Ferrari Testa Rossa

1959/60 Ferrari Testa Rossa

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Six two barrel Weber Carbs

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When I got out of college, 1967, my first job as an "injunear" was at the "Really Big Airplane Company", in Everett, Washington.

I was basically broke, and I living in the basement of my folk's house. I was driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder that I had resurrected from a sad example that was nearly ready to expire. As the saying goes, I had "neither a pot to piss in, nor a window to throw it out of."

I was sitting at my desk at RBAC one day when a fellow from another engineering group dropped by.

"I hear you're interested in sports cars." he said, "I've got one in my basement you'd probably like to see, although it's all taken apart."

My first thought was "Great, another guy with a Mustang who thinks it's a sports car."

"What have you got?"

"Ferrari Testa Rossa."

I may have snorted coffee up my nose.......

"It was built in 1959 and raced by Phil Hill in the 1960 season, so they call it a 1959/60. "

Holy Cow!

That Friday after work I headed down to his place in North Seattle, where he was actually renting the basement of a large old house, with enough space for parking the Ferrari.

After this particular Ferrari had been raced in Europe for a few years, it was sold to a sports car racer in the Seattle area, where it was also raced for several more years.

A valve seat had come loose in the head, requiring some major head work to get it fixed. The owner decided it was a good time for a complete restoration, and completely dismantled the engine, carefully bagging and labeling each part as it came apart. The paint was removed from the hand made aluminum body to prepare it for refinishing.

There were two fuel tanks with it, a 45 and a 55 gallon, and they sat behind the driver under the headrest. There were perhaps a dozen wire wheels with tires, extra brake pads, and boxes and boxes of spare parts.

There were only seven of these ever made, and only three of this particular body style. Of the three, one was totally destroyed in a race, leaving only the two cars, and the other one was in Harrah's auto museum. Of the two, only one had the plexiglass hood scoop over the six two barrel Weber carburetors, so it's very likely that the pictures are of the exact car I was looking at in a basement in North Seattle. If this picture was taken before or after it was restored, it's hard to tell, but I suspect it's the "After" picture.

"I'm thinking about selling this off, as I could use the money." He casually remarked.

"I'll tell you what." I replied, "I'll give you everything I own for it. My Alfa, my Bultaco Campera, my Suzuki, guitars, camera gear, right down to socks and shorts, if you want!"

"OK", he said, "I offered it to another guy for cash a couple of weeks ago, and if I don't hear from him by tomorrow morning, it's yours!"

Unfortunately, the guy called the next morning and bought the Ferrari for cash. He made one phone call, raised the price substantially, and resold it with out even picking it up.

He could have cared less about the car, it was just another quick business deal to make a few thousand dollars with a couple of phone calls. How sad..........

I guess everyone misses out on a deal of a lifetime once in their life, and this was mine.

What have YOU missed out on, or passed up, that you've been kicking yourself ever since?