A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 formerly owned by Eric Clapton has come to market with UK specialist car dealer Fiskens. The matching numbers example – chassis 09261 – was the second of only 31 right-hand drive examples ever built.
Ordered in July 1966 through UK Ferrari importer Maranello Concessionaires, the car was delivered new to Robin Houry, a businessman with interests in Kenya who had the Ferrari shipped directly to Mombasa.
Houry wasted little time putting it to use, driving it in East African Motor Sports Club races. This led Maranello Concessionaires founder Ronnie Hoare to suggest that 09261 may have been the first 275 GTB/4 to ever be driven in competition.
In 1968, ownership passed to Houry’s business partner Brian Lees, who brought 09261 back to the UK in 1970. Automotive illustrator James Allington acquired the car in 1971. Renowned for his cutaway technical drawings, Allington disassembled 09261 to create one of his illustrations before having it restored in 1975. He kept the Ferrari for more than 30 years before consigning it to Christie’s in 2002.
Despite being the star lot of Christie’s sale, 09261 failed to reach its reserve. The Ferrari found its next home in 2003, when it was acquired by Eric Clapton, who had owned a 275 GTB/4 since 1970. Clapton immediately commissioned UK marque specialist DK Engineering to carry out a 12-month, £160,000 restoration that saw it return to its original shade of Grigio Argento.
After passing through another two owners, 09261 found its current custodian in January 2022, who has since commissioned a full bare-metal body restoration taking two years and £190,000 to complete.
Offered with Ferrari Classiche certification, 09261 is now for sale with Fiskens on a POA basis. View the listing here.
