It just arrived too late to the party – it's as simple as that. As the last of a batch of 25 units completed by Michelotto, this Ferrari 512 BB LM bearing chassis number 44023 was completed only in late 1982 – as it turned out, too late to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year. Up to and including 1982, the BBs entered by the likes of Charles Pozzi or N.A.R.T had been fixtures and crowd pleasers at La Sarthe. Featuring 470-hp, five-liter naturally aspirated V12 engines and displaying stunning Pininfarina-styled long-tail bodywork, their greatest success came in 1981 with a fifth spot overall.
However, from then on these Ferraris were no longer competitive, at least in Europe, and thus #44023 never raced in period. It was delivered new to the famous Garage Francorchamps, owned by Belgian Ferrari importer Jacques Swaters — but save for a few appearances at Ferrari club meetings with legendary Belgian racer Jean Blaton ("Beurlys") at the wheel, the car remained virtually idle. After being sold to an American collector, from 1985 to 1989 it even spent time in Detroit's Henry Ford Museum. During an auction at the 1991 Monterey Car Week the car was sold for 719,000 dollar to Japan, where it found a temporary new home at the "Boxer Museum." Its owner, Shigeru Kato, only let it stretch its legs in two club races but otherwise kept the Italian exotic in storage until 1998.
Salvation arrived in October of that year thanks to Liebhaber Racing, whose team principal, Richard Liebhaber, finally loosened the reins of this "Cavallino Rampante" by entering it in historic Ferrari races at Sebring, Road Atlanta, and Moroso Park between 1999 and 2002. In late 2017, the transcontinental back-and-forth entered its next phase – this time returning to Europe and to the Belgian Ferrari experts Gipimotor.
After making a public appearance at Rétromobile in 2018, the Ferrari – entered by its new Belgian owner – returned to the track for the first time in nearly 15 years, during a Group 5 demonstration run at the 76th Goodwood Members' Meeting in March 2018. Subsequently, it was extensively driven in earnest at historic race meetings in Spa, Imola, Mugello, Estoril, and (in 2025) during the GP de l'Age d'Or at Dijon-Prenois. In original works livery and with a distinctive black front-end mask, the very authentic BB LM made quite a stir among the racing community and fans. It was on display again at Rétromobile this year – but still one venue is missing from its record: Le Mans.
Yet that is likely the least of concerns: because thanks to valid FIA papers, this classic Ferrari – powered by that gloriously sounding naturally aspirated flat-12 – meets all the requirements. It is – of course – eligible to compete at Le Mans Classic, plus various other series ranging from Masters Endurance Legends to Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
Now, this fantastic 512 BB LM – never raced in period and most recently under French ownership – is offered for sale by Mécaniques Modernes & Classiques from Paris. The lucky new owner may now make a dream come true by bringing the car to the place where it should have been some 45 years ago.
