Dennis Collins scores an epic Ferrari that’s been sitting for 40 years. Plus, he nabs another Italian classic, a 1960 Maserati 3500 GT.
Tease Dennis Collins with the possibility of a vintage 12-cylinder Ferrari, and he’s sure to hop on a plane in pursuit. That’s exactly the story in his new rescue video, which involves a trip to Lafayette, Louisiana, to retrieve an epic classic car garaged for four decades. Here’s what the adventure involved.
Rescuing An Epic Ferrari After 40 Years In Storage
The Ferrari’s owner shares that he bought this 1963 250 GTE for his wife in 1982. But, after returning from Houston with the car, his petite wife couldn’t reach the pedals. He drove the car for a month and parked it. The Ferrari has sat there ever since.
Collins is happy to liberate this ignored Ferrari. But first, he needs to give the car the usual check to confirm its origins. On the positive side, the dark blue paint and red interior appear original. Yet, there’s less good news about the engine. While appropriate for the car, it’s likely not the original powerplant. Regardless, the deal gets sealed, and extraction begins.
Taking A Six-Figure Ferrari Back To Texas
Ferrari’s 250 series, built from 1952 to 1964, marked one of the company’s earliest commercial successes. Collins says that Ferrari made 950 GTE variants during the model’s lifetime. In Ferrari terms, that’s a significant production volume. A base model 250 GTE sold for about $12,500 in 1963 or $125,000 after inflation. In comparison, the cheapest Ferrari today is the Portofino M, which starts at $250,000.
Collins never talks about money on camera but Hagerty’s valuation tool shows a base 1963 250 GTE in fair condition is worth $280,000. As the 3.0-liter V12 engine is not original or running, it may not reach this quality level. Nevertheless, Collins is ready to return to Texas with a 60-year-old Italian beauty.
Getting Ready To Bring A Maserati Back To Life
Collins wraps up the video with another Italian exotic from the same era, although this one didn’t come from the Louisiana rescue. It’s a 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Superleggera missing the drivetrain and most of the chrome trim. Removal of the original paint via media blasting enables a better look at the aluminum body.
But Collins’ idea of bringing this Maserati back to life could be controversial for some. Rather than restoring the car back to its original glory, he’s thinking of a restomod project that uses the running gear from a modern Maserati Gran Tourismo.
Source: YouTube/Dennis Collins, Hagerty, bls.gov
