Ex-works Ferrari 375 to head Bonhams' Goodwood sale

Bonhams is offering the ex-Works 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus (chassis number 0384 AM) ex-Mille Miglia works racer at its upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed sale on 27 June. The car will be offered with no reserve.

The 375 being offered by Bonhams was the 1954 works entry driven by Maglioli in the Mille Miglia, then piloted to victory by the Argentine racer, Froilan Gonzalez, at Silverstone. In its last factory team outing it was co-driven by Maglioli and Paolo Marzotto in that year’s Le Mans 24-Hour race.

The car then passed to amateur racer and Kleenex heir, Jim Kimberly, in the USA, before being sold to Howard Hively, an Ohio Cadillac dealer, in 1955. He campaigned the car enthusiastically at Watkins Glen, Nassau and Sebring, as well as in the 1957 Cuban Grand Prix.

Howard Hively then sold the Ferrari to Ohio resident and nuclear physicist, Karl Kleve. It later passed to noted Belgian Ferrari importer, racer and close friend of Enzo Ferrari, Jacques Swaters, founder of the highly successful Ecurie Francochamps racing team. Jacques Swaters had the car fully restored in Modena.

Long-running title disputes over the car broke out between the Kleve and Swaters families, which Bonhams is glad to have been able to assist in resolving. The car will also be sold with a spare period works block engine and its original body panels, still bearing traces of the 1957 Cuban Grand Prix race colours.
 
Philip Kantor, Bonhams head of motor cars for mainland Europe, said: 'We are honoured to have been chosen to sell this wonderful car, which represents a key early stage in the Ferrari racing legend. It is very rare indeed for a Ferrari team works car with continuous history and undisputed identity to come to the market for sale by public auction. We believe it will attract interest from all over the world.'