A simply gorgeous 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider has sold for $18.045 million at a recent sales event hosted by Gooding & Company.
Every Ferrari model from the 1960s with the number ‘250’ in its name is special and the SWB California Spider is no different. It was produced with the U.S. market in mind and initially built in long-wheelbase guise on the same chassis as the 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta and Series I Cabriolet. Ferrari then re-engineered it with its short-wheelbase chassis.
A total of 106 units of the Ferrari 250 GT California Spider were produced. Of these, 50 were long-wheelbase models while 56 were short-wheelbase models. This particular example is chassis 3099 GT which is one of just 37 with covered headlights. It is also the only one finished in a special shade of Azzurro Metallizzato identified through its paint code MM 16240 and originally featured on a handful of Pininfarina-bodied 250 GT models built between 1960 and 1962.
After being built, the car was shipped to the United States and displayed at the New York International Auto Show in April 1962. It was then shipped to the West Coast and lived in Hollywood for a number of years.
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Around 1970, the car was crashed into a curb, badly damaging various suspension, brake, and exhaust components. In 1972, it was purchased in its damaged state by Charles Betz and Fred Peters for $2,400 and then promptly repaired. Still, under the ownership of Betz and Peters, the car underwent a comprehensive restoration in the early 2000s. It was later granted a Ferrari Classiche certification and has won numerous concours awards over the past two decades and remained under the ownership of Betz and Peters until the recent auction.
By the way, $2,400 in 1972 is worth the equivalent of $17,177 today, meaning the two owners sold the car for more than 1000 times what they paid for it.
