In the world of vintage car collecting, Italian cars from the 50’s and 60’s are among the most treasured because of their low production numbers and purpose built beauty. It is Economics 101, supply and demand with Enzo Ferrari as the ringleader producing these wildly appealing cars attracting an immense amount of demand with a […]
In the world of vintage car collecting, Italian cars from the 50’s and 60’s are among the most treasured because of their low production numbers and purpose built beauty. It is Economics 101, supply and demand with Enzo Ferrari as the ringleader producing these wildly appealing cars attracting an immense amount of demand with a limited supply to fulfill it. Although Ferrari has, and continues to be the master of this, other Italian marques such as Maserati and Lancia follow closely behind, generating a mass following. What makes these Italian beauties so appealing? Is it the stunning Pininfarina body lines coupled with the exhilarating noise of a Ferrari V12? Well…yes. Someone once said, Italian women are like Italian cars; beautiful and stylish but become high maintenance over time. Such is the case with three old broads that have passed through LBI hands, finding new homes in various parts of the world.
1963 Maserati 3500 GTi Sebring:
We have stated for a while now that these 3500 Maserati’s are undervalued in the current collector car marketplace and have always had a desire to own one, experience it, then pass it along to a new caretaker. We purchased this fine example out of Arizona under the care of a known collector. The car was completely restored with matching numbers engine, original color combination, and known provenance. These cars have typically traded hands between $140,000-$170,000 for a good one. With the few Spider versions being on the private market for sale at almost a million dollars, the coupes must be worth more than what they were brining. So, we rolled the dice and entrusted Worldwide Auctioneers with the sale of Sebring which went on to achieve (I believe) a record price of $220,000 including premium. Here are a few photos below with a video of us driving the car coming soon. The popular motor enthusiast site, Silodrome also featured the car on their website that can be viewed here: http://silodrome.com/maserati-sebring-car/
1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2:
These cars are another rising star in today’s market. Our example was a once-and-a-lifetime chance being that it still retained its original paint, interior, engine, and tools. It is rare to find a vintage Ferrari of this genre in this sort of condition knowing that these were typically inexpensive in the Ferrari world which generated less than caring owners. This was our first experience driving a vintage V12 Ferrari and we are looking forward to many more. More photos can be viewed here
1958 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible:
Balanced, powerful, and nibble are three words that describe these rare cars. Fitted with the famous Aurelia V6 engine and sporting a Pininfarina design, these cars have been sleepers in the market and are finally gaining recognition at the heels of the more desirable B24 Spider America. We have this car currently on offer with a sale pending to France. We did take a moment to enjoy the car for a Sports Car Market ad feature.
While under our care, they were all kept dust free, constantly needing attention (drive me, drive me!) and no matter where we put each car, it was always a centerpiece of the whole showroom like a restaurant filled with people that stop and stare when a gorgeous woman struts into the building. I think that it is safe to say, true beauty is timeless as exemplified by the Italian supermodels that have graced our presents the past few months. And the whole high maintenance issue; it’s well worth it…