Auction 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III by Pinin Farina, no. 1305 SA

1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III by Pinin Farina
Estimate: $5,750,000 - $6,750,000 USD
Selling on Saturday, 19 August 2023 as part of RM Sotheby's Monterey 2023 Auction

Claiming rarity, important ownership history, and a top-quality restoration performed by RM Auto Restoration, this stunning third-series 410 Superamerica is one of the finest examples one could hope to encounter. According to factory build sheet copies and the research of marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis number 1305 SA is the fourth of 12 examples built, and one of only seven cars fitted with covered headlights. The chassis was dispatched to Pinin Farina’s workshop in February 1959 to be clothed with a unique expression of the third-series coachwork that included covered headlights and special tail lamps requiring differently shaped fenders (a taillamp design believed to be shared with only one other car).

Completed in May 1959, the Ferrari was finished in the unusual shade of Nero Tropicale IVI over an interior of Naturale 3218 Connolly leather upholstery. The car is the only covered-headlamp example to be painted in this elegant color. After being distributed to Garage de Montchoisy SA, an official Ferrari dealer in Switzerland, the Superamerica was sold in June 1959 to an American residing in Geneva named Griffin. The owner only mildly used the 410 through 11 years of ownership, eventually selling the car in 1970 to Hans Maag of Renens.

Later that year the Swiss dealer and motoring author Rob de la Rive Box purchased 1305 SA, and he brokered a deal in 1971 to the respected American Ferrari connoisseur and FCA co-founder Richard Merritt of Bethesda, Maryland. Merritt sold the Superamerica a year later to Wisconsin resident Tom Viltner, who retained possession for four years.

In 1976 the Ferrari was acquired by John Hajduk, whose well-known shop Motorkraft, in Bensenville, Illinois, was one of the most esteemed American Ferrari restoration specialists of the era. Mr. Hajduk conducted a full refurbishment of the Superamerica, including a repaint in dark green with yellow striping.

After passing through two additional caretakers, the Superamerica was sold in 1982 to George and Rosella Wamser of Bloomington, Illinois, longtime members of the local Ferrari Club of America chapter. The Wamsers enjoyed the 410 for nearly two decades, frequently presenting the car at Midwestern FCA meets through the 1980s and early 1990s, and during this period the car was also featured in Dyke Ridgley’s 1983 monograph Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series III, an essential source on these rare Ferraris. A digital copy of the book is included in the car’s documentation.

After passing in the late 1990s to enthusiast Dennis Machul of Oak Brook, Illinois, 1305 SA was sold to a major international collector who kept the car domiciled for nearly two decades before offering it for sale in August 2017. Acquired then by the consignor, the Ferrari was treated to a comprehensive restoration to original specifications by the Pebble Beach-winning RM Auto Restoration of Blenheim, Canada.

The engine was sympathetically freshened after being tested and deemed to not require a full teardown, while all the major running-gear systems were rebuilt as needed. The coachwork was refinished in the factory-correct shade of Nero Tropicale, and the interior was properly re-trimmed in beige Naturale leather, returning the car to its original color combination. In a testament to the SA’s highly authentic state of originality, Pinin Farina body number markings were discovered on numerous components throughout the car, including the bumpers, behind the door panels, and on various trim pieces.

On the back of the fastidious restoration, the Superamerica won its class at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Nine months later the 410 was certified with a Ferrari Classiche Red Book that testifies to the continued presence of the matching-numbers engine, gearbox, and rear axle, demonstrating the car’s highly desirable mechanical authenticity.

Concours success continued at the 2021 Cavallino Classic, where the SA received a Platinum Award as well as the Robert Tallgren Memorial Elegance Cup for the finest coach-built Ferrari, and the Honorary Judges’ Cup for the finest judged Ferrari selected by the Honorary Judges. The Superamerica’s exquisite state of correct presentation was further confirmed with a 100-point score and best of show at the 2023 Cavallino Modena, and best of show at the Concours d’Elegance Suisse held at the Chateau in Coppet, Switzerland.

As one of just 12 Series III cars built, 1305 SA is as rare as it is elegant—a striking, luxurious, and muscular machine that would complement even the most nuanced sports car collection. Further distinguished as one of just seven cars fitted with covered headlamps, and the only example among these finished in Nero Tropicale IVI, this Series III Superamerica is a quintessential example of Ferrari’s flagship model, representing the finest cross-section of competition-developed engineering and luxurious grand touring sensibilities. The timelessly elegant Italian thoroughbred is ideal for further display at major concours and marque gatherings, or it may be privately enjoyed for its powerful acceleration and exquisite curves, a breathtaking jewel to be admired and driven.

For an extensive photo list and full history file on this extraordinary Ferrari, please visit: https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo23/monterey/lots/r0196-1959-ferrari-410-superamerica-coupe-series-iii-by-pinin-farina/1378356?utm_source=Forum&utm_medium=FerrariChat&utm_campaign=MO23_r0196_Forum