November 20th, 2002

by Ed McDonough
Color Photos by Pete Collins

If you have followed the historic and vintage car market over the last 20 years, you will have seen everything, from the most extraordinary original machinery thought to have been lost, to some outstanding fakes. The value of rare cars has done amazing things to prices, and to owners who want to extract the highest possible prices from buyers.

TDF Serial Number 1333GT competing in the Tour de France, 1959.

As a result, many outstanding cars have been restored out of all proportion to what they once were, many ‘better’ than they were new. So it is now an occasion, when a significant machine appears, in thoroughly road going or competition condition but which also sparkles with its own originality. Such a machine is the Ferrari 250 Long Wheel-base Berlinetta, chassis number 1333GT, which Christies will bring to auction at Retromobile in Paris, on February 8. In spite of its formal, long winded name, it is much more commonly referred to as a ‘Tour de France’, an evolution of the Ferrari Berlinettas of the early and mid-1950s.

Even London's compulsive joggers missed a pace or two at the sight of 1333GT.

What is so stunning about this car, chassis 1333GT, is that it has had a significant competition history, and it remains so original. Though a recent engine and mechanical rebuild has been carried out, the car is as it was, the dark red bristling with patina and provenance.

History
1333GT came off the production line in April, 1959 and was delivered to Carlo Maria Abate, a well known Milan industrialist, who gained some fame as a privateer racing driver, and more fame as a sometimes Ferrari works driver. Abate immediately took his new machine to the Consuma Hillclimb, an Italian event, and was 5th overall, and followed that up with a first in class at the much longer Trento-Bondone Hillclimb.

It was time for bigger things. The Tour de France 250GT had by now earned a well-deserved reputation as the front line GT car both in races and the challenging European road rallies of the period, especially the Tour de France, which combined tough road sections, with circuit races and hillclimbs. Both Alfonso de Portago and Olivier Gendebien had done extremely well in that event, and the name Tour de France stuck to the car ever after. By 1959, the Mille Miglia was no longer the glorious road race it once had been, but was still a tough rally, much like the Tour. Abate and co-driver Balzarini managed to win the Mille Miglia outright, a considerable achievement for a fairly large road going machine. It was a real test of the gearbox and the over-sized drum brakes, the latter which Ferrari had hung onto after everyone else had gone to discs.

With the Mille Miglia Rally out of the way, there was still a long season ahead, and Abate was 2nd in Class at the Rimini/San Marino Hillclimb and then class winner at Monza in a race known as the Coppa San Ambreus. This was followed by a 3rd overall at the Garessio/San Bernardo Hillclimb, and secons at another Monza race, the Gran Premio della Lotteria. In rapid succession, 1333GT achieved a 5th at the Trieste/Opicina Hillclimb, 2nd overall at the Monza Coppa Inter Europa and 1st in GT at the Corsa dei Colli Torinesi Hillclimb.

In September, Abate and Balzarini were together again, this time for the great Tour de France itself, where the model not only won with Gendebien at the wheel, but took second and third, with Abate 5th, a certain Stirling Moss managing to insert a Mercedes 300SL into 4th spot. Abate only did three events in 1960, one the demanding Nurburgring 1000 Kilometers on the Nordschliefe, where he had 8th overall and first in GT, teamed up with English endurance specialist Colin Davis. This was followed by a 5th at the Mont Ventoux Hillclimb and finally a win at the Garessio San Bernardo, an improvement on the previous year.

Some lucky buyer with more than 1 million Euros will find this in the garage after the auction on February 8th.

1333GT came to England in 1962 where it has been in the care of three owners, and it took part in a number of club events, and was carefully maintained in its original condition, prompting the Ferrari Owners Club to give it a special award at their 1998 Concours for its fine original condition.

Driving 1333GT
With this history in mind, it was thus somewhat daunting that I was allowed to take it out of Christies’ London showroom and cruise west along the Thames to discover its road driveability and then to Battersea Park, a kind of scenic and hidden beauty spot with some nice testing lanes on which to feel the torque. Though the clutch could be said to be ‘nervous’--it’s in or it’s out--that can be taken in one’s stride fairly quickly, and the true presence and heritage of this great car becomes apparent. Of course, there is the majestic music of the V-12, and impressive grip on 16" Englebert tires, but the pleasure is in looking through that three spoked Ferrari steering wheel, through the fly screen mounted on the hood, and watch the movement of the sculptured body work.

Even London’s compulsive joggers missed a pace or two as the car was put through its own paces in this urban setting, a far cry from the French or Italian hills and still so close, as the heritage of Ferrari is so obvious when the throttle goes down hard, or the independent front suspension has to work through medium speed corners. Surrounded by comfortable black leather in this functional but welcoming cockpit, it’s not difficult to bring back the glory days, not difficult at all.

And some lucky buyer, willing to part with the estimated 1 to 1.2 million Euros is going to be able to do that for him or herself, when the car is auctioned in Paris. If this whets your appetite, contact rbanner@christies.com You can also read the full story in the February issue of VINTAGE RACECAR Journal. Their website is www.vintageracecar.com