Ferrari 275 GTB Restoration

Documents in the history file from Tony Willis confirm that this short-nose, six-carburettor 275 GTB was originally produced to RHD specifications for delivery to the U.K. Finished in Rosso Rubino metallizzato (16.119 MM) over a Beige (VM 3309) interior, it was originally optioned with Borrani wire wheels. Its first owner was Dr. K.J. Reed of London shortly after his invention of Letraset! Reed took delivery of the car in June of 1965 and shortly thereafter fitted cast 'starburst' wheels. Dr. Reed owned the car through 1968 and used the car extensively. Period imagery shows the car on the The Kings Road and Hyde Park by the Serpentine in London. Dr Reed further stretched the legs of the 275 with a drive down to Ibiza from London.

Interestingly, in the file is a letter from Colonel Ronnie Hoare in October of 1968, sending Dr. Reed tickets to the London motor show so Dr. Reed could have a look at the 275 GTB’s successor, the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Dr. Reed wasn't a fan and retained his 275 GTB.

The second 'owner' in the logbook is noted as “C/A ‘Cashel’”, in fact still Reed but registered under his country house name. The car’s next owner was John Howard Rapdon and it would pass through two more owners over the course of the following two years, by 1980 the car was acquired by a Mr. Christianson of Bournemouth.

In 1982, this example was acquired by its previous owner, Dr. Lustenberger. Having admired V12 Ferrari’s for a long time, he was finally able to buy one for himself. Despite living in Switzerland, the only car he was able to find for sale was in the UK. He travelled to the UK and collected the car from Straight Eight Ltd in London, a well-known dealership at the time. Purchasing the car, he had the dealership write out directions to the ferry in Dover. The return journey took him through France and after an overnight stay, home to Lausanne, Switzerland. The directions from the dealership, the ferry ticket and even the spare spark plug supplied by the dealer remain in the glove box to this day. Immensely proud of his pride and joy, Lustenberger would cover just 1,400 miles in his forty-year ownership. The car resided within his garage throughout but has not been driven in nearly thirty years.

Restoration at DK Engineering

Studio Imagery January 2026