgia.

“Blackie ran perfectly great speed and sound, sports car handling, excellent fade-free brakes and perfect normal gauges, plus room for all of my wife’s luggage,” reported the delighted new owner. On July 9 and 10 it was accepted to race in the drum brake class of the Shell Ferrari Historic Races held at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut.
When the SWB's time was up, its road-going version was replaced in 1962 with the more curvaceous 250 GT Lusso.
Although the Lusso primary intent was grand touring, it still shared many racing features with the all-conquering 250 GTO race car. Despite the Lusso less robust chassis, steel bodywork and more forward mounted engine, many owners rigged their cars with a harness and went racing when a GTO couldn't be ordered.

Around 350 examples of the Lusso were constructed with the same steel body designed by Pininfarina and executed by Scarlatti with aluminum doors, boots and hoods.
The restoration also included a high quality bare-metal repaint in the car's original blue metallic color, Azure Metallization June 28, 2011, the beautifully restored Ferrari, with its original matching numbers engine and original color scheme, was issued a Ferrari Classic he certification.