Equipment
1963 Le Mans GT winner, 2nd overall driven by Jean Blaton and Gerald Langlois van Ophem then famously driven to Paris to celebrate; Spa 500km winner driven by Mairesse, other successes driven by Bianchi and Blaton. Sold in 64 () to Jack Nethercutt for $6K and unraced thereafter except in historic events while owned by Steve Earle. Largely original throughout and still tight and like new according to John Surtees who tested it for C&SC this Fall. Offered by Patrick Ma and arguably the best GTO in the world for its combination of originality and racing history.
Market commentary
Plenty of action, but no one willing to step up onto the top rung of the ladder. Good GTOs are $4 5 million cars these days; Great Ones take a bit more, particularly when theyre as original and unmolested as this. John Mozart recently acquired one of John McCaws GTOs (3909GT with a good, but not Great, Scuderia Francorchamps racing history) and itd be interesting to know what Mozart, an astute buyer, paid. Not $7 million, for sure. Reported sold for $9million or so in February 2001 to Chip Connor.