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Details
PROPERTY FROM THE PATRICK S. RYAN COLLECTION
1963 FERRARI 400 SUPERAMERICA LONG WHEELBASE CABRIOLET WITH HARDTOP
COACHWORK BY PININFARINA
Chassis No. 4241 SA
Engine No. 4241 SA
Red with cream leather interior
Engine: V12, single overhead cam per bank, 3,967cc., 340bhp at 7,000rpm; Gearbox: four-speed manual with overdrive; Suspension: independent front with double wishbones, coil springs, rear, rigid axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: four wheel discs. Left hand drive.
As per Pininfarina records kindly supplied by the Ferrari Market Letter, this chassis entered the Pininfarina premises on 22 December 1962 and received body no. 99505. The car was completed on May 21, 1963 with black 'italver' paint code 20581A and tan leather interior code 3309. The 77mm. bore by 71mm. stroke, 3,967cc. litre engine constituted a new direction for Ferrari and was not based on the Lampredi block, but was a return to the roots of Colombo's earlier engine by way of a staggering 340hp at 7,000rpm. It was mated to a four speed plus overdrive transmission. The second Series had a longer wheelbase of 2,600mm. compared to that of the first Series cars at 2,420mm.
According to Jonathan Thompson's Ferrari Cabriolets and Spyders, 4241SA was the first of the second series of which only four were made by Pininfarina (including 4423SA, 4781SA and 5093SA). All differed in some way by the details of their styling, but 4241 consummately passes scrutiny as a classical Pininfarina design unlike some of it siblings that were handicapped by excessive chrome. 4241 has an adequate proportion of perfectly located chrome accents which draw the eye and flatter the body's proportions, such as the chrome accent around the hood air intake which runs forward in two parallel lines drawing more attention to that area, suggesting speed and cradling the hood badge of the Cavallino rampante.
Throughout the car, signs of the exclusive nature of this elite Ferrari can be found: the removable hardtop has a very large glass area joined by thin pillars affording extremely good visibility; the beautifully finished way in which the door window glass edge is embraced by that of the hard top in a harmonious line, turning a purely functional detail into something pleasing to the eye, almost jewel-like; the lovely push in, pop out door handles.
The Ferrari was first sold by Franco Britannic, based in the Paris suburb of Levallois, to the original owner a Monsieur Henry, apparently from Paris. It remained in his ownership until 1982 when it was sold to Basque Frenchman Jacques Eguerreguy living in the department of l'Essonne near Paris and registered 6471XG 91. Before or after that year it also participated at the Mas du Clos Ferrari Club France event as shown in Godfrey Eaton's Ferrari book. Eguerreguy also enjoyed the car the following year during the Ferrari Day meeting in Modena and at the Imola circuit near Bologna.
While still owned by Eguerreguy in 1987, it was on offer by a British dealer in Radnage, Buckinghamshire with its hardtop. It was actually sold on May 11, 1988 to Patrick Ryan at the Christie's auction in Monaco, and was described in the catalogue as being red with beige interior and hardtop. Its engine had been overhauled prior to the auction and the paintwork and carpets were relatively recent.
Mr. Ryan was enthused by its rarity and greater power when compared to that of a California Spyder and, since the price was fair, he purchased it. In fact, he later bought a California Spyder (see lot 15) and both sat together in his museum. The creamy tan interior looks original and in very good condition showing nice patina. The paint is in good condition without serious flaws and looks like it could even be the original paint, which is not the case since the car was originally black. The hard top, when on, is very flattering to the car's lines, while the tobacco mohair soft top appears as though it was replaced or restored shortly before the 1988 auction, as were the exhausts. Pat Ryan has had the Borrani wire wheels redone, impeccably so, as they had been showing some cosmetic age. The bumpers were also rechromed at that time. The current mileage is some 76,853 km, which is probably the correct mileage from new. The engine has not seen major work, having been simply maintained since it has always been in pristine condition. As with all the road cars owned by Mr. Ryan, the Ferrari has been started approximately once every 60 days and exercised under controlled conditions. A noted feature of 4241SA is a second brake master cylinder, the presence of which is a mystery, but one would assume it was fitted by one of the French owners after un moment at speed.
The only time this stunning Ferrari was shown outside of the museum collection was at the Amelia Island Concours on the occasion of the event's first edition. That weekend Ferrari veteran expert George Carrick drove the car before it was put on the field and was very excited by its originality and impressed by its performance. It is not a car that has been seen very often and it is always exciting when such a gem comes out of the woodwork.
As noted by Bob Grossman, one of the marque's well known distributors in the New York area, They were and remain wonderfully tractable thanks to their bountiful torque, making them even more of an effortless yet exhilarating pleasure to drive than the 250GT range, accelerating from a standing start much better with linear torque throughout the range. It is very stable well into the triple digit speeds. With just four cabriolets made on the long wheelbase chassis platform out of a production of just over 20, this is indeed a very rare Ferrari. These points were aptly made by Antoine Prunet in his book Ferrari The Road Cars when he stated, ...the limited production of the Superamerica continued without interruption to satisfy the fastidiousness of a few perfectionists who demanded even more performance...and who wanted even more of an image of prestige and exclusivity...
Considering its very good overall original condition, this Ferrari should make an ideal driver for touring road rallies. Indeed once experienced, the 400SA engine is as addictive as its looks and the car is comfortable to ride in; one prominent US collector actually has two of them. There are a growing number of clubs, including The Ferrari Club of America Preservation Award, and many concours events, including Pebble Beach, that are recognizing and rewarding the importance of cars that have never truly been restored.
