- Being sold on behalf of the Bob Anderson family
- A numbers-matching Europa GT
- Long-term ownership, with just two owners since 1960
- Documented by marque expert Marcel Massini
- Beautifully restored example with concours accolades
- A highly eligible veteran of numerous driving events

Completed in mid 1955, this Europa GT was the 21st or just 43 units built. Originally finished in medium blue with a grey roof, a dark blue leather interior and painted Borranis, the Ferrari was sold new to Dr. Natale Gotelli in Genova. While there is no known race history for 0397 GT, Gotelli, a wealthy doctor, was also a gentleman race driver.

By 1958 the car was owned by Piero Lorenzo Rossi, a pharmacist in Torino, and shortly thereafter was exported to California where it was repainted red. The car was acquired by a Los Angeles Chinese restauranteur who raced a 300 SL Gullwing in club events. Supposedly, on one notable outing the owner’s son blew-up the rear end and the car was put into storage.

In 1960 the five-year old Ferrari was put up for sale in Costa Mesa where Bob Anderson spotted the car and purchased it for $2,500. Anderson was a racing driver himself, and a true car enthusiast. While living in California, England, Holland and eventually the Chicago area, Bob continued to collect cars of all sorts, often embarking on the racing, maintenance or restoration himself. Bob was the epitome of an “old-school car guy.”

After acquiring the Europa, Bob did some work to get it running and drove it for roughly a year before his then employer assigned him to a post in Europe. Bob sold the Ferrari to Bob and Cathy Kountz in Hollywood in 1962 for $3,500 - a tidy profit.

Kountz, a professional mechanic, didn’t use the Ferrari much and eventually planned to restore it. Some minor disassembly took place, but nothing more was done. The car sat there for another 35 years, untouched, before Bob Anderson required the car in the late 1990s.

Bob proceeded to drive out to Hollywood and collect his old Ferrari, bringing it back home to Barrington, IL. Photos of the car from that time show a remarkably original 250 Europa GT, still carrying its old red re-paint, but more importantly, it’s original blue painted dashboard and much of its original blue interior which had been sprayed over to black. At the time, the odometer read just 58,000 KM, a figure which is believed to be original. A photo of the trunk shows the car even retained its original carpeting and rubber mats. While in need of restoration, it was an exceptionally sound and complete example.

Starting in 2004, with the help of his dear friend Charles McCarthy, Anderson began a complete restoration of the 250. Over the course of four years, the two managed the restoration, subbing out the major processes to some the best known shops.

The engine, transmission and remainder of the drivetrain were rebuilt by Vector Industries in Orange, CA. The mechanical assembly was done by Wayne Obry’s Motion Products. The body work and bare-metal paint job was completed by Restorations Unlimited II in Illinois. Chrome and other plating work was done by another Chicago area outfit. And the interior retrim was undertaken by Ernie Lazaar in California.

The car was finished in a striking silver metallic with medium grey metallic roof, and a matching two-tone grey leather interior. It’s important to note that the project was truly about retaining and restoring as many original items as possible. Instead of unnecessarily replacing sheetmetal, or using reproduction badges and trim, the exhaustive, photo-documented restoration was thoughtfully conducted.

Once complete, the Ferrari went on to be shown with success and also regularly driven. Bob and his wife Marianne, and their kids, were active car enthusiasts and enjoyed the cars on many driving and concours events. The 250 Europa GT is accompanied by several trophies, and was awarded the Coppa Bella Macchina at the 2008 Cavallino Classic where it also won Platinum, and the Palm Beach Cup. In 2008 the car was driven from Seattle to Pebble Beach on the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic and was subsequently shown in the Concours d’Elegance. The car went on to attend more Cavallino events, several other rallies, and a number of FCA and other car shows.

Since the time of restoration, the Ferrari has covered some 13,000 kilometers (8,000 miles) and performs beautifully. As a testament to the quality of the restoration, the paint and body remains superb and show ready while the car could similarly be entered in a long-distance driving event without hesitation.

The Europa GT remains among the best regarded models of the early 250 Ferrari line up. The updated GT chassis was complimented by the sophisticated Pinin Farina coachwork, the finest Italian coachbuilder of the era and Ferrari’s go-to for one-off and high-end bodies. Today, the Europa GT is prized for its timeless design and iconic look, but also for its event eligibility. Though rare, they are a common sight on driving events from the Mille Miglia to Colorado Grand and concours lawns from Villa d’Este to Pebble Beach. There is no event or collection a 250 Europa is not at home.

We are delighted to offer several of the Anderson family’s cars, 0937 being the jewel of the collection. With just two owners since 1960, this notably correct and matching numbers 250 Ferrari is worth careful consideration and will offer both driving and concours event entry for the new owner.

Please visit hagemanmotorcars.com for more photos and info.