1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti
Sold for $11,550,000 Including Commission
RM Auction, Monterey, California 2014
Chassis no. 6045
Engine no. 6045
320 hp, 3,286 aluminum-block V-12 engine with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors, five-speed transmission, independent suspension with front and rear unequal length wishbones with coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 94.4 in.
•The 19th of 32 examples constructed
•Retained for personal use by William F. Harrah
•Presented with Red Book certification by Ferrari Classiche
•Multiple-award winner at 2014 Cavallino Classic
•Displayed at the 1969 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
•Frequent concours and historic racing entrant
THE 250 LE MANS
In the early 1960s, Ferrari owned the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Even though the manufacturer was considered to be a newcomer on the international racing circuit, Luigi Chinetti and Peter Mitchell-Thomson took the prize in 1949, at the first incarnation of the race following World War II, putting more established marques on notice. More wins followed in 1954 and 1958, and their win in 1960 marked the beginning of an era of domination for the marque.
The 250 LM exploded onto the scene at the Paris Automobile Show in October 1963. It was built as the replacement for the 250 GTO, and it was intended to compete in the GT category of sports-car racing. Yet, Ferrari did not produce the mandated 100 examples for it to compete in the GT class, and the 250 LM was forced to compete as a sports-prototype. Nevertheless, it proved to be an excellent competitor on the race track, and, a 250 LM was actually the last Ferrari to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking the crown in 1965, which would cement its place into Ferrari history for eternity. Thirty-two examples were built in all, and while the majority went directly to race teams for competition around the world, a select handful made it into the hands of private owners to see road use. Many would have argued that a car that won overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be simply unsuitable for road use, but for the few well-heeled enthusiasts that could afford to purchase a 250 LM for street use, there was nothing better.
CHASSIS 6045
Chassis 6045 was the nineteenth example of the thirty-two 250 LMs produced, according to noted Ferrari historian and 250 LM authority Marcel Massini. As such, it was assembled by the factory over the course of the summer of 1964, and it left, finished in Rosso Cina with Bleu-trimmed fabric seats, and bound for the United States. After crossing the Atlantic and arriving at Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, it was sold to Bill Harrah’s Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada, for a price of $21,250. Even though Modern Classic Motors was an official dealership, this car would not be immediately sold, and it was instead used as a street car by Harrah himself, who kept the car until April 1966. Harrah had a fabulous collection of all types of cars, from classics to contemporaries, but there’s no doubt that a brand-new 250 LM would have been the most eye-catching vehicle on the streets of Reno.
Around 1966, it was sold through Cris Vandagriff, of Hollywood Sport Cars, to its second owner, Dr. Hart Isaacs, of Beverly Hills, California, for $17,500. At that time, it was noted that the car had only accrued 800 miles, which was a fair amount for this particular car considering Harrah had access to many cars at the time. Isaacs went on to use the car much like Harrah, and he registered it for road use. Over the next few years, he had the car serviced by Sal di Natale’s S & A Italia Sports Car Specialists in Hollywood, and it was fitted with a pair of external rearview mirrors. In May 1969, Isaacs showed the car at the 19th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the car was awarded Second in Class in the Special Interest Cars class.
However, misfortune struck 6045 less than a month after its showing at Pebble Beach. In June 1969, Isaacs had an accident in the car while driving on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood following another concours event, and the resulting damage caused the left-side fuel tank to be punctured. Due to gasoline leaking from the puncture, the car caught on fire shortly thereafter, and the delicate, thin-gauge aluminum body was badly burnt.
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Robert Myrick Photography
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