Ferrari
250 GT Berlinetta "SWB"
Key Facts:
- Ferrari Classiche certified Massini Report Massini Report
HISTORY
In the world of Ferrari, the name “Short Wheel Base” immediately gets the blood pumping, and evokes a sense of one of the most elegant works of art on the road. To give it its full name, the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB is without doubt one of the greatest Ferraris of all time, and probably one of the most significant models in the entire history of the automobile. Designed and built to win races, the 250 SWB has triumphed again and again, including at Le Mans. In 1961, it won the Constructors Award for Ferrari.
As one of 90 steel versions, the Ferrari 250 SWB offered here was first delivered in Italy in May 1962. Its subsequent owner lived in California, purchasing Chassis 3409GT in October 1970 through the official dealer Crepaldi in Milan. The car turned up in England in the 90s, then found its way back to the USA in 2002. The then owner, Peter LeSaffre, decided to fully restore the car. Fortunately, Mr. LeSaffre entrusted the car to what is probably the most renowned restoration company in the USA, if not in the world. For about 42 years, the name Paul Russell and Company on the US East Coast has stood for restorations of exceptional quality, looking after renowned collectors like Ralph Lauren. Their focus on authenticity, and the maximum preservation of original aspects, is hardly found anywhere else on this side of the Atlantic. The owner decided to paint chassis 3409GT silver, and to give the interior a wonderfully stylish dark green leather finish. A colour combination could hardly be more elegant for the Ferrari 250 SWB. In the years that followed, 3409GT was a regular guest at classic motor sport and Concours events. Besides the Rolex Monterey Historics and the Cavallino Classic, Mr. LeSafffre also took part in the Ferrari Historic Challenge. In 2010, Bob Smith Coachworks was commissioned to carry out further restoration work, raising the already outstanding quality of the car even further to Concours standard. This paved the way for some significant awards. In 2014, the car received the coveted Ferrari Classiche Certificate. It was “Best in Show” and “Best in Class” at the Lime Rock Concours and Amelia Island Concours, and won the Platinum Award at the Ferrari Classiche Concours d’Eleganza at the Finali Mondiali (Daytona, 2016). The owner at that time, Archie Urciuoli, decided to sell the car at the end of 2017, for reasons of age. In February 2018, Schaltkulisse sold Chassis 3409GT to one of the most important German Ferrari collections. As a participant of the Ferrari Cavalcade Classic 2019, our SWB could be admired effortlessly handling the winding roads of Sardinia.
Today, Chassis 3409GT is in impressive, exquisite condition. We have also rarely seen such good documentation: several hundred pages of it, the red Ferrari Classiche book, countless invoices totaling several hundred thousand dollars, the vehicle history, and receipts. Besides the car’s stunning optics, it is technically “on point” and structurally in peak condition, thanks to the exceptional restoration work carried out over the last 20 years. This Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB from 1962 is now available in our showroom in Taufkirchen on the outskirts of Munich. We are proud to be involved in the history of this important classic from Maranello. We will be delighted to represent all the details and qualities of Chassis 3409GT, gladly over an espresso in our showroom.