8/13/14
Arriving in Monterey
I arrived in Monterey mid-week before the big Pebble Beach weekend, but
I wasn't sure if it was actually early enough. There are so many
events, shows, parties, and auctions, that the Monterey week starts
earlier and earlier!
The talk of the town was the collection of cars that was going to be
auctioned off at Bonhams on Thursday the 14th.
The star of the show as a Ferrari 250GTO that had everyone guessing how
much it would go for. It had been a few decades since the last GTO sold
publicly, and the rumor of the previous private sales of this model was
in excess of 50 million dollars! With only 36 examples of one of the
most iconic Ferraris ever made, the buzz was anything could happen.
I didn't have too much of an opinion about how much this car could sell
for, but heard a lot of speculation that this was the first time anyone could buy
this car. Previous sales involved private owners and brokers making the
appropriate moves to secure a car. At this level of ownership, there
seemed to be a lot of "gate keepers" into a very exclusive
club. This was the first time in a long time, anyone who
could afford it could bid on this car, and obtain immediate entry into
the GTO club.
After seeing the GTO at Bonhams, I went into town with a couple of
friends to see the cars at RM. Traffic was a nightmare so we got in
late, but I managed to see Don Rose of RM who generously spent some
time with us by bringing us in to see the cars after hours. David was
considering bidding on this Lancia Stratos, but we wanted to first see
how he fit his six foot plus frame in the diminutive car.
David said it was quite comfortable, but I was still suspicious!
Reminder: If you have a Ferrari
related project, car, or idea
you'd like to explore, I'd love to talk to you. I can also help if
you're thinking of buying or selling. This website represents what I
love to do, and now it's how I make a living, so if you'd like to do
something together, let me know. It all begins with an e-mail!
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