1962 Ferrari 250 GTE: The fruition of a pre-teenage dream
There weren’t many Ferrari automobiles on the streets of Knoxville, Tennessee, for young Stewart Bartley to admire half a century ago. However, he accompanied his father to many car shows to see the latest automobiles on display. In 1966, the pre-teenage Bartley went to see “Grand Prix,” in a Knoxville theater. The film, starring James Garner, Eva Marie Saint and Yves Montand, had many scenes of racing and race cars and Bartley said that is when he first became infatuated with the Ferrari brand. Decades passed and by 2006 Bartley had moved to Virginia, where he saw an advertisement offering a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE for sale. The description of the car in the ad sounded appealing and the pictures looked good. Unfortunately, the Ferrari was in Paris, France. Nevertheless, with assistance from friends, Bartley pursued this four-passenger dream car.
The deal for the Ferrari was finally completed in late September 2006, when it was shipped to the port of Baltimore, Maryland. After it was unloaded in mid-December, the sleek car was taken to a Ferrari dealership where its 3.0-liter V-12 engine required rebuilding.
“The condition of the engine was disappointing,” Bartley said.
One thing led to another, and as long as the engine was out of the car, he decided to overhaul the four-speed manual transmission featuring electric overdrive in third and fourth gears, as well.
All of the chrome trim pieces, including the wraparound bumpers, were replated. Bartley decided the shiny trim would look better if the car received a fresh coat of Midnight Blue paint, along with new 15-inch wire wheels.
Bartley’s wife, Christina, selected the burgundy color for the leather upholstery. It wasn’t planed, but the Ferrari essentially underwent a complete “rotisserie restoration,” Bartley said.
The restoration of the 15.5-foot-long Ferrari was declared complete in February 2012, about five and a half years after it was purchased unseen, a testament to Bartley’s perseverance.
Under the hood, three Weber carburetors feed fuel to the engine from the 23.8-gallon gasoline tank. The oil crankcase holds 10.6 quarts and the owner’s manual explains that oil consumption at the rate of one quart every 500 to 750 miles in considered normal for the 2,890-pound 2+2 Ferrari. Bartley expects fuel economy of 13 to 16 mpg. He said the nimble Ferrari on its 102-inch wheelbase has a in a 40.1-foot turning circle.
At the other end of the car is the compact trunk. The spare tire is stored horizontally under the floor. Exhaust from the engine exits beneath the rear bumper through the dual pipes.
A defroster vent positioned in the package shelf keeps the rear window clear. In warmer weather, occupants in the comfortable interior car enjoy flowthrough ventilation complements of the pop-out windows beside the rear-seat passengers. Heat generated by the powerful engine is directed to the outside via the 13 vents perforating each front fender.
When this Ferrari was manufactured, the use of tobacco products was commonplace, which explains why the center leather console has two ashtrays: one for front-seat occupants and the other for passengers in the rear.
While seated at the three-spoke steering wheel Bartley has a clear view of the 8,000-rpm tachometer and the 300-kilometer speedometer, which translates to about 180 mph.
Bartley said he is pleased with the functionality of his handsome Ferrari. For him, the car is the fruition of a dream that began in Knoxville many years ago.
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