VIN: Gianni Agnelli's Ferrari 400 Superamerica chassis 1517 SA
History of chassis 1517 SA
Chassis 15171 SA was the first Ferrari 400 Superamerica built. A further 23 were subsequently completed on the Series 1 platform, but none were anything like 1517 SA.
It was commissioned by Gianni Agnelli whose grandfather had founded the Fiat motor company in 1899. Agnelli would himself become Fiat president in 1966, prior to which he led the life of a playboy.
Chassis 1517 SA was Agnelli’s fifth Ferrari; it followed a blue 1950 166 Mille Miglia Touring Spyder (chassis 0064 M), a two-tone blue and white 1952 212 Inter Vignale Coupe (0211 EL), a two-tone dark green and burgundy 1955 375 America Pinin Fraina Coupe (0355 AL) and a silver 1958 250 GT Coupe Speciale (1017 GT).
All these cars had been specially configured to varying degrees with everything from custom colour schemes and interior appointments to completely bespoke coachwork.
Agnelli was a fan of unconventional automotive design and was known to have requested Pinin Farina create for him “Ferraris that do not look like Ferraris”. This was particularly evident in the case of 1517 SA with its large square grille, shrouded dual headlamps and wraparound windscree. Stainless steel trim was fitted both inside and outside.
In the years prior to 1959, Agnelli had come to love glass Aerlux roofs; both his most recent Ferraris had been equipped as such and 1517 SA was similarly specified.
The completed car was painted Luna d’Argento (Moon Silver) with red leather upholstery.
1517 SA made its debut at the Turin Motor Show in November 1959 (depicted above with Sergio Pininfarina) and was displayed again at Geneva in March 1960.
Initially, small front quarter bumpers were fitted, each of which was located beneath a stylised wraparound intake. However, after the Turin Motor Show, Agnelli requested the car be modified to incorporate a full width bumper, deletion of the air intakes, a new front grille and re-positioned sidelights. An extra piece of trim was added to the swage line to break up the side profile.
Agnelli must have been suitably happy with the result for he subsequently commissioned Pinin Farina to create a close copy of chassis 1517 SA for a Maserati 5000 GT that he ordered (chassis 008).
As was the case with most of his cars, Agnelli did not keep 1517 SA for long.
In September 1962 it was sold to Giuseppe Cornacchia of Milan who was likely a relation of renowned Ferrari dealer, Franco Cornacchia. In October of that year it was sold again: to Anita Ekberg in Rome.
Mario Rossi of Turin purchased 1517 SA from Sig. Ekberg in May 1966 and in 1968 it went via Gaston Crepaldi’s Ferrari dealership in Milan to Luigi Chinetti in the USA. The car subsequently went through the hands of several American owners before finding its way to Robert Butler of Tarzana, California, in 1986.
Mr Butler has retained the car ever since, during which time it has been restored.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