WITHOUT RESERVE
1963 FERRARI 400 SUPERAMERICA LONG WHEELBASE CABRIOLET WITH HARDTOP
COACHWORK BY PININFARINA
Chassis No. 4241 SA
Engine No. 4241 SA
Red with cream leather interior
Engine: V12, single overhead cam per bank, 3,967cc., 340bhp at 7,000rpm; Gearbox: four-speed manual with overdrive; Suspension: independent front with double wishbones, coil springs, rear, rigid axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: four wheel discs. Left hand drive.
As per Pininfarina records kindly supplied by the Ferrari Market Letter, this chassis entered the Pininfarina premises on 22 December 1962 and received body no. 99505. The car was completed on May 21, 1963 with black 'italver' paint code 20581A and tan leather interior code 3309. The 77mm. bore by 71mm. stroke, 3,967cc. litre engine constituted a new direction for Ferrari and was not based on the Lampredi block, but was a return to the roots of Colombo's earlier engine by way of a staggering 340hp at 7,000rpm. It was mated to a four speed plus overdrive transmission. The second Series had a longer wheelbase of 2,600mm. compared to that of the first Series cars at 2,420mm.
According to Jonathan Thompson's Ferrari Cabriolets and Spyders, 4241SA was the first of the second series of which only four were made by Pininfarina (including 4423SA, 4781SA and 5093SA). All differed in some way by the details of their styling, but 4241 consummately passes scrutiny as a classical Pininfarina design unlike some of it siblings that were handicapped by excessive chrome. 4241 has an adequate proportion of perfectly located chrome accents which draw the eye and flatter the body's proportions, such as the chrome accent around the hood air intake which runs forward in two parallel lines drawing more attention to that area, suggesting speed and cradling the hood badge of the Cavallino rampante.
Throughout the car, signs of the exclusive nature of this elite Ferrari can be found: the removable hardtop has a very large glass area joined by thin pillars affording extremely good visibility; the beautifully finished way in which the door window glass edge is embraced by that of the hard top in a harmonious line, turning a purely functional detail into something pleasing to the eye, almost jewel-like; the lovely push in, pop out door handles.
The Ferrari was first sold by Franco Britannic, based in the Paris suburb of Levallois, to the original owner a Monsieur Henry, apparently from Paris. It remained in his ownership until 1982 when it was sold to Basque Frenchman Jacques Eguerreguy living in the department of l'Essonne near Paris and registered 6471XG 91. Before or after that year it also participated at the Mas du Clos Ferrari Club France event as shown in Godfrey Eaton's Ferrari book. Eguerreguy also enjoyed the car the following year during the Ferrari Day meeting in Modena and at the Imola circuit near Bologna.
While still owned by Eguerreguy in 1987, it was on offer by a British dealer in Radnage, Buckinghamshire with its hardtop. It was actually sold on May 11, 1988 to Patrick Ryan at the Christie's auction in Monaco, and was described in the catalogue as being red with beige interior and hardtop. Its engine had been overhauled prior to the auction and the paintwork and carpets were relatively recent.
Mr. Ryan was enthused by its rarity and greater power when compared to that of a California Spyder and, since the price was fair, he purchased it. In fact, he later bought a California Spyder (see lot 15) and both sat together in his museum. The creamy tan interior looks original and in very good condition showing nice patina. The paint is in good condition without serious flaws and looks like it could even be the original paint, which is not the case since the car was originally black. The hard top, when on, is very flattering to the car's lines, while the tobacco mohair soft top appears as though it was replaced or restored shortly before the 1988 auction, as were the exhausts. Pat Ryan has had the Borrani wire wheels redone, impeccably so, as they had been showing some cosmetic age. The bumpers were also rechromed at that time. The current mileage is some 76,853 km, which is probably the correct mileage from new. The engine has not seen major work, having been simply maintained since it has always been in pristine condition. As with all the road cars owned by Mr. Ryan, the Ferrari has been started approximately once every 60 days and exercised under controlled conditions. A noted feature of 4241SA is a second brake master cylinder, the presence of which is a mystery, but one would assume it was fitted by one of the French owners after un moment at speed.
The only time this stunning Ferrari was shown outside of the museum collection was at the Amelia Island Concours on the occasion of the event's first edition. That weekend Ferrari veteran expert George Carrick drove the car before it was put on the field and was very excited by its originality and impressed by its performance. It is not a car that has been seen very often and it is always exciting when such a gem comes out of the woodwork.
As noted by Bob Grossman, one of the marque's well known distributors in the New York area, They were and remain wonderfully tractable thanks to their bountiful torque, making them even more of an effortless yet exhilarating pleasure to drive than the 250GT range, accelerating from a standing start much better with linear torque throughout the range. It is very stable well into the triple digit speeds. With just four cabriolets made on the long wheelbase chassis platform out of a production of just over 20, this is indeed a very rare Ferrari. These points were aptly made by Antoine Prunet in his book Ferrari The Road Cars when he stated, ...the limited production of the Superamerica continued without interruption to satisfy the fastidiousness of a few perfectionists who demanded even more performance...and who wanted even more of an image of prestige and exclusivity...
Considering its very good overall original condition, this Ferrari should make an ideal driver for touring road rallies. Indeed once experienced, the 400SA engine is as addictive as its looks and the car is comfortable to ride in; one prominent US collector actually has two of them. There are a growing number of clubs, including The Ferrari Club of America Preservation Award, and many concours events, including Pebble Beach, that are recognizing and rewarding the importance of cars that have never truly been restored.
WITHOUT RESERVE
Special notice
This lot has no reserve.