Hi Rick, Cathy at the Ferrari Market Letter is looking for interesting photos taken at the National if anyone could help her out? See you in Monterey. Greg
If a steel bodied 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder could be worth around $20 million US, what are 09437 and 09751, the 2 alloy bodied cars worth? I do appreciate that 09437 was raced at Sebring and was The Thomas Crown Affair car.
For what it's worth... I don't believe this is actually correct. The town I grew up in, Oak Brook, Illinois had a pretty well known Polo community and still does. Oak Brook is a suburb about twenty minutes west of Downtown Chicago. Oak Brook Polo Club Maybe that will help with the mystery?
Wonderful car! I have not read all coments, but, if "one owner car" is a strong USP... what happens when "Powerball winner Billy-Bob" decides to buy the car? It is no longer a "one owner car". Will it still be as valuable when it is no longer unique from that point?
09437 would be the most important and most valuable one. If 10709 does sell around the estimate, expect a premium on it. 10453 would be interesting because of its first owner, the real Thomas Crown
Back in the mid-1970s, I did attend a polo match (sponsored by a then employer who is no longer in business), at some polo ground. Must have been Oak Brook !! Thanks.
I almost T boned this car at Sebring when Eddie made an unexpected right turn in front of me aiming for pit entrance after the back straight.. Missed him by less than 20ft! Pucker time.
That sounds like a wild moment. A reminder that these cars have lived a long time already without the current values being attached to them. Has 10709 ever had the front body work repaired? CH
I read somewhere that of the 10 275 GTB/4 NART Spyders, 6 were converted by the Factory from Berlinettas and 4 Spyders were made from scratch so I assume (always dangerous) that the first 6 were originally Berlinettas???? 10709 has a chassis plate stamped 275 GTS/4, as does 10749 which I have read, and these are the 8th and 9th sequential numbers. May the 275 GTB/4*S* chassis plate like 10249 (5th produced) identify a Factory converted Spyder from a Berlinetta whereas the 275 GTS/4 plate identifies an original Factory made from scratch Spyder? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hmm. I've just re read Terra's post. He referred to the chassis stamping not the chassis plate in his post so the chassis plate on 10249 may not read as I thought. Perhaps Terra could let us know what the chassis plate of 10249 says, which may still say 275 GTB/4 S or have a "B" on it, or does anyone else know what the chassis plates on the other 275 GTB/4 NART Spyders say?
But if you Google "CBS This Morning Eddie Smith" you will find the CBS News site with a great 3:18 minute-long story on Eddie and the car.
I was privileged to see this car about 5 years ago near High Point NC with a group of other FCA members. Even then there was talk about it being a 10mm car. The interesting thing is it was stored in some 1950s style small factory or old school building in a small garage area. I was told a story about Mr. Smith that was quite impressive. There was a young man that worked for the family at the hanger were the car was stored. One evening, this young man found a case of beer in the fridge at the hanger and got hammered. The car was there with the keys, so he proceeded to race it up and down the runway and eventually off the end. I don't remember all the details after that except that Mr. Smith said to the young man, that the only way you will not go to jail is to go to school and make good grades. I was told the young man did just this, reporting to Mr. Smith on a regular basis. I assume the story is true, and if so he must have really been a man of great character and apparently made a difference in many peoples lives for the better. I have often wondered if this was true or lore....
It was mentioned in one of RM's catalog descriptions that the first 4 were originally conceived and built as spiders while the last 6 were factory-converted GTB/4 Berlinettas. Whether that is true or not, who knows. Speaking of mislabeling, even the Daytona Spider was advertised as GTB/4 (Spider) in the US.
From memory, that's how the Chassis Plate read (I don't receall whether or not I also eyeballed the chassis stamping itself on the frame member).
Sold to major Canadian collector resident in Geneva, Switzerland. Bidding done by Simon Kidston who kept eye contact with actual buyer sitting in room. Underbidder was US east coast dealer. Marcel Massini