The 250 Testa Rossa was developed in 1957 in anticipation of new engine size limitations for the upcoming World Sportscar Championship season, and was powered by a 3.0-liter Colombo V12. The model underwent continual revisions while thrice winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring between 1958 and 1961. The final TRI/61 variant carried new Fantuzzi-built bodywork designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti based on input from wind tunnel testing.
This re-creation was assembled…
The 250 Testa Rossa was developed in 1957 in anticipation of new engine size limitations for the upcoming World Sportscar Championship season, and was powered by a 3.0-liter Colombo V12. The model underwent continual revisions while thrice winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring between 1958 and 1961. The final TRI/61 variant carried new Fantuzzi-built bodywork designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti based on input from wind tunnel testing.
This re-creation was assembled on the chassis of a left-hand-drive Series II 330 GT 2+2 that was acquired by Motorima in 1995. Hand-crafted aluminum body panels are finished in red period-style works livery with white roundels. Styling details include a split-intake nose, a short wraparound windshield, and a Kamm tail with a spoiler wearing PROVA M031 lettering. The car features a removable hood with a riveted transparent scoop, faired headlamps, yellow Marchal fog lights, side exhaust pipes, leather hood and trunk straps, and a Monza-style fuel filler. Imperfections in the finish and a crack in the hood scoop are shown in the gallery below.
Borrani wire wheels are secured by three-eared knock-offs and wear Dunlop Racing wheels measuring 5.50M-15 up front and 6.50M-15 at the rear. A spare is housed beneath the trunk panel. While actual 250 TR variants gained independent rear suspension in 1960, this re-creation retains the solid rear axle of its 330 GT donor. Stopping is handled by four-wheel disc brakes.
The left-hand-drive cockpit is equipped with two fixed bucket seats, which were reupholstered in blue cloth following the selling dealer’s acquisition. A roll hoop over the driver’s seat carries a headrest in matching upholstery, while both are outfitted with four-point latch-and-link harnesses. A gated shifter is surrounded by exposed aluminum on the center tunnel, floors, sills, and inner doors. A parking brake lever is situated on the center tunnel in the driver’s footwell, and a fire extinguisher is mounted in the passenger footwell.
A wood-rimmed steering wheel frames a Jaeger tachometer flanked by gauges monitoring fuel level and coolant temperature as well as oil pressure and temperature. The aluminum dash also houses an electrical cut-off switch and fuse panels, while a 160-mph speedometer with a five-digit odometer showing 100 miles is mounted to its underside. Total chassis miles are unknown.
The 4.0-liter Tipo 209 V12 (#6251) was sourced from another 330 GT and was rebuilt by Forza Service of the Netherlands in 2010. The single overhead camshafts are topped by red crinkle-finish covers, replicating the look that gave the Testa Rossa (“red head”) its name. Service performed by the selling dealer is said to have included replacement of engine seals, cleaning the triple Weber 40 DCZ6 carburetors, a radiator rebuild, and dyno tuning. Readings from compression and leakdown tests performed by the selling dealer are pictured in the gallery.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission and a 4.25:1 rear end. The engine bay and undercarriage were steam cleaned following the selling dealer’s purchase, and sound deadening material was added along the inside of the center tunnel.
Additional images from the 2010 engine rebuild are included in the gallery along with those showing other mechanical work performed at the time. A digital storage card with more photos from the project is included in the sale.
The Massini report shows that donor chassis 8109 was delivered new to Belgian dealer Garage Francochamps and displayed at the 1966 Brussels Motor Show, and notes the conversion to its current form in 1997. Copies of factory build sheets and delivery documents for the donor are pictured in the gallery, as are photos of the original TRI/61 sports racers wearing different bodywork.