Rosso Rodeo

By: Ed Niles

The weather Gods smiled on the Hills of Beverly, on June 24, l995; it was definitely a sun-screen kind of day for Rodeo Drive III!

For the third iteration of this famous event, Ferrari of North America, the Southwest Region of the Ferrari Club of America, and the merchants of Rodeo Drive cooperated in turning glitter gulch into a giant Ferrari parking lot.

The President of Ferrari North America, Dott. Gian Luigi Buitoni, announced the unveiling of the new car, shown here as it sat covered on the showroom floor of Ferrari of Beverly Hills before its unveiling Friday night and afterwards.

With Rodeo blocked off to traffic from Wilshire to Santa Monica Blvd., about 150 beautiful Ferraris were on display for the entire day. With no admission charge, the spectators were free to come and go as they chose, so of course it is difficult to say how many people enjoyed the display. Estimates range as high as several hundred thousand citizens, ranging from jewelry shoppers to hard-core Ferrari enthusiasts.

This year, the emphasis was on pre-1973 Ferraris, although there was a sprinkling of 308's, various types of boxers, etc. Cars on display ranged from car No. 002C, the Spyder Corsa, to a very new F355 Spyder.

In addition to 002C, David Sydorick displayed his 500 Mondial Spyder and his 250 MM Spyder. Lyle Tanner brought his beautiful 750 Monza down from Northern California, and Bruce and Carolyn Trenery brought the ex- Schanbacher 308GT4/LM and their 275 GTS from Northern California as well.

Competition Ferraris were also in abundance. Here the Spyder Corsa is is shown in front of a 348 Challenge car and an F333 SP.

A number of Ferraris which had won major awards at Pebble Beach and the FCA National at Monterey were on display, including Roger Karlson's 410 SuperAmerica, Ron Hein's 250 GT Cabriolet, the beautiful red and black 2l2 Vignale Berlinetta once owned by Tony Anthony and the 2l2 Vignale Coupe which ran in the l951 Carrera Panamericana. Tillack & Co., also brought a number of other interesting cars, including the 340 Mexico Spyder and the 1956 Zagato Tour de France 250. 250 GT California Spyders were almost so numerous as to become common place!

Ferrari Spyders, old and new in glitter gulch. Shown here are a new F355 Sypder, a 1959 250 GT SWB California Spyder and a 1962 250 GT LWB California Sypder.

Modena Sport Cars displayed a beautiful 250 GT Cabriolet in an unusual dark metallic green color, while European Auto Sales brought its 1953 625 Formula I Ferrari. And parked nearby was the 1953 factory transporter on which the 625 might once have travelled, displayed by Richard Freshman of Fossil Motorsports. Symbolic Motors and Chuck Betz and Fred Peters each brought three or four cars from their extensive collections, and collector Bob Lee brought the partially restored 166 Barchetta No. 0002 which he had acquired just one week before at the Willet Brown auction. Later cars of interest included a 333 SP, a matching pair of 512BB/LM "Boxers", and a 288 GT0 as well as several F-40's.

Celebrities were in evidence everywhere, both as exhibitors, judges and spectators. Broadcaster Paul Moyer had his beautiful 275 GTB/4 on display, and the celebrity judges included Jay Leno, Carroll Shelby, Bruce Jenner, and ZZ-Top.

Picture yourself here (behind the sheel of a new F355 Spyder).

Judging was very low key; not at all what one might<

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