[Llarry]

I will still do a post on the earliest Ferraris but I can now ask the question: If I won the lottery twice and could have any single one of the classic Ferraris I've covered, which would it be?

Realistically (are you kidding me?) the 275GTS4 NART is probably out of the running; only ten were made and they don't get advertised on eBay, you know? I think my choice would be the 275GTB coupe -- two-cam or four-cam, whatever. The most classic of classic Ferraris in my opinion. Maybe a 6-carb setup just because 6 carbs on a Ferrari V-12 is pure sex.

Truth be known, though, even the humblest of the cars I've posted on would be terrific. Probably the least expensive to buy would be one of the 2+2s: a 250GTE or 330GT 2+2 (two headlamp version, please.)

Do you have to buy a ticket to win lotto?

EDIT: Stop the presses! If I can fantasize about winning the lotto twice, surely I can fantasize about finding a 275GTS/4 NART Spider, so my new number one choice is that open version of the 275GTB4.

[Llarry]

I have failed to explain the Ferrari numbering system, so before I discuss the 1947-53 cars, let me digress a bit.

The Ferrari numbers for the cars we've been discussing is simple: the piston displacement for a single piston of the engine. Multiply by 12 to find the total engine displacement. So a Ferrari 250 is a 3-liter car. Here are some others:
125: 1.5 liter V-12
159: 1.9 liter V-12
166: 2.0 liter V-12
195: 2.3 liter V-12
212: 2.5 liter V-12
225: 2.7 liter V-12

That out of the way, the very first Ferraris were three 125s produced in 1947 with 118 hp V-12s. Shortly after completion, two of them were bored out to 1.9 liters and subsequently to 2 liters. Apparently in Italy there is no substitute for cubic inches either.

The total number of 166s built from 1948 to 1950 was 40. In non-competition form, these were 90-110 hp engines with single carbs; those intended for racing would typically have triple carbs.

The 166 was succeeded by the Ferrari 195, with 26 built in 1950-51. With its 2.3 liter engine, power was up to 130 hp.

At about the same time, the 212 was introduced with a 2.5 liter V-12 and more power. 81 212s were produced from 1950-53.

In 1952, Ferrari debuted the 225S, which had a 210 hp 2.7 V-12 and was really destined for racing only. 21 were built.

In 1953, the first 3-liter Ferrari V-12s were run, which takes us up to the early stages of the 250s.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by GarySL

Speaking of bugs...

Hazaaaaah

[UncleWede]

I’ll trade you a 250GT for that Chevelle any day!

[///MPhatic]

Shine On You Crazy Diamond. by Andrew Thompson, on Flickr

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Llarry

If I can fantasize about winning the lotto twice, surely I can fantasize about finding a 275GTS/4 NART Spider, so my new number one choice is that open version of the 275GTB4.

The problem is that buying a 275GTS/4 NART Spider might require winning more than two lotteries. Ten years ago, the Ferrari Market Letter (attached), which I believe is the bible for Ferrari values, listed the coupe at a bit over a million and did not even list a value for the spider. No matter -- it's a fantasy anyway.

Also see attached the Road & Track test panel for the car. Only $14,400!

[Llarry]

Given what we know about Ferrari designations, a 375 model is a 4.5 liter V-12 (375cc x 12 cylinders.) We've seen Willie Day's 375MM Spider. I haven't covered the 375s and other larger-displacement Ferraris as they were almost all competition models.

There were, however, a few exceptions: Italian Roberto Rosselini commissioned a special 375 for his girlfriend and future wife, Ingrid Bergman and that was painted a special color named 'Grigio Ingrid' which remains available on Ferraris to this day.

The other outstanding exception I can think of is the 375 Plus (5-liter V-12) cabriolet built for King Leopold III of Belgium and delivered in 1955.

[CarsAndGuitars]

Not particularly cool or special, but not something you'll see too often..

[R BMW]

[JMcLellan]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

Shine On You Crazy Diamond. by Andrew Thompson, on Flickr

Dang that's a sexy looking car. I think the gen 1 M2 is one of the nicest looking BMW's.

[Boomer 2019]

Originally Posted by CarsAndGuitars

Not particularly cool or special, but not something you'll see too often..

Attachment 3155276

It's nice to see a 30 year old car kept in such good condition (mechanical not cosmetic), but these were never anything special performance wise. I used to snack on them for breakfast with my Buick Grand National back in the day. I once was challenged by an unmarked one driven by a county cop on US-81 in Virginia. When I was about 50 yards ahead of him he lit up his lights, and the fun was over. He was so pissed that he actually yelled at me "you don't run away from my Monte Carlo"! I stupidly smart assed back that I just did, and offered to run him double or nothing for the ticket, and my wife thought he was going to shoot me. He followed me back to the local cop shop, kept me in the holding cell for a couple of hours, threatened me with arrest, and then sent me on my way with 4 tickets. Ahh.. those were the days.. more testosterone than common sense.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by JMcLellan

Dang that's a sexy looking car. I think the gen 1 M2 is one of the nicest looking BMW's.

