Michelotti's gullwing 275P for Chinetti designed by Peak | FerrariChat

Michelotti's gullwing 275P for Chinetti designed by Peak

Discussion in 'Creative Arts' started by bitzman, Mar 19, 2019.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. bitzman

    bitzman F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Feb 15, 2008
    3,287
    Ontario, CA
    Full Name:
    wallace wyss
    I am researching the history of this gullwinged Ferrari designed in America, but built in Italy.The designer was Bob Peak

    Robert “Bob” Peak was an American illustrator who is so famous that he “made” the success of some movies because his poster promoting it was so iconic.Plus he did illustrations for fashion design and for car companies, in the days before they went full on for photography.

    He was a graduate of Art Center College of Design, and like many a graduate, even worked briefly for a Detroit automaker, Ford. I don’t know if he did the Ford prototypes free lance or working out of Dearborn but I have seen pictures in a book about him by his son of the Ford prototypes.

    He was a real Ferrari fan and bought several Ferraris, a Maserati, and a Lamborghini.


    Working in New York City it wasn’t long he tied in with Luigi Chinetti, the importer and distributor for Ferraris in North America. Chinetti originally had a dealership in the city but Peak met the two Chinettis (father and son) about the time the Chinettis moved to Connecticut, near Bob Peak’s studio.

    Chinetti’s son Luigi Jr (nicknamed “Coco”), saw Peak as new hire for an in-house designer and they did several custom Ferraris together including two estate wagons, and this mid-engined car, based on a 250P (later updated to 275P/330P specs after 1964).

    Peak did some original designs for the car, 0812 63, which had been smashed in a race at St. Jovite, and then he and Coco went to Milano to talk with coachbuilder Giovanni Michelotti. According to some accounts Michelotti resented being handed a ready made design and sent them on their way but after asking Ferrari to intervene, he had a change of heart and created the gullwing body they wanted.

    I have seen the brochure for its appearance for sale on ebay but it doesn’t have a price on the car so I wonder if it actually was for sale or just intended as show room dressing to draw in customers who would want to commission their own private Ferrari design.

    Looking back, it is still a contemporary design, looking very elegant, particularly from the rear ¾ view where it had a “tunnel back” roof.

    I’d like to report you could still see this car toodling around at concours and suchlike but no, wouldn’t cha know, having a one-off Ferrari built by a famous coachbuilder is not nearly as attractive today as having a Ferrari that, uh, for starters, competed as a team car in the 12 Hours of Sebring with Mairesse, Vacarella and Bandini co-driving it, competed in the Targa Florio with Mairesse and Scarfiotti, and in the Nurburgring in ’63 where Surtees and Mairesse took first. At LeMans in ‘63, a fire put it out of the running.

    Anyway without going into its whole history, it had a pedigree racing background.

    So eventually Luigi, long after creating custom Ferraris, had it rebodied in Italy to original specs. But not without some difficulty. The Ferrari factory, far from being grateful (after all the Sr. Chinetti had delivered the marque their first win at LeMans, and also pioneered Ferrari the marque in the U.S.) sued him, saying the two cars he was restoring were counterfeits but Luigi Jr. countersued and won, basing his argument on the fact that race cars are continually altered once they are engaged in racing.

    I believe the car has been sold.One source says in 1999 to a "JAL" in Atherton (bay area). Was the approximate price ever mentioned (Ithink it has to be worth $20 million today, since it is nine times rarer than a 250GTO)

    IAnd oh by the way, on whose shelf is the gullwing body Peak designed sitting?


    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    jm2 and crinoid like this.
  2. Alpintourer

    Alpintourer F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 20, 2013
    3,338
    The Low Country
    Full Name:
    Dave Steven

Share This Page