Car Spotlight / More Than You Can Afford Pal
No, really. Unless you have the sort of money that can comfortably purchase at least a dozen houses in SF, you really couldn't. But that's not gonna stop me from drooling over this immaculate blue Ferrari 275 GTB-4 NART Spider.
That mouthful of a name really boils down to 2 important points.
1. 275 GTB - The successor of the 250 GTO, the GOAT Ferrari in terms of racing pedigree, value, and for most people (myself included) looks. The 275's weren't as raw as the 250, giving way to a more graceful and elongated shape. The proportions grew and while it may have lost a little of the athleticism the earlier models had, there's no denying those body curves are still among the best ever sculpted in the automotive world. And with a 3+ liter V12 under that long hood, it wasn't exactly a slouch in the performance department.
2. NART - aka, North American Racing Team. Ferrari had a growing market in the US, which would soon becomes Ferrari's largest market worldwide. As a result, the American dealers wanted to try to offer something unique for their Freedom-loving customers and that often meant turning coupe models into open-tops. As a result, 25 of the 275 GTB models were ordered without a roof, though only 10 were ever made resulting in a car that's even rarer than the 250 GTO or 250 California, both the Long and Short wheelbase models.
Needless to say, this car is kind of a big deal for collectors. Especially given it's non-traditional blue which personally I'm always a big fan of. As weird as it is, blue is often my favorite color for a Ferrari.
It wasn't my favorite car or Ferrari at the show, nor was it even my second favorite (that'd be that wonderful F50 I showcased earlier). But man did it still grab my attention and give the audience a shape that IMO easily out-shined the latest and greatest from the Maranello brand. Speaking of which, keep an eye out for a post on that in the near future!
LONDON / THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM
Sooooo, back in London. Again. Gotta take advantages of paid-for lodging while I can! So gonna kickstart this series of posts with just a few images.
Morning Victory
Back when Triumph made more than just bikes. If there was any British marque I could resurrect, it'd probably be them.
Blue Thirty Two
Wish the rear wheels were a little wider and while these Mooneyes Speed Masters fit amazingly, I'd want a second set of wheels with simple black steelies. Otherwise, this is PERFECT.
Seriously, this and an all black 32 I spotted at Monterey Historics are my top all time favorite hot rods because this is exactly how I'd want one. .
When Wedge Was In
Just like the Countach, my favorite Testarossas were the early years when the shape was simple and clean. This may be an unusual color to spot (not that I'm complaining), but that shape and those wheels scream late 80's better than almost any other car can. It might only be remembered as car for drug crazed TV shows, but it should also be remembered for being just a great car.
Plus, it had a freaking flat 12! And you know that'll never happen again.