I agree. We're used to seeing them on this board, but every time I drive the car somewhere people are like wow, that's a special looking car. I love the fact that there aren't a lot of M2's running around.

[Rono63]

Went to a joint meeting with BMWCCA Tejas chapter and the 2002 club today.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by Llarry

All these 250GTs of the 1950-60s are now worth millions.

....Note that any of our BMWs would blow the doors off these cars today but that's not the point, is it? Such beauty!

It's not the point if we are talking as car collectors, but there is another point here. We, as car enthusiast, live in a great time. The price/performance of the cars we get to buy and drive in 2023 is simply awesome. We are very lucky indeed to have the choices we have.

[JMcLellan]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

I agree. We're used to seeing them on this board, but every time I drive the car somewhere people are like wow, that's a special looking car. I love the fact that there aren't a lot of M2's running around.

I was with my family at a car show last summer and there were three M2's. White, black, and that same blue color as your car. I never see them around so crazy to see three all in the same spot. Currently, there are four M2's for sale where I am locally. I guess they are around but never seen.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

The old Ferrari's, like all of the older cars I regularly shoot, do little for me with regards to driving. The sounds are there, but they are too far on the old-car spectrum for me to really enjoy driving them. I'm an 80's kid, we had ergonomics. We had cars that started. We had cars that would go 100 mph and feel like 100, not 1000. I love shooting the old cars, but you couldn't give me one, it'd be sold the next day. Million dollar Shelby Mustang or '89 Conquest TSi? Conquest all day long.

I think that makes me truly old, ie stuck in my era.

I was a kid in the '50s and I've always had a fondness for the '50s and '60s American cars. For years, I was tempted to fill my 3rd spot in the garage with a classic American muscle car. I never did find the right car. Each one I drove looked good and sounded great but everything else about them fell short. I finally gave up and just enjoy looking at them instead. Fond memories are good enough for me.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

I was a kid in the '50s and I've always had a fondness for the '50s and '60s American cars. For years, I was tempted to fill my 3rd spot in the garage with a classic American muscle car. I never did find the right car. Each one I drove looked good and sounded great but everything else about them fell short. I finally gave up and just enjoy looking at them instead. Fond memories are good enough for me.

We bought our daughter a '66 Mustang with the 289 V8 when she was 17. It was her dream car and she loved it. It made me a little nervous; no ABS, TC, or other modern features. She had no expectations of such things so she drove it free as a bird.

The car was in great condition and drove fine. She kept it through college and eventually sold it for a good price. Glad she sold it. I don't regret getting it for her even with all its shortcomings (lack of modern features), because she was and is a very responsible person and never had a problem with it, except for a worrying father.

[Esteban]

^ Only Photo I could find of the Mustang. Sorry for the poor quality.

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by Esteban

We bought our daughter a '66 Mustang with the 289 V8 when she was 17. It was her dream car and she loved it. It made me a little nervous; no ABS, TC, or other modern features. She had no expectations of such things so she drove it free as a bird.

The car was in great condition and drove fine. She kept it through college and eventually sold it for a good price. Glad she sold it. I don't regret getting it for her even with all its shortcomings (lack of modern features), because she was and is a very responsible person and never had a problem with it, except for a worrying father.

Good for you, she probably has a better appreciation of the classics than most. My parents helped me with my first car when I was 16, a '69 Firebird. I loved that car, my mother was very nervous but that car helped form a lifelong passion for cars of all kinds. Some might argue that I have spent way too much money and effort on them (talk to my second ex-wife) but hell I always say that hobby is way cheaper than a 20 year old girlfriend.

[Murf the Surf]

I should have stayed in school.....and then gone to medical school and then got into plastic surgery in Beverly Hills.....

[JJ 911SC]

.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

I was a kid in the '50s and I've always had a fondness for the '50s and '60s American cars. For years, I was tempted to fill my 3rd spot in the garage with a classic American muscle car. I never did find the right car. Each one I drove looked good and sounded great but everything else about them fell short. I finally gave up and just enjoy looking at them instead. Fond memories are good enough for me.

I used to be a huge Corvette fan, and by Corvette I mean the 1963-1967 cars. I didn't get to drive one until I was in my early 20's and was so disappointed (naturally comparing it to the 80's RX-7, MR-2, and Conquest TSi).

But just a couple of years ago I had the occasion to shoot 12 of those cars in one day. They didn't need but 15 shots of each of them, and the guy was ultra busy, so I just drove each of them a few blocks away to the location, shot it, then drove it back. I was astounded at how different each one was, and they were all 1963-1967 cars. There were 327 cars, 427 cars, side pipes, convertible, you name it. But they were all so different. There was one 1964 convertible that drove so damn nice, I wanted to buy that car right then and there.

So now I just reserve judgement until I actually drive each car, because you never know how it's going to hit you, even if it's supposed to be the same as all the rest, it's not.