1958 Ferrari California Spider
Up for auction on Saturday, August 20, the 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti was the 11th example built, completed in 1958 and then boarded a ship bound for New York City, and then traveled to Lubbock, Texas, before it reached the hands of its first owner, M. Steven Deck. In January of ’62, the Spider raced at Osceola Grand Prix. Piloted by Ross Durant, the Spider placed first in its class.
Since then, the car has made its away across America. In 2014 the Spider ended up in California. It was refitted with period-correct features, like an exterior dark blue and an interior re-trimmed with contrasting lighter blue leather, and grey carpeting. Its engine was also fully rebuilt by Patrick Ottis, a renowned Ferrari mechanic, and work was done on both its breaks and shocks to return the car to flawless running order. In 2016, the car was shown at Cavallino Classic, where it took home the Emeritus Cup. According to Sotheby’s, “the California Spider is as close as Ferrari came to building a touring class sports car since the early Carchettas, and only it and the later 275 GTB/4 NART Spiders have the elemental high-speed, open-air attitude that sets these cars apart from their more common cabriolet counterparts.”
The Spider boasts a 222.5 bhp, four-speed manual transmission, and an independent front suspension via A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic shocks. Sotheby’s estimates the Spider is worth $12,000,000 — $14,000,000. It’s lot 221, set for auction in Monterey, California.