Ferrari restores McQueen’s old 275

Clearly, 390 cubic inches of Ford Mustang V8 didn't quell Steve McQueen's insatiable appetite for horsepower. We know this because during the filming of legendary 1968 crime drama Bullitt, he purchased a Ferrari 275 GTB4.

Specifically, the Ferrari 275 GTB4 in the picture above. And Ferrari has just taken delivery of this very car sans roof, from its current custodian who wishes to put the lid back on and have it certified. Let us explain.

See more pics of Steve McQueen's old Ferrari 275 GTB4

Ferrari's Classiche department was set up in 2006 by Luca di Montezemolo, to provide restoration and maintenance services, technical assistance and certificates of authenticity for classic Ferrari owners.

Its 950 square metres tucked inside the Maranello factory have, to date, processed over 3,300 certification requests, and this 275 is the latest. To qualify for a certificate of authenticity - ie, to be a properly official Ferrari - the car must be exactly the same as when it left the factory. McQueen's old 275 was, at some point in the 1980s, converted into a Spider.

And thus, the current owner has entrusted Ferrari engineers with converting it back into a coupe, who will reproduce the roof with hand-beaten steel panels.

Probably a wise idea too, seeing as old horses from Maranello tend to be quite a worthwhile investment; witness the 250 GTO built for Stirling Moss that recently sold for $35 million. Thirty-five million.