1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti

1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti
Sold for $17,600,000 Including Commission
Highest Sale Of Monterey Car Week 2015
RM / Sotheby's Auction
Monterey, California 2015
Chassis no. 6105
Engine no. 6105
Gearbox no. 16
320 hp, 3,286 cc aluminum-block V-12 engine with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors, five-speed manual transmission, independent suspension with front and rear unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 94.4 in.
•The 23rd of only 32 examples produced; considered one of the very best in existence
•Shown at the Earls Court in 1966
•Successfully and frequently campaigned by Ron Fry, David Skailes, and Jack Maurice throughout England, with countless 1st place finishes
•Formerly of the renowned Matsuda Collection in Japan
•Ferrari Classiche certified; retains all of its original mechanical components
•An exceptional 250 LM in every regard; one of the most important and sought after of all Ferraris
RACING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Like all other 250 LMs, chassis number 6105, the 23rd of just 32 examples constructed, was destined for the race track. The Ferrari was ordered through Maranello Concessionaires by noted privateer Ronald Fry, a descendant of the prominent Fry family, who had made their fortune through confectionaries and chocolates in England starting in the 18th century. Ronald Fry was a seasoned racer, and it was no secret that his favorite cars were those from Maranello. Fry had traded in his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis number 3869GT), which he had campaigned quite successfully over the 1963 and 1964 seasons, and with the arrival of the 250 LM in mid-September, he was obviously quite excited to get his newest Ferrari out onto the track.
The 250 LM, boasting a new mid-mounted, 3.3-liter V-12, was developed for the GT class but forced to compete as a sports prototype. This was a drastically different automobile from earlier 250-series Ferraris. Nevertheless, it proved to be highly successful on the track, exhibiting spectacular poise due to its combination of handling and horsepower, which was beautifully mastered by a number of skilled drivers lucky enough to get behind the wheel. In 1965, chassis 5893 took 1st overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, making it the last Ferrari to ever do so, cementing the car’s place in automotive history.
The 250 LM is widely lauded as one of the greatest Ferraris of all time by owners, historians, and tifosi alike, and it would appear that Fry would agree. In his ownership, it was very actively campaigned on hill climbs, sprints, and club races around England for the rest of 1964 through to 1966, often placing in the top three with his weapons-grade Ferrari. Taking a 250 LM to such events was the automotive equivalent of taking a gun to a knife-fight, and the car’s results speak for themselves.
Chassis number 6105 (easily recognizable thanks to its registration number, RON 54) proved to be very successful in Fry’s ownership, and he often finished 1st in class and occasionally 1st overall. During the warmer months of the year, this car would be campaigned as often as four times a month. Seemingly every possible weekend that Fry could be out on the track in his Ferrari he made his way to an event and came home with a trophy in hand. In December 1965, Enzo Ferrari presented Ron Fry with a medal of recognition for his outstanding achievements in racing, which is a testament to the success of both Fry and his 250 LM.
More importantly, even though the car was campaigned with much frequency, Fry never had a major accident, and as a result, the car remained in exceptionally original condition. This is an important point to note, as 250 LMs in particular were raced hard and consequently many fell victim to the hardships of motorsport. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to find an example that is in such original condition, boasting such extensive competition history, as 6105.
In October 1966, chassis number 6105 returned to the Earls Court Motor Show, where it was displayed by Maranello Concessionaires in celebration of its racing success.
Prior to the 1967 racing season, Fry sold his 250 LM in January 1967 to David S. D. Skailes, of Staffordshire, the owner of Cropwell Bishop Creamery in Nottingham, who reregistered the car on plates BFB 932 B. Shortly after acquiring the car, Skailes had the engine overhauled by the Ferrari factory in Maranello and, at the same time, had body specialist Piero Drogo install a long nose on the car, giving it a more distinctive front end. Skailes continued to race the car at events in the UK and even campaigned the car, with Eric Liddell, at the nine-hour race at Kyalami in South Africa, placing 6th overall.
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Robert Myrick Photography