Designed by Pinin Farina, the Boano/Ellena
Grand Touring cars are generally considered to be Ferrari's first
series-built production cars. To be sure, they were not exactly
mass-produced by North American standards since only 50 Ellena
Coupes were built, but nevertheless it was the first time Ferrari
made this many cars of similar configuration. To put this into
perspective -
during the first eleven years of Ferrari's existence, only 502
road cars had been produced .
The Ellena Coupe presented here, chassis no. 0785 GT, is the
21st example built, completed by the factory in February 1958
before being delivered to its first owner Yomo Sitia of Milan,
Italy. Exported to the United States in the late 1950s, by 1960
0785 GT was owned by Richard Bell of New York, NY. Richard Nordquist
of Minneapolis eventually acquired the car in the early
1980s and in 1984 it was purchased by noted Japanese collector
Yoshiho Matsuda. By 2001, it was advertised for sale and described
as a restoration project in running condition, but stripped
to bare metal. John Hannan of New York, NY purchased the car
in 2005 and subsequently drove it in the Mille Miglia Storica
in 2006 finished in metallic silver-grey with a deep grey
roof, tan interior and race number 363, which is still on the
car. The car has since been acquired by a prominent American
East Coast collector and continues to present very nicely.
This car is ready for a new owner to enjoy many Historic Motoring
events to come..
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