1963 Ferrari 250 GTE V12 2+2 SERIES III 2 DOOR COUPE

CURRENTLY BEING SOLD ON SOTHEBYS MOTORSPORTS , THE ONLINE AUCTION SITE FOR THE RENOWN RM SOTHEBYS AUCTION HOUSE, see link to the auction below;https://sothebysmotorsport.com/auction/1963-ferrari-250gte22seriesiii33lperiodmodified-12384AUCTION ENDS ON OCTOBER 23rd, 2026 AT 5.15PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.Sotheby’s Motorsport (SOMO) is the tech-forward online auction platform brought to you by RM Sotheby’s. West Coast Classics are proud to present one of only 954 250 GTE 2+2s Series built during Ferrari's first three years of four-seat production and the marque's first wind-tunnel-developed model. Styled by Pininfarina, featuring a longer stance to accommodate rear seating, classic side vents, and Borrani wire wheels.Beneath the hood, this car shares later series V12 motivation mated to a five-speed manual transmission with many of the marque's most iconic midcentury greats. The car's 226/1016E and 1816/62E engine stampings likely indicate a factory-corrected casting or production line update, and the potential for either 3.0 or 3.3L displacement. Additional mechanical highlights include four-wheel disc brakes, dual exhaust outlets, and 15-inch Borrani wire wheels. Inside, the Green leather cabin retains its traditional grand touring character with a wood-rimmed steering wheel, Veglia instrumentation and dashboard clock, and a period Blaupunkt AM/FM radio. Together, these appointments and elegant Pininfarina coachwork complete the car’s distinctive presence and capability.This is a rare period-modified example and according to Ferrari factory records, Chassis number 4221 GT is a verified 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/E 2+2 Series III variant and a documented, left-hand-drive (LHD) European-delivery vehicle.Chassis number 4221 represents the genuine Ferrari chassis serial number, it identifies a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series III by Pininfarina.Factory Specs:Reportedly according to the original factory build sheets, chassis 4221GT was built in early 1963 and left the Maranello factory finished in a Grigio Argento (Silver Grey) exterior over a Rosso (Red) Connolly leather interior.Ferrari's classic Pininfarina-designed four-seater grand tourer, featuring distinct Series III updates like relocated driving lights and updated taillights, authentic 2+2 layout with bucket-style front seats, a compact rear bench, leather upholstery, and a classic wooden steering wheel.The 250 GTE 2+2 Series III had a production run spanning just 300 cars.Factory Specifications & Original Colors:Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series III (Chassis 4221GT) was completed by the Maranello factory in early 1963. While it is one of the 300 Series III models built, exact private build-sheet specifics for this specific hull number—such as its original delivered paint code and interior hide—remain tightly held in private historical archives or within Ferrari's own Classiche database. Typically, business-oriented 2+2 models of this era left the factory in classic period tones like Grigio Argento (Silver Grey), Grigio Fumo (Smoke Grey), Blu Chiaro (Light Blue), or Nero (Black). Historical Ownership Registry:Because chassis 4221GT has spent decades moving quietly through private collections rather than headlining prominent public auction events, its complete step-by-step chain of custody is not a matter of open public record.Original Factory Build Specifications:Chassis Number: 4221GTModel Type: 250 GTE 2+2 (Series III)Chassis Type: 508E steel tubular frameEngine Type: 3.0-liter Tipo 128/F Colombo V12 engineHistorical Registry & Documentation:According to the Barchetta Ferrari Serial Number Registry 4221GT marks an important production milestone as one of the very first cars cataloged in Part II of the Series III production sequence. Unlike several other 250 GTE chassis numbers nearby in the registry that were stripped or rebodied into GTO or Testa Rossa replicas later in life, 4221GT is tracked historically as an authentic, original-bodied Series III configuration.Factory Build Specifications for 4221 GT:It was born from Maranello with a 3.0-liter Tipo 128E Colombo V12 with a 4 speed manual transmission. It would not have left the factory with a Tipo 22 3.3-liter 330 V12 Columbo engine or a 5-speed transmission.This car is interesting anomaly in so far as the engine has two different stampings on the block:From our research, the presence of the two stamps; 226/1016E stamped alongside 1816/62E, is a classic indicator of a factory-corrected error or a production-line update. Reportedly this happened on vintage Ferrari Colombo V12 blocks when the factory either changed its internal allocation mid-production or re-stamped a blank/replacement block. What 226/1016E Means:This second stamp follows Ferrari’s exact same factory layout: 226 (Engine Type/Variant): This represents the Tipo 226 engine variation. The Tipo 226 block was a developmental evolution of the 250 series used during the transition toward the larger 4.0-liter Ferrari 330 engines (often found in the 330 America and late-series 250 GTE chassis).1016 (Sequential Production Number): This is the sequential internal casting number (numero interno) tracking this specific engine build sequence. E (Engine Specification): Confirms it was bound for the same luxury GT E series specification line. During the early 1960s, Ferrari’s Maranello foundry and machine shops treated engine blocks fluidly. Two primary scenarios could explain why this block carries both numbers:The Factory Correction (Most Common):A block cast or partially machined under the internal sequence 1816/62E was pulled aside to fulfill an immediate order or production shift for a Tipo 226 application. Instead of destroying the block, the factory machine shop simply struck the new sequence, 226/1016E, over or next to the original casting designation.Warranty or Service Replacement Block:If an original car's engine suffered catastrophic failure at or near the factory when new, a replacement block from a different sequence (e.g., a Tipo 226 block) would be prepared. Ferrari routinely cross-stamped or over-stamped the original internal identifiers to keep factory build sheets and warranty ledgers uniform.Looking closely at the depth, alignment, and physical presentation of both stamps:The "Final" Number: The stamp that is cleanly aligned with, or typed onto, the smooth flat-machined ledge (where the actual car chassis number goes) is the number Ferrari officially recognized for the car's final build sheet.The "Ghost" Number: The number stamped onto the rough, unmachined sand-cast engine skirt is usually the initial foundry identification that was later updated. Since 226/1016E is stamped squarely on the smooth, flat-machined ledge, from our understanding this should be the official, final factory classification of the engine block. The unmachined sand-cast number is the original foundry number.This might then confirm exactly how the engine was completed at Maranello:The Engine Type: It is most likely officially a Tipo 226 engine. A variation of the Colombo V12 block, the Tipo 226 designation is highly notable for its evolution into the powerplants used during Ferrari’s transitional era (and famously later refined into the legendary 4-cam setups like the 275 GTB/4).The Final Sequence: Its true internal production tracking number is 1016E.Because it rules the flat-machined ledge, Ferrari may have officially disregarded the earlier 1816/62E sand-cast stamp. In the factory ledger, this component ceased to be an "1816" engine block and was permanently reassigned to the "226/1016E" build track to meet specific vehicle specifications.In full disclosure, this is obviously all just an educated guess on our part after researching the issue and should be considered pure speculation for all intents and purposes. Aesthetic Configuration: As a late Series III car, it left the production line featuring the updated Pininfarina styling, which moved the auxiliary driving lights to the outside of the front grille (unlik