Topic: Solved: GTE 250 - 1957 Ferrari 250 TR (0716/TR) with body by Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sports Cars

[gte4289]

The point was well-earned.

By the way, this body was removed and installed on 250 GTE chassis 2493/GT in 1978 (making this somewhat fitting for my "GTE 250" puzzle).

More images (copyright belonging to my friends Edwin K. Niles and Marcel Massini):

[Carnut]

Well done Enzo.
I was rather naively hoping this one might reach the Pro's (!) and had the following prepared to post:

This is the Ferrari 250 GTO-style body built by Drogo in 1962 and originally fitted to 1957 250 Testa Rossa #0716 TR, which had been raced in Brazil from new.  The re-bodied car returned to Brazil where it was used as a road car until it was sold to the USA, eventually being sold back to Italy in 1978, where its new owner had it re-bodied once more in its original Scaglietti-style 250 TR by Fantuzzi, the Drogo body later being fitted to 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 #2493 GTE after it had been repaired by Carrozzeria Autosport with a rather different front end following a crash.
The colour pictures show the same body as fitted to #2493 GTE after its repair with a different front, more 250 GTO-like although no-one knows if the carrozzeria which repaired it simply got the front wrong or if the owner wanted the front to look more like a GTO!  Probably the latter as the rear lights were changed to look more GTO-like at the same time, and there had been no damage to the rear at all..

[Carnut]

Drogo Ferrari 250 TR 1964? (#0716TR)

Good enough to earn the point! (0716 TR is a 1957 250 TR, but it was rebodied by Drogo in 1964.)

Actually it was rebodied by Drogo at the end of 1962.
This body is frequently confused with the similar body on #0738 TR, which was fitted in 1964.  Even prominent Ferrari historians get confused between the two as they look so similar but have different fronts, and the racing histories of the two cars are often mixed up.

[Enzo Rhode-Hagen]

Thanks guys, I am learning a lot.
I mainly knew Drogo for the Breadvan, which I actually saw racing at Le Mans Classic and then last year at the Goodwood Revival.

[gte4289]

Actually it was rebodied by Drogo at the end of 1962.
This body is frequently confused with the similar body on #0738 TR, which was fitted in 1964.  Even prominent Ferrari historians get confused between the two as they look so similar but have different fronts, and the racing histories of the two cars are often mixed up.

I disagree

[Carnut]

Oh.

[gte4289]

I am familiar with this. There is some truth in there, but some confusion as well (in my opinion, anyway). I believe 0738TR went to Drogo first (approx 1963), followed by 0716TR in 1964. Two of the images you've posted even show 0716TR near Drogo's shop in Modena, as photographed by Botti & Pincelli in 1964. But there is really no need to argue over such details here on AP. I appreciate your input (as always!) and agree that it was probably naive to think this one might have survived to reach the Pros.

[gte4289]

I forgot to mention that a friend of mine who owned this car back in the 1970s sold it for $15K!

[Carnut]

Indeed.  I can't actually claim to know the right answer, I can only go by what I read in my books and they can't all be right if there are differing opinions!
I sympathise with your friend; I've been there, when I sold my Dino 246 in the early 80s for less than £10,000. Isn't hindsight wonderful?!