Tom: October 2007 Archives

    So let's take a look at her now.  Over the years, I have had the chance to remove a fair amount of the interior and fix a few of the mechanical bits.  Now is the time to remove all, clean and renovate, then put back.  But first, let's see what we have.

     Overall, the body is in good shape.  

    The car had a mediocre overspray to convert it from white to silver.  As you can see, the windows and most of the trim was not removed prior to painting.  Also, it looks like the original paint was not cleaned as well as it could be, so it is starting to crack.  As with most repaints, the previous owner did not bother to paint the dash.  This gives me a great sample of the original white to match when I get to painting the exterior.

    There is a little rust in the usual locations (bottom of the door and the floor pans), but as the car has never left California, it is not as bad as it could have been.  The Borrani's look healthy but very tarnished.  I do not trust moving the car on them until I have them fixed by an expert on wire wheels.  Looks like a visit with Cork Adams is in order.














    The leather is totally shot.  There are a few pieces that can be used as templates, but 10 years of baking in the California sun rendered the seats useless.  The previous owners son recovered the rear package panel and added his own details.  I don't know if this was appreciated or not, as when I got the car, this piece was covered with white shag carpet.  I recently found this in the garage rafters.

    I also need a headlight lens, a taillight lens (unique to the Series III), a frame for the drivers door kickplate, a new antenna, screws to attach the door latch strike plate and all the seal rubber, which is totally dried out.  In addition, it looks like welded on screws are broken on a headlight surround and the driver's side engine vent.

    The one major problem that I can see is that the frame is broken on the front passengers side.  It may be hard to see, but the nose of the car is a bit tweaked.  I think the car was once pulled into the garage a little too far.  The break is in front of the suspension, so is probably not dangerous.  In fact, it looks like the car was driven for quite a while after this occurred.  I, however, am not interested in driving it until this is fixed.  Now I have to find someone familiar with welding tubular frame elements.  Any suggestions???

    Overall though, the car is in great shape.  It was a daily driver until the previous owner passed, so all the parts are there and they did work once.  It is quite original.  Neither owner appeared to replace anything.  They either valued originality or were too cheap to replace things, so everything is there.  In fact, to date the only non-stock part I have found is the eight track player.  Fortunately, in the spirit of never throwing away anything useful, I found the original radio in the previous owners garage.

    In addition to the radio, I am lucky to have a few other items that will be the envy of other GTE owners.  First, in the glove box was the original owner's manual.  Second, for reasons that I cannot fathom, in the trunk is a spare windshield.  Also in the trunk was a full engine gasket set, in the original box.  I have no idea if this is still usable, but I like it!  I recently found in his garage a set of aftermarket headrests, in matching leather and in the original box.  They were never installed, but are fun to have.  Lastly, the car came with a moderately complete tool kit.  The tools were half Craftsman and half Ferrari.  I later went to the previous owners house and asked to look at his tool box.  As I suspected, it was half Craftsman, half Ferrari!  Now all I need is the Hub Puller (the only usable tool in the whole kit) and the lube gun extension to have a complete set.

        Ok, enough about me.  Let's talk about the car. 

         Carrozzeria Ferina began construction of chassis number 2126 on November 23, 1962.  It was to be given a Coupe 2+2 body, painted Bianco (White) and fitted with a Pelle Rossa (Red) Connelley leather interior.  Soon thereafter, over in the Ferrari factory, work began on an engine that was to become number 4247.  It was fitted with three 36 DCL Carburetors, a model that was unusual for this car.  On February 15, 1963, shop foreman Franchini wrote "Montato sfiati sulla distribuzione" or "Mounted vents on the distribution," though I have no idea why.  The engine was completed by Sr. Taddei on the 19^th, and tested by Sr. Ciocci the same day, On  February 25,1963, my car rolled out of the factory, a certified Ferrari; destined for the United States and Hollywood Sports Cars. 

         Tyler Gregory of Pasadena, California purchased my car some time in mid 1963.  As I was told by a business partner, Tyler Gregory was, by profession, a "sportsman."  That is, he played a lot of golf, raced motorcycles and power boats, had more than a few female friends and, in his spare time, owned Beverly Hills BMW.  He was quite a legend at work and the Annandale Country Club, where the white Ferrari was present in every story.

        In 1984, Tyler passed away and his widow sold the car to Charles Metcalf of Culver City, California.  Mrs. Metcalf told me that getting that Ferrari was one of the happiest days of Charles' life.  It became a daily driver for him and he loved to tinker with it on the weekends.  Charles did not like to spend money on the car; if an arm rest tore, duct tape did the trick.  If a gage malfunctioned, he cut the wire.  When the leather package shelf faded from the sun, white shag carpet was a fine replacement.  He did, however, have the exterior painted silver.  Fortunately, Charles was no slouch in the mechanical department.  He tuned the V-12 by ear and kept the car running smoothly until he passed away in the mid 1990's.  At that point, the car was put on blocks, covered with a tarp and left to sit for almost 10 years.

 

        I first heard about the car at a local block party.  I told Mrs. Metcalf that the car should be sold, since the California sun would eventually destroy it.  Tom Shaughnessy was sniffing around for parts, but she would only consider selling to someone who loved the car as much as her husband.  I was not aware that Ferrari made such a car and under the assumption that I would be dealing with a Lusso, California, or dare I say it, a GTO, thought I could not afford the car.  Fortunately for me, it was a GTE and I could afford it.  So, in late 2001, for $15,000, the rental of a flat bed tow truck and a promise to let her daughter take a spin when it ran again, 250 Pinin Farina Coupe 2+2 number 4247 was mine.  It was one of the happiest days of my life.