Evaluation: 1954 New York and Geneva Motor Show display car, first owned by Bob Wilke of Leader Cards. Scratched and chipped older repaint, worn and cracked original upholstery and dash top; aged carpets. Loose windshield trim, erratic trim chrome. Fair major chrome. Cracked and deteriorated body seals. The underbody and chassis have been superficially redone some time ago and the shortcuts and now manifest. Cracked, crazed marker light lenses. Mixed gauges with old, dull Veglias and more recent VDO replacements.
How to say this nicely? This Ferrari has an engaging history with Bob Wilke and is a rare Ferrari but it has been neglected and now begs for comprehensive attention. The coachwork is not Vignale’s finest, with fussy details like the rocker panel gills behind the front wheels and on the roof’s C-pillar. The body’s bloated sides are for some reason accented with a pointless chrome spear.
Bottom Line: Sold by RM at Monterey in 2011 in much fresher condition for $1,980,000, its condition had deteriorated noticeably by the time RM offered it at Monterey in 2018 where it was reported bid to $3,250,000. It has traveled, according to the odometer, only five miles since 2018 but its condition is much worse. This is a sad state for a milestone Ferrari and it is a 3- condition only in deference to its specifications, coachwork and history. Described as for sale at a bid of $2,285,000, subsequent bidding went slowly with $5,000 increments to this result that along with RM’s modest estimate range recognized the amount of work it’s going to need before it can be driven with confidence.
