Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Ferrari, Racing
Classic cars change hands all the time. What brings them to the spotlight is usually one of several factors. It might have a track record distinguished by race wins. It might be in particularly good shape. It might have had a starring role in a major motion picture. It might be a particular rarity from a small production run, or maybe it served to showcase the manufacturer’s offerings at a major auto show. Having all these factors come together on one specific automobile is a rarity, but that’s what we’re looking at with this stunning 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider.
One of only 35 built, Ferrari displayed this Spider at the 1955 Brussels Motor Show, after which it was brought to America by famed importer Luigi Chinetti who sold it to his rival Porsche importer John von Neumann in Los Angeles. Neumann set the Monza on an aggressive race program up and down the West Coast that saw it win twice and score another nine podiums at various sportscar racing events, bringing on board, among others, no less a talent than Phil Hill to man the wheel.
Most notably, the car was driven by Fred Astair in a fictionalized post-apocalyptic grand prix in the movie On The Beach. Since then, chassis 0492M has been part of several prestigious collections, but after a comprehensive two-year restoration is now heading to the auction block at Pebble Beach, where RM Auctions will be putting it up for grabs with prices reportedly expected to top million. With a 260-horsepower 3.0-liter DOHC four similar to that found in the 500 TRC that RM sold for million at Villa d’Este, this Monza Spider is described by one noted Ferrari expert as the best she’s ever seen.
Follow the jump for more details in the auction listing and scope out the spectacular high-resolution images in the gallery for a closer look.
’55 Ferrari 750 Monza speeds from show stand to race track to silver screen to auction block originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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