by Wallace Wyss –
I thought I first came across it in the ’70-72 period when I worked for Motor Trend and associate art director Chuck Queener (who had depicted many a GTO in his paintings) was showing it around (Chuck also took me for a ride in Steve Earle’s 250GTO).
But references now say it was a 1982 publication. At one time, when I had a mail order firm selling Ferrari literature, I had stacks of them, selling for maybe $20 max. But now I see it advertised on eBay for $95 and have only one left, used at that.
The one off magazine (later reprinted in hardbound) commemorated the first gathering of most of the world’s 36 GTOs. The location for the international meet was at a chateau in France owned by prominent Ferrari collector, Pierre Bardinon. The magazine has interviews of various owners of GTOs back when they were an interesting car but not thought of as the all time great Ferrari. I think only one owner interviewed was a race driver who had raced one back in the Sixties. Almost all the cars were driven to the event, which included racing on Pierre’s private track, and driven home.
I am drawing down the size of my library so I’m putting it on the market. I also have one of my fine art prints of a 250GTO in a vintage race in Europe – size 11″ x 17″ to include. Those have sold for a maximum of $75.
My private theory is that the GTO was only known to insiders as a fast rising star but when this book/magazine came out, it changed things forever. Suddenly a whole lot more people made it their dream car. Some, like rock star Nick Mason, achieved that dream.
I mean think about it–if there was a similar gathering and then a whole magazine dedicated to some other car of the time, say Iso Grifo, maybe those would be worth even more than they are now (I think one just sold for over $400,000).
Memorabilia collectors can reach me at mendoart7@gmail.com
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