Topic: Solved - NEH 2366: Pininfarina Ferrari 400 SA 1960 built for Gianni Agnelli

[Carnut]

For an easy Rookie point identify this car correctly, who built it, for whom and when?

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[WayneB]

It looks like a one off Maserati 5000 GT built in 1961 by Pininfarina for Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli.

However I have never seen a photo of it with that hood scoop and two tone paint, so it may have been modified later or its a completely different car :lol:

[Carnut]

It looks like a one off Maserati 5000 GT built in 1961 by Pininfarina for Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli.

However I have never seen a photo of it with that hood scoop and two tone paint, so it may have been modified later or its a completely different car :lol:

You're half right.
But it's not a Maserati.

[WayneB]

1959 Ferrari Superamerica 400 Pininfarina Coupe Speciale made for Gianni Agnelli.



Oddly it is listed in this photo as the 1961 Maserati version, but looking closely I can now see the Ferrari badge and the hood scoop.

This is the 1961 Maserati 5000GT Pininfarina.

[Carnut]

1959 Ferrari Superamerica 400 Pininfarina Coupe Speciale made for Gianni Agnelli.

Oddly it is listed in this photo as the 1961 Maserati version, but looking closely I can now see the Ferrari badge and the hood scoop.

Yes, you've got the right answer, but the picture you've posted is not of the same car!
That one is the slightly later 410 Superamerica also built for Gianni Agnelli in 1959; check out the deeper front grille, smaller corner grilles and lack of full-width bumper.

I've pictured below the original picture of the puzzle car before slight modification and this later 410 SA for comparison!

[WayneB]

Odd that Pininfarina would have made two similar Ferrari cars for Mr.Agnelli in the same year (1959)according to the photos.

[Hiawatha]

I believe only one car was produced. The car was made in 1959 and exhibited at the Turin motor show. After that it went back to the factory,was modified and delivered to Mr. Agnelli on 1st May 1960.

[Carnut]

I believe only one car was produced. The car was made in 1959 and exhibited at the Turin motor show. After that it went back to the factory,was modified and delivered to Mr. Agnelli on 1st May 1960.

I don't know.  I believe both the Ferrari 400SA and the almost identical Maserati 5000GT still exist (which disproves my theory that they just took the badges off the 400 and mated it to Maserati mechanicals to create the Maserati 5000GT!) but what about the later 410SA?  If it was the same car as the 400SA but modified has it been returned to the original style?  Why would they do that?  Maybe it still exists as well?

[Hiawatha]

THe 410 came before the 400..

Luciano

[Carnut]

THe 410 came before the 400..

Luciano

Yes, you're right and I'm sure you're right when you say that only one of these was built.
The puzzle car was Chassis No 1517A which was delivered to Gianni Agnelli in May 1960, and is generally regarded as being the first 400 Superamerica.
However, it is described as being first shown at Turin in November 1959, but the car shown there had the deeper grille and corner bumpers and was described as a 410 Superamerica!  It does seem that, as you say, it's the same car which was modified to improve its appearance before being handed over to Agnelli 6 months later, as well as being updated to the newer 400 SA specification.
This would explain why there are plenty of current photos of the 400 SA, which of course is still around, but none of the so-called 410 SA which has never been pictured again since it was displayed at the Turin Show in 1959!

[WayneB]

Thanks for the factual  imput Luciano, as you know quite a few Pininfarina, Italdesign and Bertone showcars were modified and re-shown subsiquently , re-paints in various colours and body modificatons were quite "normal"

By no means do I class myself an expert concerning these things , but I have been very interested in the Italian Styling houses works over the past 50 years (you could say on a semi professional level), and get a little concerned when I see the truth about those cars being rewritten on the internet .

Concerning this car Im surprised no one has mentioned that GM Design/Bill Mitchell seem to have been influenced by it when designing the front end on the 1970 Chevrolet Camaro.