Luigi Chinetti was an accomplished driver for Enzo Ferrari’s Scuderia Ferrari in Italy. Luigi was rewarded by being asked to open a Ferrari dealership in the United States. Luigi chose New York City and started what would become Ferrari North America. The dealership catered to wealthy customers that wanted to own one of those Italian sports cars and were willing to pay for the privilege. The dealership did very well, which allowed Luigi to sponsor a racing team through his dealership. That team would be named “North American Racing Team” and use the acronym NART as its identifier.
In 1963, Ferrari built the last 250 GT SWB California Spyder and Luigi requested a replacement for his American buyers who wanted a high-performance Ferrari Spyder. Working with Scaglietti in Modena, Italy, Ferrari was able to commission production of 25 modified 275 GTB Berlinetta bodies into Spyder configuration. Scaglietti designed a beautiful rear body shape that was very complementary to the already striking 275 GTB body lines.
When cars began to arrive at Chinetti’s dealership, it became clear these cars were going to be harder to sell than expected. They were priced at $14,400, while a 275 GTB was only $9,200. The original order was changed, and only 10 cars were sold, making it a very rare and expensive automobile.
These NART Spyders came with the latest technology from Ferrari with the latest four-cam, 3.3L V-12, which produced a smooth 300 HP and was oiled with a dry sump system. The enclosed torque tube driveshaft mated to a 5-speed transaxle provided an extremely solid transfer of power and gave the interior a very spacious feel. An alloy NART Spyder was actually raced by Denise McLuggage in the 12 hours of Sebring and finished 17th overall and 2nd in class. A year later, that same car was featured in the movie “The Thomas Crowne Affair,” in which it was driven by Faye Dunaway and referred to by Steve McQueen as “One of those red Italian things.”
This example (S/N 10749) was the ninth of 10 built and the last Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder imported into the United States by Chinetti Motors. NART Spyder 10749 was sold new to Dr. Michael Serman of Rye, New York, who was captivated with the car’s gorgeous color combination of Argento paint with a red interior. While Dr. Serman loved the silver and red combination on Corvettes, he had never seen it on a Ferrari, prompting him to acquire the 275 GTS/4 from Chinetti in March 1968.
Prior to a Can Am race at Bridgehampton, 10749 was photographed on the track with legendary race car driver Sir Stirling Moss sitting on the convertible top boot for a parade lap to address the crowd. The photograph clearly shows Serman’s license plate, “LM 45,” on the car, and later correspondence with Dr. Serman’s son, Michael Serman Jr., mentions the race organizers picked the sexiest open car for Moss to ride in for his birthday.
Dr. Serman and his son drove the NART Spyder 47,000 miles over 10 years and even took the car to a Ferrari Club of America track day at Lime Rock Park in 1974. Serman sold 10479 in a package deal with a 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III to Joe Namnoun of Connecticut in 1977. By 1979, the NART Spyder was at Ed Superfon’s V.I.P. Toy Store in Los Angeles, California, when it was advertised in Cavallino No 4.
During the 1980s, 10479 stayed in Los Angeles under the care of Robert Solomon and then Bruno Bori before it was restored by Bob Shanahan in 1989. S/N 10749 was photographed for the Road & Track Special Ferrari issue in 1991, and it soon found a home with former San Diego Padres owner and philanthropist John Moores.
Junior Conway’s House of Color in Bell Gardens, California, was commissioned to restore 10749 because of his previous work on Steve McQueen’s personal NART Spyder (S/N 10453). During this time period, Moores also owned NART Spyder S/N 10691, which was also restored by Conway. After the restoration, 10749 was exhibited by Moores at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1995 and Rodeo Drive Concours in 1997. Moores’ stablemate Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spyders were photographed together by David Newhardt for the cover of Cavallino No. 97.
Always the philanthropist, Moores decided to donate several cars from his collection to raise money for The Scripps Research Institute. Mr. McCaw of Cavallino Holdings in Seattle, Washington, acquired 10749 in 1998, and by 2002 it passed into the stewardship of Carlos Hank Rhon of Mexico. In 2006, Clive Beecham of England acquired the car and exhibited 10749 at numerous European concours events, including Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary of the Prancing Horse Celebration (2nd in Class) in Maranello, Italy, and a Best of Show victory in 2009 at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Hurlingham Club in London, England. S/N 10749 made several other public appearances in the United Kingdom with stops at the Ferrari Owners Club Concours at Heythrop Park, the Barkaways Open Day and the St. James Concours.
In 2014, The Rare Wheels Collection of Windermere, Florida, acquired 10749 and reintroduced this special NART Spyder to the American concours d’elegance scene. The car has been exhibited at the following venues: the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours, 2014 Festival of Speed Orlando, 2015 Cavallino Classic, 2015 Boca Raton Concours, 2015 Amelia Island Concours, 2016 Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Daytona Speedway, 2017 Hilton Head Concours, 2017 Casa Ferrari Pebble Beach, 2018 Cavallino Classic, 2018 Casa Ferrari Pebble Beach, 2019 Elegance at Hershey, 2019 Concours of America at St. John’s, 2021 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival and the 2022 Casa Ferrari Pebble Beach.
This vehicle will be featured at the Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida, known as The World’s Largest Collector Car Auction®. The auction will showcase more than 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. The event is scheduled to take place from January 2 to 14, 2024. To explore more cars and participate in onsite, telephone, or online bidding, visit https://www.mecum.com/auctions/kissimmee-2024/.
